adly, We have in this matter faid nothing, but what is in Thefi over and over afferted, by moft or all Proteftant VVriters, upon the fecond Commandment: who affert fully, that the worshipping God in • a way not prescribed by him, is Idolatry; fuch as do fo, are Idolaters: with our application hereof unto the prefent Minifters of England, if they are guilty (as that they are, hath been abundantly demonftrated) why fhould any be offended? To fpeak Truth, when our filence would be prejudicial to the fouls of our Brethren, methinks fhould not be accounted unchriftian or cenforious.

But 3dly, What would thefe Objectors have faid to Tertullian, (that renowned Servant and VVitness of the Lord Jefus in his day) who is by far more nice in this point of Idolaty, than we have declared our felves to be; He in his Book De Idololatria, chargeth fuch as make Statues or Images, build or adorn Idols Temples, (though it were their trade) Aftrologers, Schoolmafters, (that name the names of Idols, making honorable mention of them in their Orations) fuch as keep holydayes, dedicated to Idolatrous fervice,as their Saturnalia (in the stead

And

† Calvin, Perkins, Ames, Mac-covius, Altingins, Wendeline. Paraus, Explicat. Cate. p. 3. Q.96. p.528, faith, Quid poftulat fecundum præceptum? Refne Deum ullâ imagine,aut figurâ exprimamus neve ullâ alia ratiene cum colamus, quam quâ fe in fuo verbo coli præcepit, iSam. 15.23. Deut. 12. 30. Mat. 15. 9. And afterwards he addeth, Huic fecundo Præcepto contraria funt ea, quæ vero cultui divino adverfantur. 1. Idololatria,qua est cultus numinis fictitius, aut fuperftitiofus. Sunt autem Idololatria dua fpecies, pracipua una craffior, cum fictitium numen colitur bac fpecies pro

:

hibetur in imo præcepto, & aliquâ ex parte, in tertio : altera eft fubtilior, cum verus Deus coli fingitur, fed errator in genere cultus, hoc eft, cum vero Deo cultus fingitur præftari, aliquo opere, quod ipfe non præcepit hac fpecies Idololatria, hoc pracepto propriè damnatur, & nominatur éDex: DenTxéia, five fuperftitio.

pag. 529. Qui peccant contra fecundum præceptum, peccant & contra primum, quia qui Deum aliter colunt, atque vult coli, illi fingunt Deum aliter effectum, atque eft, has eft alium Deum: Ita non Deum, fed cerebri fui commentum, quod fic affectum effe fibi perfuadent, colunt fingere aliam Dei cultum, eft aliam Dei voluntatem, proinde & alium Deum fingere, &c.

of

of which, is the time with us called Christmaß) &c. fuch as adorned their Gates, Pofts, Houses after the Pagan manner at Feftivals, with Lawrel, Ivy, &c. as fympolizing with Idolaters: yet fure we are, he could not justly be charged with an unchriftian or cenforious spirit, If it be further faid,

Obj.2. But what shall we judge of Latimer, Ridley, Hooper, and many other famous Witneffes and Martyrs of Christ, who worshipped God after the fame way of Worship that these do now? were they alfo Idolaters ? how could they be faved then, when the Scripture fayes, that no Idolater shall inherit the Kingdom of God, and we do not find that they repented hereof? To this we answer.

1. That the perfons inftanc'd in, were eminent Witneffes of Jefus Chrift in their day (whofe very Names are in our nostrils as fweet Perfume) we readily grant, and would be loth to speak one word to abate of that juft efteem is due to their Names and Teftimony for Chrift.

2dly, That they are now with Chrift, and fhall come with him, and fit upon Thrones to judge their unjuit Judges in the day appointed thereunto, we have not the leaft fcruple.

But 3dly, they were but men encompassed about with many infirmities; that they were guilty of the fin of Idolatry, cannot (from what hath been faid herein it's evident) be denied.

Yet, 1. They were in that day but just peeping out of the Gates of Babylon, beginning to arise and shake themselves out of the duft of the Abominations of the great Whore; and 'tis no wonder if fome of the filth of her Fornications did cleave to them. 2. They worfhipped God in fincerity according to the light he was pleased in that day to communicate, and God accepted of them in Chrift, granting to them a general Repentance for thofe Iniquities they faw not to be fo, knew not themselves guilty of. Which is all we shall at present fay hereunto. The intelligent Reader knows that these things are not of any moment for the invalidating of what hath been offered upon this fubject. Thus far of this eighth Argument, The prefent Ministers of England are guilty of Idolatry; therefore 'tis the duty of Saints not to hear, but feparate from them.

СНАР.

CHAP. VIII.

A 7th Argument against hearing the prefent Minifters of England. Ti an offence, grief, and cause of stumbling to the Saints, proved. Two Objections answered. The nature of Scandal given. An eighth Argument propofed to confideration. The various wayes of partaking with others in their fin, confidered. That hearing the prefent Minifters, is a partaking with them in their fin, proved.

Argument 7.

"Is not lawful for Saints to do any thing, for the doing whereof, there is no pofitive Precept in the Scripture,that is an Offence, Grief, Scandal and caufe of ftumbling to their Brethren: But the hearing the prefent Minifters of England (as there is no pofitive Precept in the Scripture for it, fo it) is an Offence, Grief, Scandal and cause of ftumbling to the Brethren. Therefore

The Major (or firft Propofition) is bottom'd upon exprefs Precepts in the Scripture, Rom. 14. 13, 15, 20, 1 Cor. 8. 9, 13. and

10. 24:

The Minor (or fecond Propofition) confifts of two parts.

1. That for hearing the prefent Minifters of England, there is nopofitive warrant in the Scripture; if there be, let it be produced, and this Controverfie is at an end: The contrary thereunto, hath all along been manifeft in this prefent Difcourfe. It cannot enter into our hearts, to imagin, that the Lord Jefus having inftituted Officers of his own, for the management of Affairs in his House, fhould ordain, that any of his Houthold fhould attend upon the Ministry of fuch as are not of his inftitution (as hath been abundantly demonftrated touching the prefent Minifters of England, that they are not) nor is it by many, pleaded as their duty fo to do; but onely as their Liberty, which they judge they may, or they may not do, without fin.

2. That for the Saints (such as are visibly fo, profess themselves to be fuch) to hear the prefent Minifters of England, is an Offence, Grief, Scandal and occafion of ftumbling to their Brethren. This is too evident to be denied, to how many thoufands in England for whom (thofe that as yet attend upon the prefent Ministry thereof, dare not but think) Chrift dyed, is the practife of fome herein, a

Grief, Scandal and occafion of Stumbling? Their

groans and tears, alone, and together upon this foot of account, will better demon ftrate the truth hereof, than our words can. Yea, how many poor fouls have been drawn, by reason of the practife of fome Leading Brethren in this matter, against the checks of their own confciences, to a Conformity herein, to their after-grief and wounding? Upon whofe doors 'tis to be feared (and we wish they would in the fear of God lay it to heart) may be written, THE BLOOD OF SOULS. If it be faid,

Object. That there is a twofold Scandal, 1. Scandalum acceptum, a Scandal, or Offence taken. 2. Scandalum datum, a Scandal or Of fence given. In respect of the former, possibly many may be offended at their practife in the matter treated of, and fo would fome or other whatever is done by them: 'Tis impoffible but Offences fhould come, that there is any just Offence given by them, herein, is denied. To this we an

fwer.

Anfw. 1. That as we admit of the diftinction, fo no doubt there is a truth in what is fuggefted thereupon, That whatever I do, some one or other will be offended at it: There are a generation of men, whom the doing of my duty will offend,and caufe to blafpheme; these are not to be minded, but to be pitied: Chrift himself was to fome a Rock of Offence, and Stone of Stumbling.

a. But 'tis not yet proved (nor like to be) that the Scandal treated of, is a Scandal taken and not given, the very nature of Scandal given, as is confest by all, and evident beyond exception from the Apostles, difcourfe, 1 Cor. 8. 10. lying in the doing of what is judged, by me, to be my liberty, which other Saints are not fully perfwaded of in their own minds to be fo, but are ready to conclude it to be my fin, and evil, and from thence have occafion of Grief, or Stumbling adminiftred to them. This was the very cafe of the Church of Corinth. (upon the occafion whereof Paul writes to them, Cor. 8.) fome of them judged it their liberty to fit at meat in the Idols Temple; others not being fully perfwaded hereof, were fcandalized many wayes, at this their practife, which the Apoftle therefore condemns as unlawful. Should it for Arguments fake be granted (though in truth it be rst fo) that 'tis the liberty of Saints, to hear the prefent Minifters, yet many of the fincere Lambs of Chrift, being fumbled, grieved and Scandalized hereat, for that very reason (if no more could be

faid herein) it becomes our fin (to be guilty whereof, who can chufe but be filled with trembling, that hath ever with seriousness read that terrible Commination of Chrift, Mat. 18.6. Whose shall offend one of thefe little Ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a milftone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the Sea?) especially when thofe that are thus fcandalized, are able to demonftrate, that their Offence is not any pevish Humour, or foolish Nicety, but what is too really adminiftred by the actions of their Brethren: When they shall hear Chrift, commanding them to feparate from every thing of Antichrift, Rev. 18. 4. and therefore from his Miniftry, and they are in confcience perfwaded the Minifters of England are such, which they judge they are able to demonftrate: When they confider, how the Laws of their dear Lord and Law-giver are made void, by the traditions of thefe pretended Minifters, whofe Kingship they fee them vifibly oppofing, when they find upon them the characters of False Prophets, and Apoftles, and are able to manifeft, that they are deeply guilty of the fin of Idolatry (from whom they are enjoyned by Chrift to turn away) yea when they take a veiw of the frame of the fpirits of their now Conforming-Brethren in dayes paft, and the Principles were then owned by them: That they did then (fome of them at leaft) feparate from the Affemblies of England, as not true Churches of Chrift, and accounted the Common-Prayer-Book-Priefts, perfons not meet to preach, unworthy to be attended upon in their fo doing, and fee them now faying, A confederacy with, and attending upon the ministry of those very perfons and things, from whom, not onely Chrift hath commanded them to separate, but these very Brethren did formerly decry, and at leaft feemingly abominate, they judge, they bave just ground of Offence given to them: Nor can it be denied, but it is indeed fo. If it be yet further faid,

Object. 2. But if I do not go to hear the Preachers of this day, many truly godly and fober Chriftians will be offended at my forbearance; so that whether I hear, or whether I forbear, I shall offend.

To this I answer, 1. Thar granting the cafe to be as is fuggefted (though perhaps fomewhat elfe, upon a serious and strict search, may be found to lye at the bottom of our Conformity beyond what is here pleaded: I am very apt to believe were but a toleration granted, 'cis not the fear of offending any, would cause our Conforming-Bre thren to attend upon the Ministry of the prefeat Priests of England.