A plaine refutation of M. G. Giffardes reprochful booke, intituled a short treatise against the Donatists of England Wherein is discouered the forgery of the whole ministrie, the confusion, false worship, and antichristian disorder of these parish assemblies, called the Church of England. Here also is prefixed a summe of the causes of our seperation ... by Henrie Barrovve. Here is furder annexed a briefe refutation of M. Giff. supposed consimilituda betwixt the Donatists and vs ... by I. Gren. Here are also inserted a fewe obseruations of M. Giff. his cauills about read prayer & deuised leitourgies.

Concerning the Magistracie.

IN this matter he first termeth vs Donatistes, for that we crye out of per∣secution, and of the false Prophets that incence the Magistrates here∣vnto. Wee answere, wee complaine not of impatiencie nor yet for re∣venge: only (as duty bindeth vs) wee seeke to the lawfull Magistrates for some redresse of our miseries which wee wrongfully sustaine, and shewe the people the vngodlynes of their woefull guydes, or rather wolues; and if you had anie grace you would rather be moued with pitie, then compare vs to either Schismatickes or hereticks for our iust complaintes. But herein our cause differeth from the Dona••istes, that wee are persecuted by the Clergie, which is armed (according to the order of their bloodie predecessors) with ciuile power together with their popish ecclesiasticall iurisdiction both in one person, con∣trarie to the lawe of God: which vnlawfull power they only vsurp to keep CHRIST out of his office, suppressing his lawes, offices, people, worship, with al force in all vnmercifull crueltie, so far as their hornes will reach pushing poore Israel. And howsoeuer her Ma^••e and her ho∣norable Councill see not their wickednes, or suffer them and winke at their doinges (which God grant it be not layd to their chardge) yet wee finde this Antichristian prelacie both the false accusers, and hate∣full molestours of Gods children; so that the persecution is chieflie by that broode: And whether haling vnto, and shutting vp in most

straite close imprisonment till they haue murdered them without trial whom they get into their clawes, neuer loosing their hold till eyther they dye in prison or reuolt from the truth, so that manie are made to blaspheme & denie the holy wayes of God though their mercilesse ty∣rannie, whether this kind of tyrannising without anie free conference or iudicial proceeding, thus pulling the husband from the wife, Father from children, seruant from master &c, al from their lawful callings & trades, be not barbarous persecution, let al men consider. If we diserue death let vs dye in due execution, if banishment banish vs; but first by order convince vs of some crime or errour worthie therof, if you will cleare your selues.

Mr. Giffard after this Ismalitish derision of our persecution, proceedeth to accuse vs of some doctrines derogatorie to the Princes aucthoritie. As first; that Princes may not make lawes. 2. that wee should hold the Prince ought not to reforme the Church by their authoritie. 3. That none of the godlye Kinges of Iuda did compel anie to the Couenant. 4. That the people of CHRISTES kingdome be spoutanei &c. In al which, besides that ther is no comparison betwene the Donatistes and vs in these poinctes, hee doth but followe the steppes of that olde peruerter of the truth. We wil thē first shew briefly how we hold this doctrine, and how far we are from that hee would insinuate into the Magistrates eares, as though we sought to diminish their lawful iurisdiction, power, or rule. For lawes making we hold, that Princes are limited by the law of God (as he himself in an other place confesseth) & ought not to proclame any law that hath not warrāt from Gods law either in expresse words or necessary collection from general rules, stil keeping within the equitie. For reforming we hold, that y^e Prince ought to supresse all transgressiō of Gods law, and punish al persons without partialitie according to the offence within the Church or without the Church within their owne dominions as wel for the transgression of the first Table as the second, and to defend the obseruers therof in al equity, and y^t whiles we walke in the wayes of God we are not afraid of y^t powre, but gyue God glorye & them due obedience, whether they be of the Church or no. To the 4. we hold, that none can be receiued into the Church, but y^t willingly maketh publick confessiō of his faith, for neither may the Church re∣ceiue nor they be holden of the Church, without this repentance and confession. Yet we grant that the Prince may cōmand and compel her subiects to the hearing of the publick doctrine & prayer of y^e Church, but to enter Cou••n••t or be receiued a member it is to be done by doc∣trine, faith and repentance: Neither did the kinges of Iuda compel the Priestes to receiue anie vncircumcised or Idolatours into y^e fellowship of the Church. Faith is the gift of God, wrought by his Spirit & word: The Prince may cōpel to the meanes therevnto, but not enforce faith.

The Donatistes resisted the Magistrate so far as they durst (saith he) and whē Iulian the Apostata shewed them fauour, their circumcelliōs made reuel in companies, walking with clubbes & staues, did spoile & beate

such as lighted in their hands &c: The impatient heare of Brow••istes is not vnknowen &c. Let this lawlesse man shewe where euer anie of vs haue resisted the Magistrate, or spokē euil of the ruler of the people, or gone about to reuenge our selues by any violence or vnlawful meanes. As for his prophesie what we would be if we had power, it layeth open himself to be a malicious false Prophet to incitate the Magistrate with lying dreames. Let him better consider and he shal find that this An∣tichristian Prelacie hath bene not only the procurers but shedders of much innocent blood, vsurping ciuile power: And how they haue be∣haued themselues towards their soueraigne Kings & Princes, let y^e Re∣cords be searched; in your Church are found dayly treasons, bloodshed &c, and most plentifull in your mother Church of Rome: This then is but the false report of Sanballat and Tobia to hinder Gods Temple.

Nowe admiring Mr. Giffards clearing of the Donatistes of errour, affir∣ming they differed not from the other Churches in doctrine, as also manifest or al least protest our innocencie from these and all other er∣rours in the perticular course handled or els where to be found, I will set downe three or fower grosse errours before him, which we detest in the Donatistes; as:

That he which or deineth a Minister (as it seemeth they allowed or∣dinatiō [ 1] by one mā) is the head of him ordeined yea the fountaine, and the other the riuer; therfore if the head be holy, the other is therby made holy, and so on the contrarie if the first be wicked.

That the conscience of him that gyueth, may wash the conscience [ 2] of him that receiueth.

That when hee which baptiseth is manifest a good man, hee gyueth [ 3] faith, hee is the original, the roote, the head of him that is by Gods spirit renewed.

That those which are baptised by a wicked man though in a lawfull [ 4] office, ought to be baptised againe.

That it is lawfull in some respectes to kill themselues. [ 5]

That the Magistrate cannot compel vs to that which is good. [ 6]

That we haue free wil after regeneration. I wil not now iustifie Mr. [ 7] Giff. explaining of their mindes, whether in these or anie other wee handled, I take al in this matter from his record, which I hope hee will not affirme to be false.

As for his learned Fathers how they haue wrasted the scriptures new Testament and old in more then twenty false expositions and flat con∣tradictions of the scope of the whole Canon of the worde, to iustifie opē iniquitie by slightes, and tollerat it in the publicke assemblies with all their doctrines of separating in heart and not in bodye, at comon meates and not at holy communion, that all nations should be the ap∣parant Church &c, wee leaue them al, denying to enter controuersie with dead men, wishing Mr. Giffard to spread such deceites in other mens names no more, but to come orderly to some christian triall by the Booke of God. In the meane tyme hee seeth wee neither hold of

Donatistes nor of Augustine, but followe faith in a pure conscience to our knowledge, readie to be instructed wherein wee erre. And when hee hath made such a lardge discourse to proue vs Anabaptistes, Montanistes, Arians, Pelagians, Nicolaitans &c, we shal in stead of conflicting with a bea∣ter of the ayre, and vnconscionable sclanderous rayler, demand the end and vse of his labours, and nowe leaue him to his accompt for his defacing and blaspheming of the truth, wishing all men to beware of such methodes of imposture.

I. G.

FINIS.