The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. 5. A Reply to his fifth Chapter Concerning a diſtinction of Points of Practiſe.
IN Anſwer to the Priſoners Letter, I ſaid in points of Practiſe, ſome concerne the weightier Duties of the Law, as what God we worſhip, and with what kinde of Worſhip: whether it be ſuch, as if it be right, Fellowſhip with God is held: If falſe, Fellowſhip with God is loſt.
Diſcuſſer.
It is worth the Inquiry, what kinde of worſhip he intendeth, whether in generall acceptation the Rightneſſe or Corruptneſſe of the Church, or the Miniſtery of the Church, or the Miniſtrations of the Word, Prayer Seales &c.?
And becauſe it pleaſeth the Spirit of God to make the Miniſtery one of the foundations of Chriſtian Religion (Heb. 6.1.2.) and alſo to make the Miniſtery of the Word and Prayer, in the Church, to be two ſpeciall workes (even of the Apoſtles themſelves. Acts 6.2.) I ſhall deſire, it may well be conſidered in the feare of God.
1. Concerning the Miniſtery of the Word, If their new Miniſtery, and ordination be true, then the former was falſe: And if falſe, then will it not follow according to this diſtinction, that fellowſhip with God was loſt?
2. Concerning Prayer, the New Engliſh Miniſters have diſclaimed and written againſt that Worſhip of God by Common or ſet formes of Prayer, which yet themſelves practiſed in England.
And though they were faithfully admoniſhed for vſeing the Common Prayer, yet at that time they ſatisfied their hearts with the practiſe of the Author of the Councell of Trent &c. But now I aske, whether or no, fellowſhip with God in ſuch Prayers was loſt? &c.
3. Gods People may live and die in ſuch kinde of worſhip notwithstanding light preſented to them able to convince yet not reaching to a conviction, and to forſakeing of ſuch wayes, which is Contrary to his Concluſion, That Fundamentalls are ſo cleare, that a man cannot but be convinced in Conſcience after once or twice Admonition: And therefore ſuch a perſon not being convinced, he is condemned of himſelfe, and may be perſecuted for ſinning againſt his Conſcience.
4. I Obſerve here that Mr. Cotton herein meaſureth to others, that which himſelfe when he lived in ſuch practiſes, would not have had meaſured to himſelfe. As 1. That it might have been affirmed of him, that in ſuch practiſes he did ſin againſt his Conſcience, having ſufficient light ſhinning about him. 2. That he ſhould or might have been cut off by death, or Baniſhment, as an Hereticke ſinning againſt his Conſcience, &c.
Defender.
1. It needs no inquiry what worſhip I meanes, whether Church, and Miniſter, or Miniſtrations of the Word, Prayer, Seales &c. For I meane none of theſe, as they are diſpenced in the Churches of England. Though there have been corruptions in the order and diſpenſations of theſe things amongſt them, (eſpecially in the times when we lived there) yet neither their Churches, nor Miniſtry, nor Miniſtrations were ſuch, or ſo falſe that fellowſhip with God could not be held of them, not onelyonly inwardly and ſecretly, but alſo outwardly and viſibly: not onelyonly in inward converſion and conviction, but alſo in outward and viſible Reformation according to light received. Take my words as I wrote them, and as he relateth them, and my meaning is plaine enough: I ſpeake of ſuch worſhip, which if falſe, fellowſhip with God is loſt: which cannot truly be avouched of any part of the Worſhip of God in England.
It is not truly ſaid, that the Spirit of God maketh the Miniſtry one of the Foundations of Chriſtian Religion, Heb. 6.1.2. for it is onelyonly a foundation of Church Order, not of faith, or Religion, the Apoſtle puts an expreſſe difference between faith, and Church Order, Coloſ. 2.5. Nor is it a true and ſafe ſpeech, to call the Fellowſhip or bleſſing of God vouchſafed to corrupt Churches, or Miniſters, or Miniſtrations to call it, I ſay, unpromiſed, or to be beyond a word, or promiſe of God. For it is a large and yet an expreſſe promiſe of the Covenant of Grace, that God will be mercifull to our iniquities, Ier. 31.34.That he will be mercifull to every one that prepareth his heart to ſeeke God, though he be not cleanſed according to the Purification of the Sanctuary, 2 Chron. 30.18, 19, 20. with many more ſuch like. And therefore there wants not Promiſes of Grace and bleſſing to the People of God, notwithſtanding ſome defects and impurities found in their Adminiſtrations. Neither will it follow, that if our Miniſtery, and Ordination here be true, that then the former which we had in England was falſe, eſpecially ſo falſe, as that according to viſible Rule, Fellowſhip with God was loſt.
For the Rite of Ordination we doe not looke at it as any Eſſentiall Part of our vocation to the Miniſtry, no more then Coronation is an Eſſentiall Part of the Office of the King. And though we doe not juſtly ſundry things found in our Miniſtry, yet Jehoſhuah the High Preiſt did not looſe his Fellowſhip with God, though he was cloathed with filthy Garments, Zach. 3.3, 4.
2. Concerning Prayer, though the New Engliſh Miniſters have witneſſed againſt the Common ſet-Forme thereof, which yet our ſelves in our ignorance have ſomtimes uſed, and have therefore ſeen juſt cauſe to judge our ſelves ſince: yet we did not thereby looſe fellowſhip with God by ſuch ſinnnes of Ignorance, no more then the People of God did in the dayes of Hezekiah, by ſacrificeing to God in the High places, when yet they did it to the Lord their God onelyonly, 2 Chron. 33.17.
I know no ſuch faithfull Admoniſhers, as preſented to us in England, Arguments againſt the Common Prayer, which then ſeemed weake, but now are acknowledged to be ſound, though ſuch a thing poſſibly may be true, howſoever forgotten. But this I am perſwaded to be utterly falſe, that any of us ſatisfied our hearts with the Practiſe of the Author of the Councell of Trent, who uſed to read ſome of the choyſeſt ſelect Prayers out of the Maſſ-Booke. The Spirit of a childe of God, though upon occaſion he may receive ſuch a Practiſe, yet he can never ſatisfie himſelfe with the Practiſe of any godly man for the warrant of his Imitation without ſome further light (or at leaſt apprehenſion of light) from the word.
3. It is readily graunted, (that which is obſerved in the third place) That Gods people may live and die in ſuch kindes of Worſhip, though light from the Word, whether publickly or privately hath been preſented to them able to convince,
Nevertheleſſe, that will not weaken the Concluſion (formerly mentioned, and afterwards further diſcuſſed) That Fundamentalls are ſo cleare, that a man cannot but be convinced in Conſcience of the Truth of them after two or three Admonitions: and that therefore ſuch a Perſon as ſtill continueth obſtinate, is condemned of himſelfe: and if he then be puniſhed, He is not puniſhed for his Conſcience, but for ſinning againſt his owne Conſcience. For both theſe may well ſtand together, and are farre of from croſſing or contrarying one another. A ſet forme of Prayer, though it be unlawfull, yet it is not ſuch a Fundamentall Error either in judgement or practiſe, as cutteth off from fellowſhip with God: That is onelyonly a reſolute Aſſertion of the Diſcuſſer, but a vouched without all colour or pretence from the Scripture. There is ſome reſemblance and proportion betweene Praying and Propheſying; Moſes uſed an unwarranted way and Forme of Propheſying, when God Commaunding him to ſpeake to the Rock before the Congregation of Iſrael, He ſpake not to the Rock, but ſtroke it with his Rod, (for which he had no Commaundement) and ſpake to the People and that in a Paſſion (and (and both without a Commaundament) Numb. 20.8.11. And yet this did not cutt off his Fellowſhip with God, nor Gods gracious Preſence with him in giving water to the People, no not at that time, God knoweth how to be preſent with his People, in bleſſing their Adminiſtrations, and forgiving their iniquities, though he doe take vengeance of their Inventions, Pſal. 99.8.
4. Though I doe maintaine (as the Apoſtle doth) a Clearneſſe of Fundamentall Points of Religion and Worſhip (ſuch Fundamentalls I ſay, without which, Fellowſhip with God cannot be had) and though I graunt, that in ſubſerting ſuch Fundamentall Points, and perſiſting therein after once or twice Admonition, a man ſinneth againſt his owne Conſcience, and is therefore cenſurable by the Church, yea and by the Civill Magiſtrate alſo, if after Conviction he continue to ſeduce others unto his Damnable Hereſie; yet I doe not herein meaſure to others, that which my ſelf, when I lived in ſuch practiſes, would not have meaſured to my ſelfe.
For I thank God, God never left me to live in any ſuch Practiſes, as to fall into any Fundamentall Error, much leſſe to Perſiſt therein after Conviction and Admonition, and leaſt of all to ſeduce others thereinto. If God ſhould leave me ſo farre, as to fall ſo fearefully into this three-fold degree of Hereticall wickedneſſe, what am I better then other men? better my ſelfe cut off by death, or Baniſhment, then the Flock of Chriſt to be ſeduced and deſtroyed by my Hereticall wickedneſſe.