Paralleles, censures, observations. Aperteyning: to three several writinges, 1. A lettre written to Mr. Ric. Bernard, by Iohn Smyth. 2. A book intituled, the Seperatists schisme published by Mr. Bernard. 3. An answer made to that book called the Sep. Schisme by Mr. H. Ainsworth. Whereunto also are adioyned. 1. The said lettre written to Mr. Ric. Bernard divided into 19. sections. 2. Another lettre written to Mr. A.S. 3. A third letter written to certayne bretheren of the seperation. By Iohn Smyth.

The sixth Argument from Eph. 1.22.23. 1. Cor. 12.27.12. Gal. 3.16. Eph. 5.23.

From these places of Scripture compared together, & truly expounded, may an argu∣ment be drawne framed thus.

The true Church of the Apostolique primitive institution hath Christ for the head, and is a true body vnto the true head Christ, truly vnited by the Spiritt of Christ.

The ecclesiastical assemblies of Englād are not a true body vnto Christ the true head truly vnited by the Spirit of Christ.

Ergo, the ecclesiastical assemblies of England are not the true Churches of the pri∣mitive Apostolique institution.

The Minor or second part of the Argument may thus be confirmed in the three parts therof, 1. Christ is not their true head seing they deny all his offices (though they hold the doctryne of his nature and persons soundly) as is plainly proved before in the fifth Argument, 2. the assemblies as they stand in confusion with all the vngodly and vitious persons of the Land, vnder the Antichristian Lords and Lawes Ecclesiasticall, can not be a true body vnto Christ, but is a monstrous body, like vnto the body of Ne∣buchadnetzars image: Daniel. 2.32. 3. this monstrous body cannot be vnited to the true head Christ by his Spirit, but the people of the assemblies being for the most part the seed of the Serpent must needes be knit together, and vnto their head Anti∣christ by the Spirit of Antichrist, the Spirit of Sathan. All this I speak of their visi∣ble communion, and of that politique body Ecclesiasticall which is called their Church: For otherwise I doe acknowledg vnfeynedly, and doe vndoubtedly beleeve that the Lord hath his thousands among them, even a remnant according to the Election of grace.

Thus have I proved vnto you Mr. Bernard positively, that the Ecclesiasti∣cal assemblies of England in their present constitution, and walking, are not the true chur∣ches of the primitive Apostolique institutiō, but are in their outward, visible, politique sub∣sistence the churches of Antichrist, framed after the shape of the popish assēblies, though

much refined from the venemous drosse of popery: now in the second place it remay∣neth that I deale anaskeuasticos with you answering those things which you alledg for your Churches to prove them true:

The great & maine pillar of your building is this, that seing your Church hath not a false head, false matter, false forme, false properties, therefore it is not a false, but a true Church.

To these 4. particulars I answer distinctly: First, you have a false head in that you wor∣ship God in a fantastical Christ of your owne devising, in that you shape him a Kingdom Preisthood, & Prophesy of your owne invention, making him a mediator & intercestor to al the profane people of the Land, causing him to offer vp other worship & worship∣pers to his Father then he hath taught in his new Testament purchased by his blood: by this meanes dealing with Christ as somtyme the Iewes did, putting a reed in his hand, a crowne of thornes vppon his head, & kneeling downe vnto him as to a King, & bidding him prophecy, & yet smite him vppon the face, spit at him & presently crucify him: For whereas you frame him a Kingdom, Subjects, Officers, Lawes, & a government after your owne invention, or rather out of the Propes decretals & decrees, hereby you seem to make him a King, but indeed you Crucifye him againe, and tread vnder foote the blood of the Testament, which he hath purchased & established at so high a rate.

Secondly, your church hath a false matter: For seing you do al this indignity to Christ the head of his true Church, do you think that he wil entertaine you for the true mat∣ter of his Church, the true subjects of his Kingdom, the true members of his body, the faithful Servants of his howse, his chast & true welbeloved Spowse & wife? either you must repent & reforme your selves of al that vild indignity which you offer vnto Christ or els he wil never receave you for the matter of his Church, the Subjects of his King∣dom, the members of his body, the Servants of his howse, his espowsed wife: For Christ wil not take a wife of fornication, & children of fornication, Hos. 1. he wil not have the Servants of Antichrist to be his howsehold Servants, Mat. 6.24. nor wil he take the mem∣bers of an harlot, & make them the members of Christ, 1. Cor. 6.15, & the Subjects of his vtter enemy Antichrist, cannot possibly be the true faithful Subjects of Christs King∣dom. Luk. 19.27.

But in the pa. 111-116. of your book you make a distinction of matter, as: No matter True matter, False matter: they are no matter of a church (say you) which do not professe Christ: as Iewes, Turks, Pagans: They are true matter that professe Christ to be the Sonne of God, & the Sonne of Mary, & the only Saviour of man. False matter (say you) is con∣trary to the true: Further this true matter of the Church (you say) is good & bad: good matter (you say as it seemeth to me) is men walking vprightly in this profession of Christ: bad matter are men walking wickedly: & this you illustrate by the matter of mariage, for she may be a true wife though a bad one, & also by the similitude of subjects to a King, who may be true, though bad ones, breaking his lawes: & a true tradesman though vnskilful in his professiō: & for your selves you say you are true matter of Christs church (though not good matter) bicause you professe Christ truly as is said before: wel Mr. Ber. I yeeld the general distinction of matter, but I deny the particular application of it to your selves: & I say you are false mater: how therfor do you prove vnto vs that you are

••••ue matter? by 4. reasons: wherof the first is for that you beleving this forsaid truth you beleeve the summe of the gospel: I deny it vtterly: the summe of the gospel is this, that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God, & the Sonne of Mary, is the only King, Preist, & Prophet of his Church, governing, Sacrificing, making intercession, & prophecying after that holy manner & according to those rules which he hath prescribed in his Testament: Now to beleeve truly concerning the person of Christ, & to beleeve falsely concerning his office as you doe, is not to beleeve the whole gospel, but only a peece of it: So that this is the doctrine alone by which the Apostles did gather a people to make them a Church & dis∣ciples of Christ: & the profession herof admitted men as true matter of a Church: & this only differenceth the true Church from Iewes, Turkes, Pagans, Papists, & al other Anti∣christians & Heretiques, viz: Iesus Christ, God and man, King, Preist, & Prophet, & media∣tor of his owne Testament: Therfor your second, third, & fourth reasons fal flat to the ground, the first being vnderminded as you see: but ther is one thing that I wonder at: that you should hold the Papists to be false matter of a Church for holding justification by workes, therby denying Christs Preisthood & hold your selves to be true matter of the Church denying Christs Kingdom in the true frame, ministery, worship, & govern∣ment of his Church: what is not Christs Kingdom as pretious as his Preisthood? is it not as horrible impiety to deny Christs Kingdom, & the ordinances therof: as to deny his Preisthood & the vertue therof? or is Christs Preisthood more fundamental then his Kingdom? or justification by workes more pernitious then to deny Christ to raigne as King, & to refuse his regiment? wel if the papists be false matter by your owne confession for the one, you must needes also be false matter for the other: For I am confident that Christs Kingdom is as pretious an office as his Preisthood, even as the Kingdom in the old Testament was as excellent as the Preisthood: now Mr. Bern. what is become of the Church seing your matter is false as you may perceave by this description? & what shall your similies of a bad wife, a bad subject, of a bad artificer help you? you see they vanish away as chaffe before the wind: your matter is false & not bad, as appeareth evidently if you wil not be blind.

To proceed, pag. 116-122. of your book you describe vnto vs the true forme of the Church, inwardly, to be the Spirit, Faith, & Love: & outwardly, the word, profession, & the Sacramēt of the L. Supper: & these things (say you) are in your assemblies: Ergo: you conclude your Church hath a true forme.

I answer: have not the Papists the word preached? do not they make profession & live as strictly as you? do not they communicate in the L. Supper? & so by consequent have Love, Faith, & the Spirit? yet you say they are false Churches, wanting the true forme, even so are you although you do al that they doe, & much more, (for so you are much bettered in doctrine & vse of the Sacrament, but in profession & practise I suppose you are inferior to many of them:) bicause rejecting Christ in his offices as hath been said es∣pecialy in his Kingdom, it is impossible in that constitution & communion, you should aright vse the word, make profession, & partake in the Sacrament, or have the true visi∣ble Love, Faith, & Spirit of Christ: For a false matters vncapable of a true forme: & it is impossible that the body of Antichrist should have the true Spirit of Christ, or the true covenant & new Testament of Christ invested vppon them: invisibly I hope wel & am perswaded of millions among you: but I speake of your visible, politique, body Ecclesia∣stical

in that mixture of persons, & subordination of Ecclesiastical officers, & communiō Spiritual in the Holy things, which by Law is established & supported in your Ecclesia∣stical assemblies.

But pag. 121. you bid vs note this: what? viz: that corruptions doe not hinder men from being a true Church before men, no more then the corruptions of the hart do hin∣der a man from being an elect one invisiblie to the Lord: I suppose bicause you bid vs in the margent of your book note this, that you account it a matter worth noting: and I surely think it a note worth nothing: For although corruptions of matters accidentall make not a false Church, yet corruptions essential of matters essential make a false church namely, if the matter be false or the forme false: yea I avouch that if a truly constituted Church detected of corruptions accidental, convinced, & impenitent therin, do so conti∣nue, they become a false Church as hath been proved already before in the 8. Section: for impenitency inward or outward, maketh a false Christian & Church, inwardly or out∣wardly, according to due proportion.

Furthermore, pag. 122-128. you bring vs three true visible properties of your true Church as you say, 1. continuance in the vse of the word, Sacraments & prayer, 2. the holding forth of the truth against the enemyes thereof, 3. mutual care for the welfare each of other: & al these (you say) you have among you, & so you say you must needes be a true Church.

I answer: Seing your matter and forme is false, your propertyes cannot be true: For they arise necessarily from the vnion of the matter and forme, or from the forme induced vppon the matter: seing therefore the first is already proved, the latter also must needs follow: but let vs examine these things particularly: I denie therfor in the first place that you have wel propounded the propertyes of the true Church: For the first and principal essential property of a true Church is interest and title to al the Holy things, which is extant in divers particulars as parcels of that general and whole property. ther¦fore a people declaring their faith and repentance by Seperating themselves from all vn∣cleanenes, & by resigning themselves wholy to the Lord to become his people, have God for their Father, & Christ for their King, Preist, and Prophett, and so with Christ have title to all the meanes of Salvation: and this title consisteth in the VVord, Sa∣craments, Censures, Prayers, Almes, and al other parts of Spirituall visible communion whatsoever: even as when the soule is induced vppon the matter, viz: when the breath of life is breathed into the nosthrils of dust of the Earth. Genes. 2. then ther is a man with a reasonable and Religions Soule: So when a company of faithful people are invested with the New Testament of Christ, then ther is in them title to al the holy things of God whatsoever: This is evident by that which I have before manifested in the seaventh Section whither the Reader is to be referred: wherfore Mr. Bern. to ap∣ply this vnto your Church, I avouch that seing you are a false matter of a Church: and have a false forme or covenāt induced vppon you, as hath been shewed before, therefore you have no true title to the meanes of Salvation, but in vsurping the VVord, Sacraments, Censures, Prayers, Almes, &c. you therein incurre the reproof of the Prophet, saying: Psalm. 50.16. what hast thou to doe to declare myne ordinances, that thou shouldest make my covenant into thy mouth, seing thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my

wordes behind thee? And as the Prophet speaketh: Esay. 1. 11-18. your worship is iniquity, I cannot beare it, I am weary of it, I hate it: Therefore you may plead as long as you will the Temple of the Lord: the Temple of the Lord: yet I say, vntill you intertayne Christs true Kingdome, Preisthood & Prophecy, you are but vsur∣pers of all that visible communion in the Word, Sacraments, Prayers, &c. which is a∣mong you: For it doth not follow that bicause you have the Word, Sacraments, Cen∣sures, prayers, &c. therefore you are a true Church: neither are the vsing of these, true propertyes of a true Church: But the title to them is the true propertie of a true Church: For the Papists and all Antichristians and Heretiques vse the Word, Sacra∣ments, Censures, prayers, but they are not therfor a true Church, as I know you will confesse.

But heer you wish vs againe pag. 122. to observe well: Lett vs heer what it is that you wish vs to observe well: Namely, the true VVord preached, and the true Sacraments administred, are the true propertyes to a true Church: And that you ha∣ve those things as you say: well: VVhat is the true word? and what are the true Sacraments: is not the true word the true doctryne of the word? the true doctryne of the New Testament? but you have rejected the whole doctryne of Christs Kingdome in a manner, and have advanced all that false doctryne of the Antichristian hierarchy, which is taught and commaunded by Law to be taught in your Church: And you in your pulpits proclayme all them Heretiques or Schismatiques, that teach and erect the Church, Ministerie, VVorship, and Government, according to the paterne of Christ his New Testament: And so you have abrogated and disanulled the VVord of God by your traditions and Antichristian devises. Againe: VVhat are true Sacra∣ments? is the breaking of bread, and drincking of wine performed by any persons, after any manner, or washing with water likewise, true Sacraments? I think you will not say it: it is therefore necessary that there bee a concurrence of other matters: viz: That seing Sacraments are in relation and reference, those references or rela∣tions must needes be annexed, els they are not true Sacraments: as a baptized per∣son, must baptize into the true Faith of Christ, a person capable of baptisme: A communion of men having title to the Lords Supper must break bread, and drinck wine, to remember Christ, and shew forth his death till he come: There∣fore whereas you hold and teach, that the whole bundel of the Antichristian consti∣tution, ministerie, worship, and Government of the assemblies are the Lords ordinances, you teach a false word: and whereas you being a false Church and Ministery, doe baptize with water, and break bread & wine to remember a false Christ, and a false Testament, and a false Faith, therein you declare plainly that you have not the true Sacraments: and whereas in your (Observe well) you say, Truly and Rightly, respect grace in administring the VVord and Sacraments, and therefore to preach the word Truly, and Rightly to administer the Sacraments, are no convertible signes of a true Church. I answer: That Truly and Rightly to administer; doe also respect the outward manner of doing in the Essentiall relations spoken of be∣fore and not onely grace: And so your (Observe well) is not worthy obser∣vation.

In your third essential propertie, you wil needes have discipline no true convertible

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signe of a true Church: Sir. I confesse vnto you that the vse of the Censures of admoni∣tion & excommunication which I suppose you cal discipline, is not a convertible signe of a true Church: but only powre & title & interest to vse them: this title I deny you to have: For how can you being in your constitution mighled with the world, & vnsepera∣ted, & poluted with so many Antichristian fornications as yet are extant in your assem∣blies, have title to any of the Lords ordinances: doth the Lord (think you) give his cove∣nant & new Testament, purchased by the blood of Christ vnto such persons as trample vnder foot the whole Testament of Christ, & the ordinances therof? hath the theef title to the true mans purse though he have the possession of it? no more have you title to Chr. visibly though you vsurp him & challendg him never so peremptorily: wherefor to end this point of the properties of the true Church I say til you have Seperated your selves from al the wicked people & Antichristian ordinances in your assemblies, til you have vowed & covenanted to embrace & practise al the ordinances of Christs new Testament you can have no title or interest to the holy things of God: vse them as long as you lift, you abuse them.

Lastly, to conclude this first part of the Section, viz: that your Churches are false chur∣ches: I say to that which you object, pag. 110. that many corruptions may be in a church, yet it a true Church the constitution being true, viz: So long as they are not impenitent after conviction: & therfor Israel the Lords people so long as they retained their true cō∣stitution, Ezech. 16.21.22. the men of Ephesus beleevers ignorant of the visible gifts of the Holy Ghost, Act. 14.2. The Corinthians Saints though incest dronkennes, fornication false doctryne, contention, & much evil among them, bicause they were not impenitent after twise admonition or conviction. & so forth of the rest: but you wil confesse that the Prelates & their faction are obstinate after conviction: & we avouch that the Puritanes are obstinate after conviction, for they neither have answered nor can answer that we ob¦ject against them: & therfor although you constitutiō had been true (which was never) yet your Church is become false being obstinate in sinne & persecuting to death, impris∣sonment, losse of goods, &c. al that testify against her abhomin: tions: that this is a signe of a false Church, read, 2. King. 17. & Ierem. 3.8. Math. 23.37.38. Math. 21.33-43. Act. 19.9.

The second point to be handled in this Section, is, that al your ministers are false mini∣sters: in handling whereof I wil proceed as in the former point of this Section, viz: First, confirme the truth by arguments drawne from the Scriptures: Secondly, refute your fan∣cyes wherby you would prove your ministery true.

Therefore in the first place to prove your ministers false Ministers, I vse these Arguments.