Not Lawful to Hear of Have Spiritual Communion With the Church of England, Title page – To the reader
CERTAYNE REASONS and Arguments Proving that it is not lawfull to heare or have any ſpirituall communion with the preſent Miniſterie of the Church of England.
Ier. 50.14.15.
Put your ſelves in aray againſt Babel round about, all that bend the bow, ſhoot at her, ſpare not arrowes: for ſhe hath ſinned against the Lord.
Cry againſt her round about, ſhe hath given her hand, her foundations be fallen, her walles be deſtroyed: becauſe it is the vengeance of the Lord, take vengeance vponupon her: as ſhe hath done, do vntounto her.
Rev. 18.6.
Reward her even as ſhe hath rewarded you, and double vntounto her doubles according to her workes: in the cup wherein ſhe hath mixed, mixe her the double.
Printed, In the yeare of our Lord: 1608.
To the Chriſtian Reader, grace and peace in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
THe Reaſons following, I have publiſhed (gentle Reader) for thy good, and for the truthes ſake which we witnes to the world. The cauſes of our ſeparation from the Church of England are divers, as in other Books already printed may be ſeen. This treatiſe handleth purpoſely but one of them, which is concerning their preſent Miniſterie: and was (for the ſubſtance of it) written long ſynce in nine Reaſons, which now I have reviſed and reduced to ſeven. In the propounding and handling whereof, I have both inſerted divers things which I met with in ſome writings of Mr Iohn Penry that faithfull Martyr of Ieſus Chriſt; and annexed ſundry teſtimonies and Arguments out of the Books of the forward Preachers now abroad in mens hands. The third Reaſon, which is taken out of Rev. 14.9.10.11. hath his weight according to the right vnderſtanding of that place. Concerning which (as Mr Ridley that bleſſed Martyr of Chriſt†See hereafter, p. 59. did in his time) I will commit the judgement thereof, and of all the reſt, to the ſpirituall man: to be tryed and judged by the word of God, which is the onelyonly rule of truth; and ſo to be received and approved, as they ſhalbe found to beare weight, being layd in the ſkoales of Gods ſanctuary; & not any otherwiſe or further at all.
The Reaſons are ſet downe in the forme of Syllogiſmes. And the two firſt (which conteyne in them the grounds of the reſt) have more ſpecially the confirmation of them alſo handled after the ſame manner. A courſe that ſome have deſired for the further tryall of our cauſe. Which now I wiſh it may help them forward to yeeld vntounto the truth. And if thy ſelf (Chriſtian Reader) reapeſt any fruit by our labours, give God praiſe, and pray for vsus the vnworthieſt of his ſervants, who are every where contemned blaſphemed and oppugned, for the Name of Chriſt:Ier. 30.17. Mat. 5.12. and 10.25. Heb. 12.2. 1 Pet. 4.12. &c. As hath ben the lot of the Churches and ſervants of God in all ages, yea and of Chriſt our Lord himſelf. But it is ynough for the diſciple to be as his Maiſter, and the ſervant as his Lord. Therefore will we beare it with pacience, and rejoyce in it: wayting till the Lord our God bring forth his truth as the light, & our judgement as the noone day. Great (we know) is the truth, and ſtrong is the Lord, that will deſtroy Babylon, and will mainteyne the cauſe and avenge the blood of his ſervants. Rev. 17. and 18. and 19. chap. with Ier. 50. and 51. ch.
Now therefore let me exhort all, both Preachers and people, high and low, to compare together the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apoſtles concerning the work of God and fall of Babylon paſt and to come; and to take heed vntounto themſelves, that they harden not their hearts, but whiles it is called To day, to hearken vntounto the voice of the Lord, who ſayth vntounto vsus concerning the ſpirituall Babylon & all her aſſemblies and worſhip, Go out of her my people, that yee partake not with her ſinnes, and that ye receive not of her plagues: as of old he ſayd to the Iewes concerning Babylon in Chaldea, Go out of the middes of her my people, & deliver ye every man his ſoule frō the fierce wrath of the Lord. Rev. 18.4. with Ier. 51.45. And let there be heard,*Ier. 50.28. with Rev. 19 ….…. the voyce of them that flee and eſcape out of the land of Babel, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, the vengeance of his Temple. For it is written, Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, The thick walles of Babel ſhalbe broken downe, and her high gates ſhalbe burnt with fire; and the people ſhall labour in vayne, and the folk in the fire, and ſhalbe weary. Ier. 51.58. Which how true it is & wilbe found in the Antichriſtian Babylon, as it hath ben in the Chaldean, let all that are wiſe obſerve, & make good vſe thereof vntounto themſelves.
And in ſpeciall (as now I have occaſion) let me intreat the Preachers ſeeking reformation, ſeriouſly to mynd the Books which many of them ſelves have written againſt their preſent eſtate, & with indifferency to judge whether their owne Arguments (howſoever intended or alledged otherwiſe by themſelves) rely not vponupon ſuch grounds, as are in very deed againſt their Miniſtery, aſwell as againſt their Ceremonies; againſt the executing of the one, aſwel as againſt the vſing of the other; & withall againſt the keeping of communion with them in ſuch eſtate: albeit they have not hitherto ſo applyed or acknowledged it thēſelves. Which God in his tyme give them to do for their owne comfort & benefit of others.
And the Lord guyde vsus in theſe and all other things by his word and ſpirit in the way of his truth, keeping vsus from errour and every evill way, and preſerving vsus to his heavenly kingdome, by Ieſus Chriſt: who is the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.
Thyne in the Lord: Francis Iohnſon.