Not Lawful to Hear of Have Spiritual Communion With the Church of England, Reason 4
The fourth Reaſon.
None may heare or ioyne in any ſpirituall communion with that Miniſterie which deriveth not their power and functions of Miniſtery from Christ, which is the head, for the edification of the Church, which is his body.
But the preſent Ministery of the Church-aſſemblies of Engl. deriveth not their power & functions of Ministery from Chriſt, which is the head, for the edification of the Church, which is his body.
Therefore none may heare or ioyne in any ſpirituall communion with the preſent Miniſtery of the Church-aſſemblies of Engl.
The Propoſition or firſt part of the Reaſon can not be denyed: 1. Becauſe none may be ſubject to any power or head in religion, ſave onelyonly to Ieſus Chriſt, who is the alone head of the Church, in whome all fulnes of power dwelleth, and from whom alone the Church receiveth her life and ſtrength. Ephe. 1.22.23. and 4.8.11.12.15.16. Col. 1.18.19. and 2.18.19. 1 Cor. 12.4.5.6.12.27.
2. Becauſe the Miniſters which derive not their power from this head to the execution of an office in his body, are vſurpers of that which perteyneth not vntounto them, & enemies of Chriſts ſoveraigne authority: and the people which heare them, or otherwiſe ſubmit to their power and Miniſtery, become guilty with them of treaſon againſt the King of Kings the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Mat. 28.18.19.20. 1 Cor, 12.5. Luk. 19.12.13.14.27. with Exod. 20.4.5. 2 Theſ. 2.3.4.9.10.11.12. Rev. 13. & 14. & 17. and 18. and 19. chap.
3. Becauſe God diſpoſeth the members every one of them in the body at his pleaſure, and hath fully furniſhed his Church with all offices needfull: ſo as it is not in the power of any creature to give or take away any members to or from Chriſts body, or to approve by any practiſe ſuch giving or taking away vnderunder any colour whatſoever. Rom. 12.3-8. 1 Cor. 12.6.12.18.27.28. Ephe. 4.4-16. 1 Tim. 3. & 5. & 6.13.14. Rev. 22.18.19.
The Aſſumption or latter part of the Reaſon is proved not onelyonly by this, That the Miniſters of the Church-aſſemblies of England have not thoſe offices and callings which Chriſt hath given to his Church for the work of his Miniſtery: as hath bene ſhewed before in the firſt Reaſon, to which this may be referred: but may alſo be made manifeſt further, and ſhewed by the contrary, after this maner:
1. Firſt, the preſent Miniſtery of the Church-aſſemblies of England, is of Deacons and Prieſts made by the Prelates, ſome of them being Curates, ſome Vicars, ſome Parſons, ſome Archdeacons, ſome Lordbiſhops, ſome Archbiſhops, &c.
2. Now theſe be ſuch offices as were left in England by the Pope, and are ſtill reteyned in the kingdome of Antichriſt: neyther were knowen in the Churches of Chriſt planted by the Apoſtles, but roſe vp with the body of Antichriſt, & perteyne therevnto: as hath bene handled before.
3. And, the Scripture teacheth plainly, that Sathan out of the bottomeles pit is the author and head of thoſe offices and functions which were formed and erected in the kingdome of Antichriſt the man of ſinne: and conſequently of the offices aforeſaid yet remayning in the Church of England. 2 Theſ. 2.9. Rev. 9.2.3.11.20. and 13.11. and 18.2. & 20.10.
4. And if Sathan be the erecter and head of theſe offices and functions, then it is certayne that Ieſus Chriſt is not. For what concord hath Chriſt with Sathan? 2 Cor. 6.15. 1 Ioh. 3.8.
Wherevpon enſueth, that whoſoever adminiſter by vertue of the offices aforeſaid (as the Miniſters of the Church-aſſemblies of Engl. do) they derive not their power and authority from Ieſus Chriſt the head of the Church, which is his body, even the fulnes of him that filleth all in all things: but from the dragon that old ſerpent, Sathan the head of the body & kingdome of Antichriſt, the Prince of darknes, even the ſpirit that worketh in the children of diſobedience.
And this have the ſeekers of reformation a long time ſynce vnderſtood, and publiſhed to the world: who ſpeaking of the eccleſiaſticall government of the Church of England, ſay it is*Admon. to the Parliam. ſect. 14-20. T C first reply pag. 88. & 204. Mr. Fenners Anſwer to the Confut. of Nichols recant. pag 61. &c. Antichristian and diveliſh and contrarie to the Scriptures. That whatſoever commeth from the Pope (who is Antichrist) cōmeth firſt from the Divell, and out of the bottomles pit: That the Names and Offices of Archbiſhops, Lordbiſhops, Archdeacons, Commiſſaries, Deanes, Prebendaries, Parſons, Vicars, Stipendaries, and Pariſh prieſts &c. came from the Pope and are an Antichristian hierarchie: That Sathan is the authour of the falſe Miniſterie in the apoſtaſie of the Man of ſinne, and in the kingdome of Antichriſt the beast: That their offices and callings be ſuch as were firſt deviſed and ſtill are reteyned in the kingdome of Antichriſt, whereof they cannot deny but Sathan is the head.
Now therefore let all men judge, whether any can with a good conſcience heare the word, receive the Sacraments, or have any ſpirituall communion with their Miniſtery in this eſtate: yea though the men that be in it be of never ſo great gifts, and teach never ſo much truth. Is it diveliſh, and may the people of God joyne vntounto it? Came it out of the bottomles pit, & ſhall we ſerve the God of heaven by it? Do they which preach by vertue thereof, derive their power from another head then Ieſus Chriſt, even from Sathan the head of the falſe Church: and ſhall the members of Chriſt & his Church, by hearing or otherwiſe, ſubmit their ſoules and conſciences to be wrought vponupon by it? God forbid. Know we not, that as the true Miniſtery was ordeyned by our Saviour Chriſt, for the edification of the Church & ſalvation of the hearers: ſo the falſe Miniſtery hath ben erected by Sathan, and is reteyned by Antichriſt, for the ſubverſion of the Church, the deceiving and deſtruction of the hearers?
We deny not, but many of theſe Miniſters be men of good gifts and preach much truth and comfortable doctrine: but this we ſay (and it is found too true) that the more gifts and truths they bring with them, the more they vphold this myſtery of iniquity & Miniſtery of Sathan; the more deeply they inthrall the hearers vnderunder the bondage of Antichriſt; and the longer they deteyne them from the way and ordinances of Ieſus Chriſt. For who ſeeth not, that the dumbe Miniſters, though they have the ſame kind of Miniſtery among them as the reſt, even the ſame Deaconry and Prieſthood received of the Prelates (there being no other allowed in that Church) yet being of no gifts to call and intiſe them that paſſe by the way to come vntounto them, are therefore much deſpiſed and rejected of the beſt and moſt forward of the people? And would not the preachers alſo, who by their gifts allure the paſſers by to come and heare them, be as much deſpiſed and rejected,Prov. ….13.14.15.16.17. if they ſhould teach falſehood onelyonly, and no truth; impiety, and no godlynes? But how could they then ſo colourably entiſe and entertayne their gueſts as now they do? how could then their ſtollen waters and hid bread be ſo ſweet & pleaſant as now it is? how could they ſo greatly vphold this work of Sathan, and ſo long deteyne their hearers in ſubjection to Antichriſts Miniſtery, and in defection from the way of Chriſt, as now they have done? So as all may ſee that by reaſon of the gifts they have and of the truth they teach, the abomination of their Miniſtery and Church-government is ſo coloured as few conſider it is*2 Theſ. 2.7. a myſtery of iniquity; few conceive it is‡Ibid. ver. 9. the work of Sathan, few know that†Prov. 9.18. the dead are in their aſſemblies, and that their gueſts are in the depth of hell.
And Sathan himſelf that ſubtill ſerpent and deceiver, perceiving how by falſehood onelyonly he cannot continew thoſe offices and ordinances, which for deceiving of the world he hath framed & ſet vp in the kingdome of Antichriſt, is content for the vpholding of his work to receive many truths, to have the word preached, and ſacraments adminiſtred, ſo as it be by his owne offices & according to his owne ordinances (becauſe by this meanes his wayes and conſtitutions are reteyned) rather then by abandoning the truth vtterly, to have all his Miniſtery and works of iniquity diſcovered and quite aboliſhed. Neyther can we think otherwiſe, but he wil rather chooſe to maynteyne the ſtrength of his kingdome, in reteyning his officers and ordinances, though it be with loſſe of ſome falſe doctrine and admiſſion of ſome truths for a tyme, then otherwiſe by an vtter refuſall hereof to ſuffer loſſe of all his merchandize at once, not onelyonly of his falſe doctrines, but of his falſe offices alſo and conſtitutions, by which he ruleth and adminiſtreth his Antichriſtian kingdome, and hopeth by them in tyme vponupon fit opportunity agayne to bring in his former hereſies, & to remove thoſe doctrines of truth, which for a ſeaſon he hath in a ſort ben forced to admit. He that can*2 Cor. 11.14 tranſform himſelf into an Angel of light, can be content to yeeld ſomething for a tyme vntounto the truth, that afterwards he may have the more advantage againſt it and them that profeſſe it. Therefore alſo it is no great thing, though‡Ibidem. ver. 15. his Miniſters tranſforme themſelves, as though they were the Miniſters of righteouſnes, whoſe end ſhalbe according to their works.
In the meane tyme, let none marveile if they ſee the eſtate of things in the world to be ſuch, as plainly bewray that Sathan and Antichriſt, ſo as they may have their Miniſtery reteyned, chuſe rather (when they cannot otherwiſe do withall) to have ſome truths of the Goſpell taught by their Officers therein, then to have both their Miniſtery refuſed, and every truth of the Goſpell freely taught by the Officers of Chriſt: thinking it to be better for them to continue their conſtitutions with admiſſion of ſome truths, then that both Chriſts ordinances ſhould be received, and the whole truth yeelded vntounto, in obedience of faith.
But let all yet in the feare of God take heed vntounto themſelves how vnderunder colour of learning the truth, hearing the word, enjoying the Sacraments, and the like perſwaſions, they be drawen to have any ſpirituall communion with that Miniſtery aforeſaid, ſeing they derive not their Miniſteriall functions and authority from Chriſt the head of the Church, but from Sathan the Prince of the world; ſo as none can heare the word, receive the Sacraments, or learne the truth from their Miniſtery in this eſtate, but they ſhall therein ſubmit themſelves to that Miniſtery which Sathan hath ſet vp in the kingdome of Antichriſt, and continueth vnderunder theſe and the like pretences among his ſubjects. Fearful & to be remembred alway is the verdict of the Apoſtle,*2 Theſ. 2.10.11.12. that God wil ſend them the efficacie of deluſion that they ſhal beleeve lies & be damned, becauſe they beleeve not nor receive the love of the truth that they might be ſaved. And hitherto of this further declaration of the Aſſumption.
Another cōfirmatiō therof is, that the Church-aſſēblies of Engl. whervnto their Miniſtery belongeth, are not true viſible Churches of Chriſt, as now they ſtand. Therefore alſo it cannot be that the Miniſters thereof can in ſuch eſtate derive their Miniſtery frō Chriſt, for the edificatiō of thoſe Churches, as being his body wherof he is the head.
That their Church-aſſemblies are not in their estate true viſible Churches of Chriſt, hath often ben proved heretofore: and may be ſeen, in that they are vnſeparated from the world; not joyned together in cōmunion of the Goſpel by voluntrrie profeſſion of the faith of Chriſt & ſubmiſſion to the government which he hath preſcribed to his Church; not having the power of Chriſts Churches, for the receiving of any truth, or redreſſing of any evil among them; but ſtanding in bondage vnderunder Antichriſt, in their Prelacy, Preiſthood, Worſhip, eccleſiaſtical Courts, Canōs, Officers, proceedings, &c. The further handling whereof, may be had‡The Apologie to Oxf. Doctors pag. 44. &c. Refut of M Giff. Anſw. to Mr. Stone, Mr Iacob, Mr Hild. p. 62. &c. Counterpoyſ. to Conſid. & Argum. p. 127. &c. in ſundry other Treatiſes; to which I refer the Reader: entreating all carefully to obſerve this here, that the Miniſters of the Church of Engl. not deriving their functions of Miniſtery from Chriſt the head, for the edification of the Church which is his body, it muſt needs be vnlawfull for any, and ſpecially for the members of the body of Chriſt, to hear or otherwiſe to comunicate with thē in their worſhip, vnderunder any pretēce whatſoever.