The Differences of the Churches of the Separation, Demands – Index
Certayne demaundes, wherto wee deſire direct & found anſwer, with proof from the Scriptures.
1. Concerning the Kingdom & Preiſthood of Chriſt.
VVhither the Kingdom & Preiſthood of the old Teſtament were not diſtinct & ſe…rall, both in perſon, office, & actions.
VVhither the Kingdom & Preiſthood of the old Teſtament were not typical, ſha… win… out the Kingdom & Preiſthood of Chriſt?
VVhither the Kingdom & Preiſthood of Chriſt are not diſtinct, buth in office & act… though vnited in one perſon?
VVhither as Chriſt is both King & Preiſt, ſo alſo the Saynts are not by Chriſt annoy…ted to be Kings & Preiſts vntounto God?
VVhither the office & actions of the Sayntes in the Kingdom & Preiſthood, are … diſtinct & ſeveral, though vnited in perſon?
VVhither the office & actions of the Kingdom in the old Teſtament were not of … poſition, difference, plea, & ſtrife?
VVhither the office & actions of the Kingdom of the Saynts in the new Teſtament are not of the ſame nature?
VVhither the office & actions of the Preiſthood of the Old Teſtament were not of vnion, concord, & agreemt in Sacrificing.
VVhither the office & actions of the Preiſthood of the Saynts in the new Teſtament be not of the ſame nature? Rom. 15.6.
2. Concerning the Spirit & Spirituall the Lettre, & Literal.
VVhither in this phraſe & the like (viz. The manifeſtation of the ſpirit) the Spirit doth not ſignifie principally, both the Spiritual & regenerate part of the ſoule, & the Spiritual matter in the regenerate part.
VVhither the manifeſtation of the Spirit doth import eyther the Spirituall matter which a man bringeth out of a book by reading: or the Spiritual & gracious geſtures & motions which a man expreſſeth in reading & performing other actions.
VVhither quenching the Spirit be not to withold & reſtrayne the Spiritual matter which by the Spirit of Sanctification is ſtirred vp in the regenerate part of the ſoule.
VVhither reading wordes contayned in a book doth manifeſt the Spirt; that is, expreſſe the Spirituall matter which is the regenerate part of him that readeth or rather doth not cleane put it by, leave it, & diverteth to an other ſubiect & ſo quencheth it.
VVhither the letter doth not properly ſignifie the literall & ceremonial, ordinances of the old Teſtament, 2. Cor. 3 0. Which began outwardly ſignifiyng & conveighing Spiritual matter into the regenerate part of the ſoule from without?
VVhither reading the wordes contayned in a booke be not aſmuch & as truly literal beginning outwardly & conveighing matter inwardly as the ſacrificing of a beaſt in the Old Teſtament?
VVhither ſacrifi…ing in the Old Teſtament may not as truly be accounted the manifeſtation of the Spirit as reading: ſeing ſacrificing did expreſſe the Spiritual matter Chriſt Ieſus, & was done with a grace by the Prei…s, even as reading, doth expreſſe the Spiritual matter of the book Chriſt Ieſus, & is performed with a grace by the reader?
3. Conce…ning, writing, & Reading.
VVhither lettres or characters are not invented by the witt of man to expreſſe the articulate ſounds of natural ſpeeth: & whither the inventors of lettres are not mentioned in hiſtoryes?
VVhither writing be not the invention of man by the ſame reaſon.
VVhither reading be not the invention of man by the ſame reaſon?
whither writing & read ng be not things meerly artificial though ſpeaking be natural?
VVhither writing & reading being meer artificial deviſes may be properly called Spirituall worship: & whither if reading be Spiritual worship, writing be not ſo alſo?
VVhither that bicauſe the manu…rie trade of the butcher & cook in killing roſting or boyling the Sacrifices, of the ingraver in the ſtones of the breſtplate of the Apotecary in the annoynting oyle, of the Maſon & carpenter in the hewing of ſtone & wood, & ſo cō ſequētly of the ſcribe or paynter in writing & reading, were literal & ceremonial eyther worship or actions in the old Teſtament, they may now be called Spirituall worship or actions in the new Teſtament: & whither one rather then another: & why?
4. Of the Holy Scriptures & tranſlations.
VVhither the holy Scriptures viz: the originals Hebrue & Greek do not conteyne in thē infinite depth of truth: & whither the holy Spirit did not intend by thē to ſignifie al the truths, which al the men of the earth, eyther hertofore, now, or hereafter truly collect fom thence?
VVhither the holy originals do not conteyne more matter thē the Prophets & Apoſtles that wrote then did conceave?
VVhither the Hebrue & Greek tong in their idiomes, words & phraſes are not plentifuly more comprehenſive & ſignificative of matter thē any other language whatſoever?
VVhither as the original Scriptures are the jmage of the mynd of God: ſo a tranſlation be not the jmage of the original Scriptures.
VVhither the jmage can poſſibly expreſſe the thing therby ſignified, fully.
VVhither it be posſible for any language verbatim without paraphraſt to expreſſe the Hebrue & Greek text of the holy originals fully?
VVhither a tranſlation made by the moſt learned & holy men of the earth doth or can expreſſe truly & fully the holy ghoſts meaning in the originals?
VVhither therfor a tranſlation made by the moſt learned & holy men of the earth be not an Apocrypha writing of an ordinary man?
VVhither if any Apocrypha writing may be brought into the worship of God to be read all may not: & whither if ſome Apocrypha writings muſt be caſt out of the church why not all, yea the translation alſo?
5. Of worship, & vſe of bookes in tyme of worship in the new Teſtament.
VVhither prayer, propheſying, & ſinging Pſalmes be the true & only parts of the worſhip of the new Teſtament?
VVhether reading be eyther prayer, propheſy, or a Pſalme?
VVhither reading be lawfull in tyme of prayer, propheſy & ſinging Pſalmes?
VVhither reading doth not put matter into the hart of him that readeth, & worship be not the producing of matter out of the hart of him that worshippeth?
VVhither the Apoſtles & primitive Churches did ever pray, propheſy, & ſing pſalmes out of bookes, after the day of Pentecoſt. Act. 2?
VVhither they did not pray, propheſy, & ſing Pſalmes as the holy ghoſt gave them vtterance?
VVhither the place 1. Cor. 14.26. doth not teach that a man muſt have a Pſalme, have doctryne, that is in …is hart, whence he muſt produce it by the manifeſtation of the Spirit?
VVhither if 2 book muſt be laid aſide in prayer, it muſt not be ſo alſo in propheſy & ſinging Pſalmes & why?
VVhither if a book be retayned in propheſy & a pſalme, it may not be ſo alſo in prayer & why?
VVhither thet be two kindes of prayer, propheſy, & Pſalmes, one with books, another without bookes: or one ſort of prayer without bookes▪ & two ſorts of propheſying & Pſalmes: with & without bookes & why: & whither this can be warranted by the Apoſtles doctryne & practiſe?
6. Concerning a Pſalme.
VVhither as in prayer & propheſy one alone ſpeaketh, & the reſt pray … propheſy by conſēt. 1. cor. 11.4. ſo in a Pſalme one onelyonly muſt ſpeak, & the reſt muſt coſēt. 1. cor. 14.16.
VVhither in a Pſalme a man muſt be tyed to meter & Rithme, & tune, & whither voluntary be not as neceſſary in tune & wordes as in matter?
VVhither meter, Rithme, & tune, be not quenching …he Spirit?
VVhither a pſalme be only thankſgiving without meter, Rethme or tune, yea or nay?
7. Concerning the Elders or Presbytery.
VVhither al the Elders muſt not be able to teach, & rule as the Apoſtle ſaith, didacticoi, & proiſtamenoī. 1. Timoth. 3.
VVhither didacticos that is apt to teach be not expounded by the Apoſtle, Tit. 1.9. by three particulars: viz: 1. to teach wholſome doctryne: 2. to exhort: 3. to convince the gainſayers?
VVhither Teaching & Ruling be not the two parts of feeding?
VVhither feeding that is Teaching, Ruling, exhorting, conforting be not the paſtors office, & therfor all the Elders paſtors?
VVhither the Eldership hath not all their powre from the Church?
VVhither the Eldership hath a negative voyce in the church that nothing can be concluded without them?
VVhither if moſt or the Church conſent & the Elders diſſent, the matter cannot paſſe againſt the Elders diſſent?
VVhither ſeing the church may depoſe & excommunicate the Eldership they may not paſſe other ſentences without or contrary to their liking?
VVhither may not a man propound his mater to the church without acquaynting the Elders with it in the firſt place.
VVhither in the ſecond degree of admonition a man is not bound to take an Elder for witneſſe?
VVhether one Elder only in a church be Gods ordinance & whither if ther be choſen any Elder ther muſt be choſen more then one?
VVhither the ſeales of the covenant may not be adminiſtred, ther being yet no Elders in offiice?
8. Concerning the Treaſury & contribution.
VVhither the treaſury be not Holy?
VVhither contribution be not an action of the communion of the Saynts?
VVhither as in other parts of communion ſo in this, ther ought not to be a ſeperation from them that are without?
VVhither the action of contribution muſt not be Sanctified by prayer & thankſgiving?
A Recapitulation of the Chapters to be found according to their pages.
The firſt part concerning the Leitourgie of the Church.
Chap. 1. Of the Kingdom of the Saynts. pag. 1.
Chap. 2. Of the Preiſthood of the Saynts. pag. 1.
Chap. 3. Of Spirituall worship & of the Spirit. pag. 2.
Chap. 4. Of quenching the Spirit. pag. 2.
Chap. 5. Of the helps of Spiritual worship. pag. 3.
Chap. 6. Concerning bookes & writing. pag. 3.
Chap. 7. Of the kindes of bookes or writings. pag. 4.
Chap. 8. Of the originals or holy Scriptures, & of the partes of holy Scripture. pag. 4.
Chap. 9. How the originals or holy Scriptures are to be vſed. pag. 5.
Chap. 10: Reaſons proving the originals not to be given as helps before the eye in worship. pdg. 6.
Chap. 11. Objections for bookworship anſwered. pag. 7.
Chap. 12. Of the writings of men. pag. 10.
Chap. 13. Of reading tranſlations, & of the tranſlation of the 72. int…preters. pag. 10.
Chap. 14. Of other arguments againſt reading tranſlations … tyme of worship. pag. 11.
Chap. 15. Objections for tranſlations anſwered. pag. 13.
Chap. 16. Of the lawfulnes of tranſlating the Scriptures, & the vſe of tranſlations in our account. pag. 17.
Chap. 17. Concerning the vſe of the tranſlation for the hearers. pag. 18.
Chap. 18. Of the nature or eſſence of Spiritual worship & the eſſential cauſſes & kindes thereof. pag. 18.
Chap. 19. How the worship of the old Teſtament did type the Spiritual worship of the new Teſtament pag. 30.
Chap. 20. Of that which was performed in the court. pag. 21.
The ſecond part of the Miniſtery of the Church. pag. 22.
The firſt ſection of the Eldership or Presbytery. pag. 22.
Chap. 1. Of the names or titles of the Elders. pag. 22.
Chap. 2. Of reaſons proving the Elders to be of one ſort viz: all Paſtors. pag. 23.
Chap. 3. Objections for three ſorts of Elders anſwered. pag. 24.
Chap. 4. Of the divers gifts of Elders. pag. 26.
Chap. 5. Of the works of the Presbytery or Elders in the Preiſthood of the church. pa. 27
Chap. 6. Of the workes of the Presbytery or Elders in the Kingdō of the church. pag. 28.
The ſecond ſection.
Chap. 1. Of the treaſury of the Church & the Deacons office, pag. 28.
Chap. 2. Who are to contribute. pag. 29.
Chap. 3. What or how much is to be given to the treaſury. pag. 29.
Chap. 4. Of what nature the treaſury is. pag. 29.
Chap. 5. When the treaſury is to be collected. pag. 30.
Chap. 6. How the treaſury is to be employed. pag. 30.
Chap. 7. At whoſe diſpoſition the treaſury is. pag. 31.
Certayne demaundes, pag. 31.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Smyth, The Differences of the Churches of the Separation (1608)