Examination.

WHo is to vs a visible true Christian / is a Question (in these days) not a litle turmoylinge the heads and hearts of many. Yea / the crosse Conclusions that mainy do thervpon inferre / either giueth (in effect to all / or taketh from all professinge and confessinge the name / IESVS / the title of True Christian.

To auoyde therfore the errour of the right and lefte hand / and to sayle betwene these rocks of extreames (seyng our Dauids kyngdo­me must remayne as fixed as the Son end Moone in the heauens materiaall) though somtijmes by clowdes end the schadowe of the Earth obscured to the ey of the Earths inhabitants we (I. say) therfore haue concluded that Person to vs a visible Christian / who 1. holdeth / and 2. buildeth to the praise of God / on the corner stone Christ Iesus.

First the Person beleiuelh: what? That Iesus Christ the Son of God is com in our nature for the full saluation therof. First / he beleiuelh that God is: Hebre. 11.6. secondly / that Iesus Christ is the Son of God: ac­cording tho the Apostles their confession: Math. 16.16. Thirdly that he is alredy com: and 4. in our nature. Gal. 4.4. Hebr. 2.16.17. fiftly / vnto this end: namely / fully to saue vs: Acto. 4.12. Heb. 7.25.

1. Atheistes / must beleiue that God is. [...]for / how commeth this worlde and all the things therein to exist / and in their kyndes to be conserued / if there be not som Power (or God) eternall and incomprehensible / that giueth being he­reto? The Atheist comminge into a stately pallace / senig no body there / is notwith standing forced to confesse / that the Pallace was made by som / who was before it.

[Page]2. The Iewes must beleiue / that IEsus is Christ. His blood remain­ge vpon them and their Children (Math. 27.25.) The expiration of Da­niels propheticall 70. weeks of yeares (that is / of 490. Yeares / from Cyrus edict for building IErushalem / vnto Messiahs ceasinge sacrifice) Dan. 9.24. etc. Isa. 44.28. end 2. Chro. 36.22.23.) and the full remouall of Iu­dahs Scepter (Gen. 49.10. Math 2.1.) May teach them / first / that Christ is com: secondly / that IEsus was the Christ.

3. The Arrians and Samosatenistes must knowe that Christ is the Son of God / namely / by eternall generation (and so without Mother: and begining of days / and If hais roote / Hebr. 7.3. (Ioh. 1.1.2.)

This is / becawse the father and he is one in essence) Philip. 2.6. Hebr. 1. [...]. Colos. 2.9.) and not only God by Office / as they wickedly teach.

4. The Anabaptistes must beleiue that (as CHrist is God and one with the father / so) He is com in our nature / and ther fore also verily Man. If he only had essence or nature with the father / then (God being a spirit: and a spirit not hauing flesh and bone / he shold not dy and suffer Indeede / but phantastically and in shewe: as was the Maniches phantasie. If he assumed som other Nature then ours / then he and his Church sholde not be two in one Flesh (as was the typicall Adam and his wyfe: Gen. 2.25. Ephes. 5, 31.32.) so / neither God shold be satisfied in our Nature / nor our Nature be iustified / sanctified / glorified. Nay / he was the first fruites in our Nature that rose from vnder the power of Death (1. Cor. 15.20.) and by him (the First-fruites) is the whole sumpe sanctified / that by fayth is vnited vnto him. If to be in the forme of God (Philip. 2.6.) be / to be One with God in Nature: Then what letteth (vers. 7.) that to be in the forme of Man / shold not (by like proportion) be / to be One with man in Na­ture. Though it be a mysterie: yet the mysterie herein is plaine: namely / that he was the Son of god and the Son of Man: verily God / verely Man: God verily his Father: woman verily his Mother: passible (as Man) impassi­ble / as God. In regard of which humaine nature: he is thee seede of wo­man: Gen. 3.15. Gal. 4.4. And as the humaine nature was assumed for the benefit of the faith full / he is called / Abrahams seede (Hebr. 2.16. a roote springing from Ishai: Isa. 11.1.

5. Romanistes (of what sect soeuer) must beleiue that this Iesus is our full righteousnes / and redemption: not leaving any thing in the worke of salvation imperfect that so we might adde therevnto: least our flesh shold reioyce in his presence: 1. Cor. 1.29.30. Rom. 4.2. Hebr. 7.25.

Secondly / the person so beleiuinge / buildeth vpon this foundation of God / in a new and holy Conuersation / as God his spirit thensforth / by the ministrie of the ghospell / shall teach vnto him: and that vnto the praise and glory of God.

[Page]First he knowes that there is a spirit of God / who speaketh the will of God by Man. This spirit must he knowe to be in essence one with the Fa­ther and the Son. 1. Ioh. 5.6.7. Math. 28.19. and 2. Cor. 3.17. This ar­ticle (it semeth) som Christians in the primatiue age / or begining of Chri­stian Churches / were much ignorant of: or vnderstood but confusedly: and this Definition concludeth with in it all such as haue bene accomted true vi­sible Christians / though otherwise labouring of manie infirmities. Second­ly / according to this Spirits ministerie thensforth he buildeth in a newe and holy conversation (Iam. 2.18. Ephes. 1.4. Gal. 5.24.) And this holy buildinge is either in perfection (and that was in Christ) or in imperfection: and that is in all his members: Rom. 7.15.23. Thirdly / he doth is to the praise of God.

1. First / anie Obedience (though voluntarie and hauing a shewe of wisdome / Colloss. 2.23.) is not true / or / holy Obedience: but only that which is builded vpon true faith in Christ (for this only is as Golde / syluer end precious stones: 1. Cor. 3.12. etc.) for that only is by the spi­rit of God incommended to Man by the written worde: 2. Tim. 3.15.16. Reuel. 22.18.19. And this ouerturneth all manner of Obedience (seme it neuer so glorious) as the works of a transformed spirit / that is not groun­ded vpon the faith of Christ Iesus written / it being the inspired square of the spirit of God.

2. Secondly / he thensforth (namely / after the profession of true faith) buildeth (though imperfectly) in a newe conver [...]acon. He rons in Christs rare / though wth manie falls / but he still riseth by the staffe of repentaunc and still setteth on forwards: looking vpon the Author / end finisher of our faith set at the right hand of Maiestie: Hebr. 12.1.2. Reuel. 3 1.2.3.5. And this ouerthwarteth first / such as returne back to their former filth. (2. Pet. 2.20.21.22.) secondly / it convinceth such as teach by worde directly or by necessarie Consequent (in their Nouatian practise) that amie man or Church can obay / or walke perfectly. To what end doth our saviour commaund so often pardoning a brother (Math. 18.22.) or Paul will vs to beare with the weake and to support with meecknes such brethren as haue fallen vnder som tentation (Rom. 15.1. Gal. 6.1. etc.) if not because / the holiest may he ignorant in maine things / as also fall often?

3. Thidly / in referring all to the praeise and glorie of God / it stop­peth the mowth of euery proud Pharisie (Luc. 18.9. etc.) who puffed vp with Nebuchadnetzar / do builde end performe glorious worcks for the ho­nour of their owne name: rawsing the trompet to sound forth their al­mes. Such alredy haue their rewarde: namely / a litle praise of Mans mowth.

Examination.

IVstification (that is / a being pronounced righteous / or / iust) is of two sortes: External / or Internal. Iustification externall (or out­warde) procedeth from externall Obedience / iustifiable in the eyes of Creatures. And herof S. Iames speaketh (2. Ch. 18.21.) Iustification Internal / is a liuely apprehending of God by faith in Christ: And here of S. Paul speaketh: Rom. 4.5. etc. 5.1. Such an inward fayth / owtward­ly workinge / rawseth Man to be able to pronounce such a ones faith perfect / or / true / Iaco. 2.22. Pauls Doctrine may lift vp the despairing person: Iames his doctrine may knock downe the presumptuous spirit.

Thoughe the present Act of our apprehendinge God a father by Christ: iustifie with God: Yet / seing God hath placed / vs amongst Men / as also he wilbe glorified by vs / in the sight of Men / he there fore hath ordayned vs to bring forth good workes (Ioh. 15.8.16.) Neither let anie of our Dead Fayth-linges (that haue tyme and oportunitie to work well) let them not imagine their faith true / that is barren / or brings forth rotten grapes. who­soeuer is incorporated by the spirit of God (the finger of the father) into the Vyne Christ: they cannot but liue by the sappe of the same spirit / and so bringe forth the fruites of the Spirit. Till thow se such fruite / what assu­rance hast thow of such fayth? specially seing god hath ordayned fayth to worke / This cawsed Frances Spiera (ex Henr. Pantal.) to vrge S. Pe­ters exhortation / 2. Ep. 1. Ch. 5.6.7.8. with faith ioyne vertue etc. Con­fessinge therewthall / that the worke assures vs of the truth of faith. Who (because he had no testimonie of good workes) died therfore wonderfully despairinge.

And as this may Rowse the idle spirit that thinks to goe to heauen in hi [...] olde deceivable Adam: so / in doinge such holy works they must not therby thinke / that it is their ymmediate iustification with God / but rather that is their ymmedatie iustification of faith / with men: vnto whome we are enioy­ned to testify the inward truth of faith / vp an outward proportionable con­uersation.

The not discerninge of this Distinction / cauwseth som to teach / That so a man bringe forth externall righteousnes / (being of anie religion spea­king of Christ) he is of vs to be iustified: but this in the 2. part of Conclus. 1. is preuented. Others (as farre on the other syde) teach (at least by theire prac­tise) that so a man holde the fondation of Christian faith / he needs not so much to regard works. A third sorte teacheth / ymmediate iustification with god to be by faith and works.

[Page]1. The first Sect I call / Irreligionistes: for / while they tollerate all religions / themselues are Irreligious.

2. The second Sect I call Diabolistes: becawse with the Deuell they knowe and beleiue much good / but they will practise no good / further then brings in worldly aduauntage.

3. The third sect / I call Mongrels or Confusionistes: for they mingle heauen and earth / confoundinge where the holy goste distinguisheth: saying though they wold haue Man partly iustified by works / yet they abhorre po­pish merit in whole or in part, But alas poore sowles (were they not more confused then a Papist) they wolde knowe / that whereby we are justified / therby we merit. And therfore (seyng we are iustified by Christ) we well say / that we merit by Christ.

Examination.

THe Sowle of Man in his frist Creation / possessed not only with Mynde will / and Powre / But also with a Mynd / mynding rightly: with a Will / willinge rightly: and Powre (arisinge from them both) to doe rightly / it may then be sayd he had fredom of Mynd and Will with habilitie to worke well (for we speake not of that hie incomprehensible Mynd / will and Powre communicated vnto the Creature: which the ignorant not discerninge they but troble the lords waters with their Confused reasonings: speaking euell of the things they vnderstand not) but after Man (by Woman) had transgressed / loe / the former fredom and power to Right / they are depri­ued of (consideringe / That abides and departs with the Spirit of God in his peculiar worke) but still in Man abode the bare naturall fredom and power (for they are naturall and super-naturall) but by Transgression they transgressed the bounds / and are through God his iudgment turned into the hy way of transgression.

This we se in Adam / who frist was willingly familiar with Iehouah / Gene. 2. but afterwards (hauinge transgressed (neither was Iehouah / bound to vpholde him) he abhorred the very approach of the Lorde: Gen. 3.8. Yea / afterwards they were so farre from willing / approvinge or doing of Good / that they had not in them a right thought or anie will how to do or will good for them selues or their seede / and therfore fall of shiftinge of and cloaking their wickednes. God made Man righteous / but They haue sough [...] manie inuentions: Eccles. 7.31.

[Page]Thus Naturall Man (in his degenerate nature) now naturally dwel­leth no good thinge Rom. 7.18. the thoughts of his heart are only euell euery day: Genes. 6.5. neyther is it in the Naturall Man to direct his steps: Iere. 10.23. and therfore dead in trespasses and synnes: Ephes. 2.1. and in a word / stript naked of their former Rectitude Genes. 3.7. Cantie. 5.3. And therfore standeth neede / not to put on a peece of the New Adam / but the whole new Adam / which is created after God in Righteousnes and true holynes: Ephes. 4.24.

Looke how much is giuen vnto the Old-man / somuch is taken from the New. All the lusts (or affections of the former) are but deceiueable: Ephes. 4.22. And from aboue is euerie Good and Perfect guifte: to looke therfore for anie good thing belowe / Iames telleth the brethren plainly / it is an Errour: Iac. 1.16.17. Euery such Fre-will man therfore is an Erratik: and if he peruersly defende it / he is a Pelagiau Heretik.

Secondly / where as the Conclusion addeth (For holynes-sake or the glory of his Creator) it is / to put by the Unregenerate willing / and doying good and holy things / neither regarding God his Glory / or the excellency of holynes: but either it is for feare of hell-fyre / or for som worldly commodi­tie: and such was Balaam his wil and Deede: Nomb. 22. etc. 23. etc. 24. chapters. And this is but a slauish will and a slauish Deed [...]: playne seruitude / no fredome.

Examination.

AS the old Adam (Apostate for him self and the seede of his Ioynes) introdu­ced Syn and death into our nature / captiuing the same vnto Satan: So it is the office of the new Adam (yea the end of his appearance in our Nature is) to loose the works of the Deuel: 1. Iohn. 3.8. This spirituall knot he vntyes by his spirit / begininge there to reare vp / where Satā begonne to cast downe.

Satan begon to darken the mynde and vnderstandinge of [...]euah: that do [...] he turnes the will and all the affections after. For no sooner she conceiued wrongly of God / but presently / she affectioneth and then practiseth against the Commandement. Now / our Serpent (but a serpent without sting / by his vertue curing the stynged: Nomb. 21.9. Iohn. 3.14.15.) he begin­neth with our Mynde / illuminatinge it with supernaturall lighte / and [Page] therewithall sanctifyinge owr affections / for flying from Euell and doin­ge of Good. Which worke of the Spirit is not ordinarily without thexter­nall instrument of the word preached. And therfore Christ his ministres are called / Ministres of the spirit. 2. Cor. 3.16.

The worke thus wroughte / is called a New-man: a New creature: the Image of God: the seede of God: in regarde wher of (for it is spoken res­pectiuely / not / symply) the faith full are sayde not to synne: 1. Ioh. 3.9. be­cause / as the Apostle exhorteth / Syn (though it dwell) it raignes not in the bodyes of such: Rom. 6.12. They henceforth being Denominated by the principall Agent in them: namely / Spirituall / because the spirit of god raig­neth in his lawe: Rom. 8.2. ouer the lawe of the flesh: Rom. 7.23.

I maruell therfore not a litle / that Manie (who seme to haue the spirit of God) are ignorant: yea / are afraeyde to say that the Regenerate Man hath any frewill vnto things holy / for holynes sake. If the first Adam / cap­tive vs / and the second doe not fre vs / what advauntage ariseth by the second? suerly none. If thou say / to will good is from God: so say I / to will euell is from the deuell: and thus in thy ignorant speach / there shall neither be good nor euell in Man. But vnderstand / that we speake of that essentiall wil in our nature / which (both in bad and good) is of god / or / god his Crea­ture. This faculty of the sowle (called will) if it besaid to be fre vnto euell / though the deuel drawe it: so I meane (as verily so / except the spirit of god be weaker then the spirit of hell) the will of the regenerate is fre (according to the strength of the Newbirth) vnto Good. And for this cawse only / we are taught / and fynd it true by experience / viz / That Christ his yoke / and commaundements are not greiuous / but light. Matth. 11.30. 1. Ioh. 5.3.

Otherwise / the Spirit of hell / and the spirit of heauen shold worke vpon Men / as vpon logs or stones which as it is graunted false in the first / so (considereringe there is an opposition in the Spirits and their wor­ke: the one to death / the other to lyfe: the one to degeneration / the other to regeneration) it must needes folowe in the seconde. Neede we haue playners Euidence then this The law of the spirit of lyfe hath freed me from the lawe of syn & death: Rom. 8.2. The Truth makes fre; & the son makes fre indeede. Ioh. 8.32.36. And Paul speaketh thus of experience: I am able to doe all thinges, through the help of Christ which streng­thneth me.

Secondly / where it is added: The will / wilbe more then the powre: it is / for that it fares with a poore sowle freed out of Satans clawes / (as with a poore prisoner escaped out of prison: who while he wold ron / is (because of som yrons / or yron frets) vnable well te goe / When he is not 2 foote from the Iaples dore / his Mynd is a myle of. [Page] This Paul speaketh to be in him self: To will is present With me: but I fynd not meanes to performe that which is good: That is / the meanes were nothing proportionable to the will. Rom. 7.18. But as the old man perisheth / the New man encreaseth: and blessed are they that so honger and thirst / for they shalbe filled. And no maruel / for the seede of god (though but as a grayne of mustersterde) is rooted in them / which must growe till it be a big Cedar.

Examination.

SEinge the Minister obserueth a religious Baptizinge with water / and that / into the name of the Father / of the Son and of the holy ghoste / there is by him performed what is essentiall in forme / and therfore not to be repeated without iniurie to the forme. Besides / the vnworthines of Giuer or Receiuer cannot annihilate the ordinance of God: and that we may se (1. Cor. 11.27.28.29.) where in the Church these that medle with the sup­per vnworthilie (that is / being vnfit for the same) it yet remayneth God his sacrament / though prophaned. Euen so this Baptisme / though prophaned: for imquitie hath no more (nap rather lesse) priuiledge within / then wit­hout the Churth.

As is Baptisme / so was Circumcision / The seale of that righteousnes that is by f [...]ith / (Rom. 4.11.) so that it shold haue bene Giuen by the faithfull and to the faithfull and their seede (as at the first institution / by Abraham vnto his housholde: Yet when anie circumcised vnder the two tribes in Ido­latrous tymes: or vnder Israel the ten tribes / in the tyme of their Schisme from Iudah / and Apostacie from the seruice of God vnto heathenich idola­trie / such at the tyme of their returne vnto the faith were not recircumcised. This is apparant where diuers such repairing vnto sacrifice and pas-ouer (vnto which none might be admitted who were not approued for circumci­sed) they were without scruple admitted: 2. Chro. 15.9.10.11. and 30.11.18. both for sacrifice and Pas-ouer.

If anie say / they could not be recircumcised / but these may be Anabap­tised: I answer / they were not to be recircumcised though they could / be­cause so the dignity of the ordinance shold haue depended on the worthines of man. Secondly / in regarde of habilitie they might haue bene cut againe: [Page] because by natures help the skyn might haue bene drawen / and this was not vnknowen vnto the Iewes / who vnder the tyrannie of Antiochus Epimanes did vn-circumcise them selues that so they might not be knowen for Iues / as appeareth in the registre of the Machabees: 1. Macha. 1.16.

Thus / howsoeuer Baptisme (as Circumcision his figure) be 'a sacra­ment prophaned / By and to the prophane / and so a sacrament of vengeance and iudgment (as is the supper 1. Cor. 11.) yet / errour repented of / it by the powre of faith is made holy: for the Signe or externall ministrie of man lieth as dead / vntill faith reviue it: whither in olde or yonge / within or without the true Church.

Neither is this a reason to embolden a man to fetche the sacramente so: no more then it is lawfull for a man of knowledge and holy profession / to goe and take to wijfe a Machumetiste or prophane woman / because another man so marying in ignorance and weaknes / may still retaine his wyfe / though now ioyned to the church. If the Mariage be made / it must stand: if it we­re to make / he shold but tempt god so to match: os also (now seinge her pro­phaine / he shold cawse others deme him prophaine. We are called Prei­stes (Reuel. 1.6. etc. 1. Pet. 2.5.) becawse accordinge to the proportion of the lawe we shold (as other things / so) descerne betwene cleane and vis cleane in all our actions and choises.

And if such Baptisme heretofore reeeiued were vtterly voyde / then all Christians are and haue bene vnbaptised these manie himdred yeares: seing / either they haue bene baptised in false churches: or by false ministers: or by such ministers who them selues (looking backward to the fountaine) haue had no better Baptisme. Where is there anie Baptisme that hath not ly­neallie bene diduced from the Corruption of Rome. The strength of our Baptisme is in the practise of the Apostles and primatiue church for the first hundred yeares: and we cannot com back vnto that age / but through the Corruptest age of Romes Church.

If this Baptisme then be wholy fallen / then we must be all vnbaptised till som other Iohn Baptist / or Christ himself com downe againe to begin and lay the foundation a newe: Except it be lawfull for euery man to Bap­tise / and then I se not why others before vs / aswell as now / did not well inough baptise.

These absurd errours / following vpon the denyall of the former conclu­sion / haue not bene considered of many: for had they / many poore english sowles wold not so haue hunted after new Baptismes. And if Baptisms administred in the grossest popery / be notwith standing not to be repeated: how much lesse the Baptisme administred by the church / of Englande / whe­re the foundation of Christian faith is layde suerly?

[Page]If it now be replyed: though Baptisme haue bene administred in som tollerable measure / yet it may (as the supper of the lord) be againe admi­nistred / else / why is the plurall nomber (Baptismes / Heb. 6.2.) vsed? as also / why doth Paul (Act. 19.2.3.4.5.) Baptise som againe / who be fore had bene baptized by Iohn / or by Apollos?

1. I answer first to the word Baptismes or / washinges: the Lear­ned haue affirmed (Beza in Heb. 6.2.) that it was the custom of primatiue chur­ches to referre baptisme ouer vnto the days of Easter and Pentecost / for­which cawse they were called the Days of Baptisme / that is / of baptizinge Many Catechumenistes: vnto which practise Mayster Beza demeth this forme of speach had relation. That this Epistle to the Heb. shold be so late writ­ten / for myne owne part I doubt / and therfore (though not easly be remoued from such a blessed mans iudgment / yet) I cannot for the present vrge it much.

2. Baptismes also may plurally be vsed / because Many were at one ty­me baptized / that being the tyme of the lords haruest / though not at the for­mer two tymes / as / Act. 2.41. etc. 10.47.48.

3. Thirdly / it was customarie with the westerne Churches to baptise with / 3. dippings (as signifyinge the Trinitie of persons / in the vnitie of one essence) why may not Baptismata importe these immmersions in one baptis­me? 4. Besides / if baptizing of feete (Ioh. 13.) were not a Ciuil / but an Ec­clesiasticall ordinance (and who knowes not that it was of auncient vsed?) why may not Baptismes haue relation to this and the other Baptisme this being called by som auncient the Consummation of the sacrament. Any of these 4. senses are more probable then Anabaptisme / or / Rebaptization.

2. To the place in the Acts / I answer: such learned as deme Paul to baptise those disciples / vers. 5. They expound this Baptisme by ver. 6. not to be the common Baptisme with water / but the peculiar baptizing them with the holy ghoste: that is / a conferringe of extraordinarie guif [...]es by layinge on of hands. And of this mynd is Mr. Caluin. Mr. Beza and others more at­tent to the Originall (or / Greeke text) ioyning the 5. ver. vnto ver. 4. they obserue the greeke particle (de) to answer vnto the particle (men) goinge in the former clawse. Pauls speach (according to thenglish vers-section) lieth in ver. 2.3.4.5. His Action / vers. 6. That therfore vers. 5. Paul relates to ha [...]t bene Iohns action: viz / That Iohn baptised his disciples in the name of the Lord Iesus / after he had taught his hearers to beleiue in Christ. Far inough therfore is this place from Anabaptizinge / or Polybaptisme.

Examination.

THe equitie of the 5. Conclusion / is vnto this an inuincible Ramper [...]. If there be (as but One god / howsoeuer corruptly worshipped by Manie / so) but one baptisme (Ephes. 4.5.) though the same baptisme be by manie corruptly Giuen and Taken: what shold let / that layinge on of handes may not by like proportion of iustice / passe on (without interruption) the orde­nance of god vnreiterate / though otherwise corruptly Giuen and Taken▪ Specially / if Baptisme stand good (though administred in the grossest idol church and that vnto vnbeleiuers and their seede) what shold let that Impo­sition by and to such (as holde the mayne grounds of iustifyinge faith) it shol­de not much more remayne effectuall?

If they iumpe ouer the orderly Callinge or Election / vnto this Im­position: so / much more iumpe they ouer manie Orderly Trialls and ap­probations / for pitchinge vpon Baptisme. If the former more rude ouerships yet frustrate not baptisme: much lesse can this ouer-leape / annihil imposition.

But som wil say / that hands may be of [...]ner imposed / as the Lord his Supper ofter administred. This is easely propounded / but how will it be pro­ued? Nay / is there not far more seminge reasons why the former Baptisme might be repeated? Shewe me somuch as one seminge argument drawen from Doctrine or Example in the whole booke of good. Sic volo, sic iubeo, or / autos ephe, wyll not be sufficient ground for my conscience.

Now steppeth in one / with an imagination of a deepe difference betwixt Baptisme and Layng, on of handes: for (saith he) Lay-men / or / the Common people may (in a Churches begininge and first razing) lay on handes (as Nomb. 8.10.) so may they not Baptize.

1. First (for argument salte) let it be vnderstood so / in Nomb. 8.10. Yet it followeth not / That watsoeuer was lawfull to be don then of the common people / that also is stil lawfull. If they put out the vniuersall (All) or / whatsoeuer / and say / Somthynge that the Common people then did may now be don: This I graunt. But / that sacramentall imposition is one of these Somthinges / how will that be proued? Nay / marke the contrarie. In the Begininge of the New testaments church / people had no such libertie: and this appeareth / in that Christ and the Apostles from Christ / and the Euangelists from the A­postles did stil set forward this Ordināce. If Moses were same in this point: It foloweth not / that Christ is so vnto his Tabernacle. Common people might Circumcise / may they therfore now baptize? answer that: and then I shall haue somthinge more herein to say / and yet make nothinge for recapitu­lating Imposition.

2. But what if the place of Nombers teach not that? Mr. Calvin. and others vnderstand there a Part for the Whole: and comparinge it with a practise of church which rather required the act of the vulgar sorte / Nehem. 10.29. it sem­eth most like that by people / he meaneth the princes of the people / as Neh. 9.38. In diuerse actions that appertained to the whole people / only the heads of the Tribes / or the cheife of the families were elected. In this place / common sense will tell vs / that so many thowsands of people cold not conveniently lay on hands.

[Page]3. Thirdly / whither people or the cheif of the people did solemnize this action / they had the Lord his ymmediate commaund for their warrant / and what maketh that for the other?

Except therfore such Imposition remayne Good / we must (as for Bap­tisme) a waite som other callings from heauen / that may reare vp this ordi­nance anewe: or the Propheticall (or Euangelicall) ministrie stirred vp here and there must (as did the Apostles) incommend this ordinance vnto others: which if: yet it camnot make all the former of none effect: con­sidering som true prophets haue had the conuoyance of the former.

Examination.

THat al infants (vnder the tuition of the faith full) are all within the Couenant / appeareth in Iehouahs pronunciate to Abraham / I am thy god and the god of thy seede. But no body douts that the faithfull) theyr infants vndes the lawe were within the Couenant: but how is it apparant [...] that their seede vnder the Ghospell / is within the Couenant?

1. Thus: If the lawe (who was but a whipping schoolmaster vnto Christ) accepted of Infants / then muth more the ghospell.

2. Or thus: whome God once in truth accepts / them he neuer in truth reiects. These two arguments can by scripture neuer be gaynsayde.

But to speake playner: the former promise and couenant to and with Abraham and his seede is indeede ghospell and the strength of the Ghospell: Galat. 3.8. from whence I thus reason.

3. Whome the ghospell doth accept / the ghospell doth not reiect (except they will haue two Christs / and two ghospells: but cursed is he that so saith: Gal. 1.6.7.8.) And the Ghospell accepts / as before / etc.

But the Catabaptist will not sticke to graunt Children of the kyngdome and within the Couenant still: Yea / the Anabaptisticall sort of them / that all children in the world (by vertue of the second Adam) are within the Co­uenant: but then they deny the seale of Baptisme vnto them all / vntill they haue Actual faith.

Only here concerninge the infants of and vnder the custodie of the faithfull: the former sorts of arguments that proue them to be within the Couenant / [...]o also proue that they are in infancie capable of the seale / thus:

[Page]1. If the lawe sealed infants to mercy / then much more the ghos­pell.

2. If God once accepted of infants to the seale of mercy / then etc.

3. If the Ghospell once sealed infants / it euer sealeth such infants? ex­cept the ghospell (and christ the foundation of the ghospell) be yea and nay: But this is false: 2. Corrinth. 1.20.

Obj. Not being able to giue direct answer to these arguments / they thus wrangle: Som may bewithin the Couenant and yet vnsealed: for fe­mals vnder the lawe were within the Couenant / yet vnseald.

Ans. To omit this / that femals were then sealed in the Male / vntill a virgin femall had brought forth a Male / for recouering that which He­uah lost (for who knoes not that she was of Adams bone / and was al­so called Adam) to passe by that / what ryme or reason is there in this ar­gument: ‘Som infants haue bene within the couenant & vnseald: therfore all infants within the couenant are to be vnseald.’

In Cambridge / this wold be called Tom Skuls argument. Som haue / therfore all are. From Som to Som / may be som conseqution: or from All to som. If because som then within the covenant were vnsealed: now som within the Couenant are to be vnsealed / then we pray them / le [...] the seede of vnbeleiuers (whome they say are within the couenant) be those Som that are to be vnsealed.

Obj. For want of matter they giue vs moe words / and say: Cir­cumcision was a sacrament of works / but Baptisme a sacrament of Faith.

Ans. Lyke lips / like lettuce: for our sauiour saith that Circumcision was not of Moses / but of the fathers (Ioh. 7.22.) and blessed Paul saith that Circumcision sealed faith: Rom. 4.11. and in the 13. vers. that it sea­led that promise that was not by the Lawe (that is / by the works of the la­we) but by fayth. And the tyme of the guifte therof (vz / after he beleiued / not after he wrought) makes the case playner.

Obj. Ey (saith the blynd Catabaptiste) after Faith they sholde be seald / because Baptisme seales faith.

Ans. So Paul hath taught that Circumcision only sealed Faith / yet I trowe it also sealed Infants of the faithfull that yet professed no faith but in and by the Parent: And therfore Abrahams children had faith Actuall in the [Page] Parent (of whose loynes they were vntill they Apostated by rebellion) and faith imputed vnto them.

Hauing no reason they first ask / why the first day is not still kept? Secondly / what one president we haue in the newe testament of an infant baptized?

First / for the day I answer: That externall ceremonie is put away to­gither with thexternall signe Circumcision. The day and the signe came in togither / no maruel then if they depart togither. Secondly / no man demeth it symply vnlawfull to baptise the 8. day. Thirdly / if that 8. day was partly a figure of the day. (after the 7.) wherin our Christ rose for our iustification (which is in a sense the 8. day. Ioh. 20.26.) and so the­rewithall of our lords day / it may then teach / that the lords church (pro­uided they be not in the vnconstituted wildernes) it is (that being the spe­ciall day of Convocation) to be obserued for Baptisme.

For the other question / I will first answer with another question: Is nothing warrantable wherof there is not direct and expresse warrant in the new Testament? Indeed such teachers flatly reiect the old testament. May a man marry with his syster? No. How proues thow that by the new testament? The 1. Cor. 5.1. is of a mother / and I talke of a syster. It may be / that that Incestuous person was one of these madding spirits that thought nothing of the old might stand with the Newe / without ex­presse warrant in the newe. Secondly / it is saide the whole housholde was baptised / Act. 16.15. et 33. as it is said that all Abrahams houshold was circumcised / Gen. 17.23.27. (the one ey looking to the other / for like­nes of speach and action) shal we thincke that there was no infant / nor anie one but could professe true faith? It is absurd. Nay the Apostle telleth the Iaylor plainly / that if himself beleiue / his whole houshold (that is / such as were vnder his tuition) were within the compasse of saluation. He doth not say. If thou and all thyne houshold belieue: but / If thow beleiue. And indeed so it was with Abraham / he beleiuinge (the lord looked not if his houshold beleiued) togither with him / his whole housholde was sea­led.

1. Let the Catabaptists knowe therfore / that with Herods servants (Math. 2.) they but butcher infants: denyinge that comforte now vnto the faithfull parents / which at first was giuen vnto the father of the faith­full.

2. Nay let them knowe that Christ his comminge depriued none of for­mer comfort / but indeede added vnto the same. The bloody cutting / he hath converted into an easy washinge. The female that before (after a sort) stood of / he hath now receiued in: and therfore now no difference betwixt [Page] Male and female / for we are one in Christ: and if Christs / then Abra­hams seede and heires by promise: Gallat. 3.28.29. and if hepres by promise / then to haue the seale of the promife / as before is proned.

Examination.

A Sacrament / or Ceremoniall seale / accordinge to Definitions later or Elder / with one harmonie of consent / is / A Ceremonie instituted by the lord, bringing with it to the faithfull receiuer som celestial or spi­rituall blessinge signified therby. And therfore it is commonly saide that a sacrament consisteth of a Signe and a Signified thinge. But because euery Signe signifyinge somthinge is not an holy signifier / therfore only the Au­thor of holynes / is Author of these sacraments that promise spirituall giuinge.

The first two / Baptisme and the Supper is now a days commonly (as only) receiued sacraments: therfore I neede not to examine them. On­ly now thus much.

1. The Sacramentaries / who make them naked representatiue signes:

2. The Transubstantiatours / that thinck the Reall signes to be tur­ned into the things signified.

3. The Consubstantiatours / that thinke the thing signifyed to be really there present togither with the signes:

4. The Polybaptiste, that wold haue Baptisme administred 1. in In­fancy: 2. in Adolyscency: 3. after the committinge of euerie great synne? all these we explode for fanaticall.

Touchinge Imposition (or / layinge on of handes) I haue longe won­dred why men durst not plainly teach it a Sacrament. It semeth / because either men haue begonne ministrie of word and sacraments without it / what tyme they haue departed from Romes Church? or else esteming their whole Ordinacon there had for an Idoll and a thing of nothing? they therfore haue (not knowing how to com vnto better) bene contented to let it passe away on a sounde / not sayinge so much as / God saue it.

[Page]Yet / because no iniquitie of tymes shall vtterly eat out the lords truth (for then / contrary to Christ his promise / Hel gates shold preuayle) Therfore / as the Church of Rome hath kept the footinge of this (though with apish spatterings and shavings) so Mr. Calvin in his Institution / Mr. Cartwright against Doctor whitgiste / Mr Dudl. Fenner in his Methode of Theologie / and others / they haue not only taught the signe or externall Ceremonie / but also the thing signified: first / The minister therby was assured (being faithfull) to haue the Lords hand with him: 2. The people they therby are to learne subiection vnto the Lords ministrie / with expectation of blessing [...] therby.

If our Prescisians of all sorts / dare not (because the Papists holde it) pronounce it a sacrament / loe / their betters haue taught it to be a Diuyne Signe of a thing signified / and what call they that? If they say / it is a sa­crament indeed / but of another kynd / they then say nothinge: for they teach not in their halpenie Catechismes / how many kyndes / but how many Sacra­ments. Yea / euery where / they beat vpon two / only two / because indeede they will be examiners of them two: but not a word of layinge on of hands (though the holy ghost teach it to be one of the beginings of Christs foun­dation: Hebr. 6.1.2.) For if they thaught it effectuallie (as the two former) then it may be som of the people wold examine them / namely / if so hands haue bene layd on them / with how / where / when? Then it may be / som of theyr sheepe wold bid the sheopherd stand back from the supper (aswell as he bids them) vntill he had publikly by repentaunce put away his errour. I wold our other people wold once (while it is called to Day) looke vnto such El­ders and Deacons / as neuer had sacramentall hands vpon them.

But to cease harping on such an vnpleasant stringe / we first vnderstand that there be thre sacraments: and of these thre / the first two are Common to the whole Church: the thirde is peculiar vnto Som. The prophane ad­ministration of Baptisme and the Supper / it falleth out through the neglect of the Thirde. For if (as Paul admonisheth 1. Tim. 5.22. Hands were layd sodainly on no man / Then the lords people shold not be so combred with Dun­ces and Pot-companyons.

That we speake of Seales ordinary / It is because we otherwise knowe that Oyle-vnction (Ia. 5.14.) It is a sacrament incommended to Christs church / but extraordinarie / for it was not to the whole church: as also / it con­tayned a miracle / namely / of giuing soundnes to the sick body: vers. 15. and Mark. 6.13.

Till therfore the Romanistes do ioyne the Miracle to their coniured oynt­ment / we can neither take them for such Elders / nor their worke wrought any sacrament / more then the Apothecaries vncting of stonned ioynts with Nerue-oyle: nay / not so good as that / for I therby haue quickly sene a chainge / from sore to sounde? but most commonly after their vnction / the weakst holdinge the candle (it may be with the help of another hande) he [Page] tolles out his passing-peale. If such had com vnto Iob / (Ch. 13.4.) He wold haue said / ye are all physitians of no value.

Examination.

THat the Maiestrate may becom a member of Christ his Churche / Ana­baptist / Catabaptist and all graunt: but that he may beare the sworde after he professe the faith of Christ / that they deny: yea / many of them / that he may retaine no Ciuel office.

For Ciuil office / let them remember / that Eras [...]us (Rom. 16.23.) Cor­nelius (Acto. 10.) Sergius Paulus (Act. 13.) as also it is altogither vnlickly / that the Saints in Cesars hous holde (Philip. 4.22.) shold carie no Ciuil office / he beinge the great Monarch of the yearth. But if it may ap­peare that a Christian by profession / he may lawfully beare the sword / then there is no question to be made of the other: though the former presidents ha­ue put it out of all question.

1. Tell the [...]e Men that Iohn Baptist (Luk. 3.14.) willeth not the soldiers to lay aside their sword / they answer: as yet the Lawe endured and the lawe permitted that. But they must knowe this place sitteth nearer their sholders then they are aware: first let them knoe that the Lawe endured vnto Iohn (Luk. 16.16.) but then the kingdom of heauen (or newe testaments church) begon to be builded. Badly had Iohn builded if he had not gathe­red vnto Christ and his new Church. Nay he prepared the way and hewed smooth the cragged things / and from the beginning of his preaching they en­tred into this kingdom by vyolence. In making Iohn herein a legall and not an Euangelicall preacher / they iniure his ministrie.

2. Tell these men that Isaiah prophecyinge of the glory of the new tes­taments church (ch. 49.23.) he saith that Kings and Quenes shold be nource fathers and mothers vnto it: they answer: True: the Church being within their Dominions (as we are now within this kyngdome of hy and lowe-Germanie) they shalbe compelled by the lord to permit vs an foster vs. But herto I replie: if this be that Glory he foresees in the spirit / then suerlie he foresees no newe thinge (for Nebuchadnetsar, Euilmerodach, Cyrus, Darius, Ahashuerosh, etc. they brought this benefit vnto old mother Zi­on / yet stoode aloofe sor ioyninge in religion) But Isaiah here foresees som new thing / and therfore ver. 22. he crieth Behold (as the Angell speaking [Page] of a new thing (Luk. 1.31. etc 2.10) crieth / Behold: and as himselfs in the like occasion. Ch. 7.14. Behold a virgin shal conceiue: This Euangelicall prophecie therfore is no otherwise performed properly / then bi Addinge kings and Quenes vnto the Church togither with their dignities? as Reuel. 21.24 26. The old church had typicall kyngs raised vp in her owne bowels / but n [...] Gentele kyngs added vnto it: we neuer heard of any such to becom prosely­tes. This scripture therfore is by them asmuch abused.

3. Tell them that it is by the Apostle termed an Ordinance of god. Rom. 13.2. they answer yea: but an ordinance only without the Church. Tell them that there is no Ordinance established by god vnto the Conscience of his Saynts / but that Ordinance may be within the Church / and only in the Church receiues his peculiar sanctifica [...]ion: they absurdly answer: nay: the Ordinance of beinge a kinge / as it was fi [...]st without the Church / so it was afterwards giuen vnto the Church in the person of Saul in the lords wrath for whipping Israel: 1. Sam. 8.4. etc. I answer: first it is a lye to say that kings were not in the church before: for / Iudg. 17.6. etc. 18.1. etc. 19 1. the holy ghost attributeth the wrack of Israel to want of Kings namely / becawse there then was not kings as before. Kings therfore were Moses, Ioshua, and the Iudges. By the way / let som in Scotland / that [...]arped at my calling Ioshua (King) hereafter lay their hand on their mouth. Secondly / the being of a king was not giuen in wrath (for the want of a king before was a signe of Iehouahs wrath against Israel / but the giuing of Such a king: viz / a king lyke the kings of the Gentiles: that is / a Tyrannus king: one that shold transgresse the lymits of a Kinge: and so afterwards it is explayned in particulars: 1. Sam. 8.11. etc. But this Tyrannie of his (say they) was god his ordinance and therfore lawfull in Saul. I ans­wer: If it were lawfull / then it hewes their owne shynnes / who first said it was god his ordinance that only shold haue bene without the church / as al­so / then Tyranny is lawfull both within and without the Church.

To say / Ioshuahs spoiling of Iericho was lawfull / true: because god had appointed him (a figure of Iesus) to roote out such as wold not be one with his church. This was no tyrannie: but iustice / not against / but for the Church.

Besides / to say that Sauls tyrannie was god his Ordinance / therfore lawfull: they may so say: God Ordayned Absalom to ly with his fathers wyues (1. Sam. 12. and 16.22.) therfore Absaloms fact lawfull.

Nebuchadne [...]sar was ordayned for Ierusalems distruction: and so were the Romaines (called by gabriel) the Army abhominable: Satan ordayned to smite Iob / therfore their facts lawfull.

[Page]Filthie Conclusions. Do we not talke of diuyne ordinances enioyned to the Consciences of the saynts? While they talk of an ordinance diui­ne / they neither knowe what is Ordinance, or diuine. We talke of Cal­linges or offices appointed by god / by reason wherof the faithfull theyr consciences ar tyed. Nay the Apostle saith / that is an Ordinance or conscio­nable office / for the punishment of Euell / and for praise and welth vnto the good: Rom. 13.3.4. and 1. Pet. 2.17.18.

Mariage is a diuyne Ordinance / though without the church: so is the place of a Maister: the place of a father: the calling of a Seruant: yet none of them but retaine these diuyne Callings after they com to Christ: so fares it with Maiestracie.

4. But all the former strings of their bowe broken / they think to smite all dead with this pitifull argument.

THis their Argument stands in the Moode of pitifull complaining: A childe will wipe it of his fingers end. Not to medle with the Proposition / they must knowe their Assumption / if it be particular (namely / if it speake of Som king & his sword, then we graunt it: The typicall king & his sword is abolished: But if they vnderstand it vniversall, of All kings & their swordes, (as they doe / or else they fight not with vs / but their owne shadowes) then we flatly denie That all kings & their swor­des figured Christ & his sword. Nay they themselues graunt all owr Ma­jestra [...]es still to be God his ordinance / and an ordinance not by Christ abo­lished: therfore themselues / confute themselues.

Som of their Basilisk faction from the words: Ye are Christ his fre­men: did teach seruants to ron from their Masters / I looke when (from Math. 23.8.9.10. Be not called Mr. Doctor, nor call any on the earth father) I looke (I say) when they shold affirme all Mastership / Doc­tership or Teachers place / and fatherhood abolished by Christ.

They brag of speaking but as the scripture speaks: so may they teach chil­dren and seruants not to say Father / Maister to anie but to god / and yet speak but as Christ speakes. Oh filthie spirits troubling the waters of god with ther feete: will they neuer leaue peruerting?

[Page]Maiestracy and all these are commanded in the first Commandement of the second table. Abolish one / abolish all: Barre one without the Church / barre all: and so we shal haue but 9. Commandements.

The end of bearinge the sword is / to defend the Good / and to punish the Euell: for he beareth not the sword for nought: Rom. 13.4. which is the same end with that for which Israels Gouernours bare the sworde. Least therfore I shold be like the foole (in answering his endles fooleries) I therfore (according to Salomons aduise: Prov. 26.5.) Will now answer him no more. God saue our Quene Elisabeth.

Examination.

AGainst this Conclusion Anabaptists and Atheists barke. First we will heare their barkings / and then cast a crust in to the Dogs throate.

What if I graunt them the whole Argument (viz. That euery Day that was ceremoniall is abolished) what then? I speake no [...] of a Day that was / but of a day that is: namely / not of such a Day as was once Ceremoniall (for the first day of the weeke / was neuer such a Ceremoniall day) but of a Day that now IS institutued in the new Testament: Theyr wynd therfore shakes no haner.

Yet because such a spirit shall not haue his owne will (to passe by the first proposition) I demaunde of him what day it was / that was so Cere­moniall? was it the Day of Easter, of Pentecost, of Tabernacles, new Moone, months, Yeares? None of these I pleade for. But it was the Sabaot (or 7. day) that he speciallie speaks of: and this day he wold haue Ceremoniall / from Colos. 2.16.17. and therfore to end in Christ. What then / I speake not for that 7. day / but for the Day after / which is the 8. in regarde of 7. geingebefore / and is the first day of the weeke in regarde of the weeke / Yee (as before) to crosse the spirit in his way / who enuyes not somuch the Day as the exercise (becawse the standing and falling of Religion resteth in the precise obseruation of som Day) I demaund of him how he proues that 7. day a Ceremonie.

[Page]He saith it was a Ceremoniall day / because it enioyned Rest: Then / Rest is the Ceremonie: and what signified that? That Christ was our Rest / and in him only we could haue Rest. Well said: then when Christ the figured Rest is Com in the flesh / we must no more obserue a Day of Rest: for that (after a sorte) shold teach that Christ were vn [...]om. But what if I shold say that it figured not only that Rest which we shold haue by his incarnation / but also (if not only) that Rest which we shold haue by his repaire from heauens / when in that glorified appearance he shall restore all things: and so ther vpon / I shold inferre a Day of Rest vntill his appearance / though partly Ceremoniall / wold not this on the other hand / breake the head of the latter part of your first proposition? I troe / it wold.

But he thinks that the former place out of the Colossians, proues that euery Sabaot is abolished by Christ his former appearance / But if I shold say that the plurall nomber there sabaoths, signifies all the days of sabaot ioyned with the Pasouer day / (which indeede liuelily set out the Rest and Lyfe we shold haue in the lamb Christe Crucified) and that it signifieth not the weekly sabaot, wold not this put the strainge spirit to a fowl [...] plunge?

But what if I denie the weekly 7. Days rest / to be a Ceremoniall rest: Nay what if I proue it thus?

HIere the aduersarie stands / as hauing looked on Medusaes heade: And now he demaunds this Questios: If the 7. Days rest were not Ceremo­niall / how coms the day then to be chainged? I answer by another questiō: what if the nomber of seauenth was a figure / and therfore chainged / though not the Rest / because it was no such figure / remaineth still: but translated vnto the next day after: seing Bodies Rest is of absolute necessitie far the Churches spirituall exercises? Syllie people / why may not that days rest be translated now vnto another Day: as well / as the old Testament his laying of hands vpon Leui be translated vnto the Euangelicall ministry?

Thus the fanaticall spirit is euerie way hindred progresse: it now re­maineth to proue the First day a diuyne Commandement for such exercise: and that thus:

[Page] That day was so sanctified by our saviour in his owne person: by the Apostles and by the primatiue Churches, accordinge to diuyne iniunc­tion.

FOr the Antecedent: First our Sauiour that day arisinge (and therfore cal­led the lords day: Reu. 1.10.) he preacheth / from Morninge to late nigh [...] and that 5. sondry tymes. Secondly / the Apostles the same day conuened / as also the 8. day after (it being the same day seauen-night) what tyme (on [...] savior omitting the week days) he schooled Thomas / who the former Lords day had bene absent. Thirdly / the first churches so meeted / Actor. 20.7.11.

Least this Trine-presedent / seme notwith standinge to leaue it as a thing indifferent (for vsually the observacom of the day / is lefte to the li­berty of the Church) we must vnderstande that Blessed Paul had incom­mended the religious obseruation of the day / vnto the Churches / as 1. Cor. 16.1.2. where flatly he nombers it among the Ordinances he had enioyned vpon the Churches: and I troe / Paul was A master builder and that a skilfull. (1. Cor. 3.10.) and if other Ordinances (as estaelishment of Elders Deacons etc. were Diuine and commaundements from God / because deli­uered vnto the Churches by these skilfull Mr. Builders / suerly we must hold them very vnskilfull Builders / that either abrogate this Ordinance / or do teach the observation of this Day / to be indifferent / and humaine / Such vnskilfull builders / haue bene a cawse of such absurde heresies.

Blessed Iohn (Reuel. 1.10. &c. being in the yle Parmos exiled and alone) it semeth he religiouslie obserued yt: Yea the Lord then (and no other day) deliuereth the new Testaments prophecies vnto him: he being fittest to be rapt in the spirit / what day / he specially set apart for spirituall contemplation. Why shold the Apostle be so precise in mentioninge the day / if it were not to teach vs / specially that day to addict our mynds to spirituall speculation / that so specially that day / we may be from aboue endued with Reuelation?

If there be not not one day of Seauen / by diuine ordinance to be im­posed on the Church: then wype out the Decalogues fourth commaunde / and so there remayneth one lesse in the Lords kalender. Will they neuer learne that the equitie of euery Commaunde / is so far from giuing vs liberty / as it [...]eth vs more strictly vnder Christ vnto all exercises of the spirit? And euen herein must our righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises: else we are vnfit to enter into this kyngdom.

Examination.

FIrst / let the Congregation we speake of / be rightly conceiued: and then we shall speake of the seperation.

The Congregation we speake of / is such a fellowship of people (moe / or fewe) as is truly Christian: that is / not only professinge Christ / but professinge of him truly. And least anie Catharist (that speaks of perfection) do stumble at the word / Truly: we therfore notifie / that by Truly, we mea­ne not perfectly (for we but se in part / and practise in a lesse parte / as in the 4. Concl. is proued) but a professinge of the true Christ vnto their full sal­uation, as in the 1. Concl. buildinge vpon that foundation in a new and holy conuersation / so far as for the present they se and are enabled by god.

As for a Church whose prayers, preachinges, practises are laide vpon a false foundation / a new diuised Christ, from such a Congregation a person (at the first sight) may fully separate in spirituall Communion: only / seing God hath now opened his eyes / and there he was a professed member / it shalbe duty to Communicate that he seeth vnto such a people / that so they (to­gither with him) may repent / and so lay a true foundation of faith. Reuel. 18.4. Ier. 51.6.9.26.

But prouided the Congregation be (as before) truly Christian / he can­not symplie (that is / without all exception) fully separate / but he doth vio­lence vnto Christ the corner stone of that groundwork. If he espie corruptions in faith or Manners: such Corruptions he must at the verie first insight sepa­rate from / but keepe one with them in the part vncorrupted. By such sepe­ration / he teacheth them both by word and practise (the beste Manner of tea­ching that can be) to seperate also from Corruption: and by such an vnion with them / he shall also teach that all vnion is to be in truth and for the truth. Such seperation and vnion was in som of Sardi, Reu. 3.4. som of Thyatira, Ch. 2.24. In not seperatinge from such euell / they shold first syn presump­tuouslie / secondly / strengthen the hands of the wicked: and by not keping such vnion / they shold be found first cruell towards the truth: secondly be demed vncharitable: thirdly / giue suspition of fallinge away from all truth in Reli­gion / vnder a colour of hatinge corruption.

Two cawses therfore of seperating fully in fellowship spirituall / from such a Congregation as hath truly professed Christ / there semeth vnto vs (for the present) sufficient and lawfull. The one / if so they / haue bene orderly conuicted of obstinate Rebellion: the other / if so they seeke the spoyle (or lyfe of such a member / vniustly.

[Page]Touchinge the first / we se that after the Lord his prophets had conuicted Iudah and Israel, of obstinate rebellion (Hos. 2. Ezek. 16.52. Ier. 3.8.) They put the Bill of Diuorcement into their hands / and so cut them of: Hos. 6.5. vntill they returned by repentance. This course might the howse of Cloe. (1. Cor. 1.11.) Haue taken with Corinth / had they (after Pauls conuicting them) persisted rebellious in the matters conuicted. But as Cloe (and others of like spirit) did not presently reiect Corinth (though no doubt they had delt with them about their Corruptions / before they writ to Paul therof) but themselues not preuailinge / they louinglie sought further meanes for their Conuiction and vrginge repentance: so / euerie person that in his owne eyes / is presently righteous in his owne cawse (specially in matters disputable and doubtfull) is not redely to reiect the congregation for not ac­cepting his admonishment / but charitablie seeke further meanes (if yet fur­ther meanes be not dammed vp) for helpinge that which (in the body) is haltinge / to be turned in to the way and healed: And this may be a coolinge [...]arde to our right Brownistes (if so any may rightly be so called) who (haue they no more substantiall knowledge / for discerning things different / then Tom skul, or Balaams Asse when he was at home in the stable) they vpon euery sly and vnstaied crochet / buzzing in their ytchinge eares / through the suggestion of Ahabs spirit / do fly the Congregation / grinninge and bar­king like dogs of the Eueninge against all such as will not presently confor­me to their Opinion: it may be / to slap vp a litle of their disgorged vomit. Let such reade / Heb. 10.24.25. and so to the end: suerly / our sowles haue no pleasure in such: and somuch the rather / as we cannot se thes Schismaticall Apostates com home by repentance: but seme to haue committed such a syn / as therfore the lord dammeth vp the way to repentance.

The other cawse is cruell persecution / when as such a member cannot stay in any communion with them / but with likly spoile and perill of lyfe. In such cases the prophets fled: 1. King. 18.4. end 19.3. The Apostles fled and were bid to flie: Math. 10.23. The saints fled: Act. 8.1. and Heb. 11.37. Many such / as of whome the world were not worthie / wandred vp and downe in sheepes and Goates skinnes / being destitute etc. Nay our sauiour himself diuers tymes (though he knewe his tyme of suffring was not yet com) he secretly fled: how much more in such case may we? If any say: few of these flights / were from such people as were not first God his church: Let it be so. If we may flie from an holy people by reason of outward persecution / then much more for inwarde persecution. And this ouerthwar­teth such (I speak only of such) pharisaicall Prescisians as haue taught their people that Clapham and others such / may be knowen for false prophets / if but in this: they fly for feare of the sworde. If it be truth they teach, they wold stay & seale it with theyr blood.

Of pestilent locusts / faced like Men / but tayled like scorpions: We are willing (though not wilfull) to offer vp our liues when God will, we som­tymes [Page] fly hin the body / but stand by the Truth (though with som weakned) wherof god hath assured vs: Yow stay grazinge vpon the greene things with your bodies / but yow fly from the truth / wherof your tongues haue spo­ken / and your fingers haue written / what tyme your consciences / were first there with conuinced. But yow must slubber your childrens bread ouer with a litle such counterfait hony / or else they wold not so easly swalowe the Lea­uen of the Pharises.

The Arch-bisshop of Caunterbury (as I was told) sitting once in examination of som / he said / that if he were of Cartwrightes opinion / he wold be of the Brownistes practise. He plainly sawe your Opinions (I speak of many of yow) and your practises to be contradictorie. And suerly / were I of full mynd with som of your writers and teachers / I shold with the right Brownist deme euerie speaker and communicator with yow to be flatly visible Antichristian; where (as I cannot subscribe vnto yow in euery thing) I verily beleiue manie in that land / to giue such testimonie of Chri­stian obedience grounded on sauing faith / as I neede not feare to beleiue them to be true Christians. Leaue yow your halting betwixt two: either practise that yow teach men: or teach men no more then (if your selues will not) yow can be contended they practise: Som of yow sent word into Scot­land / that I fell from your Sect / twise to the Bishops twise to the Brownists (4. lies at a clap) if I had don so / first I had fallen to such as wherof there haue bene as true Christians as yow / at least: secondly / I sholde but haue plaid turne coate / as haue a nomber of yow: and so your brother in that / though not in other things.

Examination.

THis Conclusion t [...]ching the visible Church of Christ / doth seuer it self into thre Considerations: which by ignorant men not discerned / they confusedlie speake of a Church / as of other Things.

IN the 1. Conclus. we haue described a visible true Christian: now we affir­me / that a Compaine of such people (so beleiuinge and obayinge) being now Gathered togither in the power of their Christ / are to vs / a true visib­le church / in the first sence. Sec. [...]hey so gatheringe and couenanting / are a Church in the second sence. Thirdly / they so gatheringe / couenantinge / and possessinge their proper officers / they are a Church in the third sence.

In wihich sence of the thre soeuer we speake of / it still propoundeth vnto vs One sort of people (such beleiuers and Obayers) wherof the true visible Church of Christ / can be saide to consiste of. And suerly / the former Notes or marks do propounde vnto vs more certainly / which is a true church / then the Common receiued Marks of Preachinge / Sacraments / discipline. Be­cawse there may be a Church of Christ / or / a visible people of God / where the said thre Murks are lackinge. As also / a people may enioy som of the said marks (as true preachinge) and yet be as far from a true visible church / as was the Court of Festus and Foelix. If we desire infallible notes of a true people / we must haue such Notes as Deliuer vnto vs the essentiall forme of a Church: which is such a Marke / as neuer can be lacking from the Church: else Logitians knowe / the Axiome breaks the heade of Kata Pantos, etc.

The Generall / or / Matter of a visible Church / is People: the Difference or / essentiall forme / is / true faith with obedience / as before. where such Mat­ter and forme meteth in Gue / there is an house spirituall: Act. 2.24.44. 1. Ti. 3.15. the Efficient cawse wherof is / God: by the instrument Outward and inward / the word and Spirit: the final cawse (in regard of God) is / God his glorie: in regard of his Church / their Saluation.

That such a people only do constitute a true visible body / as the scriptures are open inough / as also the Auncient writers / so (becawse our late men are so addicted vnto som late writers / let them heare Mr. Cartwricht (1. Reply. pag. 34. There be in the Churches of Christ no dronckerds nor whore mongres at least wich are knowē: and Mr. Oud Fenner. (in his Meth. Theol. lib. 6. Cap. 1.) Caetusille etc. That Companie (speakinge of a particular Church) so ordained / ought to be pure from all pollution etc. Psa. 15. etc. 27.8. etc. 29.9. Isa. 4.4. 1. Cor. 3.16. etc. 5.11. 1. Tim. 3.15. Reuel. 1.13.20. and harken vnto Doct. Bilson in his priuiledged booke (perpet. Gouernm. cap. 10. pag. 155.) To the first Churches came none but such as were willinge and Zelous / without all compulsion (by Comminge / I charitablie vnderstande / Comming into Communion) To ours com all sortes / Atheistes / hypocrits / and how many forced rather by law / then led by Deuotion: Yea wold to god it di [...] not often so fall out / that in many places the richer and weal­ [...]hier men either regard no religion / or secretly leane To the worst. All whith teach what kynde of people are to be receiued? 2. are to be retained in spirituall Comu­nion / or / Church fellowship.

And indeed we se that the blessed ministrie of the Ghospell was first the ax that hewed these liuing stones for our Salomons temple: as also that when anie stone burst out into spirituall defection or backslidinge / it was either pre­sently cured and faster mortized by repentaince / or else it was thrust out of [Page] peculiar communion / vntill by the ax of excommunication / the rough things were made smooth / and the hawtie things / humbled: 1. Cor. 1.5.11. with / 2. Cor. 2.7.8.9.10.110.

Such a people therfore gathering and thus couenantinge to walke / are a Church gathered and established: only / to the absolutinge or perfectinge of this Churches Order / there is required further / an election and Ordination of Officers. As a litle Citie compact in it self / it must out of it self / or by the coassistaunce of som syster-church / make choise of meete men for the ouersight and seruice of the Citie or howse of god. Otherwise (if there be no king in Israel) euery man will do that which is good in his owne eyes: euery man wilbe a prophet in his owne conceipt: Iack Cade wilbe Lord Mortymer: and Hobbinoll set as good a glosse on scripture / as he that was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel: flat Akephalistes. A while without officers / they may happely walke well: but longe (speciallie / after they haue fit men and meanes) they are not like to stand orderli togither / without such instalment of officers.

The Officers are of two sortes: Bishops (in english ouerseers) and Dea­cons) in english / Ministers / or Seruitours) 1. Tim. 3.1.8. Philip. 1.1. Vnder the terme Episcop, Ouerseer: is contained / Pastor, Doctor / Elder, vnder the terme Deacon / is contained / 1. the Ministeriall Man (wherof specially be­fore) 2. the Ministeriall woman: Rom. 16.1. 1 Tim. 5.9.10. These must hol­de the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience: And in the former / there is re­quired of absolute Necessitie / aptnes to teach / and ability to confute errours. Such the Pastor and Doctor / euery one graunts / must be: and such the other Elders must be / as I haue proued in my Bybles breife. As for the vnderstan­dinge of 1. Tim. 5.17. (euerie of whose sences is to be preferred before the drea­me of Lay elders) do looke into D. Bilsons forsaid booke. A plaine print of the footesteps of preaching Presbyters / or / Elders / se in all auncient writers theologicall and historicall: and that whersoeuer they mention presbyters in a church (vnder the Episcop / or Pastor) they must be vnderstood such Elders commonly translated / Preistes.

If al Levies lips were to preserue knowledge / how much more was the lawe to be fetcht from Kohaths Leuits which were ioyned with the Cheife preist / in the worke of Ouerseinge and peculiar gouernment. The Preist dyin­ge / another came into his roome out of Kohaths familie: so the Episcop / or Pastor dyinge / one shold speciallie (if not only) arise out of the same Ouersein­ge familie of Elders: and how shall this be answerable / if the Elders be lay­men / or men but of priuate qualification? Let therfore our other Congregati­on put away this their errour: and let all that haue helde it / smite their hand on their thighe and say: what haue we don? while we sought to establish or­dinances diuine / we haue constituted an ordinance humaine. In a word: such Elders are but domb preists: and ill may they call others Domb dogs / that establish such Stilborne Elders.

Such pastor, such Doctor, such Elders, elected and Ordayned by sacred im­position of hands: they are fit to iudge of the sonnes of the Prophets their doctrine / deliuered in the schoole of prophecie / 1. Cor. 14. which kind of schoole [Page] and prophecie / Mr. Oud. Fenner. (Meth. Th. lib. 7. cap. 7.) hath well ob­serued / as also taught that such exercise is cōmon to euerie particular Church / which gainsaieth the Common practise of som reformed Churches: who vnto som one Church fetcheth a weapontake / or / circuite of Pastors to speak and judge: as for theyr cyphering Elders / they stand by as mute fil hes: as domb as a dore-nayle / that stands fast / but saith nothinge.

Such Deacons and Deaconisses constituted also in such holy forme / they shall not onlie be helpfull vnto the former functioners by seruiceable dutie / but also vnto the whole bodie of the Church / specially in lookinge to the poore and impotent.

If Antichrist / shall vnto one of these officers or offices attribute another name / it may (through the iniquitie of Men) derogate from the credet of the person and his office / but the person truly (I say not perfectlie) discharging the duties of the office / he notwithstanding as also his office is yet of Christ. Is also / Antichrist shal establish an office in the Church / not incommended by Christ therto / (Yea / if the Church her self shold establish such a new of­fice) and giue vnto the possessor of yt / the Name and title of Episcop, Doc­tor, Elder, Deacon, Deaconisse (officers standing in and to a church con­stituted) or the title of Apostle, Euangelist, prophet. (officers deputed to the Gathering / plantinge / and helping of the Churches) yet such an Officer told not be of Christ / be cause his office is humanie and a vayne inuention. The Apostle (2. Tim. 2.14.) hath commaunded Timothie / me logo-machein not to [...]ight about wordes / because they bring but a Katastrophe / or subtle deception to the hearers. Least therfore anie shold imagine vs Logoma­chistes / we therfore adde: Let others contende about wordes rather then Thinges: about the shell / rather then the cranell / we frely deny to do so. Thinges essentiall / substantiall (not barely accidentall) we doe / and by the help of our god will stand for: labouring in the meane tyme charitablie / for the preseruation of such pure names / as Christ hath baptised his officies in­to: but yet will proclame no spirituall battle about Names / when the names Subiect shalbe agreed vpon / symplie good / or symplie euell. If euerie Action / or / Subiect shold be termed symplie good or euell / by reason of som good or bad Accident / or outwarde hue / suerly / we shold terme Satan transfor­med / a good Angell: and Christ spotted and mangled / Antichrist. This or­derly distinction (betwene the, Subiect and his seperable adiunct) not ob­serued of manie poore ignorant Zeloistes / doth cawse them condemne and iu­stifie they knowe not what / able to make a man of som knowledge / to teare his heads haire of / to heare their sensles conclusions. Such Lochomachis­me / is but vayne bablinge / and opposit to science / and therfore falsly called science / 1. Tim. 6.20. such argumentation is not Logick / but errour from Lo­gick / commenly termed / Sophistrie. As for vs / we (wittinglie) can nothin­ge againste / but for the truth: though it may be / ouerweakly / and poorely.