Parallels Censures, Letter 1 · Section 3
The third Section.
The firſt point therfor that I wil ſpeak to is vour tenth. viz:
10. That an erroneous conſtitution of a Church is a real Idol.
Heer I would fayne knowe whence you had this poſition, I confeſſe I have written ſome ſuch thing: but neither have I written neyther doe I hold it as you propound: I ſay that a Religions ſociety framed after the invention of a mā without the warrant of the word is a real Idol: but I do not ſay that ſome errors in the cōſtitution of a Church maketh that Church a reall Idol: For as in generation every fault in the ſeed which is the matter, as for example a ſeed inclined to the gont, or conſumption, or ſtone doth not make a falſe man, but the partie begotten may be a true man not withſtanding the infirmity of the ſeed: So in the conſtitution of a Church not every error, (as if the members wherof the Church is framed have ignorances errors or infirmities in them,) maketh the Church a real idol: For ſo ther should never posſibly be a true Church in the world, ſeing it is imposſible to find men free from error. Therfor this is the ground that I hold, that if either the matter of the Church be not ſuch as the word teacheth, but a deviſed matter: or of the forme be not that which the word teacheth, but a deviſed forme: or if the Church have not the properties which Gods word teacheth, which doe neceſſaryly proceed frō the forme induced vppon the matter: then ſuch a Church I avouch to be a real idol: take a fimilitude to illuſtrate it: The ſeed of an aſſe & a horſe mingled together in generation doe not produce eyther a true horſe, or a true aſſe, but a third thing formally differing from both viz: a mule: even ſo wicked men joyned with Godly men in a Church, doe not produce a true Church, but a falſe Church, viz: a reall Idol the church of Antichriſt. For this point conſider what the holy Ghoſt writeth: Apoe 18.2. That Antichriſts Church is ther Propheſyed to be a cage of every vncleane & hateful byrd, which might not be eaten or offered in Sacrifice by the Holy people, Deut. 14, 3.11. againe, 2. Cor. 6.14. The Apoſtle willeth the Corinths not to yoke with vnbeleevers bicauſe as in the old Teſtament the Holy people were forbidden to yoke an oxe which was a cleane creature, & an affe which was vncleane to draw the plough together, Deut 22.10. Even ſo the faithful may not now yoke themſelves to draw the L. plough with vn belevers, bicauſe they may have no communion, concord, agreement, followiship, or part the one with theother, but the faithful who are righteouſnes, light of the body of Chriſt the Temple of God, the Children of God, muſt come out from the vnbeleevers, who are vnrighteouſnes, darknes, of Belial, the habitation of Devils, Apoc, 18.2, yea & muſt be ſeperated from them: & muſt touch none of there vncleannes. For if they ſtil ſtand in confuſion with the vnbeleevers, conſenting to al ther ſines, they in that conſtitution are not a true Church, but the prayers they offer vp with the prayers of the wicked, comming from that falſe conſtitution are taynted with the idolatry of that conſtitution: but perhaps you wil ſay that although a falſe conſtitution be a ſinne yet it is not Idolatry: you muſt manifeſt it to me to be a ſin of another commaundemēt if you plead that: otherwiſe I ſtil hold it to be a ſinne of the Second commaundement viz: to worship God in a conſtitution of an humane invention, even as it was in the Church of Ieroboams in vention: & as it is in a popish parish aſſembly, & as it is in the English aſſemblies: now further to prove vntounto you that a falſe conſtitution of a Church is an Idol: I uſe theſe places.
2. Cor. 6.16. VVhat agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols?
The faithful who have made a covenant with God are heer cailed the temple of God: & thervnto are Idols oppoſed: ſignifying that an aſſembly of men who are vnfaithfull, (though ſome faithful mē be among them who are commaunded to come out & to be Seperated) endevoring to worship God after ther fashion are an Idol: therfor if the temple of Ieruſalem now ſtood, & the Iewes aſſembled to worship God ther after the fashiō of the Old Teſtament, that aſſemblie was an Idol: So are the aſſemblies of Turkes Idols: So are the aſſemblies of Papiſts Idols: as Abbayes, Monaſteries, &c. Such are al churches framed of a falſe matter, or having a falſe covenant.
1. Ioh. 5.21. Babes keep your ſelves from jmages. Zach. 11.17.
The Apoſtle who wrote the Revelation forſeing through the Spirit of prophecy the abhominable Idolatryes of Antichriſt, which would grow vp in the Church giveth the Churches a caution eſpecially to take heed of thoſe Antichriſtian Idolatryes: now the Idolatryes of Antichriſt are not heathenish & paganish, but of another nature, viz: not falſe Gods, but meanes invented by men to worship the true God in or by: Hence I gather thus:
VVhatſoever meanes is deviſed out of a mans brayne & vſed as a meanes to honour God in or by, is an Idol:
A deviſed conſtitution of a Church is of that nature.
Ergo an Idol.
For further amplification whereof conſider that as a falſe miniſter (wherof afterward) is an Idol miniſter: Zach. 11.17. So a Church of a falſe conſtitution is a falſe Church that is an Idol Chuch: & as it was vnlawful yea flat Idolatry for a Prieſt of Ieroboams deviſing to offer Sacrifice to the L. So is it alſo Idolatry to offer vp ſervice to God in a Church of a falſe conſtitution.
Col. 2.23. Mat. 15.9. Wil-worship & vayne-worship is forbidden in theſe two places: namely, ſuch worship as is offered to God after the wil & precept of man, whoſe wiſdome is enmity to God:
But a falſe conſtitution of a Church is after the will & precept of man even invented & deviſed: go it is forbidden: but wil worship & vayne worship is a transgreſſion of the ſecond commaundement, go: it is idolatry, & ſo that falſe Church wherin or wherby it is offered vp to God an Idol.
Theſe things are manifeſt to him that wil not blindfold himſelf, I pray you conſider of the particulars by mee alledged: & if you find a truth in them embrace the truth & lead on your people with you to the truth: if not, let vsus heer from you an anſwer, that we may ſee our errors, & wee wil & can reforme: ſo cannot you ſo long as you ſtand as you doe: ther is no way to reforme but to Seperate, as we have done already.
Paralleles, Cenſures, Obſervations, aperteyning to the third Section.
I published a litle Methode not long ſince intituled, Principles & inferences concerning the viſible Church: in the tenth page of the book I write thus: viſible Churches conſtituted according to the deviſe of men are Real Idols.
Mr. Bern. in the beginning of his third Section chargeth vsus to hold,
That an erroneous conſtitution of a Church is a real Idol. & in his book intituled the Seperatiſts Schiſme pag. 79, hath theſe wordes: They hould our conſtitution a real Idol, & ſo vsus idolaters: & pag. 152. of the ſame book he writeth thus: that our Church (viz: the Church of England) ſtandeth in an adultrous eſtate: accounting this as an error that wee defend.
Mr. Ainſw. in the anſwer to Mr. Bern. pag. 172. faith, that a falſe conſtitution of a church ſet vp in ſtead of a true, what is it better then a very Idol?
Heer let vsus conſider the difference & agrement betwixt Mr. Ainſ. & me: he ſaith a very Idol, I ſay a real Idol: I cal a falſe conſtitution a real Idol, For that in exiſtence & being it is an Idol: Mr. Ainſw. calleth a falſely conſtituted Church a very Idol, bicauſe it is indeed & truly an Idol: heer is litle difference except it be in wordes: but for the further cleering of my poſition viz: that a falſely conſtituted Church is a real Idol: two things muſt be diſcovered: 1. what an Idol is: 2. what Real is.
For the firſt vnderſtand that moſt properly an Idol is contrary to an ordinance apoinred by God in matter of Religion: So the Apoſtle willeth the brethren to keep themſelves from jmages or Idols, 1. Ioh. 5.21. & the Lord himſelf in the Second Commaundement forbiddeth, vnderunder the phraſes of making & worshipping jmages, al inventions of men in matter of Religion, Exod. 20.4.5, Now matter of religion eſpecially ſubſiſteth, in Religious worship, or religious government, For the Saynts are made Kings & Preiſts vntounto God: & as Kings they excerciſe a regiment, as Preiſts they performe their Sacrifices Revel. 1.6, 1. Co. 6.1-9.1. Pet. 2.5. & therein they performe homage to the Lord, & ſubmit their conſciences to be wrought vppon. & ſeing the conſcience muſt bow only to the Lord, & not to man otherwiſe then in the Lord, therfor in matter of Religion the conſcience is not to yeeld to any thing deviſed by man: but muſt alwayes have the Lord for the leader & Governor therein: hence then it foloweth that whoſoever ſubſtituteth any deviſe of man, any thing taught by the precept of man: Mat. 15.9. Eſay 29.13. any will worship, or any ordinance of the world in matter of Religion, ſetteth vp that which is contrary to the Lords ordinance, contrary to the Lords wil, contrary to the Lords wiſdome, & I would fayne learne whither this be not an Idol or jmage: So that Idols are of two ſorts: 1. A falſe God, 2, A falſe meanes to honor or ſubmit, or doe homage to the true God in or by: as a falſe or deviſed tyme, place, perſon, inſtrumēt, action, & if the…be any thing of the like conſideration: therfor a falſe or deviſed tyme may be caled an Idol day as 1, King. 12.33. the month which Ieroboam appointed for the worship of his Calves is called the month which he had forged of his owne hart, that is an Idol monethmonth & ſo by conſequent the 15 days of that monethmonth an Idol day. So in the old Teſtament the place where God was to be worshipped was the Tabernacle or Temple. Deut. 12.5-8. & therfor the high places in iudah alſo Dā & Bethel in Iſrael were Idol places bicauſe they were places forged out of the harts of them that firſt appointed them: ſuch were al the places dedicated by the hethen to worship their Gods in, which therfor were commaunded to …he raſed downe: Deu, 12.2.3. ſo likewiſe a ſhepheard or miniſter framed according to the deviſe of man is called a foolish or Idol Shepheard: Zach. 11.17. Such were Ieroboams Preiſtst 1. King. 12.31. & the falſe Apoſtles, 2. Cor: 11.13-15. who are therefor called the miniſters of Sathan: In like maner Gideons Ephod: judg. 8.27. Michaes Ephod, Teraphin… & molten jmage, Iudg. 17.4.5. The braſen Serpent 2. King. …8.4. being inſtruments of idolatry might juſtly have been called Idol inſtruments & ſo forth for actions. Thus we ſee the firſt point what an Idol is, & by conſequent that Idols are infinite in nomber, & that they are not only 47. as Mr. Bern. fayth Marlorat reckeneth them: & againe that Mr. Bern. queſtion is anſwered which he maketh pag. 152. What Idol worship wee Saith Mr. Bern? I anſwer that Mr. Bern. doth both worship an Idol, & worshippeth in or by Idols: The Idol which he worshippeth is a falſe Chriſt, who is neither a King to him, ſeing he ſubmitreth not to his kingdome & ordinances thereof, nor a Preiſt, ſeing he yeeldeth not to his true Miniſterie, nor a Prophet, ſeing he receaveth not the Holy doctryne which he teacheth: but yeeldeth to a Kingdom, Preiſhood & Prophecy erected & eſtablished according the doctryne & commaundements of men: as shalbe ſufficiently cleered heare after & hath been o…t tymes already done: The Idols wherein & wherby he worshippeth, is, 1. his owne falſe Church, 2. his owne falſe ſtanding as a meber of the falſe church 3. his owne falſe Miniſtery, 4. his owne falſe parish Church, or Idol Temple, 5. his ſervice book, 6. his Lords the Prelates, their courts, & miniſters wherin & wherto he ſubmitteth. Generally: look how many Prelates, Preiſts, Deacons, Parishes, Temples, Service books, Surplices, Croſſes, Holy dayes, Courts Eccleſiaſtical, Officers in theſe Courts ther are in the Land: So many Idols there are: that wee may ſay as Eſay ſaid in his tyme of Iudah, Eſay, 2.8. their land is ful of Idols. & ſo this queſtion of yours Mr. Bern. is anſwered: Now the ſecond point to be manifeſted is. VVhat is Real: I oppoſed Real to mentall as may be ſeen Princip Inferenc. pag. 9. & 10. Mental or intellictual is that which hath his being in the mynd or vnderſtanding: as the frame of the English Churches conceaved in the mynd, I called a mental Idol: Real is that which hath an exiſtence & being out of the mynd & conceipt: as the Parish Church of workſop, whereof Mr Bern. is vicar, is a real Idol, having exiſtence, & being not only in the mynd & conceipt, but alſo in deed & truth. Now Real is eyther Natural, or Moral, or Artificial, or Political. Natural as a man, Moral as vertue, Artificial as a howſe, Political as a Cittie or common wealth, & whereas I called a falſely conſtituted Church a real Idol, I intended it a real Politique Idol: For ſo a Church is a politie, Cittie, or common wealth. Revel. 11.2, & 18.2. VVherefore as the true Church is the Holy Cittie the new Ieruſalem that commeth downe from God out of heaven: Revel. 21.2. Even that true Politie & common wealth of Iſrael, Eph. 2.12. So the falſe Church is Babylon, Egipt, Sodom, that Cittie, Politie, common wealth, or Sinagogue of Sathan: & ſo a Political Real Idol: & therfor the English aſſemblies being proved to be falſe Churches, are real Idols. Let vsus in the next place conſider what Mr. Bern. ſaith to theſe things: Firſt he ſaith the Scripture never taketh an Idol in this ſenſe: I have both in this Section of my lettre, alſo in this Parallele shewed him already that an Idol is ſo taken in the Scripture, but for further evidence I uſe this argument.
That which is contrary to a true Church is an Idol.
A falſely conſtituted Church is contrary to a truly conſtituted Church.
Ergo: A falſely conſtituted Church is an Idol.
The Major is true by natural reaſon as alſo by the conſideration of the nature of contraries: For as light is contrary to darknes, vertue to vice: white to black: fire to water: So is true contrary to falſe, & a true Church, to a falſe Church.
The major is the Apoſtles owne argument, 2. Cor. 6.16. his wordes are: what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? whence I reaſon thus:
That which is contrary to the Temple of God, is an Idol.
That which is contrary to the true Church, is contrary to the Temple of God
For the true Church is the Temple of God.
Ergo: That which is contrary to the true Church is an Idol.
Herevppon it followeth that ſeing the Apoſtle oppoſeth an Idol to the temple of God as he oppoſeth light to darknes, Chriſt to Belial: & ſeing the Temple of God is the true Church, therfor an Idol in that place is a falſe Church: now Mr. Bern, with al your learning avoyde this place, & I wil yeeld you this particular.
Further, A falſe Chriſt is an Idol.
A falſe Church is a falſe Chriſt.
Ergo, a falſe Church is an Idol.
The Major is vndeniable.
The Minor is proved two wayes: Firſt by the contrary thus:
A true Church is true Chriſt as may be collected from theſe two places, 1. Cor. 12.12 Gal. 3, 16.
Therfor a falſe Church is a falſe Chriſt.
Secondly it may be proved by Chriſts owne wordes, Mat. 24.24. ther shal ariſe falſe Chriſts, & falſe Prophets, that is to ſay falſe churches, & falſe Miniſters which profeſſe & teach doctrynes of the Lord Ieſus falſely, both of his perſon & offices as the Arrians, the Lutherane vbiquitiſts, the Papiſts, the Anabaptiſts, &c. Thus you ſee wee have proved vntounto you now this ſecond tyme that a falſely conſtituted Church is a real Idol. But bicauſe you cannot ſoundly anſwer, therfor blaſphemouſly you ſcoffe at the doctryne of the conſtitution of the true Church, wee doe conſtantly & bouldly defend that out of a Church truly conſtituted (when a man can & may joyne therto) no ordinance of God can be accepted, neyther preaching, nor praying, nor Sacraments, nor any other religious action. what the Lord accepteth in ſecreat that we diſpute not: but what the word of God teacheth vntounto vsus to be acceptable that wee ſpeak of.
And tel me Mr. Bernard, can ther be a true miniſtery, a true baptiſme, a true faith, true prayer, true preaching, or adminiſtring the L. ſupper true excommunication in the church that is falſely conſtituted? did the L. accept of the Sacraments & Sacrifices of the Church of Iſrael conſtituted by Ieroboam that author of Idolatry? doth not the Lord ſay vntounto that people in that falſe Church, Lo, Ammi, Lo, Ruhamah, No People, No Pitie, Hoſea, 1.6.9. & is not the Lord as ſevere now againſt a Church falſely conſtituted in the New Teſtament, as he was againſt the falſe Church of the ten tribes in the old Teſtament? or do you think that the Lord accepteth of a falſe ſaith, miniſtery, baptiſme, prayer, preaching, excommunication & the reſt? make theſe things agree Mr. Bern. if you can: if you cannot, ceaſe your ſcoffing, & give glory vntounto God: I demaund of you: do you think that God accepteth the prayers & Religious exerciſes of the Papiſts, the Arrians, the Anabaptiſts, the Familiſts, or any other heretiques or Antichriſtians, if not what is the true cauſe that God accepteth them not? is it not for that ther is not that true communiō of the Saynts there, the true Church, the true ſpouſe of Chriſt, the Spiritual Temple where God hath proviſed his preſence? So then it followeth invincibly that a tiue conſtitution of a church, that is a true communion of Saynts, is that only lawful religious, ſociety, or communion of men, wherby God wilbe honoured, wherin he wilbe ſerved, & wherto he hath promiſed his preſence & acceptance: & as conventicles are vnlawful aſſemblies of men in civil ſtates, ſo are al falſe churches vnlawful eccleſiaſtical aſſemblies & the actions therein performed vnlawful, & ſo abhominable in the ſight of God, the ſumme of all … breefly thus much.
That communion of men wherto God hath given the covenant: the Holy things the promiſes, Chriſt for King, Preiſt, & Prophett, is only accepted, & their Eccloſiaſticall actions only acceptable: But a true viſible church, that is a communion of Saynts, joyned together in the true covenant, is that only communion of mē wherto God hath given his covenant, his promiſes, his holy things, Chriſt for King, Preiſt & Prophet.
Therfor a true viſible church, that is a communion of Saynts, & their actions eccleſiaſtical, as preaching & prayers, &c. are only accepted. & by conſequent on the contrary … inſerre thus.
That communion of men wherto God hath not given the covenant, the holy things the promiſes, Chriſt for King, Preiſt, & Prophet, is not accepted of God, neither their actions eccleſiaſtical are acceptable.
A Church falſely conſtituted (as in the old Teſtament was the Apoſtate church of the ten tribes, & in the new Teſtament is the churches of Antichriſt) is ſuch a communion of men, wherto God hath not given the covenant, the holy things, the promiſes, Chriſt for King, Preiſt, & Prophet.
Therfor a church falſely conſtituted is not accepted of God, neither are their actions eccleſiaſtical, as prayer, preaching, &c. acceptable in the ſight of God.
Herevppon I conclude not as Mr. Bern. blaſphemouſly ſcoffeth that the Idol or Goddeſſe conſtitution, but that the true conſtitution of a Church which is the Lords Holy ordināce is that which Sanctifieth al eccleſiaſtical actions: & that a falſe idolatrous, Antichriſtian conſtitution of a church, corrupteth, polluteth, ſtayneth al the eccleſiaſtical actions of that falſe church: So ſaith the Apoſtle, vntounto the pure al things are pure: but vntounto them that are defiled & vnbeleeving is nothing pure. Tit. 1.15. & this is my welbeloved ſonne (ſaith the Father from heaven) in whome I am wel pleaſed, Mat. 3.17. & God heareth not ſynners, but only the true worshippers: Ioh. 9.31.
Finally, I avouch that a falſely conſtituted church is a greater & more abhominable Idol, then any Idol that poſſibly can be in a true church: For a falſe worship, Miniſtery & government may be indeed in a true Church through ignorance & the like occaſions: But a true miniſterie, worship & government cannot poſſiblie be in a falſe Church: For the true Miniſterie, worship, & Government are the Holy things of God, which are not given to falſe Churches, but only to the true Churches of Chriſt, the true communion of Saynts: & a falſe Church being an Idol doth conveigh her idolatrous & falſe conſtitutiō as a poiſon through all her Eccleſiaſticall actions or workes off communion: Breefly therefore to compare True & Falſe: Idols & Ordinances together: Bonum qu… communius eo melius: Malum quo communius eo peius: They are two maximes true in nature & experience, &▪ ſo alſo in Religion: Truth & ordinances the more common & vniverſal the better & more excellent: Falſehood & Idols, the more common & generall the worſe & more pernitious, For example, a true Church better then a true worship, then a true Miniſtery, then a true government, &c. A falſe Church worſe then a falſe worship, then a falſe Muniſtery, then a falſe government, &c. For a true Church is the firſt & moſt noble & vniverſal in Religion, from whence al the reſt iſſue as a ſtreame from the Fountayne: & a falſe Church is the firſt, moſt ignoble & general qualifying al the eccleſiaſtical actions of the Church with her owne falſehood & idolatry: Therfor I am bould to pronounce your falſe & idolatrous Church conſtitutiō to be worſe then your falſe Miniſterie, worſe then your falſe worship, worſe then your falſe government, &c. & on the contrary, our true conſtitution to be the moſt honorable & beautiful ornament of our Church; more glorious then our true Miniſterie, worship, & government, ſith theſe latter iſſue & do flow from the former as from the ſpring …r Fountayne. A true man may have a wooden legg, an eye of glaſſe: So a true Church may have a falſe miniſtery & worship, or government. A man carved out of wood, cannot poſſiblie have any truth of a man in him, but al his parts & limmes are wooden, evē as the image is of wood So a falſe Church can have nothing true in it, but al is falſe, idolatrous, vſurped, for what agreement hath Chriſt with Belial? Theſe things are playne enough to them that will vnderſtand.