1. I never read either in Scripture, or in any orthodox writer, of a visible particular Church, either grandmother of Christians, or mother of other Churches, if the Rej. hath, he should do well to inform us, where we may find this doctrine explained. 2. I would willingly know, whether Christians & Christian churches also, were not in England, before this great grandmother? I think, the Rej. will not deny it, nor yet fly for succour to his physicians, who have found out an herb, which is called of them, Son before the Father, 1to justify his intention of Daughter before the Mother: 2He must confess, that this Grand-mothe•, is only a mother in ⟨p. 88⟩law,3 and that law also to be mans, not Gods. 3. All the churches of England, may as well be considered as one in unity of profession, without any new motherhood, as all the Latin Schools of England one, in the unity of the same Grammar, or all Galenical, or Platonical Schools, one in their kind. 4. A Representative mother is the image of a mother, and an image, with commanding authority in religion, without Gods command,4 is an Idol: It was well therefore, to this purpose, said of Zwinglius Explan. arti. 8. That you be a representative church, we willingly believe, for you are not the true church: But show I beseech you, whence you had this name: who styled you with this title? who gave you power of meeting, and combining together? who granted you authority of coining decrees and Canons, differing from the word of God? who suffered you to impose these upon men? who persuaded you thus to burden Consciences? who enjoined you to call evil good, and good evil? You are therefore an hypocritical church, which hath nothing sound in it, and substantial, but all things feigned and painted, But you are not that true church, that bride beseeming our Saviour, who stays her self, upon the truth alone, and the Spirit of God. He speaketh these things of th•se, which under the name of Representative churches, imposed their inventions, upon true churches, without Scripture, which is a true representation of our representative convocation. 5. The Rej. confesseth, that this Hierarchical convocation is human and not divine, and he will not deny, but Christians, and Christian congregations are Divine.
1. I never read either in Scripture, or in any orthodoxe writer, of a visible particular Church, either grandmother of Christians, or mother of other Churches, if the Rej. hath, he should do well to informe us, where we may fynd this doctrine explained. 2. I would willingly know, whether Christians & Christian churches also, were not in England, before this great grandmother? I think, the Rej. will not denye it, nor yet flye for succour to his phisitians, who have found out an herb, which is called of them, Sonne before the Father, 1to justifye his intention of Daughter before the Mother: 2He must confesse, that this Grand-mothe•, is onely a mother in ⟨p. 88⟩law,3 and that law also to be mans, not Gods. 3. All the churches of England, may as well be considered as one in unity of profession, without any new motherhood, as all the Latine Scholes of England one, in the unity of the same Grammar, or all Gallenicall, or Platonicall Scholes, one in their kynd. 4. A Representative mother is the image of a mother, and an image, with commaunding authority in religion, without Gods commaund,4 is an Idoll: It was well therfore, to this purpose, sayd of Zwinglius Explan. arti. 8. That you be a representative church, we willingly beleeve, for you are not the true church: But show I beseech you, whence you had this name: who styled you with this title? who gave you power of meeting, and combyning together? who graunted you authority of coyning decrees and Canons, differing from the word of God? who suffered you to impose these upon men? who perswaded you thus to burden Consciences? who enjoyned you to call evill good, and good evill? You are therfore an hypocriticall church, which hath nothing sound in it, and substantiall, but all things fayned and paynted, But you are not that true church, that bride beseeming our Saviour, who stayes her self, upon the truth alone, and the Spirit of God. He speaketh these things of th•se, which under the name of Representative churches, imposed their inventions, upon true churches, without Scripture, which is a true representation of our representative convocation. 5. The Rej. confesseth, that this Hierarchicall convocation is humaine and not divine, and he will not denye, but Christians, and Christian congr•gations are Divine.
- 1Filius ant• Patrem.
- 2Filia ant• Matrem.
- 3The nature of a representative church.
- 4Quod ecclesia si•is repraesentativa libē ter cred•mus, vera enim non estu: Sed •sten a•te q•aso ••de •or• •ec nomen? Qui▪ hoc nomint•• […]? Quis •acund• & ce•spirandi •obis potestatem dedit? Q•is con de•di Canons & decreta verbo Des dis•••mi•i•. vobi•tus fecit? Qui• ut ista hume•is hominum impe•eretiu, permis•t? Q•is consitentia▪ ut si• gravareit• vebis persw. sit? Ut dic••etis b•num malum, malum benum qu•• jussit […] ••clesia […], qa nihil […] al et, sed picta & ceila mnia, Scan esth ecclesia ria ssa Christo rua, qua sea veit. […] & […] Dei […].
