Parallels Censures — John Smyth

Parallels Censures · John Smyth

The tenth Section.

The next poſition is according to your order the twelvth, viz:

That every of our aſſemblies are falſe churches, al our miniſters falſe miniſters, our worship a faiſe worship: you cal this en or, I cannot beleeve you: wherfor I declare them vntounto you particularly in order after this manner.

But bicauſe your Wordes ſeem to import that you doe not defend all your aſſemblies to be true Churches, all your Miniſters true Miniſters, & the worship of every aſſemblie to be a true worship, for that I geſſe by your covenant you exclude dumb Miniſters, & the aſſemblies over which they are, & the worship offered vp by them: Therefore I wil onelyonly plead againſt your parish Church at workſap, and your owne Miniſterie, and the worship offered vp by you for your people in the parish Church at workſap.

Firſt, for your aſſemblie I vſe this reaſon to prove it no true Church: wher the people are not Holy, Elect, & faithful, having not entered covenant to walk in all Gods wayes, ſtanding in confuſion with every abhominable liver ſubject to al the Antichriſtian orders & officers ſet over them, deprived of the powre of Chriſt for ther mutuall help & edification, ther is no true Church.

But the parish aſſemblie of workſap is ſuch go, it is no true Church.

The Major is manifeſt by theſe Scriptures compared together, Math. 15.9. Apocal. 14.9-11. Epheſ. 1.1.4. 2. Corinth. 6.14-18. Math. 28.20. & 5.19. Apocal. 18.4. Math. 5.24.

The Minor you dare not deny I aſſure my ſelf: For you have at leaſt five or ſix hundreth communicants, & you account not paſt 30. or 40. of them faithful: & al of you ſubmit to Antichriſt his lawes & courts dayly: eſpecially your ſelf who cap & knee runne & ride after Antichriſts officers & courts feeing him with your money: yea you plead for them & write your peny pamphlets for them, and yet once yon wrote againſt them, and loſt your vicaridg in your teſtimonie againſt them, but bicauſe you could not buy and ſell except you receaved the mark of the beaſt, now you are content to yeeld to all, yea & to plead for all, that you may t…affique with your marchandize.

Secondly, for your ſelf I hold you to be no true miniſter of Chriſt: For your Church being falſe, how can your miniſterie be true: For if the Fountaine be bitter the ſtreame cā not be ſweet: your Church is falſe, your miniſterie which ariſeth out of your Church as aſtreame from a Fountaine is falſe alſo.

Thirdly, your worship which commeth from a falſe Church, & a falſe miniſterie cannot be true: but is falſe in that double reſpect, but particularly I except theſe things againſt your worship.

1. That it is qualified with your falſe miniſterie.

2. That it is offered vp in a falſe Church.

3. That it is offered vp to God in the behalf of al your people which are many of thē (I preſume) lewd perſons, al of them ſubjects of Antichriſts Kingdome: this I except againſt your conceaved prayers.

Againſt your ſervice book I except thus beſides the former.

1. It is deviſed & invented by the man of ſinne.

2. That it is impoſed vppon you & your people of neceſſity.

3. That it is ſtinted & limited & the Spirit therby quenched.

4. That it is read vppon a book.

5. That it is corrupt in all the particular errors objected by the Puritans.

All theſe 8 particulars are contrary to theſe Scriptures compared together, Roman. 8.26. Math. 15.9. Apocal. 5.8. & 8.3. 1. Theſſal. 5.19. Apocal. 9.20. & 16.13.14. Act. 16.18. & 19.13-16. Math. 24.23-26. 1. Corinth. 12.7. and 2.4. and 14.15.26. Ierem. 23.16 Deut. 13.3. Col. 3.16. Iam. 5.13. Ioh. 4.24.

Mr. Ber. I would not have you paſſe by theſe things lightly but weigh them wel and let vsus have your anſwer vntounto them.

Paralleles, Cenſures, Obſervations, aperteyning to the tenth Section.

This Section conſiſteth of three maine branches which Mr. Bern. handleth from pag. 109. to the 150. of his book called the Sep. Schiſ. Heer therfor I muſt endevor two things: Firſt, to prove by vndeniable arguments drawne from the Scriptures that 1. the aſſēblies Eccleſiaſtical of England are falſe churches, 2. the Miniſters adminiſtring the holy things to theſe Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies are falſe Miniſters, 3. the worship performed by the miniſtery & people in the communion viſible to be a falſe worship: Secondly, Mr. Bern. objections & cavils muſt be refuted: wher the reader muſt be advertiſed that in performing this latter part I shall not endevour to handle all things that Mr. Bernard propoundeth, for ther is much truth by him propounded, which I with him conſent vntounto, only the points of difference shalbe diſcuſted, & the reſt omitted.

In the firſt place therfor to deale as they ſay poſitively Kataskeuaſticos: I prove that al the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of the Land, as they ſtand eſtablished by law are falſe Churches: that is to ſay not framed or conſtituted according to that preſidēt which Chriſt hath left for the conſtituting of the Churches of the new Teſtament: but are framed according to the invention of man, even that man of ſinne, Antichriſt the Archenemy of Chriſt.

The firſt Argument from Mat. 3.6. Iam. 2.18. Rom. 1.7. 1. Cor. 1.2. Eph. 1.1. Mat. 28.19.

From theſe places of Scripture compared together I collect an argument which may thus be framed.

The true Churches of Chriſt were eſtablished of men that did repent & beleeve, and shew their faith by their workes, that were Saints & faithful viſiblie: & of theſe only.

The aſſemblies Eccleſiaſtical of England are not eſtablished only of ſuch perſons: but of al ſorts of perſons, even the moſt profane of the Land: being compelled by law to ſubmit therto.

Ergo: the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are not the true eſtablished churches of Chriſts inſtitution.

Heer it may be conſidered that before the Churches of the new Teſtament were eſtablished the goſpel was preached, & vppon the publishing of the goſpel men were converted to the faith of Chriſt, being made the Diſciples of Chriſt, & ſo many of them whither Iewes or Gentils as gladly receaved the word were baptized, & added to the Church, & continued in the Apoſtles doctrine, & fellowship, & breaking of bread, & prayer: this was the conſtitution & walking of the Churches of the Apoſtolique inſtitution: & therfor the Churches of England being raiſed by compulſion without procedent teaching, & converſion to the faith, & making of them Diſciples of Chriſt, being newly & hardly drawne from the Egipsian darknes of moſt palpable Antichriſtianiſme, being many of them brutishly ignorant, proſeſſed Papiſts, vild Atheiſts, witches, conjurers, theeves dronkards, blasphemers, al of them ſubmitted to Antichriſtian Lords & Lawes, to Popish Sacrificing Preiſts, (for their miniſters were not newly ordeyned) to a ſtinted deviſed, corrupted, Popish ſervice book or worship: they in this their conſtitution & walking cannot be accounted the true eſtablished Churches of the Apoſtolique inſtitution but rather are yet …emayning in the gulfe of Antichriſtianiſme.

The ſecond Argument from 2. Cor. 6.17. Revel. 18.4. Act. 19.9. & 2.40.47. & 5.13. 1. Timoth. 6.5.

From theſe & ſuch like places of Scripture compared together & truly expounded, may be collected an argument framed after this manner.

True Churches of the Apoſtolique inſtitution conſiſted of a people ſeperated from …eleevers, whether Iewes or pagans or other.

The Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England conſiſt not of ſuch a Seperated people: but are compounded of a mixt people, which for the moſt part are as bad as Iewes or Pagans, viz: perſons notoriouſly wicked.

Ergo, the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are not the truly conſtituted Churches of the Apoſtolique inſtitution.

Heer it wil nothing availe them to alledg as they are accuſtomed that they are neither Iewes nor Pagans: For I have already proved that perſons that ſubmit to Antichriſt & his abhominations are in the Lords account equal to Pagans, being called in the book of the Revelation, Egiptians, Sodomites, Babylonians, Gentils: & the Apoſtle willeth the Diſciples to Seperate themſelves from brethren walking inordinately from perſons excommunicate, from converteous perſons, & al other that either teach falſe doctrine, or deny the powre of Godlines indeed, though inword they profeſſe the ſame. 2. Tim. 3.5. Tit. 1.16. 2. Theſ. 3.6. 1. Cor. 5.11.

The third Argument from Mat. 28.19.20. Act. 19.4.5. & 10.48. Mat. 18.20.

The true Churches of the Apoſtolique inſtitution were by baptiſme gathered into the covenant or new Teſtament of Chriſt.

The Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are not by their baptiſme conunited into the New Teſtament of Chriſt, but only into the conſtitution, miniſtery, worship, & government, & into that faith & doctrine which is by law eſtablished in the Land.

Ergo: the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are not the true Churches of the Apoſtolique inſtitution.

The ground of this argument is this: that the Apoſtles baprized men in definitely into the whole new Teſtament of Chriſt, & al the ordinances thereof, which was not ſtinted or limited at the pleaſure of men vnderunder certaine canons, injunctions, articles, or Eccleſiaſtical conſtitutions, but was large, even as large as the whole word of truth then inſpired or written by the Apoſtles & Prophets: whereas the aſſemblies of England do neither them ſelves profeſſe the true ſaith of Chriſt conteyned in the new Teſtament, their faith being ſtinted & limited vnderunder certaine deviſed articles & convocatiō howſe Synodical decrees or conſtitutions, wherevnto al the miniſters of the lād are bound to Subſcribe & which is the faith of the whole nation: neither therfor do they baptiſe into the new Teſtament of Chriſt indefinitely & ſimply, but reſpectively & definitely into that faith & doctrine which is taught in their ſtinted book of articles, wherto they ſubſcribe which they beleeve & teach, & wherof the body of that Church is, wherin wherto they are by baptiſme admitted & receaved: their faith therfor being deviſed & ſtinted, or falſe: therfore their baptiſme falſe: therfor their covenant falſe: therfor the forme of their Church falſe: & therfor the Church it ſelf a falſe Church: For how can that be a true Church, which hath a falſe faith, covenant, forme?

The fourth argument from Mat. 18.18-20. Marc. 13.34. Ioh. 20.23. Mat. 16.19.

Theſe places & other like Scriptures afoard an argument which may be framed after this manner.

The true Churches of the Apoſtolique inſtitution had Chriſts powre miniſterial in the body of the Church.

The Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England have not Chriſts miniſterial powre reſiding in the body of the Church.

Ergo: the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are not the true Churches of the primitive Apoſtolique inſtitution.

The Major or firſt part of this Argument hath been largely proved in the ſeaventh Section and in the Paralleles, Cenſures, Obſervations, therto aperteyning: whither the Reader is to be referred: where this particular is handled affirmatively and negatively.

The Minor or ſecond part of the argument is evident in it ſelf: For the powre Eccleſiaſtical of the aſſemblies is reſident in the hands of certaine Archb. Lordb. Archdeacons, Chancellors, Commiſſaries, Officials, and other Eccleſiaſtical Superintendents, which have powre over thouſands or hundreths of Parish Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies, and the Miniſters in them: & which have powre Eccleſiaſtical one over another to ſuſpend excommunicate, and abſolve them according to their canons, decrees, and decretals: the Prelate in his dioceſe or juriſdiction having abſolute powre to interdict one or more Parish Churches from having any prayers or Service: they have no powre to come into the Parish Church, or Temple to worship, whiles the interdiction with the Bbs. ſeale cleaveth vppon the Church dore, &c. & divers particulars of like nature which doe evidently declare that the parish aſſemblies have no powre at all of themſelves, but are meerly and wholly ſubject and in bondage to the Eccleſiaſticall Hierarchy, and ſubordination of Clergie-men, having Superintendency, Superiority, & juriſdiction over them as their proper Spirituall LL. to Whome they dayly yeeld Spirituall homage and Subjection in their oaths off Canonicall obedience, and actions of like Servitude.

The fifth Argument from 1. Timoth. 2.5. Heb. 9.15. Gal. 3.15.16. Iohn. 17.9.

Theſe places of holy Scripture & other of like nature may aſoard an argument which may thus be framed.

The true Church of the primitive inſtitution Apoſtolical had Chriſt Ieſus for their mediator, that is, for their King, Preiſt, & Prophet.

The aſſemblies Eccleſiaſtical of Englād have not Ieſus Chriſt for their Mediator, that is their King, Preiſt, & Prophet.

Ergo, the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are not the true Churches of the primitive inſtitution Apoſtolical.

The Minor or ſecond part of the Argument may be confirmed by divers particulars, as 1. Chriſt is not their King, ſeing he onelyonly ruleth by his owne Lawes and Officers, and not by Antichriſtian Lords, and Lawes, ſuch as are their Prelates, and the Officers, Courts, and Canons. 2. Chriſt is not their preiſt to ratifie vntounto them by his blood that ordinance of Church, Miniſtery, VVorship, and Government which they retaine among them, which is not Chriſts Teſtament, but the Teſtament of Antichriſt the vtter enemy of Chriſt: neither doth he proſtitute the blood of his Teſtament to eſtablish ſuch a worship as their ſervice book affoardeth: or ſuch a Miniſtery as their Clergie is from the ArchP. to the ParishP: or ſuch a Government as their Eccleſiaſticall Hircarchy: or ſuch a people for his body, as are compounded of the Serpents ſeed, a viperous brood of wicked men of all ſorts. 3. Chriſt is not their Prophett to teach them by the falſe Prophetts the inſtruments of Antichriſt, which dayly by their doctrine ſet vp Antichriſts Officers, & Lawes, & oppugne the true New Teſtament of Chriſt in the true conſtitution, Miniſterie, VVorship, & Government taught in his word: Seing therfor Chriſt is not their King, Preiſt, & Prophet, how is he their Mediator? Seing his mediation conſiſteth not in the execution & diſpenſation of theſe their offices of King, Preiſt, & Prophet.

The ſixth Argument from Eph. 1.22.23. 1. Cor. 12.27.12. Gal. 3.16. Eph. 5.23.

From theſe places of Scripture compared together, & truly expounded, may an argument be drawne framed thus.

The true Church of the Apoſtolique primitive inſtitution hath Chriſt for the head, and is a true body vntounto the true head Chriſt, truly vnited by the Spiritt of Chriſt.

The eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of Englād are not a true body vntounto Chriſt the true head truly vnited by the Spirit of Chriſt.

Ergo, the eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are not the true Churches of the primitive Apoſtolique inſtitution.

The Minor or ſecond part of the Argument may thus be confirmed in the three parts therof, 1. Chriſt is not their true head ſeing they deny all his offices (though they hold the doctryne of his nature and perſons ſoundly) as is plainly proved before in the fifth Argument, 2. the aſſemblies as they ſtand in confuſion with all the vngodly and vitious perſons of the Land, vnderunder the Antichriſtian Lords and Lawes Eccleſiaſticall, can not be a true body vntounto Chriſt, but is a monſtrous body, like vntounto the body of Nebuchadnetzars image: Daniel. 2.32. 3. this monſtrous body cannot be vnited to the true head Chriſt by his Spirit, but the people of the aſſemblies being for the moſt part the ſeed of the Serpent muſt needes be knit together, and vntounto their head Antichriſt by the Spirit of Antichriſt, the Spirit of Sathan. All this I ſpeak of their viſible communion, and of that politique body Eccleſiaſticall which is called their Church: For otherwiſe I doe acknowledg vnfeynedly, and doe vndoubtedly beleeve that the Lord hath his thouſands among them, even a remnant according to the Election of grace.

Thus have I proved vntounto you Mr. Bernard poſitively, that the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England in their preſent conſtitution, and walking, are not the true churches of the primitive Apoſtolique inſtitutiō, but are in their outward, viſible, politique ſubſiſtence the churches of Antichriſt, framed after the shape of the popish aſſēblies, though much refined from the venemous droſſe of popery: now in the ſecond place it remayneth that I deale anaskeuaſticos with you answering thoſe things which you alledg for your Churches to prove them true:

The great & maine pillar of your building is this, that ſeing your Church hath not a falſe head, falſe matter, falſe forme, falſe properties, therefore it is not a falſe, but a true Church.

To theſe 4. particulars I anſwer diſtinctly: Firſt, you have a falſe head in that you worship God in a fantaſtical Chriſt of your owne deviſing, in that you shape him a Kingdom Preiſthood, & Propheſy of your owne invention, making him a mediator & interceſtor to al the profane people of the Land, cauſing him to offer vp other worship & worshippers to his Father then he hath taught in his new Teſtament purchaſed by his blood: by this meanes dealing with Chriſt as ſomtyme the Iewes did, putting a reed in his hand, a crowne of thornes vppon his head, & kneeling downe vntounto him as to a King, & bidding him prophecy, & yet ſmite him vppon the face, ſpit at him & preſently crucify him: For whereas you frame him a Kingdom, Subjects, Officers, Lawes, & a government after your owne invention, or rather out of the Propes decretals & decrees, hereby you ſeem to make him a King, but indeed you Crucifye him againe, and tread vnderunder foote the blood of the Teſtament, which he hath purchaſed & eſtablished at ſo high a rate.

Secondly, your church hath a falſe matter: For ſeing you do al this indignity to Chriſt the head of his true Church, do you think that he wil entertaine you for the true matter of his Church, the true ſubjects of his Kingdom, the true members of his body, the faithful Servants of his howſe, his chaſt & true welbeloved Spowſe & wife? either you muſt repent & reforme your ſelves of al that vild indignity which you offer vntounto Chriſt or els he wil never receave you for the matter of his Church, the Subjects of his Kingdom, the members of his body, the Servants of his howſe, his eſpowſed wife: For Chriſt wil not take a wife of fornication, & children of fornication, Hoſ. 1. he wil not have the Servants of Antichriſt to be his howſehold Servants, Mat. 6.24. nor wil he take the members of an harlot, & make them the members of Chriſt, 1. Cor. 6.15, & the Subjects of his vtter enemy Antichriſt, cannot poſſibly be the true faithful Subjects of Chriſts Kingdom. Luk. 19.27.

But in the pa. 111-116. of your book you make a diſtinction of matter, as: No matter True matter, Falſe matter: they are no matter of a church (ſay you) which do not profeſſe Chriſt: as Iewes, Turks, Pagans: They are true matter that profeſſe Chriſt to be the Sonne of God, & the Sonne of Mary, & the only Saviour of man. Falſe matter (ſay you) is contrary to the true: Further this true matter of the Church (you ſay) is good & bad: good matter (you ſay as it ſeemeth to me) is men walking vprightly in this profeſſion of Chriſt: bad matter are men walking wickedly: & this you illuſtrate by the matter of mariage, for she may be a true wife though a bad one, & alſo by the ſimilitude of ſubjects to a King, who may be true, though bad ones, breaking his lawes: & a true tradeſman though vnskilful in his profeſſiō: & for your ſelves you ſay you are true matter of Chriſts church (though not good matter) bicauſe you profeſſe Chriſt truly as is ſaid before: wel Mr. Ber. I yeeld the general diſtinction of matter, but I deny the particular application of it to your ſelves: & I ſay you are falſe mater: how therfor do you prove vntounto vsus that you are …ue matter? by 4. reaſons: wherof the firſt is for that you beleving this forſaid truth you beleeve the ſumme of the goſpel: I deny it vtterly: the ſumme of the gospel is this, that Ieſus Chriſt the Sonne of God, & the Sonne of Mary, is the only King, Preiſt, & Prophet of his Church, governing, Sacrificing, making interceſſion, & prophecying after that holy manner & according to thoſe rules which he hath preſcribed in his Teſtament: Now to beleeve truly concerning the perſon of Chriſt, & to beleeve falſely concerning his office as you doe, is not to beleeve the whole goſpel, but only a peece of it: So that this is the doctrine alone by which the Apoſtles did gather a people to make them a Church & diſciples of Chriſt: & the profeſſion herof admitted men as true matter of a Church: & this only differenceth the true Church from Iewes, Turkes, Pagans, Papiſts, & al other Antichriſtians & Heretiques, viz: Ieſus Chriſt, God and man, King, Preiſt, & Prophet, & mediator of his owne Teſtament: Therfor your ſecond, third, & fourth reaſons fal flat to the ground, the firſt being vnderminded as you ſee: but ther is one thing that I wonder at: that you should hold the Papiſts to be falſe matter of a Church for holding juſtification by workes, therby denying Chriſts Preiſthood & hold your ſelves to be true matter of the Church denying Chriſts Kingdom in the true frame, miniſtery, worship, & government of his Church: what is not Chriſts Kingdom as pretious as his Preiſthood? is it not as horrible impiety to deny Chriſts Kingdom, & the ordinances therof: as to deny his Preiſthood & the vertue therof? or is Chriſts Preiſthood more fundamental then his Kingdom? or juſtification by workes more pernitious then to deny Chriſt to raigne as King, & to refuſe his regiment? wel if the papiſts be falſe matter by your owne confeſſion for the one, you muſt needes alſo be falſe matter for the other: For I am confident that Chriſts Kingdom is as pretious an office as his Preiſthood, even as the Kingdom in the old Teſtament was as excellent as the Preiſthood: now Mr. Bern. what is become of the Church ſeing your matter is falſe as you may perceave by this deſcription? & what shall your ſimilies of a bad wife, a bad ſubject, of a bad artificer help you? you ſee they vanish away as chaffe before the wind: your matter is falſe & not bad, as appeareth evidently if you wil not be blind.

To proceed, pag. 116-122. of your book you deſcribe vntounto vsus the true forme of the Church, inwardly, to be the Spirit, Faith, & Love: & outwardly, the word, profeſſion, & the Sacramēt of the L. Supper: & theſe things (ſay you) are in your aſſemblies: Ergo: you conclude your Church hath a true forme.

I answer: have not the Papiſts the word preached? do not they make profeſſion & live as ſtrictly as you? do not they communicate in the L. Supper? & ſo by conſequent have Love, Faith, & the Spirit? yet you ſay they are falſe Churches, wanting the true forme, even ſo are you although you do al that they doe, & much more, (for ſo you are much bettered in doctrine & vſe of the Sacrament, but in profeſſion & practiſe I ſuppoſe you are inferior to many of them:) bicauſe rejecting Chriſt in his offices as hath been ſaid eſpecialy in his Kingdom, it is impoſſible in that conſtitution & communion, you should aright vſe the word, make profeſſion, & partake in the Sacrament, or have the true viſible Love, Faith, & Spirit of Chriſt: For a falſe matters vncapable of a true forme: & it is impoſſible that the body of Antichriſt should have the true Spirit of Chriſt, or the true covenant & new Teſtament of Chriſt inveſted vppon them: inviſibly I hope wel & am perſwaded of millions among you: but I ſpeake of your viſible, politique, body Eccleſiaſtical in that mixture of perſons, & ſubordination of Eccleſiaſtical officers, & communiō Spiritual in the Holy things, which by Law is eſtablished & ſupported in your Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies.

But pag. 121. you bid vsus note this: what? viz: that corruptions doe not hinder men from being a true Church before men, no more then the corruptions of the hart do hinder a man from being an elect one inviſiblie to the Lord: I ſuppoſe bicauſe you bid vsus in the margent of your book note this, that you account it a matter worth noting: and I ſurely think it a note worth nothing: For although corruptions of matters accidentall make not a falſe Church, yet corruptions eſſential of matters eſſential make a falſe church namely, if the matter be falſe or the forme falſe: yea I avouch that if a truly conſtituted Church detected of corruptions accidental, convinced, & impenitent therin, do ſo continue, they become a falſe Church as hath been proved already before in the 8. Section: for impenitency inward or outward, maketh a falſe Chriſtian & Church, inwardly or outwardly, according to due proportion.

Furthermore, pag. 122-128. you bring vsus three true viſible properties of your true Church as you ſay, 1. continuance in the vſe of the word, Sacraments & prayer, 2. the holding forth of the truth againſt the enemyes thereof, 3. mutual care for the welfare each of other: & al theſe (you ſay) you have among you, & ſo you ſay you muſt needes be a true Church.

I anſwer: Seing your matter and forme is falſe, your propertyes cannot be true: For they ariſe neceſſarily from the vnion of the matter and forme, or from the forme induced vppon the matter: ſeing therefore the firſt is already proved, the latter alſo muſt needs follow: but let vsus examine theſe things particularly: I denie therfor in the firſt place that you have wel propounded the propertyes of the true Church: For the firſt and principal eſſential property of a true Church is intereſt and title to al the Holy things, which is extant in divers particulars as parcels of that general and whole property. therfore a people declaring their faith and repentance by Seperating themſelves from all vncleanenes, & by reſigning themſelves wholy to the Lord to become his people, have God for their Father, & Chriſt for their King, Preiſt, and Prophett, and ſo with Chriſt have title to all the meanes of Salvation: and this title conſiſteth in the VVord, Sacraments, Cenſures, Prayers, Almes, and al other parts of Spirituall viſible communion whatſoever: even as when the ſoule is induced vppon the matter, viz: when the breath of life is breathed into the noſthrils of duſt of the Earth. Geneſ. 2. then ther is a man with a reaſonable and Religions Soule: So when a company of faithful people are inveſted with the New Teſtament of Chriſt, then ther is in them title to al the holy things of God whatſoever: This is evident by that which I have before manifeſted in the ſeaventh Section whither the Reader is to be referred: wherfore Mr. Bern. to apply this vntounto your Church, I avouch that ſeing you are a falſe matter of a Church: and have a falſe forme or covenāt induced vppon you, as hath been shewed before, therefore you have no true title to the meanes of Salvation, but in vſurping the VVord, Sacraments, Cenſures, Prayers, Almes, &c. you therein incurre the reproof of the Prophet, ſaying: Pſalm. 50.16. what haſt thou to doe to declare myne ordinances, that thou shouldeſt make my covenant into thy mouth, ſeing thou hateſt to be reformed, and haſt caſt my wordes behind thee? And as the Prophet ſpeaketh: Eſay. 1. 11-18. your worship is iniquity, I cannot beare it, I am weary of it, I hate it: Therefore you may plead as long as you will the Temple of the Lord: the Temple of the Lord: yet I ſay, vntill you intertayne Chriſts true Kingdome, Preiſthood & Prophecy, you are but vſurpers of all that viſible communion in the Word, Sacraments, Prayers, &c. which is among you: For it doth not follow that bicauſe you have the Word, Sacraments, Cenſures, prayers, &c. therefore you are a true Church: neither are the vſing of theſe, true propertyes of a true Church: But the title to them is the true propertie of a true Church: For the Papiſts and all Antichriſtians and Heretiques vſe the Word, Sacraments, Cenſures, prayers, but they are not therfor a true Church, as I know you will confeſſe.

But heer you wish vsus againe pag. 122. to obſerve well: Lett vsus heer what it is that you wish vsus to obſerve well: Namely, the true VVord preached, and the true Sacraments adminiſtred, are the true propertyes to a true Church: And that you have thoſe things as you ſay: well: VVhat is the true word? and what are the true Sacraments: is not the true word the true doctryne of the word? the true doctryne of the New Teſtament? but you have rejected the whole doctryne of Chriſts Kingdome in a manner, and have advanced all that falſe doctryne of the Antichriſtian hierarchy, which is taught and commaunded by Law to be taught in your Church: And you in your pulpits proclayme all them Heretiques or Schiſmatiques, that teach and erect the Church, Miniſterie, VVorship, and Government, according to the paterne of Chriſt his New Teſtament: And ſo you have abrogated and diſanulled the VVord of God by your traditions and Antichriſtian deviſes. Againe: VVhat are true Sacraments? is the breaking of bread, and drincking of wine performed by any perſons, after any manner, or washing with water likewiſe, true Sacraments? I think you will not ſay it: it is therefore neceſſary that there bee a concurrence of other matters: viz: That ſeing Sacraments are in relation and reference, thoſe references or relations muſt needes be annexed, els they are not true Sacraments: as a baptized perſon, muſt baptize into the true Faith of Chriſt, a perſon capable of baptiſme: A communion of men having title to the Lords Supper muſt break bread, and drinck wine, to remember Chriſt, and shew forth his death till he come: Therefore whereas you hold and teach, that the whole bundel of the Antichriſtian conſtitution, miniſterie, worship, and Government of the aſſemblies are the Lords ordinances, you teach a falſe word: and whereas you being a falſe Church and Miniſtery, doe baptize with water, and break bread & wine to remember a falſe Chriſt, and a falſe Teſtament, and a falſe Faith, therein you declare plainly that you have not the true Sacraments: and whereas in your (Obſerve well) you ſay, Truly and Rightly, reſpect grace in adminiſtring the VVord and Sacraments, and therefore to preach the word Truly, and Rightly to adminiſter the Sacraments, are no convertible ſignes of a true Church. I anſwer: That Truly and Rightly to adminiſter; doe alſo reſpect the outward manner of doing in the Eſſentiall relations ſpoken of before and not onelyonly grace: And ſo your (Obſerve well) is not worthy obſervation.

In your third eſſential propertie, you wil needes have diſcipline no true convertible duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page ſigne of a true Church: Sir. I confeſſe vntounto you that the vſe of the Cenſures of admonition & excommunication which I ſuppoſe you cal diſcipline, is not a convertible ſigne of a true Church: but only powre & title & intereſt to vſe them: this title I deny you to have: For how can you being in your conſtitution mighled with the world, & vnſeperated, & poluted with ſo many Antichriſtian fornications as yet are extant in your aſſemblies, have title to any of the Lords ordinances: doth the Lord (think you) give his covenant & new Teſtament, purchaſed by the blood of Chriſt vntounto ſuch perſons as trample vnderunder foot the whole Teſtament of Chriſt, & the ordinances therof? hath the theef title to the true mans purſe though he have the poſſeſſion of it? no more have you title to Chr. viſibly though you vſurp him & challendg him never ſo peremptorily: wherefor to end this point of the properties of the true Church I ſay til you have Seperated your ſelves from al the wicked people & Antichriſtian ordinances in your aſſemblies, til you have vowed & covenanted to embrace & practiſe al the ordinances of Chriſts new Teſtament you can have no title or intereſt to the holy things of God: vſe them as long as you lift, you abuſe them.

Laſtly, to conclude this firſt part of the Section, viz: that your Churches are falſe churches: I ſay to that which you object, pag. 110. that many corruptions may be in a church, yet it a true Church the conſtitution being true, viz: So long as they are not impenitent after conviction: & therfor Iſrael the Lords people ſo long as they retained their true cō ſtitution, Ezech. 16.21.22. the men of Epheſus beleevers ignorant of the viſible gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, Act. 14.2. The Corinthians Saints though inceſt dronkennes, fornication falſe doctryne, contention, & much evil among them, bicauſe they were not impenitent after twiſe admonition or conviction. & ſo forth of the reſt: but you wil confeſſe that the Prelates & their faction are obſtinate after conviction: & we avouch that the Puritanes are obſtinate after conviction, for they neither have anſwered nor can anſwer that we object againſt them: & therfor although you conſtitutiō had been true (which was never) yet your Church is become falſe being obſtinate in ſinne & perſecuting to death, impriſſonment, loſſe of goods, &c. al that teſtify againſt her abhomin: tions: that this is a ſigne of a falſe Church, read, 2. King. 17. & Ierem. 3.8. Math. 23.37.38. Math. 21.33-43. Act. 19.9.

The ſecond point to be handled in this Section, is, that al your miniſters are falſe miniſters: in handling whereof I wil proceed as in the former point of this Section, viz: Firſt, confirme the truth by arguments drawne from the Scriptures: Secondly, refute your fancyes wherby you would prove your miniſtery true.

Therefore in the firſt place to prove your miniſters falſe Miniſters, I vſe theſe Arguments.

The firſt Argument.

The true miniſterie cannot be raiſed out of a falſe Church.

The Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are falſe Churches.

Therfor the miniſters of thoſe aſſemblies Eccleſiaſtical are falſe miniſters.

The ground of this argument is propounded & confirmed in the 7. Section, where it hath been proved by divers vndeniable reaſons that Chriſts miniſterial powre, whereof one part is the calling of Miniſters, is not given by ſucceſſion to the Pope, Bbs. or presbytery, but to the body of the congregation, if they be but two or three: So that ſeing the true Church is in nature & being before the miniſtery, & the miniſterie is but one of the holy things given to the Church: one part of Chriſts powre delegated to the Church: one branch of that true title & intereſt which the L. Ieſus the Bridegrome & husband of the Church giveth to the Bride, the Spowſe of Chriſt, the true Church: The Miniſterie therfor muſt needes follow the Church, be after the Church, be raiſed out of the church: & therefore the true Miniſtery of Chriſt is only where the true Church of Chriſt is, & ſo it cannot be in the aſtemblies Eccleſiaſtical of England, being not the true Churches of Chriſt.

The ſecond Argument.

The true miniſterie hath a true office, in execution wherof it is exerciſed: Rom. 12.7 1. Cor. 12.5.28. Fph 4.11.

The miniſterie of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England have not a true office, in execution wherof it is exerciſed.

Ergo, The miniſterie of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England is not the true miniſterie.

The foundacion of this argument is this: viz: that ſeing the miniſterie of the Church of England ariſeth out of the miniſterie of the Church of Rome, as a branch out of the root of the tree, therfor it muſt needes be of the ſame nature & kind with the miniſterie of the Church of Rome: For as a man begetteth a man, one light commeth of another, one Preiſt begetteth another in the old Teſtament, ſo in ordination by ſucceſſion, one Miniſter maketh another: & therfor, as the branch is of the ſame nature with the root, the Sonne with the Father, one candle light with another, one Aaronical Preiſt with another: So muſt the miniſter ordeyned be of the ſame nature & office with him that ordeyneth him: Seing therfor the miniſterie of the Church of Rome is a popish Sacrificing Preiſthood, that is a falſe miniſterie, having a falſe office: it muſt needes follow that the miniſterie of the Church of England proceeding from the miniſterie of the Church of Rome, as one light is inflamed of another, is of the ſame nature & office, & therfor a falſe miniſterie: neither can it ſuffice to ſay, that (as it is moſt true & I do willingly confeſſe) the miniſterie of England is much Refined & Reformed from the droſſe of popery: For Refine Sugar as long as you wil, it is Sugar ſtil in nature: Refine light as oft as you pleaſe, from brimſtone light to a tallow light, from tallow to Roſen, from Roſen to wax, from wax to Venice Turpentine, from that to the moſt pretious ſubject that can be deviſed, yet the light is of the ſame nature with the brimſtone light: So Refine the miniſtery by Succeſſion of ordination as long & as oft as you wil, yet it is ſtil of the firſt nature: & til it be Refined to nothing, that is, til it be aboliſhed & extinguished, a true miniſterie can never be raiſed vp againe: For who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane?

The third Argument.

The true miniſterie hath a true vocation & calling, by election, approbation, & ordination of that faithful people wher he is to adminiſter.

The miniſtery of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England, hath not the true vocatiō & calling, by election, approbation, & ordination of a faithful people where thy doe adminiſter.

Ergo, the miniſtery of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England is not the true miniſtery which Chriſt hath placed in his Church.

The Major or firſt part of this argument is evident by theſe Scriptures compared together, Act. 6.2-6. and 14.23. 1. Timoth. 3.10. and 4.14. alſo it is evident by that which was obſerved, proved, and anſwered, concerning the ſeaventh Section of this Lettre.

The Minor or ſecond part of the argument is evident in it ſelf: For it is apparant that the miniſtery of England is called by Succeſſive ordination made by a Prelate & his chaplin, in his owne chappel, with Subſcription to the abhominations of Antichriſt, conteyned in the 3. articles, with the oath of Canonical obedience to the Antichriſtian prelacy their Spiritual LL. & juriſdiction, courts, & canons: by giving the holy Ghoſt, apishly & blaſphemouſly abuſing the words of Chriſt, Ioh. 20.22.23. giving therby to the Preiſt ordeyned, powre to remit & retayne ſinnes, which Chriſt hath given only to the body of the Church, & not to the miniſters by Succeſſive ordination, as Sacrificing powre was propagated by Genealogie in the old Teſtamēt from Preiſt to Preiſt: then the preiſt thus ordeyned is inforced vppon a parish, with the Patrons preſentation, & the Lord B. his inſtitution, & the Archdeacons induction, & his owne tolling of a bell, & taking hold of the Ring of the Church do…e contrary to the liking of al the bad men in the parish if he be a reformiſt, & contrary to al the Puritanes in the parish, if he be a Formaliſt & with the liking of al the goodfellowes in the parish if he be a dumbdrincking-ſwagge ring Preiſt: & if this be the true vocation of Chriſts true Miniſters, taught in his Teſtament, then are the miniſters of England true: if not, then is their Miniſtery falſe: & for this point I appeale to every good conſcience & vpright hart in England: if any man be made miniſter any other way, he is not made according to law, & his miniſtery is voyd by law & a mullity in England: & I diſpute only againſt the miniſtery eſtablished by law & if ther be any other miniſtery beſides, or contrary to law, which you Mr. Bern. will plead for, let it be diſcribed & confirmed by the rules of Chriſts Teſtament, & when we know it, we wil then acknowledg it, if the Lord Ieſus in his new Teſtament wil give approbation vntounto it: otherwiſe this we hold for the preſent cōcerning the miniſtery of the aſſemblies Eccleſiaſtical of the land.

The next point to be handled is the answering of your objections, reaſons, & cavils which you bring againſt this doctryne which we teach, & for the ratefying of your miniſtery to be true, & I tel you Mr. Bern. you had need bring good ground, or els you & your Fellow miniſters wilbe found Falſe Prophets, Theeves, and Robbers. Math. 7.15. Iohn. 10.1.

That which you alledg for your ſelves is conteyned from the pag. 128-146. of your book▪ the firſt point wherof is this that (you ſay) your miniſtery is true bicauſe you convert Soules: I answer two things, 1. that you convert no man to that true viſible faith taught in the new Teſtament of Chriſt, wherby mans converſion muſt be judged: but you do pervert men from it dayly: as evident experiēce teacheth: For your books againſt the Seperation, your preaching & Sermons againſt the way of the Lord, your conferences & diſputations, & perswaſions, for men to forſake the truth, & to continue ſtil with you in the communion of your Antichriſtian abhominations, or having forſaken you to returne back againe into Egipt, theſe & the like courſes of yours moſt frequent to the beſt Reformiſts of the land plainly manifeſt that you convert none at all to the faith of Chriſts new Teſtament, but you pervert al that you poſſibly can from the ſame: Now what you do in ſecreat betwixt the L. & the ſoules of them that heare you, he only that ſeeth in ſecreat knoweth in particular: particularly & certainly we know not nor enquire not: See more of this point in that which is written before & in the lettre to Mr. S. at the end of this book, 2. let it be granted that you do convert mē even to the true viſible faith of the new Teſtament, I ſay this is no proor ſufficient of the truth of your miniſtery, that is to ſay, that you are thoſe true Paſtors mentioned, Eph. 4.11. Act. 20.28. 1. Pet. 5.1-3.1. Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.6-9 For theſe officers were givē to the true church: which Church was eſtablished befor theſe officers were, & theſe officers were occupied about the feding, that is teaching & guiding of thoſe particular Churches wherto they attended: the Churches therfor conſiſting of Saints already converted to the faith of the new Teſtament, how doth converſion argue a true miniſterie of Paſtor, or Elder, or Bb. which converteth not as his proper work, but only feedeth, that is edifieth & buildeth vp men converted, by teaching & guiding them in the wayes of the Lord? See more of this point alſo in the letter to Mr. S. at the latter end of this book: & in that which is written before which I deſire may be conſidered.

but heer you object that the Apoſtle, that is, one ſent proveth his calling by the ſeale of his miniſterie, viz. converſion: ſee: Rom. 4.14.15. 1. Cor. 9.2. & 2. Cor. 3.1-3. & 13.3.5. & that it cannot be proved that Ieſus Chr. doth worke by falſe meanes, & it is our owne grant. I answer that if your argument be framed into forme it is this.

He that converteth Sou…es is an Apoſtle, as Paul, 2. Cor. 3.1-2,

The Miniſters of England convert Soules.

Ergo, the miniſters of England are Apoſtles as Paul: or thus.

He that converteth Soules is ſent of God. Rom. 10.14.15.

The Miniſters of England convert Soules.

Ergo, the miniſters of England are ſent of God.

If I should yeeld your firſt argument thē it would follow that you & al the miniſters that convert ſoules in England are Ap. but you intend not to prove your ſelves Apſt: but ordinary Paſtors of viſible churches: & therfore your argument if it were yeelded proveth not your purpoſe: & I know you do not challendg to be an Apoſtle as Paul was.

Againe to answer to your ſecond argumēt, we yeeld you that no mā cā cōvert to the true ſaith of Chr. new Teſtamēt which is viſible, except he be ſent of God: but ſeing you pervert men frō the new teſtament of Chr. (as I have proved) how can you herby prove your ſelves to be ſent of God? nay I ſay you are the inſtruments of Sathan ſent by the L. in his wrath to keep the people in bondage frō the obedience of the faith taught in the new teſtament: I do not determine what you are inviſibly, ſecreatly known to the L. neither doth the Scripture teach vsus ſo to judg of faith: For how can the Scripture teach vsus viſiblie to judg an inviſible thing which is not appearing in viſible Fruites?

Further wher as you ſay that the 1. Cor. 9.1. & 2. Cor. 3.1-3. doth not intend the conſtitution of the Church of the Corinths, & other Churches: but their converſion from idolatry to embrace the doctryne of the goſpel by faith: I anſwer that theſe two things which you diſtinguish are al one, & they are no other in diſtinction then Arons beard, & the beard of Aaron (as you ſpeake): for to convert men to the Faith of the goſpel, is to convert men to the true conſtituted. Church of Chriſt: For they are not converted to the true faith til they be converted & eſtablished into the true Church if it may be ſound: So that this objection of yours is very inſufficient if not altogether ridiculous: & for the force of the Apoſtles argument in theſe two places of the Corinths, I ſay it is mistaken by you vtterly, & ſo wreſted from the Holy Ghoſts purpoſe, & miſapplyed by you to prove your intention. For the ſeale of Pauls Apoſtles hip was the Church of the Corinths converted to the ſaith, & eſtablished into the true conſtitution of the new Teſtament 1. Cor. 9.2. & ſo Paul expoundeth himſelf in the other place 2. Cor. 3.10. ſaying, that he was made an able Miniſter of the new Teſtament, even as Moſes was of the old: For the vnderſtanding of which place & the whole matter, you muſt remember what Moſes did to the Church of the Iewes, & what Paul did to the Church of the Corinths: Moſes did conſtitute the Church of the Iewes, according to the paterne shewed him in the mount & that moſt faithfully, Heb. 8.5. Paul being the Apoſtle of the Gentils ſent by Chr. Ieſus for that purpoſe, hath eſtablished the Church of the Corinths, according to that paterne which Chriſt the Mediator revealed vntounto him: which none could doe but an Apoſtle ſent by Chriſt: So that the force of Pauls Argument to prove himſelf an Apoſtle muſt thus be propounded & conceaved.

He that hath the ſeale of an Apoſtelship is an Apoſtle.

Paul hath the ſeale of an Apoſtelship, viz: an infallible direction from Chriſt Ieſus by the Spirit to convert & eſtablish the Church of the Corinths into the true conſtitution of the new Teſtament.

Ergo: Paul is an Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt.

Now Mr. Bern. I would require you to answer directly & plainly whither this be not the true Scope & intent of theſe two places of Scripture: if yea: then are you a moſt ignorant & shameles perverter & falſe interpreter of the Scriptures, wherof I require your repentance before the Lord & the world (for your ſinne is publique:) if nay: then diſcover the contrary if you can & juſtifie your ſelf: or els I doe profeſſe vntounto you, & to all the miniſters of England, that you doe abuſe the honeſt harted people of the Land, misleading them meerly by the pretence of this argument of converting ſoules: For they feeling in their conſciences ſecreatly the Lords work of inward converſion by the miniſtery of the Land, eſpecially the ſincereſt & moſt forward puritans thereby are brought to reverence their miniſtery: & vnderunder the viza…d of this inward work in their conſciences pretending converſion to the viſible faith of Chriſts new Teſtament, doe hereby reſolutely perſiſt vnderunder that miniſtery whereby (ſay they) they were converted, aſſuring themſelves that it cannot be a falſe miniſtery that converteth men to the Lord inwardly and ſecreatly: then you the miniſters of the Land, deceaving others, & being deceaved your ſelves by the miſconſtruction of theſe & the like places of Scripture ſtand vp ſtoutly to defend your miniſtery after this manner: are wee not true miniſters of Ieſus Chriſt? have wee not converted Soules? are not you the Seale of our miniſterie, the forward profeſſors of the Land? wee appeale vntounto your conſciences if you in our miniſtery have not felt the powre of the word to your inward converſion: If this be ſo: how can you forſake your Fathers that begat you? how can you go to the Seperation that never cōverted you? &c. I answer what you doe inwardly in converſion, I diſpute not, & the Scripture regardeth not: what you doe outwardly that I plead, & the Scripture diſcovereth: you convert not a man to the true faith of Chriſt which is viſible in the viſible communion of the true Church of the Apoſtle Pauls conſtitution ſuch as was the Church of the Corinths: and therfor you cannot by your inward inviſible converſion (which you plead for) prove your miniſtery: For except you can produce ſuch an effect as Paul did in the Corinths you cannot prove your ſelves to be the true miniſters that are ſent of God. For Paul ſaith yee Corinths are our Epiſtle vnderſtood & read of al men: So that Pauls Seale of his miniſtery was an outward viſible, legible faith, viz: The faith of the true Church of the new Teſtament whereinto the Apoſtle had eſtablished them, which al men did ſee behold, & read manifeſtly: wherefore if you the Miniſters of England wil prove your ſelves to be the true miniſters of the new Teſament, then shew mee ſuch a ſeale of your miniſtery as the Apoſtle heere ſpeaketh of: convert men, & eſtablish them in the true Apoſtolical Church of the primitive inſtitution, & I for my part wil yeeld vntounto you, that as paul was ſent extraordinarily, ſo are you ordinarily by the Lord, & you are the true miniſters of Ieſus Chriſt truly ſent: Rom. 10. but ſeing you doe what you can to hinder al your diſciples from the true Corinthian Church eſtablished by paull according to the paterne of Chriſts new Teſtament, not bringing the people that depend vppon you ſo far as you know & acknowledg, but ſtil counſel them to ſtay & wayt for a better tyme, til the civil Magiſtrate wil give his allowance, vnderunder theſe pretences ſtil keeping them in Spiritual boundage to the abhominations of Antichriſt retayned in the Land: I ſay herby you manifeſtly diſcover vntounto al the world, that ſeing you know the wil of your Lord & Mr. Chriſt, & doe it not, you are worthy to be beaten with many ſtripes: that ſeing you break the commaundements of Chriſt & teach men ſo, you are the leaſt (that is none) in the Kingdome of Heaven: practiſing flat contrary to the Apoſtles who thought it better to obey God then man & yet the Magiſtrates that forbad them were the Magiſtrates of the true Church of the Iewes: wherefore breefly to answer both Miniſters & profeſſors: To the profeſſors I ſay: Shew mee your faith by embracing the whole new Teſtament of Chriſt. To the miniſters I ſay: Shew mee the Seale of your miniſtery by converting & eſtablishing a Church after the Apoſtolique Corinthian frame & conſtitution: & I wil grant that then you are true miniſters, & your diſciples truly converted: in the meane tyme I wil judg your viſible ſtanding in Chriſtianity as it is viſible: & your inviſible being in Chriſtianity I wil leave to the Lord, who ſeeth in ſecreat, & who knoweth who are his not doubting but the Lord hath his thouſands even in the depth of popery much more among you: & this is that Mr. Bern. which wee hold & grant concerning this point.

Now for your objection which you for vsus make & answer pag. 129. 130. That private perſons may convert, I ſay you herein alſo are deceaved & deale deceiptfully: For you are to diſtingnish of converſion according to the circumſtance of tyme wherein mē were converted to Chriſt: Iohn converted & baptized many into Chriſt Ieſus before the viſible Church of the new Teſtament was revealed, which came vppon the day of Pen…ecoſt, Act. 2. Eph. 4.11. Thus were al the Diſciples of Iohn & of Chriſt converted, of this converſion & Faith muſt the places of the Evangeliſts be vnderſtood: as namely that Ioh. 4.39. & others: ſo were the Iewes, Proſelites, & ſome of Samaria converted, for as yet Chr. was not preached to the Gentils, which he himſelf for bad to be done, Mat. 10. thus were mē converted to beleve that the Meſſias which they knew should come, was come, & that Ieſus the Sonne of God, & the Sonne of Mary was hee: who vppon their converſion & baptisme became Chriſts Diſciples to learne & practiſe whatſoever he should afterward teach them: That this is ſo read, Act. 18, 23. & 19.2.3. Now after the day of Pentecoſt, converſion was larger as I may ſo ſpeake in reſpect of the viſible manifeſtatiō ther…f & other like conſiderations: For then men were converted to the matter of the day of Pentecoſt, & to al that frame & conſtitution of the church of the new Teſtament which was purchaſed by Chriſts death, & exhibited vntounto the Apoſtles by the promiſe of the Spirit given vntounto them: Thus were men converted after the death, reſurrection, & aſcenſion of Chriſt, & after the comming of the Holy Ghoſt as may be ſeen, Act. 2.38-42. & 8.16.17. & 10.44-48. So that Iohn converted men to the Faith of Chriſt to be manifeſted: after the day of Pentecoſt, the Apoſtles converted men to the Faith of Chriſt already given & exhibited: Seing therfor that the new Teſtament of Chriſt is now confirmed & eſtablished, & revealed manifeſtly in the Scriptures of the Apoſtles of our Lord, al that are converted now are converted to the new Teſtament & the ordinances there of, or els they are not converted to vsus viſiblie: This being thus premiſed as neceſſarily to be vnderſtood for the true knowledg of true converſion: in the next place we muſt take notice (for the answering of the objection of private mens converting) that Antichriſt hath defaced the Faith of Chriſt in the whole new Teſtament, & ſo the true miniſtery: & therfor it muſt needes be that whoſoever doth convert from Antichriſtianisme, & eſtablisheth a people into the true Faith & new Teſtamēt of Chriſt performeth that work either as a miniſter of Antichriſt: or as an Apoſtle, Prophet, Evangeliſt of Chriſt: or as a Private perſon: For this is a ſufficient enumeration of parts ther being no other ſort off perſons to convert men from Antichriſt to Chriſt but one of theſe: For you have heard that Paſtors do not convert but feed the flock: I ſuppoſe you dare not a vouch that the Miniſters off Antichriſt do convert to the true Faith & new Teſtament off Chriſt Ieſus: neither dare you ſay that ther are now in the world the offices of Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſts: wherfor when men convert they do it as private perſons: Therfore chooſe Mr. Bern. which of theſe three you wil affirme: & then tel mee whither private perſons doe not convert, as Act. 11.19-21. & this shal ſuffice for this point, of converting performed by private perſons in the riſing vp from the Apoſtacy of Antichriſt, & for the diſcovering of your objection & answer.

Now from the pa. 130-141. you teach vsus the doctryne of the vocation of miniſters which I wil not altogether disalow, nor approve wholly: & ſeing it aperteyneth not to our queſtion, I leave it wholy vntoucht: & come to that which is pa. 141-146. wher you endevour againe to prove your miniſtery true, & that after this manner.

They that are called of Chriſt, having both gifts & graces: they that are alſo outwardly caled of the church being examined, aproved, elected, ordeyned: they that preach true doctrine, adminiſter the true Sacraments, pe…forme their office faithfully, live conſcionably, are aſſiſted by Chr. to convert ſoules, & are approved by the people, are the true miniſters of Chriſt.

The miniſters of the Church of England have al theſe particulars.

Ergo, the miniſters of the Church of England are the true miniſters of Chriſt.

I answer you Mr. Ber. that the Popish miniſters have al theſe forſaid qualifications in common with the miniſters of England, (I plead not of the degree or meaſure of theſe things, for I confeſſe ſome of them to be much more in the English miniſters but I ſpeake of the kind or nature of the qualifications): which I prove by induction thus.

1. The Popish miniſters many of them have excellent outward gifts & graces asmuch learning, vtterance, zeale, & gravity as any miniſters of England, though al of them have not ſo: as al the miniſters of England have not ſo.

2. The Popish ministers are called examined, aproved, elected, ordeyned of the Church, (that is as you expound, the cheef governors, who are as true ministers as you are, ſeing your miniſtery is a branch of the roote): So are you.

3. The Popish miniſters preach the true doctryne of Chriſt, & adminiſter his true Sacraments: for you retaine the baptiſme that men have in popery as true, and they breake and eate bread and wine in remembrance of Chriſts death: & although you preach more truth then they do, & adminiſter baptiſme & the L. Supper more purely, or rather leſſe corruptly, yet they have the ſame truths & Sacraments that you have, even the Scriptures, baptizme & the L. Supper.

4. The Popish miniſters many of them performe their office Faithfully in many things as Faithfully as you do: & the beſt you do not performe al the parts of the true miniſtery, & the worſt of you are as bad as …he worſt popish preiſt.

5. The popish miniſters ſome of them live conſcionably according to their rule, the beſt of you do no more: & the worſt of you are as vild beaſts as the groſſeſt shavelings in Rome.

6. As the Popish miniſters convert none viſibly to the true Faith and new Teſtament of Chriſt, & vet I doubt not but that thouſands are by them converted & ſaved (what Mr. Be. wil you condemne al the men that have lived from Gregory the great til the councel of Conſtance, & to this day vnderunder the dominions of the pope? For shame do not ſo.) So though the forwardeſt miniſters of England convert many inviſibly to life & Salvation by Chriſt, yet you ordinarily ſay, that the Formaliſts convert none, & the dumb miniſters cannot convert, bicauſe they cannot preach: & none of you al convert a man viſibly to the true Faith taught in the new Teſtament of Chriſt, but with al your might pervert men from it.

7. Finally, the popish miniſters are approved by their people, aswel as the beſt or worſt of you are, according to the dispoſitions of the people.

Seing therfor that al theſe things are as evident & pregnant for the popish miniſters as for you, therfor either they are true miniſters if you be true: or els bicauſe they are fals (as you ſay) & yet have al theſe forſaid qualifications, therfor theſe qualifications make not a true miniſtery: So that you ſee Mr. Ber. that you argument is weak to prove your miniſtery true, & you muſt ſeek out a better definition of a true miniſtery, & according therto shape your miniſtery, if you wil have it true.

In the next place you with an objection & answer would prove that although your miniſters have a falſe entrance, viz: ordination of the Bb. yet may be true miniſters: & namely by two reaſons, 1. For that none were ever ordeyned but by eccleſiaſtical perſons, as Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Bbs. 2. a falſe entrance cannot make a falſe miniſtery, as in mariage.

I answer: Firſt, if it were yeelded you that ther could be no true miniſters made without ordination of Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Bbs. yet bicauſe your L. Bbs. are not thoſe true Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Bbs. of the primitive inſtitution, but rather the Servants of Antichriſt, (as your forwardeſt profeſſors & preachers inſtantly affirme) therefore ther ordination is Antichriſtian, and ſo your miniſtery is falſe in the entrance: but Secondly, I deny it to be true which you affirme for ordination by procedent Elders: For I have proved vntounto you by many vndeniable reaſons that the whole miniſteriall powre of Chriſt is given to the body of the Church, whereby, as in the firſt conſtituting of Churches, ſo in the riſing of Churches from Antichriſtianisme, the body hath powre to al the Holy ordinances of Chriſt for ther mutual edification to life & Salvation, whereof the true miniſtery is a principal: & therefore the Church hath powre to enjoy the true miniſtery: & you confeſſe the Church wanting officers hath powre to elect her officers, which is the principal, Act. 6. & 14. & why not to approve & ordeyne which are but the inferior & leſſe principal? Further, you may read Act. 1. that before ther were any Apoſtles actually in office, the Church did choſe Mathias into the rome of Iudas, & that by a commō conſent: wherfor this firſt exception of yours is nothing.

Your Second exception is as weake: that ſeing a faulty entrance into mariage which is one ordinance of God, doth not disanul it, why should a faulty entrance into the miniſtery disanul it? I ſay the violating of accidental circumſtances through ignorance shall not disanul any of Gods ordinances: For then their should be no true having of any ornance of God whatſoever: Seing it is impoſſible wee should perfectly & ſtrictly keep all & every circumſtance therto aperteyning: but the wilful breach of eſſential parts of the ordinance doth corrupt the ordinance & make it falſe: as for example: The matter or forme being falſe, the ordinance cannot poſſible be true: A man marieth a mayde that is 6. yeer old: or a woman marieth an Evnuch: the mariage is falſe, for the matter is falſe: A man taketh a woman not as his wife, but as a concubine, as the yonger brethren the gē tlemen of Venice doe, this is no true mariage, bicauſe it wanteth the true forme of mariage: ſo your Churches aſſume them miniſters, ſuppoſe they be the true paſtors deſcribed in the word, as I am perswaded your Puritanes ſo endevour, I ſay bicauſe your churches or Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies are falſe, your miniſtery is not true: For a true Miniſter & a falſe Church cannot mary together: Further, if your Church & miniſtery were true, yet if you should be preſented by a Patron, ordeyned by a Prelate, inducted by an Archdeacon, contrary to the wil of the Church, the mariage is falſe, bicauſe the calling is falſe: So then you ſee Mr. Ber. how litle your ſimilies help you wherein notwithſtanding you by your diſciples are thought Specialy to excel, and to have the prehemenence over your fellow Preiſts.

And heer you bring a flourish out of the 10. of Iohn to prove your miniſters true miniſters: what Mr. Bern. in good ſooth doe you plead this for all your Miniſters of England? Speak plainly & double not with God & man: doe you in your conſcience think that al the miniſters of England, evē your dumb Preiſts (whome you have excluded by your covenant) your groſſe nonreſidents & idle bellyes the Cathedral or Collegiate Preiſts, your double benificed men, that al theſe & every one of them doe enter in by the dore? have entrance by the porters opening, know their sheep by name, lead thē by ſound doctrine & holy life ſave many & deſtroy none: Speak plainly Mr. Ber. to this point, & ſeek no shifts: & yet theſe are the only men alowed by Law in your miniſtery: For be he never ſo dumb, idle, non reſident, wicked, yet if he ſubſcribe weare the geere, & do read the Service book, & wil do homage to his Spiritual Lords & their Courts, if he be amicus curiae, if he be conformable & obedient al is wel: is not this even ſo? this you know in your conſcience Mr. Bern. & therfor pag. 143. Lin. 7.8. you ſpeake warily: you ſay: The propertyes of a true Shepheard agree wel with Miniſters in England: you dare not ſay with al the Miniſters of England: Therefore by your owne conſcience al the Miniſters of England are not true Shepheards: your Lords the Prelates wil con you litle thank for this: but let vsus exclude your dumb Preiſts, idle bellyes, and al the rable of the conformiſts if you wil, which are 9. parts of 10. (and then I think you are excluded your ſelf among them:) I wil plead only againſt the beſt miniſter that ſtandeth by Law in your aſſemblies: 1. he entereth not in by the dore, ſeing the dore is only in the Sheepſold, that is in the true Church: & ſeing you are a Falſe Church (as is proved) your dore cannot be true. 2. The porter (that is as you ſay Gods Spirit: but I think rather the porter to be the watchman, that is the whole Church, Mat. 13.33-37) he openeth not to you, for you convert none to the true viſible Faith of the new Teſtament, or if you did, it doth not prove your true Paſtorship, ſeing Shepheards do not make sheep, but feed them: it should only prove that you are Spiritual Fathers that convert men which private perſons doe as you have heard, 3. he doth not know them nor is knowne of his Sheep: For of 300 perhaps he wil not acknowledg above 30. to be sheep, the reſt he thinketh goates, & the goates wil not acknowledg him as Shepheard, but hate & fly from him. 4. he doth not lead them by ſound doctryne to perfection…, but by Falſe doctryne perverteth them from the truth, which blaſphemouſly he proclaymeth dayly in his pulpit to be Browniſme, Schiſme, Hereſy, &c. 5. he doth not lead them by Godly life, for if the cheef part of Godlines be the true worship of God, how doth he lead them in Godlines, that leadeth them vp & downe in your Falſe Church, Miniſtery, VVorship, & Government, blind fold like the men of Sodom that ſought Lots dore: Therefore I dare in the true feare of the Lord cal the beſt of you al a Spiritual theef, & a robber, yea a VVolf that cometh to kil, rob, and deſtroy: not that you ſo entend to doe: or that you do ſo wilfully, (& yet I would have you Mr. Bern. Look wel to your ſelf, for I dare not cleare you from ſinninge againſt your conſcience, who have acknowledged the truth:) but for that you do ſo indeed, & by neceſſary conſequent: For ſeing you are in a Falſe Church, & Miniſtery, and vſe a Falſe worship, & ſubmit to a Falſe Government, you muſt needes by defending al this Falſehood & teaching it to others, & perſwading them to the obedience therof, perſwade them to al theſe abhominations of Antichriſt, & ſo do rob them, kil them, & raven them, like wolves, theeves, & robbers: For men may rob, kil, & deſtroy ignorantly, as Paul did when he was a Phariſee, as I my ſelf did when I was one of your Preiſts, & as many do in popery, except you wil ſay that they al do ſinne againſt their conſcience, Act. 3.17. 1. Tim. 1.13.

And heer you have a fling at our miniſters, & wil needes have them no Lawful miniſters: you dare not ſay falſe: & this you endevour to prove bicauſe that we are not made Miniſters by Succeſſive ordination.

Firſt, Mr. Be. I tel you bicauſe of your importunity in this particular of ordination by Succeſſion that if it muſt needes be (which we deny vtterly) that we have it, if you have it, for we were made Preiſts by your prelates: why then do you condemne our miniſtery ſay you? why do you condemne the miniſtery of the Church of Rome ſay I? For if you may have a true miniſtery, & yet condemne the miniſters of the Church of Rome, from whence yours came: then may we have a true miniſtery, & yet condemne your miniſtery whence ours cometh: this I ſpeake, not for that I plead it, but to ſtop your mouth: For I vtterly renounce your orders which I had from Wickā prelate of Lincolne, when I was choſen Fellow of Chriſts College in Cambridg: & I receaved & doe retayne my miniſtery from that particular Church wherof I am Paſtor: which hath the whole powre of Chriſt miniſteriall delegated to her from Chriſt her Husband, when he contracted with her.

Secondly, you neieher can nor do prove Succeſſion in the new Teſtament: For that which you alledg for the Succeſſion of the old Teſtament, I ſay it was typical, & is abolished by Chriſt: For do you think this is a good argument: one Preiſt begat another in the old Teſtament, therfor one miniſter muſt ordeine another in the new Teſtament: why may you not plead after this manner: Therfor one Preiſt may beget another Preiſt in the new Teſtament? & wheras you ſay that Preiſts did conſecrate preiſts, which conſecration was ther ordination, I deny it vtterly, & I prove the contrary, that during the captivity of Babilon ther were many prieſts borne & none conſecrated, only for their admiſſion in to the preiſts office it was requiſite that they should shew their Genealogie, Nehe. 7.64, 65. but their ordination was their generation or byrth: though I deny not but when they entered into the performance of their office ther were ſome rites performed which was no part of their ordination: but I would know of you what is ordination: is it any thing but the declaring of the partie elected & approved to be in office, by prayer for him & a chardg given vntounto him? can none do this but a precedent officer? Againe, for the old Teſtament I ſay, God created the firſt Preiſt, viz: Adam, then til Aaron men begat Preiſts, for the eldeſt in the Family were the Preiſts: Moſes who was the yonger brother & no preiſt ordeined Aaron & his Sonnes: after that Preiſts begat preiſts til Chriſts tyme: then Chriſt appointed officers in the Church: Apoſtles made Evangeliſts, Evangeliſts & Apoſtles ordeyned Bbs. & Deacons: al this I confeſſe Mr. Ber. what is this to Succeſſion in the new Teſtament? I shew you plainly that the Church Elected Mathias, ther being yet no Apoſtles, Act. 1. ther being Apoſtles the Church elected Deacons, Act. 6. & Elders, Act. 14. & ſeing they performed election which is the contract, why may they not performe all? For ordination is nothing in reſpect of Election, as you may ſee in al Societyes & corporations whatſoever: The contract which is the mutual conſent of a man & woman for mariage maketh man and wife before God Election which is the mutual conſent of the paſtor & his Flock, maketh a man paſtor of his Flock: So that in this particular Mr. Bern. you show your willfullnes and blindnes asmuch as in any thing in your book, although I doubt not, but it is the beſt that can be pleaded for Antichriſt: & thus much for the ſecond part of this Section.

The third part of this Section is, that your worship is a falſe worship wherin, as I have dealt in the two former points, ſo wil I deale in this, viz, firſt prove the poſition: Secondly answer your cavils.

To prove your worship a falſe worship I vſe theſe Arguments following.

Firſt Argument.

The true worship of the L. cannot poſſiblie be offered vp in a falſe Church.

The Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England are falſe Churches.

Ergo. The worship offered vntounto the L. in thoſe Eccleſiaſticall aſſemblies is a falſe worship.

The ground of this argument is this, that al the Eccleſiaſtical actions performed by a falſe Church are ſtayned with the falſe conſtitution of the church: For God wil not have every communion of men worship him, but he wilbe worshipped by ſuch a company of people as he hath deſcribed in his new Teſtament: & as in the old Teſtament no man or company of men might worship or be accepted viſibly, but ſuch as were circumcized, Gen. 17.14. Exod. 12.48. Deut. 23.1-4. Act. 21.28. 2. King. 17.25-28. Ioh. 4.22. So in the new Teſtament no man or communion of men viſiblie can be accepted of the L. but ſuch as are deſcribed in the new Teſtament, viz. men Seperated from al the abhominations of Antichriſt, 2. Cor. 6.17. & gathered into the name of Chriſt Ieſus, Mat. 18.20. & being made Diſciples have receaved baptiſme whereby they are counited into Chriſt, Mat. 28.19. If any communion of men otherwiſe conſtituted (viz: men not Seperated, not gathered together, not gathered into Chriſts name, not made Diſciples, not baptized truely with the baptiſme of the new Teſtament,) if any ſuch company of men do worship God ther worship is not accepted of God: but as the L. ſent Lyons among the Samaritanes for perſuming to worship him in the land of Iſrael, they being an vncircumcized cōpany, 2. King 17.24.25. & as the L. punished the vagabond Iewes, exorciſts by the violence of an evil Spirit, for naming the L. Ieſus being an vnbeleeving & vnbaptized company, Act. 19.13-17. even ſo wil the L. be avenged on al them that joyning together to worship God, have not Seperated themſelves, or calling vppon the name of the Lord, do not depart frō iniquity, 2. Cor. 6.17. 2. Tim. 2.19. neither wil it ſerve to ſay that the worship is true bicauſe it is true conceaved prayer, or true preaching, or thanksgiving: For true worship muſt be defined, not only in the matter, but cheefly in the forme: For otherwiſe among the Antichriſtian papiſts & Heretiques ther is true conceaved prayer, preaching & thāks giving. & els in the old Teſtament ther was true Sacrificing among the Babylonians whē they Sacrificed an oxe to the God of Iſrael, Dan. 6.25.26. whereas it was manifeſted that no Sacrifice could be accepted that was offered with ſtraunge fire, Levit. 10.1.2. & there for the Sacrifices of the Babylonians muſt needes be abhominable, though the matter was true, bicauſe the forme which cheefly conſiſted in the fire was falſe: So though the matter of the worship of the new Teſtament be true, viz: conceaved prayer, preaching, praiſing God, yet bicauſe it proceedeth not from the true fire which is alwayes living vppon the Altar, Levit. 6.9-13. at Ieruſalem, that is, in the true Church and Tem…e of God, bicauſe it is not inflamed by the true Spirit of Chriſt, the true viſible annoynting which is only in the true body the true Church, (Epheſ. 4.4. For there is one body and one Spirit:) Therefore the worship is not true worship viſibly: what it may be inuiſibly I diſpute not: nor doe not cenſure at all, but leave to the Lord, and to every conſcience.

The Second Argument.

The worship that is offered vp vntounto the L. by a falſe Miniſterie, is a falſe worship, & cē not viſibly be judged true or accepted.

The worship of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England is offered vp by a falſe miniſtery: as hath been proved already.

Ergo: the worship of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England is a falſe worship, & cannot viſibly be judged true or accepted.

The ground of this Argument is the ſame with the former: wherefore as in the old Teſtament the worship that was performed in Iſrael by the Preiſts of Ieroboams deviſing which were not of the Linage & genealogie of Aaron was a falſe worship, & could not be accepted viſibly, or be judged as accepted judging by the rules of the word. 1. King. 12.31-33. and as the incēſe which Azariah the King of Iudah would have offered, could not be accepted or ſo judged, bicauſe it was not offered by the true Preiſts the Sonnes of Aaron, 2. Chron. 26.16-22. and the King was punished with Leproſy for his preſumption: So al the worship which is offered vp vntounto the Lord by a falſe miniſtery, is viſibly to be judged abhominable, bicauſe Chriſt only offered vp to his Father the worship of the worshippers which his new Teſtament hath deſcribed & no other, Rev. 8.3.4. cō pared with Revel. 5.8-10. & 11.1. ſtil let it be remembred that I diſpute not, nor cenſure not, the inviſible things of the Lord.

The third Argument.

Iewish, that is literal, ſtinted, impoſed book-worship is falſe worship.

The worship of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England is Iewish, that is literal, ſtinted impoſed, boom-worship.

Ergo, the worship of the Eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies of England is a falſe worship.

The ground of this argument is the Analogie and proportion which ther is betwixt the type and the truth, the shadow and the ſubſtance, the lettre and the Spirit, the Old Teſtament with the ordinances therof, & the new Teſtament with the ordinances there of: For ſeing the old Teſtament was a type of the new, therfor the Church, miniſtery, worship, & government of the old Teſtament were types of the Church, miniſtery, worship & government of the new Teſtament, therfor the worship of the old teſtamēt being lyteral beginning in the lettre (as was carnal circumciſion Rom. 2.29.) did type forth the worship of the new Teſtament to beginne in the Spirit, Ioh. 4.23.24. For the Lettre was a type of the Spirit, Col. 2.17. Seing therfor that Reading the Law was a typical ordinance of the old Teſtament, & therfor literal, ſtinted, manifeſting the letter, & book-worship, it followeth that it is now abolished by Chriſt, & the thing ſignified by the literal Reading is now to be retayned in the new teſtament, which is, vttering matter out of the hart, called the manifeſtation of the Spirit, the demonſtration of the Spirit, the miniſtring of the Spirit, & the like: by which phraſes of Speech the Holy Ghoſt would teach vsus, that ſeing we are fet at liberty from the bondage of the law which was a Schoolmr. to leade to Chriſt, we are not therfor againe to be intangled with the yoke of bondage in any thing, no not in this matter of ſtinted, literal, book worship which is flat ludaiſm… but we being placed in the liberty of the Spirit, are to vſe our gifts in Gods worship, as the ſpirit giveth vtterance, as we ſee the Apoſtles practiſed vppon the day of Pentecoſt, when the promiſe of the Spirit was fulfilled vppon them, & as we ſee the Church of Counth practiſed, 1. Cor. 14.15.16.26. & 12.7-…1. He that deſireth to know further of this particular of book-worship let him read the book lately published intituled: The differences of the Churches of the Seperation: wher this point is largely discuſſed, which if it be the truth I deſire may be embraced, if not. I require an answer of them to whom it is ſpecially directed: to conclude this firſt point, Mr. Bern. ſeing your VVorship for the moſt part is book-worship, I conclude it to bee Iewish, and ſo falſe VVorship.

Now I come to answer your cavils which are conteyned pag. 146-151.

Firſt, you referre vsus to the treatiſe in the end of your book, & I referre you for answer partly to Mr. Ains. partly to the book intituled the differences of the Churches of the Seperation: For I doe acknowledg that in the Old Teſtament, Pſalmes, Prayers, & Prophecies were read out of a book: & yet further I answer three things: 1. that it will not follow that ſeing it was ſo in the old Teſtament, therfor it muſt be ſo in the new: nay contrary: it was ſo in the old Teſtament, therefore it muſt not be ſo in the new: This is the true manner of reaſoning: or thus: In the Old Teſtament they had Pſalmes, Prophecyes, Prayers, read out of a book, which was the Type, the manifeſtation of the Lettre: Therefore in the new Teſtament, wee muſt have Pſalmes, Prophecyes, Prayers, brought out of the hart, which is the Spiritual book of the New Teſtament, wherein the Lord doth write his Lawes, Heb. 8.10. which is the truth, the manifeſtation of the Spirit, 2. it will not follow that if it were granted that reading the Prayers, Prophecyes, & Pſalmes of Scripture out of the Originall tongs the Hebrue and Greek, were lawfull, that therefore the reading of the Apocrypha tranſlations which are the workes of men is Lawful: For theone is interpretation of a Language or Tong, that is the vttering of matter from the knowledg of the Tongs and the gift of interpreting: the other is reading wordes out of a book, which a child of eight yeeres old may doe. 3. neither will it follow that if it were found lawfull to read the English tranſlation of the Scriptures, therefore it shalbe lawful to read your English Maſſe-book, your book of Homilies, and Articles your book of Canons: For then why may you not read alſo Mr. Perkins vppon the Creed, Henry Smyths Sermons, or any other good Catechiſme, Commentary, or Sermon book?

Secondly, you prove your worship true by two reaſons, 1. Say you, you worship no Falſe God. 2. you worship the true God with no Falſe worship: For you preach the true word, admiſter the true Sacraments, pray ſuch prayers as are agreeable to the Scripture, & the forme of prayer taught by Chriſt: & if any things els be preſcribed, it is not impoſed as worship: Or if it were preſcribed as a part of worship, it doth not therefore follow that all the worship is Falſe: well: I answer: That Iſraell in Ietoboams tyme and after, and when Aaron made the Calfe, did not worship worship a falſe God, & yet their worship was falſe: So may your worship be falſe though you worship the true God that hath revealed himſelf in the old Teſtament: but their worship is not true by your owne confeſſion: therfor your conſequent is not good that ſeing you worship the true God, your worship muſt needes be true: if the meanes wherby you worship be a falſe meanes deviſed by the wit of a man & not taught in the word of God, I ſay your worship is falſe: & ſo that place of Mat. 15.1. importeth that whoſoever worshippeth God by any invented meanes, taught by mans precept worshippeth God invayne: Such is an image as the ſecond commaundement teacheth: now the meanes of your worship are falſe, as firſt your falſe Church which is an Idol. 2. your ſtinted deviſed, impoſed, literal ſervice book, which is an Idol, 3. your falſe Chriſt which is not your King, Preiſt, & Prophet, which is one of our Idols: For though you truly beleeve concerning his perſon, yet your Faith is falſe, & your doctryne falſe concerning his offices & mediation: & therfor theſe meanes of your worship being falſe meanes, they muſt needes be falſe worship: therfor, ſeing your doctryne is much of it falſe: your communiō falſe: your worship ſtinted & book worship: it followeth that your word is not the true word, your Sacraments the ſignes of your falſe Faith & communion are not true: your prayers are not true: & whereas you plead that other things beſides the word, Sacrament, & prayer, are not impoſed as worship, I answer: what doe they then in your worship? wil you mingle that which is no worshis, & worship together? either they are worship, or els let them be caſt out of your worship: & further, whereas you alledg that though ſome parts of your worship he falſe, yet al shal not be falſe, I grant it, if your Church were true, & your miniſtery true: but ſeing your Church & miniſtery be falſe, therfor though you do preach the true word, & adminiſter the true Sacraments, & pray true prayers, yet they can not be true worship offered vp in a falſe Church, by a falſe miniſtery, for the falſehood of the Church & miniſtery doth eſſentially corupt the worship: if al that is ſet vppon the table be either poiſō, or poyſoned meate, I ſay ſuch is your worship: For death is in your worship, as Coloquintida was in the pot: So that you ſee the diſtinction of true & falſe doth moſt properly aperteyne to your worship: as it doth alſo to your miniſtery & Church, as hath been shewed.

In the next place you declare vntounto vsus out of Philip Mornaeus the order of the worship of the old Teſtament, & out of the Scripture the parts of the worship of the new Teſtament, & out of Iuſtinus Martyr the order of worship in his tymes, which I wil not contradict, & yet I plead, that ſeing your Church is falſe, your miniſtery falſe, your ſervice book a falſe meanes of worship, therfor though al that you alledg were true, it doth not follow that your worship is true: & wheras you plead that reading, Col. 4.16. is cō maunded as a part of worship, I wish you to read the book intituled the differences of the Churches of the Seperation, & you shall have your answer: and thus much for this Section.

Parallels Censures, Letter 1 · Section 10

p. 82The tenth Section.

Paralleles, Cenſures, Obſervations, aperteyning to the tenth Section.

The firſt Argument from Mat. 3.6. Iam. 2.18. Rom. 1.7. 1. Cor. 1.2. Eph. 1.1. Mat. 28.19.

The ſecond Argument from 2. Cor. 6.17. Revel. 18.4. Act. 19.9. & 2.40.47. & 5.13. 1. Timoth. 6.5.

The third Argument from Mat. 28.19.20. Act. 19.4.5. & 10.48. Mat. 18.20.

The fourth argument from Mat. 18.18-20. Marc. 13.34. Ioh. 20.23. Mat. 16.19.

The fifth Argument from 1. Timoth. 2.5. Heb. 9.15. Gal. 3.15.16. Iohn. 17.9.

The ſixth Argument from Eph. 1.22.23. 1. Cor. 12.27.12. Gal. 3.16. Eph. 5.23.

The firſt Argument.

The ſecond Argument.

The third Argument.

Firſt Argument.

The Second Argument.

The third Argument.

The tenth Section.