put to silence the ignorance of foolish men The old Puritans of England had fully learned this Lesson of obedience to all authority both civill and Ecclesiasticall being commanded to obey them that have the rule over them and to submit themselves unto them as who watched over their soules as those that were to give account c. Hebr. 13. 17. and this doctrine they did inculcate incessantly unto the people and for the government Ecclesiâ—sticall the old Puritans of England did beleeve it was that Presbyterian Government that is now contended for by all the Presbyterians as is to be seene at large in the learned Workes of that ever to be honoured Master Cartwright in his disputations against Bishop Whitgift who for his zeale to that government was called the Father of all the Puritans They also did beleeve that all government both Ecclesiasticall and Civill was radically originally and inherently in God and Christ and from them derived to the Kings Princes Nobles and Iudges of the earth and to all the true Ministers of the Gospel in his Church who all have their authorities immediatly from God and by whom alone according to the Holy Scripture they rule and command they never durst be so blasphemous as to rob God of his honour and glory and the Kings Nobles and Judges of the earth and the Ministers of the Gospel of their severall powers saying that Kings and Nobles and the Rulers of the earth and Ministers in Christs Church and Kingdome were the creatures of the people and that the people were the soveraigne Lord both of Kings Nobles Parliaments and Ministers and that the authority which they exercised was inherently in the people and that they might give it and deposite it into whose hands they pleased and where they lusted and call any of their Rulers and Governours to an account and appoint them their times and seasons when they should meet and tell them what they should doe and displace them at pleasure as they shall thinke fit all these Lessons of Blasphemy the old Puritans of England were ignorant of which learned nescience of theirs is commendable They had beene better taught from all the Holy Prophets and blessed Apostles who both by precept and example have instructed the people of God in all ages to yeeld obedience to those that were Governors over them as wee may reade through all the Holy Scripture of the Old Testament where we find what reverence even Father Abraham the Father of the faithfull shewed unto all Kings under whose government he lived in the time of his Peregrination and where wee reade also what reverence Ioseph yeelded unto Pharaoh and how Iacob his Father demeaned himselfe with all the Patriarks to Pharaoh and those that were over them in authority and how Ieremiah behaved himselfe to the King in his time and how the three Children and Daniel carried themselves to the very Kings of Babylon though heathen Princes never speaking unto them nor comming before them but with all reverence deprecating all evil from them upon all occasions praying for their welfare yea Christs example ought to be for our imitation who opened not his mouth the same we find in all the Apostles whensoever they were brought before authority with what sweetnesse of language they carried themselves towards them and what reverent expressions they used to all in authority though never so wicked when they were brought before them yea if they had fayled but in the least expression how soone they would recall themselves for when Ananias commanded them that stood by Paul to smite him on the mouth Act. 23. and he in passion beholding his injustice said God shall smite thee thou painted wall when it was replyed unto him revilest thou Gods High Priest Paul stands not upon the justification of his words but meekly answers I wist not brethren that it was the High Priest for it is written saith he Exod. 22. 27. thou shalt not speake evill of the Ruler of the people Paul had learned his Lesson well and soone recollected himselfe acknowledging his error that he had deviated from the rule which is there recorded for all mens imitation in after times to the end of the world to square their lives and obedience by they are not by that to speake evill of the Ruler of the people whether he be Ecclesiasticall or civill and if they may not speake evill then they may not resist their authority and unihilate their power which is the extremity of evill and rebellion yea all men are forbid so much as in their Bed-chamber to curse or think evil of those in authority how much more are those then blame worthy that not only think evill but speak evill yea write and publish evill against Kings Nobles and Judges of all sorts both civill and Ecclesiasticall and divest them all of their authority speaking evill of Dignities and assuming the Soveraignty of them all to themselves that from God himâ—elfe calling themselves the soveraigne Lords of them all giving them Lawes to rule by and denying them their due reverence in the face of the Kingdome as lately some of the Independents and Sectariâ—s have done both to the House of Lords and Commons Surely such mens damnation sleeps not whatsoever they pretend and how highly soever they carry themselves and by whom soever in these their evill doings they are supported backed and seconded For Saint Peter in his second Epistle that knew very well the mind of God concerning such men in the second chapter saith this of all the wicked verse 9 10 11 12. c. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished but chiefly them that walke after the flesh and despise Dominion and Government whom hee cals presumptuous selfe-willed that are not afraid to speake evill of Dignities which the very Angels saith hee though they were greater in power and might would not doe against the Devill being in authority though it were usurped but those as naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speake evill of things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their owne corruption and shall receive the reward of unrighteousnesse Here is a fearfull Doome pronounced against all such people as spake evill of Dignities and Saint Iude likewise in his Epistle seconds Saint Peter verse 8 9 10 c. calling such men as despise authority and speake evill of Dignities filthy Dreamers and compares them to brute beasts and unto Cain and unto Balaam and unto Corah Dathan and Abiram pronouncing woe unto them all and proclaiming them spots and deformities in all companies and societies calling them moreover clouds without water creatures empty of all goodnesse trees whose fruit withereth yea without fruit twice dead here in this world in their sinnes and trespasses and eternally in the world to come and as if hee could never have spake enough of such men as
two sconses and bulwarks of the same viz. The first that there were many congregations and assemblies of believers in the church of Jerusalem The second that all those severall congregations and assemblies were churches properly so called which when it comes to the main battell will be fully made good and withall it will be maintained that all those severall congregations made all of them but one Church and were all of them combined together and subordinate to one Presbytery that is to a Colledg of Presbyters who by Gods own appointment had the rule over them committed to them in common by all which the doctrine of the Congregationall way is utterly overthrown whose tenent and opinion it is that every Congregation of beleevers be it greater or smaller ought to be a distinct Church or body by it self exercising all Church power and authority within it self Independent and ought not to have reference or relation to any other church or congregation for matter of government no farther then pleaseth themselves and this they affirme to be Gods Ordinance and Constitution whereas in the Church at Ierusalem the Mother-church there were innumerable Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers and yet all of them made up but one Church For those severall congregations as the Burtonian Independents do affirme were but branches of that one entire Church these are their words By all which it now appeareth that it is Gods Ordinance and his Appointment that many congregations combined together in any city or vicinity within some Precinct should all of them within that jurisdiction make up but one Church and be under a Colledg of Presbyters to be governed by them in common which is indeed a meer ecclesiasticall Corporation and therefore this kind of government might without any offence or diviation from the holy Word of God be compared by me to any civill Corporation as that of London or the like For though I. S. and my brother Burton spend much time and many words to no purpose about my simile yet it will stand for ever immoveable and serve to all intelligible Christians for that very end I propound it viz. to declare the state of the question yea by I. S. his own words pag the fourth of his Pamphlet it is authorized for he there after much babble thus expresseth himself concerning this point when saith he we know the true nature of spirituall things of the devices of God as I may call them we may find a resemblance of them in things here below which are made after them but we cannot fetch the knowledg of heavenly composures from these earthly things Thus J. S. speaks there So that I having from the holy Word of God and from the constitution of the Church at Jerusalem the first true formed Church and originall Church found out the true nature of that spirituall and ecclesiasticall government that heavenly composure and that device of God as he grollishly calleth it it was then no sin in me in I. S. his opinion to find a resemblance of it in things below And therefore both he himselfe and my brother Burton might have saved all that labour they needlesly spent about that simile which will ever stand good against whatsoever they shall be able to say against it for the elucidating and cleering of the point of difference between the Presbyterians and the Independents which was the onely end I made use of it for and there fore all the pudder they made about that simile was but to beat the aire and to vent their own vanity But from all this dispute that I may now speak something concerning Nationall Churches which the Independents deny I farther gather That if many hundred Congregations being combined together under one Presbytery in any great City or Vicinity within any large Jurisdiction may all of them make up but one Church within that Precinct and may take its name or denomination from the City or place in which it is I see no reason why a thousand Parishes yea ten thousand all of them imbracing the Gospell and making profession of the true Christian Religion in what Kingdome Nation Province Country or Commonwealth soever they be may not all of them in those severall Countries being all of them combined together and under some grand Presbyteries take their severall names and denominations either from those respective nations or languages and be called either the Greek Church or the Hebrew Church or the Latin Church or the French Church or the Dutch Church c. or be called the Church of England Scotland Ireland or or such a Provinciall Church or such a Nationall Church I say I see no reason why if all those severall Nations coming in at the sound of the Gospel and all of them giving up their names to the profession of the Christian faith may not as well from those severall Nations take the name of the Church from the Nation as they may take it from Jerusalem or from any other City as that of Corinth Ephesus c. and so become Nationall churches I desire therefore any man to give me a good and solid reason to the contrary for this I am sure of that it was promised unto Abraham that he should be a Father of many Nations which he was not in respect of his naturall posterity for he was onely in that regard a Father of the Hebrews who challenged Abraham to be their Father and therefore it must necessarily be in respect of their faith and spirituall parentage in that they are all of them his children in regard of their common faith and beleif in the Messiah whose day Abraham by faith saw and rejoyced in it which all the Nations of beleevers do and therefore they likewise in that respect are called the children sons and daughters of Abraham and may therefore be truly called Nationall Churches which all the Independents with my brother Burton and I. S. deny for Christ is called the light of the Gentiles yea there are many glorious promises concerning the calling of the Nations and Gentiles as that in Isaiah 19. ver 23 24. where it is said In that day shall there be a highway out of Aegypt to Assyria and the Assyrian shall come into Aegypt and the Aegyptian into Assyria and the Aegyptians shall serve with the Assyrians In that day shall Israel be the third with Aegypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land Here all these three Nations are called three sister Churches if we mark the coherence And for farther proof of Nationall Churches under the Gospell it is said Isaiah 55. 5. Thou shalt call a Nation which thou knowest not and Nations which knew not thee shall run unto thee which words are spake of Christ under the Gospell in the which is set down both Gods Call of a Nation and the Nations Answer to that Call and there can be no more required to make a Church And it is prophecyed of Gospell times Psal 22. 27.
Epistle to the Hebrews ch 13. 7. Remember saith he them that have the rule over you who have spake unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation And vers 17. Obey saith he them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give an account c. And in vers 24. Salute all them saith he that have the rule over you and all the Saints Here againe he injoynes all the Churches to yeild obedience and to submit themselves unto the government of the Presbyterie shewing them that it is their place to obey and for their Ministers to rule and that so long as they command in the Lord they out of conscience ought to obey them and that for a double reason For they watch saith he for your souls and they must also give an account of their stewardship And in 1 Peter 5 1 2 3. The Presbyters that are among you saith Saint Peter I exhort who am also a Presbyter and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed feed the flock of God which is among you taking the over sight thereof not by constraint but willingly c. neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the flock And Saint James chap. 5. ver 14. Is any among you sick saith he let him call for the Presbyters of the Church He doth not say of the Churches but of the Church So that the Presbyterian government was in every Church and every Church was to submit it self unto the Presbytery And in Acts 15. it is said that Paul and Barnabas went up to the Apostles and Presbyters c. And when they came to Ierusalem they were received of the Church it is not said of the Churches but of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters c. and Verse 6. And the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of the matter c. and Vers 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and wrote Letters by them after this manner The Apostles and Presbyters and Brethren And Acts 21. 17. And when we were come to Ierusalem saith Saint Luke the Brethren received us gladly And the day following Paul went in with us in to Iames and all the Presbyters were present From all which places and many more which might be produced it is most clear and evident that in all Cities there was a Presbytery and that the Presbyters had the power of order namely of preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which was ever to be exercised with others and not alone and that consisted in admitting of members and in conventing men before them upon occasion in admonishing if any offended in suspending them from the holy Communion till reformation or amendment and if they continued obstinate and incorrigble in excommunicating and casting of them out of the Church and upon repentance in receiving of them in again and in ordaining of Officers and in appointing the times of meeting and the places where And within these limits as I conceive is all the power given to the Presbyters terminated and this they are by Gods Ordinance joyntly and by the common-counsell of Presbyters to exercise and it peculiarly belongeth unto them and therefore the Presbyterian government was the order of ruling and governing all Churches that God himself established and is to be continued unto the end of the world neither do I ever read that the people or the congregations were joyned with them in their commission or had any power given them of ruling For Saint Paul professeth of himself in 1 Cor. 14. 37. that whatsoever he writ in his Epistles Were the Commands of the Lord. And the same may be said of all the other Apostles Now Paul writ to Titus that the Churches in all Cities should be governed by a Presbytery And in the first Epistle to Timothy he commands Timothy again and again in chap. 5. vers 21. and in chap. 6. v. 12 13. I give thee charge in the sight of God saith he That thou keep this Command without spot unblameable till the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Here Timothy and all Ministers in him are to the end of the world bound to maintain that government unblameable that was appointed by the Apostles and that was the Presbyterian government and the ruling of all Churches by joynt consent and a common counsell or Colledge of Presbyters so that nothing ought to be done or transacted of publick concernment without their joynt and mutuall accord or agreement and common consent of the Presbytery And therfore when Diotrephes assumed unto himself and his particular congregation a power and authority to rule according to his will and pleasure without the consent of the Presbytory opposed Iohn the Presbyter he sharply reproves his proceedings and signifies to the Church Epist 3. That when he came he would remember his words and teach him how to prate against the Presbytery with malicious words For he saith S. Iohn contenteth not himself only to prate maliciously against us but he will not receive his brethren nor suffer others but casteth them out of the Church which is an evill thing in him saith Saint Iohn But for you saith he speaking to the Church follow not that which is evill but that which is good It was evill in him to assume unto himself alone and his particular Congregation that power that belonged unto the colledge or councell of Presbyters and was to be moderated and exercised onely by the conjoynt and common consent of the Presbytery For God had appointed that his Church should be governed by a Presbytery and Diotrephes would have his Congregation Independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it self Which saith Saint Iohn is an evill thing So that I cannot but wonder our brethren the Independents should call Diotrephes the Patriarch of the Presbyterians as one of them did to me not long since whereas if the place be duâ—ly weighed and considered it will appear that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian Govenment and for the which he was by Saint Iohn sharply reproved and in him all that follow his steps and will not submit themselves to the Presbytery which is Gods Ordinance and that will not receive the brethren into the Churches but upon their own termes and conditions But of this businesse when I come to the second Question In the mean time I must here make reply to what Mr Knollys by way of Answer hath to say to this Argument drawn from Diotrephes his practise which was occasioned as I related before by reason of a discourse between me and an Independent who affirmed That Diotriphes was the patriarch of all the Presbyterians which opinion of his Mr Knollys doth seem to favour as by his words may appear but I hope to make the contrary
tongue And truly unlesse there be some controversie concerning the Interpretation or about the text as there is not here I conceive it the greatest folly in the world writing in the vulgar tongue and for the common benefit of all men to insert sentences either of Greek or Latin except very varly for it but pudders the reader that is not skilled in the languages neither do we finde that it was the custome either of the holy Prophets or any of the ancient Greek or Roman fathers in all their Writings or Sermons to use any but their vulgar tongue without it were very seldom and that with interpretation I say therefore those flashes being excepted I have punctually set down all that he had to say against any of my arguments both here and every where that neither he nor any of his party may complain that I had not set down their words in their full strength and so might fall into the same condemnation with him who hacketh and minseth my arguments at pleasure picking and choosing what he thinks himself best able to deal with either wholly omitting the other or slighting of them which is the ordinary method both of Mr Knollys J. S. and my brother Burton and all the Independents wherein they deal not fairly with me nor ingenuously nor candidly with the people for in so doing they delude them and meerly play the juglers This large discourse of Master Knollys if it be well weighed hath but little substance in it it consisting of absurdities and contraditions and flat denyalls of that which he often granteth In breife if the reader will but duly consider every passage of his answer with whathe grants in the third and the 11. pages of his pamplet he will speedily perceive that whiles he labours to confute others he gives a fatall blow to his own cause and overthrowes that opinion which both he and all those of the congregationall way labour to maintaine and withall by the examination of the particulars he will the better discerne into the futility of Master Knollys and the vanity of those of his party that beleeve take every word of his for an Oracle though it be never so distructive totheir own cause The sum of this his answer is this that I am mistaken in my comentary exposition and application of this place of Scripture These are his words It will not be amisse therefore in the first place to take notice what he denyeth in his answer and what he affirmeth with the reasons of both that the reader may the more easily perceive the vanity of error and the force and efficacy of truth First he denyeth that Diotrephes would have had an absolvte jurisdiction within himself and have had his Congregation independent and that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian Government or that he had any particular congregation He deneyeth also that Saint Iohn knew any Court or Common counsell of Presbyters either Classicall or Synodicall to appeale to his time The reasons of his denyals are these First because saith he there is no mention made of any particular congregation Diotrephes had Secondly it is not declared what it was that Saint Iohn had writ unto the Church in his Epistle nor in any other Scripture except it were to receive those brethren which Diotrephes would not receive and therfore how saith God can the Dâ— affirme that Diotrephes asmed theypower to himself which belonged unto the Colledge and councell of Presbyters c and to prove that Diotrephes was not the first that opposed the Presbyterian government he saith had he done so then he should have been convented before them which he was not and therefore he did not oppose a Court or common Councell of Presbyters Besides Saint Iohn would then have wrot rather to the Colledge of Presbyters if they had been any such than to the Church or in writing to the Church would rather have sent him a summons to appeare at some Consistory than to warne them to take heede of his evill that they did not follow it and doubtlesse he would have written thus Diotrephes loves to be a Primate amongst you therefore when the Presbytery comes to keepe order and to meet together in a Court common Councell I will remember his deeds and informe and complaine to the Court that he prats against us with malicious words Now when neither of this was done by the Presbytry nor by Saint Iohn it is manifest that Diotrephes did not oppose the Presbytry and that Saint Iohn then knew not of any Court or common councell of Presbyters either Classicall or Synodicall to appeale to in his time And then in the third place he putteth me upon the proofe of those appeales I made mention of page 10. affirming that I cannot make them good And in the last place he afferteth that Saint Iohn wâ—it to the Church and particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a member and that that congregation had power to judge of him and the reason of this his assertion is because saith he this Church had the same power over Diotrephes that the Church of Corinth and that of Colosse had over their members Having thus briefly set down what Master Knollys both denies and affirmes with the reasons of each I shall now answer to every severall branch in order and if I be the more large in my reply I crave pardon in regard it is not only a businesse of publicke concernment and about the principle question now in debate but that it will give the more light to the wholo following discourse For answer therefore to his reason of my mistake in my commentary exposition and application of that place of Scripture viz that there is no mention made of any particular congregation that Diotrephes had I say there was no neede of making any mention of it For if there were many Presbyters in all the Primative and Apostolicall churches and in that Church by name in which Diotrephes was Presbyter as it is evident out of all the places above quoted as out of the 14. of the Acts and the 15. and 20. and 21. of the same booke and the Epistle of Paul to Tit. Chap. 1. ver 5. and the 1. Epist oâ— Pet. chap 5. ver 1. 2. 3. and the 13. of the Heb. and Saint Iames the 5. and the 3. Epistle of Saint Iohn which Master Knollys himself acknowledgeth and if it be also apparently evident from all those severall Scriptures as it is that those Presbyters were fixed with in their particular jurisdictions with a speciall charge given them in common to looke unto the flocks committed unto their charge and to feede the Church of God which he had redeemed with his precious blood which word feede includes the Keys to wit the power of order and preaching and the authority of jurisdiction and rule and from the which charge they were not to depart as too too many of the Independent Ministers now amongst us dayly do
that would have received them yea and cast them out ver 10. of the Church to wit excommunicated them but doth it hereby appear saith he that Diotrephes would have his congregation independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it selfe Nâ— saith he but Diotrephes would lord it over the Church and have the Preeminency above his brethren whether fellow Elders or fellow Saints By the way take notice that in Master Knollys his opinion Diotrephes was a Saint Saint Diotrephes therfore let him be even such another Saint as himselfe and his brethren are Diotrephes saith he loving the primacy amongst them would be the Primate and Metropolitan of the Church and have the preeminency of all the Presbyters in it and brethren of it And why therefore should the Doctor marvell that his brethren should now urge this place against the Court of Preshyters Thus Master Knollys while he seemes to answer most maliciously and wickedly calumniates his brethren and labours to perswade the world that the presbyters of our times are like Diotrephes in affecting Supremacy over their fellow Presbyters and over the churches and all this to inrage the people against them when it is they themselves that would bring all men under their slavery and have an absolute authority and jurisdiction Independent in their severall congregations within themselves which was the sinne of Diotrephes But out of Master Knollys his words it appeareth that Diotrephes had a particular congregation For Church and congregation are Synonimaes in his Dialect which is yet more clearely evident from his words page the 7. which are these Therefore saith he the Apostle writs to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a member and an Elder who he knew had power to judge him These are Master Knollys formall expressions out of all which it doth now evidently appeare that there were many Presbyters and many congregations in that Church Saint Iohn writeth unto and that Diotrophes had his particular congregation amongst them for so Master Knollys doth in expresse termes acknowledge and in so speaking contradicts himselfe and vindicates me from the error he accused me of who affirmed I was much mistaken in my commentary exposition and application of that place saying there was no mention made of any particular congregation Diotrephes had And yet here he asserteth that Saint Iohn writ to the church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a member and an Elder so that he hath done my worke for me once and again and made himselfe guiltie of that fault he charged me with page 6 and page 7. By which all men may see not only the contentiousnesse and restlesnesse of the creatures spirit and the folly of the man who contradicteth himselfe at every hand but may also gather that that Church consisted of many congregations all the which made but one Church within its precinct and was to be governed by the joynt consent and common counsell of the Presbyterie and that Diotrephes aspiring to the primacy amongst them and seeking to stand singular by himselfe with his congregation and to be Independent and to have no relation or reference to the Presbyters of that Church became an offender by it and was therefore severely reproved by Saint Iohn for his so doing in opposing his brethren in taking in and casting out of what members he pleased by his sole and absolute authority all which Mr Knollys accordeth to whether therefore this were not to make his congregation Independent and whether Diotrephes was not the first that opposed the Presbyterian government and affronted a Court and common councell of Presbyters seeing we read of none that did these things before him and whether those that now seek to establish an absolute jurisdiction in every congregation within themselves Independent be not rather like Diotrephes than those godly Ministers that desire the government in common according to Gods holy word I leave it to the judgement of the learned to consider and whether or no Mr Knollys doth not palpably contradict himselfe in all this his discourse for he acknowledgeth that Diotrephes had his particular congregation and opposed the Presbyters in it and that he did evill in usurping authority over the church and those brethren he cast out and yet notwithstanding he said it was more then he knew or I could prove Whether this therefore be not to contradict himself and to say and unsay and meerly to trifle I leave to the judgement of all intelligible men I conceive that all men that are but of ordinary capacity when they shall well consider my argument and Mr Knollys his reply unto it will say that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe which belonged to the Colledge and councell of Presbyters for if he had not bin a transgressour and an offender against Saint Iohn and the other Presbyters the Apostle would never have said Wherefore if I come I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious wordes c. so that by us there must necessarily be understood Saint John himselfe and the other Presbyters for he includes himselfe in the number of those that Diotrephes prated against and opposed Now Saint John was an Elder for so he calleth himselfe and Mr Knollys acknowledgeth it and confesseth also that there were many more Elders in that Church and against all those did Diotrephes prate with malicious words in opposition to their authority which Mr Knollys doth not gain-say yea he affirmrth it that Diotrephes would lord it over the Church and have the preeminency above his brethren whether fellow-Elders or fellow-Saints he would be Primate saith he and Metropolitan of the Church and have the preeminency of all the Presbyters in it and Brethren of it Doth it not then sufficiently appear from Mr Knollys his own words that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe that belonged to the Colledge and councell of Presbyters and that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian government and that affronted the common-councell of Presbyters without speaking of malicious words against them lording it over the Church and taking in and casting out of members and ruling after an arbitrary way and with a sole power and authority within himselfe in his congregation and violating that order of government God had established in that Church be not in Mr Knollys and those of his parties judgement to assume that authority to himselfe that belonged unto the councell of Presbyters and openly to oppose the Presbyterian government and to affront all the Presbyters which were ridiculous in any man to affirme I am confident all intelligible Christians will say there was never any opposition of any court or councell of Presbyters if this were not and yet Mr Knollys saith it is more then he knoweth or I can prove that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe that belonged unto the Colledge of Presbyters or that he opposed the Presbyterian government and yet acknowledgeth the thing in formall words whether
therefore he doth not again and again contradict himselfe and confirme my argument and fight against his own opinion I leave it to the judgement of the learned I shall also desire the reader seriously to consider with himselfe whether these words of Saint Iohn Wherfore if I come saith he I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words do not necessarily inferre that there was a Court and common-councell of Presbyters in that Church to appeal unto in Saint Iohns time For to what purpose otherwise should St. Iohn have said If I come I will remember his deeds if there had bin no power and authority in that Church to have called Diotrephes to an accompt and to have punished and censured him But saith Mr Knollys If Diotrephes had affronted the Court and common-councell of Presbyters why was he not convented before them Surely the Apostle and Elder Saint John would rather have writ to the Colledge of Presbyters if there had bin any such than to the Church and would rather have sent him a summons to appear at some Consistory and would have writ thus Diotrephes loves to be a Primate among you wherefore when the Presbytry come to keep order and to meet together in a councell I will remember his deeds and informe against him that he praâ—eâ— against us with malicious words but the Apostle did not know of any such Court or councell of Presbyters to appeal unto Thus Mr Knollys triflingly cavilleth As if Saint Iohn and the Presbyters had been all ignorant of their duty and as if in writing unto the Church Saint Iohn did not in that write to the Presbyters in it also as well as Christ writing unto the seven Churches and in sending unto them did not also write unto the Angels and Presbyters in them when we learne from all those Epistles and from the holy Scripture that the government of all those seven churches as of all the Apostolicall churches through the world lay only on the Presbyters shoulders which Mr Knollys also assenteth unto saying page 11. That it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they were Elders So that it cannot be denied but in his writting to the Church he writ unto the Presbyters principally who were the Officers in it and the cheife members of it and knew very well that there was a Court of Presbyters in that Church who would in convenient time have called Diotrephes to an accompt though Saint Iohn had never come thither but he signifying that when he came he would remember his deeds made them retard their proceeding against him for a time that he being a fellow-Presbyter with them as Peter was with those Presbyters he writs unto 1 Epistle Pet. chap. 5. might have the hearing of the cause amongst the other Presbyters all which sufficiently confirmeth that Saint Iohn did acknowledge a common councell of presbyters in that Church to appeale unto And therefore all Master Knollys his whibling questions are vaine and meerely to delude the people for what man is there so stupid or so unexperienced in matters of government or but understands the practice of our times in every corporation or Committee through the Kingdome that knowes not if any Alderman of any Corporation or any Commissioner of any Committee should affect a particular domination to himselfe over his fellow-Aldermen or Commissioners or over the people that were under their charge whenas they are by their charters and Commissions to governe their several corporations Hundreds Rapes Ridings or Wapentaks by the common consent and joynt counsell and aggreement of them all so that no order made without their combined authority or the joynt consent of them all or the major part of them should be binding and of force I say who doth not know that if any of those Aldermen or Commissioners contrary unto their Charter or Commission should not onely assume unto himself a particular power of ruling and ordering things by himselfe and of giving Lawes unto others and in bringing in or putting out either in the Corporation or Committee whom they pleased and should also use disgracefull words against their fellow-Aldermen or Commissioners that any either Alderman or Commissioner doing any of these things doth not oppose the Corporation Committee with the commissioners in them and by that offend against their government and deserveth thereby severely to be punished And who doth not likewise know that if either any of the Aldermen or any of the Commissioners should understand of this their disorderly carriage and should informe the Corporation or Committee of it by letters and say that when he came he would remember his deeds by these his expressions doth not acknowledge likewise that there is both in the corporation and committee a standing court in which there was power at all times for the punishing and censuring of any such offender I am most assured that he will so conclude that there is a court there and withall will say that this or that commissioners information doth no way impeach or hinder the proceedings of that court or minorise its power but that it may go on to censure such as shall offend against their authority if it can be proved by others though that commissioner that informed against him should not be present And even so it was in the Church Saint John writ unto it had a court and power within it selfe of proceeding against Diotrephes and would have used it against him whether S. Iohn had come or no although we may suppose that they did not proceed against him till Saint Iohn came yea I shall make it good out of Mr Knollys his words that there was a court in that church But by this I say it appeareth that Saint Iohn knew very well that there was a court or councell of Presbyters to appeal unto in his time in that church though Mr Knollys affirmeth the contrary peremptorily asserting that S. Iohn knew no such Court to appeal to and that I cannot prove any such appeals But it is ordinary with M. Knollys to confute the holy Scriptures and to contradict himself as he doth both here and in all other of his answers as in their due places we shall see For what Christian ever with deliberation did read the Scripture that can beleeve that St. Iohn could be ignorant that there was a court and Presbytry in every church when M. Knollys himself acknowledgeth it Without doubt Saint Iohn knew the government that was then established in all churches as well as Mr Knollys He could not be ignorant what government God had appointed established in every church which was a Presbytery as appeareth from all the places above quoted which was a Court to wit a company of officers in every church armed with power authority from God himself within their severall Presbytries to order rule and govern the people under
them and to convent any offender before them and to proceed against him by censure and punishment If the crime layd against him were sufficiently proved and that the people under them were to yeild obedience unto them in the Lord such a power was every Presbytery invested with through all the Apostolicall churches and this Mr Knollys hath acknowledged in divers places in this his Pamphlet in this his very answer concerning Diotrephes as we shall see by and by And all this S. Iohn could not be ignorant of and that in the Church of Ierusalem in which hee was both a Pastor and a Member that the Presbytery ruled there and that all the people made their addresses as well for the good of their soules as for the better rectifying of abuses to the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church and appealed alwayes unto them and never applyed themselves unto the people or the multitude as we may see in these particulars as First when they were pricked in their hearts they applied themselves unto the Apostles for direction saying men and brethren what shall we do Acts 2. they went not to the church or people but to the Apostles knowing that the Ministers were their guides and that they were to be directed by them and that they were bound to obey them And so in the fact of Ananias and Saphira his wife when they had purloyned the goods of the Church for whereas it was ordered and agreed upon by common consent that the price of those possessions that were sold should be layd down at the Apostles feet and that distribution should be made unto every man according as he had need contrary to this order Ananias kept back part of the price Saphira his wife also being privy to it Hereupon the people appeal unto the Apostles in whose hands the government then lay and who had power to censure and punish them as they did for that their delinquency as it is to be seen Acts the 5. they went not to the people and Church but applyed themselves to the Presbytery and of this proceeding Saint John was not ignorant Again when the widdowes were neglected in the daily ministration for the taking away of this abuse they appealed unto the Apostles as we may see in the sixt of the Acts and not unto the Church or people who ordered that businesse and determined the controversie amongst them to which the people assented This also Saint Iohn was not ignorant of And he knew very well that the Presbytery in Ierusalem and all other Churches had power to send any of the Apostles or their other Ministers into any other place to preach or upon any message as we may see it Acts the 8 and Acts 14 15. For the Presbytery of Ierusalem sent Peter and Iohn to the City of Samaria to preach amongst the people there which they could not have done except the Presbitry had had power and authority in their hands over theÌ„ we see also the same in the Church of Antioch where they sent Paul and Barnabas and their ministers to the Presbitry at Ierusalem the Presbitry of Ierusalem they likewise sent their decrees by their Ministers through all Cities and Churches which they could not have done had they not had authority over the Ministers Again S. Iohn knew very well that the power of admitting of members lay not in the peoples hands for we read Acts the 9. When Paul came to Ierusalem and assayed to joyn himself to the Disciples and that they being affraid of him believing not that he was a Disciple St Paul appeals from them to the Presbytery of the Apostles in whose hands the government lay and declaring unto them how matters were they admitted him into fellowship with them without the consent of the people their good liking for the government did not belong unto them All these proceedings Saint Iohn knew very well and therefore could not be ignorant that there was a Court and Councell to appeal to in all Churches Yea Saint Iohn knew also that the Presbytry of Ierusalem had power and authority over any of the Apostles and did upon any occasion convent them before them as we may see in the 11. chap. and 21. where Peter was called before the Presbytery for going in to the Gentiles and was therefore to give an accompt of his actions there which he did all with shews there was there a standing Court and so in the 21. chapter the Presbytry gave Saint Paul an order and direction how to behave himself toward the weak ones which he followed all which shewes that they only had the power in their hands and that there was a court there and that it belonged not to the people all these things I say S. Iohn was not ignorant of therfore knew very well that in that Church also where Diotrephes was a Presbyter there was a Court and Common-councell of Presbyters to appeal unto or else he would never have said If I come I will remember his deeds But why should I spend time in proving that which to any understanding man is as evident a nd clear as almost any other truth in the holy Scripture especially when Mr Knollys hath proved it himself in formall words in many places in this his answer for he confesseth that there was a Presbytery established in every Church and that the government of those Churches was put into the Presbyters hands and that the people were to obey those Presbyters as their guides and in expresse termes page the seventh saith Therefore the Apostle writes to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a Member and an Elder who he knew had power to judge him as well as the Church or particular Congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were Members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. And therefore might as warrantably admonish Diotrephes as the Church of Colosse might Archippus Coloss 4. verse 17. in these words He confesseth that Saint Iohn knew that the Church whereof Diotrephes was a Member and Presbyter had power to judg him which doth necessarily infer that there was at that time a court there for judgement and censure and inflicting of punishment is the act of a court or Magistracy and of those that are in authority and armed with power besides for further illustration of his meaning he saith that the church Saint Iohn writ unto had the same power over its Members that the church of Corinth had over its Members Now all men that have read the first and second Eâ—istle of Paul to the Corinthians know very well that there was a court in the church of Corinth with plenary authority from Christ himselfe both to convent and censure and that with the severest punishment those that did publikely scandalize the Gospell as is evident by the excommunication of the incestuous person now if that church that St. Iohn writ unto were equall in power to that of Corinth and that
of Colosse and to all the other Apostolicall churches as Mr Knollys confesseth and laboureth to prove then these conclusions will necessarily follow from his argumentations The first that Saint Iohn could not be ignorant that there was a court and common-councell of Presbyters in that church to appeal unto for Mr Knollys saith that Saint John knew that that Church had power to judge Diotrephes and therefore in this contradicteth himselfe for in the sixth page he affirmed that Saint Iohn knew not any such court 2ly it follows that there was an Uniformity of government in all the Apostolicall and Primitive churches W ch wholy overthroweth the tenent of many of the Independents who hold the contrary so that one church had not one manner of government and another church another manner of government peculiar unto it selfe and distinct from the other but they were all governed alike by their severall Presbyteryes and had equall authority and power within their severall precincts as the church at Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth in all which there were many congregations and yet all of them made but each of them a particular church within their respective jurisdictions and were all to be governed by the joynt consent of there severall Presbytries And lastly that this order of government was to be perpetuated to the end of the world which when Saint Diotrephes laboured to violate in assuming it to himselfe and his congregation both hee and all these that follow his steps deserve severely to be punished for it as prevaricators against both precept and example of all well ordered churches and Christians And this shall suffice to have replyed by way of answer to what Mr Knollys had to say for proofe that Saint Iohn knew not of any Court or Common-councell of Presbyters either classicall or synodicall to appeal unto in his time And now I come to make good those appeals I made mention of page 10. which Mr Knollys thinketh a thing impossible for me to do to wit That every particular man as well as any assembly or congregation may have their appeal to the Presbytery of their Precinct Hundred or Division under whose jurisdiction they were and if they finde themselves wronged there then they have appeales to some other higher Presbytery or Councell of Divines for reliefe and justice These appeales Master Knollys saith I cannot make good to be according to the Scripture of truth although the having recourse by appeales from Inferiors to Superiors and from one Court to another is so evident by the very light of nature and approved of by the practice of all Nations and Churches in all ages and is also so apparent by the holy Scriptures both of the old and new testament as there is scarce any truth more obvious to all understanding men yet Master Knollys peremptorily asserteth that they cannot be made good out of the Scriptures of truth so that it is manifest to all men that be there any truth never so perspicuous he is resolved to beleeve nothing but what he conceiveth to be according to the Scripture of truth Therefore for the gratifying of Master Knollys and all such as with candour and ingenuity and without any prejudice shall reade the insuing lines I shall in this place adde something more fully and distinctly to that which I spake in the foregoing page for the proofe of those appeales I mentioned page 10. and sufficiently evince they are warranted by the Word of truth and for that purpose I shall first produce the authority of holy Scriptures and bring forth some Presidents out of the unerring word for the confirmation of the same and then I shall also ratifie the use of appeales by reasons and from the practice of all ages in all Nations And all this I shall the more willingly do in this place although it is done againe and againe in this treatise and onely because Master Knollys affirmeth that I cannot make good that appeales be according to the Scripture of truth And for proofe ofthis I will begin with that of our Saviour Matth. 13 vers 15. Wherefore saith he if thy brother shall trespasse against thee go and tell him of his fault betweene thee and him alone c. But if he heare thee not appeale higher to two or three more And if he shall neglect to heare them appeale yet higher tell it then unto the Church that is to the Court of Presbyters in that precinct So that from this place it is evident that appeales are warranted by the Word of truth for truth it self hath taught us the Doctrine of appeals And for Presidents of appeales there are many in the New-Testament to say nothing of the Old To begin with that in the 5. of the Acts which we finde recorded after Christ's ascension in the questioning of Ananias and Saphira whereas by conjoynt argrement it was appointed and ordered amongst them that all things should be common and that selling their possessions they should bring the price of them and lay it also at the Apostles feet which very expression signifieth and denoteth what great authority and power the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Jerusalem were then in and sufficiently declares that there was a Court there as all the carriage of that businesse doth abundantly prove I say therefore when they had made such an order by common consent and when it was found out that Ananias and Saphira his wife had not dealt faithfully in that businesse nor according to publike agreement but had consented together to deceive their brethren and by that had scandalized the Gospel the Church or people for the redressing of this abuse take not the matter into their owne hands nor challenge not any power unto themselves for the punishing of Ananias and Saphira as well knowing their place then and that the government did not belong unto them but to the Elders and Rulers over them they appeale therefore unto the Apostles and make their complaint unto them and exhibit their Articles against Ananias and Saphira as both guilty of the same crime whereupon they were convented before the Apostles as Delinquents Peter then being there president and chiefe judge and finding them guilty sentenced them both from God himselfe and punished them for their sinne with death by which we may take notice not onely of an appeale but that there was a standing Court of Presbyters in Jerusalem and that they had in it plenary power from Christ for the tryall and punishing of all offenders and of casting them out of the Church if Scandalous as well as the Church of Corinth and it stands with all reason for Jerusalem was the mother Church and therefore was inferior to none of the Daughter-Churches and to this Court of Presbyters were all appeales ever to be made by the people of that precinct as this one instance doth sufficiently declare And that other president in the 6. of the Acts where we have a second appeale upon an other publike
Independent Governments are such they are their own inventions and that government only of the Presbyters is Gods Ordinance as having both precept and Presidents for it in Gods Word upon which they depend and this is my opinion and not that which Master Knollys would grollishly put upon me and this shall suffice for answer to that peece of non-sense of his And now I come to the last branch of his answer and that which I undertooke to make Good and prove viz. that the people and congregation in any Church have not power to judge their Ministers which Master Knollys affirmeth they have and for instance produceth the Church of Corinth and that of Colosse understanding by Church the people who he saith had power over the members miserably mistaking himself and abusing the ignorant and simple soules by it as will by and by appeare to those that can discerne things that differ or are but a little acquainted in matters of government either Ecclesiasticall or civill For if men do once but rightly understand what a Church is according to the discription of a Church as it is laid down in the New-Testament and consider withall of the parts and members of that Church which by Saint Paul is compared to the body of a man they will easily perceive that the governors and rulers are compared unto the head and all the noble parts of the body as to the eyes eares hands c. which are to guide and governe all the other members in the body and that all the other members under them are to be ordered and ruled by the head and other more noble parts and are to follow their direction so that it is in the Church of God as it is in the body of man some are to rule and others to be ruled in it and whose place it is ever to obey For none of the members of the body leave their stations unlesse they by violence be cut off as all rationall creatures do very well know For the head is ever the head the eye is ever the eye the eare is ever the eare and the hand is ever the hand c. For Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. vers 27. Now yee are the body of Christ and members in particular And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers after that miracles then gifts of healing helps in Government diversities of tongues are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c intimating that the Apostles and Prophets and Teachers and helps in Government in the Church every of them keepes their stations to wit they that are once Apostles Teachers or Governors doe continue in the Church in their severall places ever so to be and never lose their places but alwayes to the day of their death remaine and continue still to be Apostles Prophets Teachers and Rulers according to that in the fourth of the Ephesians vers 11. Where Saint Paul saith He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and for the worke of the Ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ till we come all into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ We finde not in all the holy Scripture that any of those true Ministers were at any time degraded or lost any thing either of their Titles or of their authority but as God had put the rule and Government of the Church into their hands and had given them the power of the Keyes and made them Stewards in the Church which is his body so they were ever to be the head eyes eares and hands for the governing and well ordering of the Church We finde likewise that in every severall Church of the New-Testament there was a Presbytery ordayned as Acts the 14. c. and that the Presbyters had the Government of those severall Churches put into their hands that the people and members of those Churches were commanded to obey their Presbyters as their guides whom God had set over them Heb. 13. as Master Knollys and all the learnedst of the Independents do acknowledge We finde likewise by the practise of the Church of Jerusalem the President of all other Churches that the people there for the redressing of any abuse amongst themselves assumed not the power into their own hands but applied themselves and made their addresses and appeales to the Presbytery and that they ordered every thing according as they thought good and that the people willingly submitted themselves to the order We finde further that for all acts of government as questioning any offendoâ—s for the censuring and punishing of them for ordination of Officers and excommunication it was done either by the sole power and authority of the Apostles or by the Presbyteries of the Church and those that were in office and not by the multitude as is manifest by that in the 2. of the Cor. chap. 2. ver 6. a place so much abused by the Independents sufficient saith the Apostle to such a man is the censure which was inflicted of many So that it was not inflicted by all the people but by such only in whose hands the power lay which was the Presbytery and therfore the Apostle saith by many or of many And truly if we would but duly reade the Epistles of Saint Paul to Timothy and Titus which were writ to them and in them to all the Ministers of the New-testament in all ages to come and observe the rules set downe in them which are to continue to the ende of the World we shall finde that for all Acts of government and for the well ordering of the Church it is only committed into the hands of the Ministers and presbyters of the severall Churches through all Nations and that to them only belonged the managing of the Goverment as the rulers and Stewards of the same and that all power and authority of Government peculiarly belonged unto them and that the people had nothing to do with it but to obey Again if we look but into the seven Churches of Asia Revel 2. 2. We shall finde that all the Epistles Christ writes unto them are directed to the Angels and Ministers of those severall Churches as upon whom the Government of those Churches lay and who had both the praise of well doing and blame of any evill either committed or tolerated by them for seeing they were appointed by Christ himselfe to be the Stewards and Guides of those Churches and to be the Governours of the same all the blame of the malversation of any of the members in them is imputed unto them as if they themselves had been the cause of it as not using their Authority for the redressing of those abuses So that it is apparently evident through the whole New Testament That the Ministers and Presbyters
this truth is so well known and perceived by all such as will not wilfully blinde themselves as it cannot be denyed hourly experience furnishing men with Presidents of it For if any Delinquents be found out they are not hailed before the people but before such as are in authority there is not an ordinary Hew and Cry that is sent to any Parish but it is carryed to the Constable or his Deputy and to such in that Town or Village as are in place or authority so that the people trouble not themselves with it yea they will ordinarily say it concerneth them not it is not their place to intermeddle in the businesse of State that they affirme belonges to those that are in authority And as it is in the affaires secular and in the State so it is in the affaires of the Church those in authority in the Church are to mannage the affaires and businesses of the Church and not the people for God had appointed in all Churches in the New Testament which were but so many Corporations a standing Presbytery and Order of Ministers and Rulers in each of them in whose hands the government of them all within their severall Precincts and Jurisdictions lay the which Government they were ever to mannage and order by common consent and joynt agreement with which the people had nothing to do and with the which they ought not intermeddle for that had been to confound that Order God had established in each Church and this all well-instructed Christians knew and therefore in the Apostles times not any that I ever read of opposed that Government before Diotrephes who is blamed for this his temerity by St. John to teach all men not to do the like left they fall into the same condemnation so that they knew very well that howsoever all the Epistles of Sant Paul and the other Apostles were directed to the severall Churches of their times yet the managing of the affairs of those Churches belonged only unto the Presbyters Stewards and Angels of those respective Churches as we may see in those seven Churches of Asia where the Letters and the Epistles are directed to the Angels and Ministers of those Churches as those that had the Government of them in their hands and not to the people And so it was in the Church of Corinth a place that the Independents so much abuse Howsoever Pauls Epistles were directed to the whole Church yet the officers only and Presbyters of that Church had the managing of the whole businesse concerning the incestuous person both for the casting of him out and the taking of him in againe upon his repentance as is evident from the 2 Epistle and the second chapter where the Apostle saith sufficient to such a man is the punishment inflicted of many So that all the people did not censure him or inflict that punishment upon him but many to wit the Presbyters and those in authority in that Church And this agreeable to all reason and therefore Master Knollys is mightily mistaken in his Commentary exposition of this place and that of the Epistle to the Colossians in saying that as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and as the Church of Colosse had power to admonish Archippus Coloss 4. 17. so the Church whereof Diotrephes was a member might as warrantably admonish him These are his words in which there is a double yea a treble fallacy for first he taketh the word Church in another sense then the Scripture speaketh of it which in all the Epistles of the holy Apostles for the most part is taken collectively for a combination of many congregations under one Presbyterie within such a precinct and he onely understandeth it for a particular congregation and assembly and by this he deceiveth the reader 2ly By Church he understandeth the people the Presbyters excluded and saith that they had power to judge their Ministers whereas indeed though in all those churches there was a power yet it lay soely in the Presbyters hands and they only were invested with it and the people were ever to stand to their orders so long as they commanded in the Lord and the place of the people was to obey and therefore all that he saith about this businesse is a meere non sequiturâ—unc and this is the third error that insueth from groundlesse principles for this is not a good consequence Paul writing unto the Church of Colosse hath these words say unto Archippus that he take heed to his Ministry and writing unto the Church of Corinth the 1. and 5. saith vers 5. Deliver such a man unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh c. Ergo the people have the power in their hands over all the members of those Churches both Ministers and people This I assert doth not follow in all good reason No more then it will follow that if any Embassador should be directed to the kingdome of England now or if any Message should be sent unto any corporation of the Kingdome commanding such service from it to the State that the people in this Kingdom or the people in those corporations should intermedle in the affaires of publike concernment but all sound understanding men will say It belongeth to the great and grave Councell of the Kingdom to mannage publike affaires and to the Major and Aldermèn and the Common-councell of each Corporation to transact and order the publicke businesse and affaires and for this only reason because they are the men in those severall places that God and the people have invested with authority over them and it only belongeth unto them to order all affaires of publicke concernment who God and the people have called and appointed to this end and purpose And so it was in all the primitive and Apostolicall Churches the Epistles were writ to the churches but directed to the Angels and Ministers in them as whose place it was to watch over them for their good and who only had the power of the Keyes to bind and loose to cast out and take in according to Divine authority Yea all the world knowes that God never gave the Keyes to the people in any Church but to the Ministers therefore the authority of order and jurisdiction only belongeth to the Ministers and presbyters in every Church now when Master Knollys by Church understandeth a particular congregation or assembly and the people in it and not the Presbyteries in every Church he is much mistaken in his Commentary exposition and abuseth not only himself but all those poore deluded people that follow him Yea he destroyeth his own principles and those of the congregationall way for both he himselfe and I. S. do acknowledge That the Government lay in the Presbyters hands in every church Master Knollys his words to this purpose I have often ciâ—ed before and I. S. his words are these page 11. in asserting that the
Persbyters did rule the Church at Ierusalem and ordinarily other Churches whom do you hit saith he in his answer to me Sure not the Independents as you call them we grant it is their part to rule thus he but of these words in their due place In the meane time we may take notice that they acknowledge that the government of those severall Churches lay in the Presbyters hands who only had the ordering of the affaires of those Churches as the Stewards over them and whose place it was to receive any accusations and examine matters of scandall and to proceede against offenders by censâ—res and punishments upon evidence and proofe made against them as the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus do sufficiently evince And therefore it is not only against the Word of God but their own principles to invest the people with power and authority over their Ministers and their fellow members as to censure them or to exercise any Act of Government over them Neither doth Saint Paul in writing unto the Colossians and bidding them say to Archippus that he take heede to his ministry and in writing unto the Corinthians that they should cast out the incestuous person investe the people in either of those Churches with power and authority over either Presbyters or their fellow members For the power of reproofe and censure with authority belongs primarily and principally to the Pastors and Presbyters in every Church as the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus shew in the which all Ministers are taught their duty in their severall places who to admonish and how who to ordaine and who to cast out and how to exercise all other Acts of government as those of ordination excommunication and censure c. and all Ministers are to performe their offices judicially authoritatively not by way of charity which any Christian upon just occasion observing all the vitall circumstances of a well ordered reproofe and action as of time place and persons may do for there is a very great difference between the admonition of the Ministers and that of the people which lyeth in this that the Ministers doe what they doe in the Church as Officers and Magistrates and men in place and power and the people do it by way of charity and love and only out of Christian duty and not with any authority they have over the people and if their brethren will not heare them they can goe no farther then to take one or two more with them and if they will not heare them then to refer it unto the Church to tell and informe their severall Presbyteriâ—s of it the people are confined within these limets only and are not to exceede and go out of these bounds Whereas the Prâ—sbyters and Ministers by their place have the power in their hands to order them and censure them which the people have not Neither with any good reason will it follow if any private Christian may admonish a Minister failing in his duty that he hath power and authority over him for this one Member and Brother hath not over another as having nothing to do with another mans servant as Saint Paul sufficiently declareth in the fourteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans and although all Christians are commanded Coloss the 3. and in divers other places to admonish one another yet this proves not that they have rule power and authority over them because the Scripture witnesseth the contrary But the Ministers and Preachers of the Word they are to rebuke to exhort and admonish and censure as Embassadours Stewards and Governours appointed by God himselfe over them for this very purpose and end not onely to beseech and intreate them but if they be refractory and disorderly to punish and censure them and that by their place as they are officers and as they have received the Keyes whereas other Christians do their duty onely out of love as Brethren and not as Magistrates So that what the people do either in admonishing or exhorting it is out of charity or what they do in choosing of officers or casting out of offenders out of the Church it is either by denomination of them or in approving and assenting unto what the Presbytery doth as the Saints shall judge the earth so that it is not in the peoples power to hinder the casting out of any offender if he be proved scandalous or of receiving any into the Church or into any office of the same if they be thought fit and worthy of it for their gifts and graces for they have no power to do any of these things for these are all actions of such as are in authority and have the power of ordering things in their hands which I affirme was never given to the people And therefore those places quoted by Mr Knollys to prove the authority of the people over either their Ministers or Fellow-members are not for his purpose as bâ—ing misapplyed and abused as they are daily by the Independent Brethren So that to all rationall and understanding men from this reproofe of Diotrephes given by S. Iohn and this his censuring of him For usurping sole authority to himselfe and prating malicious words against Saint Iohn and the Presbyters of that Church he writeth to These two conclusions do necessarily follow The first That all such as affect an absolute jurisdiction in every particular congregation within it selfe Independent without any reference or relation to a Councell or Colledge of Presbyters and do speak malicious wordes against their Fellow-ministers and Presbyters and do cast out whom they please and bring in whom they will at pleasure upon their own termes and do rule after an arbitrary way all such violate the Ordinance of God and oppose that Government that he hath established in all churches by his blessed word and are guilty of the same crime that Diotrephes was and if they repent not will be severely punished for it but all the Brethren of the Congregationall way are such The second is this That all such Ministers and Congregations as give the authority and power of ruling and ordering the affaires of the Church into the hands of the people either wholly excluding the Ministers or joyning the people with them in the Government of the Church they thus leaving their station and calling wherein they were called are prevaricators and offenders against divine institution For God hath given the keyes the power of order and jurisdiction to the Ministers and Presbyters only and injoyned the people to obey them But such are all the Ministers and Assemblies of the congregationall way as leaving their station and calling wherein they were called Ergo they are all prevaricators and offenders against divine institution And thus much I thought fit by way of answer to reply unto all that Mr Knollys had to say against my argument drawn from Diotrephes and in defence of their congregationall practices There yet remaines one whibling cavill more in this his answer
that I may not passe by lest he should glory I could not answer it I will therefore say something to that and conclude this point and then go on to all his other fond answers to such arguments as he thought himselfe best able to incounter with His words are these in the conclusion of his Babble If saith he nothing of publike concernment ought to be done and transacted without the joynt mutual agreement and common consent of the Presbytery John the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farr as to take upon himselfe this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults and to say he would remember him and sharply reprove him and teach him to prate against the Presbytery with malicious words which belonged to the Court and Common-councell of Presbyters Thus Mr Knollys rather chatters than disputes in making such an inference from his own conceit And therefore for Answer let Mr Knollys know that there was no transgression in Saint Iohn against the Presbyters in taking such authority upon himselfe for S. John was an Apostle and an universall Pastor tyed to no one place or flock but had the same power and authority that Paul and all the other Apostles had over all the Churches the care of which lay primarily and principally upon them who were immediately inspired by God and in all their preachings and writings followed the dictates of his holy Spirit who spake in and by them so that whatsoever they taught or writ was to be the rule of all mens thoughts words actions and governments and it was their place to give Laws unto all Churches and Ministers in them what they should do in the ordering and governing of the same and therefore S. John had no lesse authority and power over this Church wherein Diotrephes was an Elder and in and over all other Churches then S. Paul and all the other Apostles had in all Churches Now if S. Paul could give a Law unto the Church of Corinth For the casting out of the Incestuous person and for the carrying of themselves with Order and Decency in their Assemblies and sharply reproove offenders in that Church and if all the other Apostles did the like and took such Authority upon them over all the members of those severall Churches and that without any transgression of any divine institution but with the very good liking and allowance of God himselfe who writ the Commandements of the Lord to all the Churches then I say Saint Iohn transgressed not at all in using his authority and power given him of God over Diotrephes in telling the Church of his faults and saying He would remember him and sharply reprove him for this he might well do by his sole Authority without any offence as he was an Apostle for what he did he did by immediate Revelation and had a warrant for it from Christ himselfe who sent his spirit to lead him into all truth And therefore it is a ridiculous if not an impious thing in Master Knollys to draw such an inference from a phantasie of his own brain in that he makes no difference between Saint Iohn and another ordinary Presbyter and Minister and would make that an offence which was none and infer that Saint Iohn took more upon him than he ought Besides it had been no transgression in any other Presbyter if he had writ so to any Presbytery under which he had been a fellow Presbyter to inform them of any miscarriage in either Pastor or member of that Church wherein he was an Elder and if he had said If I come I will remember his deeds c. For in his so speaking he would assume no more authority to himselfe then became a Presbyter to take upon him as both to witnesse to a truth and to give in evidence of what he knew of such a man to his fellow judges and then to leave it to the judgement of the Presbytery and Common Councell of Elders which Saint Iohn did whose place it was to censure such an offender and in his so doing he should no way impeach the power and authority of the Court or Common councell of Presbyters but rather ratifie and confirme it as all learned men will gather For by such words he declareth that there is a standing Court or Councell there where offenders are both to be questioned and censured for such an expression If I come I will remember his deeds sufficiently declareth that there was power in their hands and manifesteth that he was a judge there among the rest who with others had the hearing of all causes there and that all businesses of publike concernment ought to be done and transacted by the mutuall and joynt accord and agreement of the Presbytery and not to be managed by any one singly by himself or by the people whom God had never given the Keyes unto nor the power of rule and Government This I affirme will necessarily ensue and follow and not that which Mr Knollys vainly intimateth And I am confident that any judicious Christian upon due deliberation will say the same and will conclude That Saint Iohn in his so writing was no offender though all things of publike concernment in the Church were ever to be transacted by the joynt agreement and common consent of the Presbytery So that all men that are judicious may plainly behold the futility in both the answers and cavills of this man and well perceive that he was never cut out for a disputant or ever fitted for Government in church or State who if he might have his own minde would bring in a confusion in both and violate all order divine and humane and make the head the foot and the foot the head And truly if a man would but consider the manner of Government in their seven new Churches or rather seventy for every ten or twelve of them prove a Church he should find in them all so much disorder and discrepancy amongst them and yet every one of them pretending Divine authority for its particular government as he would advisedly conclude That God was never the author of them for God is a God of order and not of confusion for never since the world began was there such practiceâ— in any Christian Churches as are to be found in theirs And to speake the truth they are a meere mockery of all government for every one of those severall Churches be they never so slender and small assumes an absolute soveranity unto themselves Independent from all other Churches and Presbytries from the which there is no appeale be one never so much wronged And they are as so many free States and republicks every one of them ruling within themselves as absolute Magistracies And therefore upon all occasions if any difference arise betweene member and member in those Churches or betweene Church and Church as often they do as other Countries and Common-weales send their Embassadours to each other upon any difference or about states affayres
it I am so well assured that it is Gods Ordinance as I am of any point in Religion But as I said before if men may argue after this way The Presbyters in the Apostles times did miracles and sâ—ake with strange tongues and their Schollers and Disciples did the same doe you likewise and then we will acknowledge you to be true Presbyters otherwise wee will not Thus the Jewes might have argued against all their Prophets as against Isaiah Ieremy Ezekiel c. Moses and Elias fasted forty dayes and forty nights and did many miracles do you so and then we will beleeve you are true Prophets and sent to us of God otherwise we will not beleeve you to be true Prophets Yea all the wicked and ungodly men of these times may argue thus also God gave unto his Church Apostles Evangelists Prophets c. and they spake all strange tongues and divers languages and did many miracles but you and your Congregations have neither Apostles Prophets nor Evangelists nor ye have not the gifts of Tongues nor yee can do no Miracle Ergo you are not the true Church The Primitive Christians and the servants of God in those times had the gifts of Tongues and Prophesie and the holy Ghost came down upon them and they spake by direction from God his infallible truth and Gospell whose speeches were not tyed to time and to one speaker but many spake one after another by Interpreters as it is at large set down in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 14. vers 27. 28 29 30. c. So that they spake infallible truth by direction from God But you have none in your Congregations so miraculously inspired with sundry languages and divers tongues nor ye do not speake infallible truths by direction from God nor you cannot cure diseases nor do miracles Ergò your religion is not the same Religion nor your Congregations the true Church shew us these miracles and then we will beleeve you to be the true Church otherwise we may not we dare not acknowledge you to be the true Church Again they may argue thus The Apostles and Primitive Pastors and Teachers preached freely and laboured with their own hands and were helpfull to the necessities of others and were not burthensome and exacting from others and spake ex tempore by direction from God but your Ministers in your Congregations do not preach freely nor labour not with their own hands nor are not helpfull to to others necessities but are rather burdensome and exacting from others nor they do no miracles nor speake not immediately by inspiration and ex tempore but by Study and out of their Bookes and are confined to time and speake not in strange tongues and languages one after another by Interpreters Ergò Your Ministers are not Gods Ministers nor your Congregations the true Church nor your people true Christians for you want all those things that the Primitive Christians and the Primitive Churches had There is a Pamphlet lately come out and highly esteemed and prised amongst many full of such consequences as these which if they hold good against the Presbyters they may also for ought I know be of equall validity to overthrow not onely all Christian Congregations but indeed all Christian Religion But briefly to answer We look upon the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters as men miraculously and extraordinarily gifted and as wonder-working men for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospell to all succeeding ages and we consider in them and in the Christians of those times something extraordinary and temporary as their working of miracles and speaking of strange tongues and gifts of healing c. And those we conceive were to continue no longer in the church then for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospel Christ himselfe proclaiming those blessed that believe without seeing of miracles speaking unto Thomas Iohn 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me saith he thou believest blessed are they that have not seen and have believed So that miracles now are not ordinary and we are tied to the written Word But we consider likewise in the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters that that was permanent and to continue in all Ministers and Presbyters in succeeding ages to the end of the world and that was the power of order and preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which is not denied by the most learned of the Independents themselves and this I have proved by the Word of God to be transacted over to all Christian Churches whose Presbyters have that power given unto them neither will the Learned Brethren deny it whatsoever the ignorant may do Yea the very name of a Presbytery as I said before if we look through the whole Scripture signifieth a Magistracy or Signiory or Corporation invested with authority of governing and ruling and such a counsell and company of men as upon whom the government under Christ is laid and to be extended so far as their jurisdiction extendeth and as far as by common consent it may make for the good and edification of the church and for the safety of the same And such was the government of all those churches of the New Testament which were as so many Committees their limits and bounds prefixed them as at this dayall Committees through the Kingdom have in their severall Hundreds Rapes Wapentakes and Cities to whom the ordering and government of those places that are under them are committed so that all that is done or transacted must be done by the joynt consent and councell of the whole Committee not any particular man or any two of them severally considered by themselvs can make an order but that order onely is binding which is made by the joynt consent and common agreement of them all or the greatest part of them assembled together Even so all those particular Congregations that are within the compasse and jurisdiction of the severall Presbyteries are to be ordered and governed by the common and joynt councell of the severall Presbyters or the greater part of them For this was the order the Apostles established appointing in every City a Presbytery and when they had so ordered the Churches they set them all to their severall imployments the Presbyters to command and all the people and particular Assemblies and Congregations under them to obey neither is it ever found in the holy Scriptures that the people were joyned with the Presbyters in their Commission So that they that oppose this government resist Gods Ordinance And if we looke into all the Epistles writ by the Apostles to the severall Churches we shall finde in them That they enjoyne all the severall Congregations to yeeld obedience to their Pastors and Rulers over them and signifie unto them that they owe unto them double honour especially such as labour in the Word and Doctrine that is they must yeeld unto them not onely due reverence and subjection and obedience to their councell and just commands in the
Lord but that they should also afford them the honour of maintenance and take order there be a sufficient and competent yea an honourable allowance for their support and that as they minister to them spirituall food for their soules they should likewise minister unto them all things necessary for the maintenance of them and their Families that they may comfortably and without solicitous care follow their holy imployments and wait upon their severall Ministeries So that the place and imployment of the Presbyters is to teach and rule the people and this is their proper worke and peculiarly belongs unto them and the imployment and place of the severall congregations under them is to hear and obey and therefore if the severall congregations do assume unto themselves the power of ruling they take more upon them then by God is allowed them and the Presbyters in yeilding unto it reject their own right and devest themselves of that authority that God hath put into their hands and by so doing in time may not onely bring confusion into the Church but to all those Countries where such usurpations are tolerated I cannot but speake my conscience in this point And truly very reason dictates unto a man that they only should have the authority of commanding and ruling over the Churches to whom the power of the Keyes is given Now it is given only to the Ministers and Presbyters as we see it in Iohn 20. 21. and Matth. 18. 15 16 17 18. Where our Saviour Christ established a standing government to be continued to the end of the World the violating and the overthrowing of the which was the cause of all those confusions both in doctrine and manners that is now come upon the world and was the cause not only of the rise but the growth of Antichrist And the reducing of it again into the Church and the re stablishing of it will be the confusion of that Man of Sin and of all the Antichristian-brood and be a meanes of establishing truth and peace through the Christian world But it will not be amisse a little to consider that place in Matth. 18. If thy Brother saith Christ shall trespasse against thee go and tell him of it between thee and him alone if he shall heare thee thou shalt gaine thy brother but if he will not heare thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to heare them then tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen man and a Publican Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven In these words our Saviour Christ has respect unto the order and custome of judicature in those times in censuring mens manners and doctrines which among the Jewes was ordered and administred by an assembly and counsell of learned experienced and judicious men and by a Presbytery Consistory or Colledge of able men for government chose and selected out of the people for this very purpose by such as could judge and discerne of their abilities the which assembly and company is by Christ himself called a Church because it did represent the Church and in this place Christ did establish the like to be continued in the Christian church to the end of the world making his Apostles this representative body and their successors all the godly and holy Ministers and Presbyters and gives unto them the same power and Authority to judge and determine of all things belonging unto faith and manners that was observed in the Jewish church in all Ecclesiasticall Discipline For otherwise the Christian church should be inferior to that of the Jews if they had not the same Priviledges for the censuring of manners and Doctrines and the same power of jurisdiction and ruling that they had Now all power of jurisdiction among the Jews was exercised not by the promiscuous multitude or by the whole congregation nor by any particular man nor by two or three as the place above specifies but by an Assembly Senate Councell or Presbytery of understanding men assigned to that purpose which our Saviour himself calleth a Church this government established in the Christian church are the severall Presbyteries where all things are transacted by common and joynt consent and this was the practise of the Apostles at Ierusalem who did all businesse of publike concernment by common and joynt consent as is manifest in the first chap. of the Acts in chusing of an Apostle in Iudas his place and in the 5. chap. in censuring Annanias and Saphira and in the 6. chap. in chusing Deacons and in the 15. chapter in determining the question there in hand all in a Presbyterian way and by common consent And this is that government that God hath commanded to be perpetuated to the end of the world in these words Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven So that the Presbyters onely have the power of the keyes it is their place only to ordain Ministers and Church Officers whatsoever Authority the people may exercise in the chusing of them as Paul writes unto Timothy and Titus and they onely are to judge and determine and to censure in matters of manners and doctrine and the people are to allow and approve it according to the Word of God Yea the very Synagogues of the Jews which were the same that our churches are were governed by a Presbytery as our brethren acknowledge called by the name of the Rulers of the Synagogue who governed by joynt and common councell as is evident and manifest in that there were superior and inferior Judges Commanders and Rulers according as their yeares gravity and wisdome made them more emninent then others and venerable to the people as may appeare in many places as Acts 18. ver 8. It is said there That Crispus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved with all his houshould So that if there were a chiefe Ruler or Iudge or a President there must of necessity be a Councell or Segniory of inferiour ones that had Rule and Authority over others as well as he and where there is a chiefe Justice or Judge there are other Judges joyned with him as all reason perswades and there must needs be a Court of Judicature where all things are transacted by conjoynt and common consent and agreement and so it was in the Synagogues of the Jewes who were subject to and ordered by the determinations and abitrement of their Rulers and Governours So that the severall Churches or Synagogues under the Jews were in subjection to those Rulers and were governed according as by common councell they ordered And Mat. the 5. vers 22. And behold there came one of
I am most confident will by and by evidently appeare though all the former Arguments to the contrary should not so much as be thought of and withall it will also be obvious to any judicious man that in all respects their Argument makes much against themselves For if I should grant unto them That at this instant of time that that place speakes of the whole Church in Jerusalem or the number then of Beleevers were no more but that one place might have contained them all for the enjoying of all Ordinances which I cannot doe for innumerable reasons and some of them above specified yet it doth not follow nor evince that after there were daily such additions of Believers and such multitudes of new Converts added unto the Church that then also one place or roome could containe them all and that they might still meet in one Congregation and all together partake in all acts of worship For there is a vast difference betweene one hundred and twenty names for there was no more in this assembly and in many ten thousands which all the World knowes could not bee contained in any one place of Jerusalem to communicate in all the Ordinances though that place had equalized the most magnificent Structure that ever the World yet saw especially they could not have all met there to edification for they could not have all heard and understood and wee know that in the Church all must be done to edification and this would rather have hindred the mutuall edification of the assembly and have brought a confusion rather then any profit or benefit unto them But the truth is the number of names here spoken of if wee will goe to the genuine interpretation of the place not to speake of the universall consent of all the learned Interpreters who gather that in this assembly the seventy Disciples the Lord Jesus sent out to preach through all Judes and all those other Ministers of the Gospel that had beene Christs and Saint Iohn the Baptists Disciples every one of the which was thought fit for learning and divine knowledge to succeed Iudas in his Apostleship and to be a Disciple all these or most of them or such like were those that are included in the number of names I say to omit this Interpretation of all the most Orthodoxe Divines and their universall agreement and harmony in their learned Commentaries about this portion of Scripture the very words themselves following shew they were select and eminent men and men of note and Disciples of longest standing and all of them or the most of them Ministers and Preachers themselves and were indeed the Presbyters of the Church to whom with the Apostles the power of ruling was committed and who within themselves and without the consent of the common multitude of Beleivers had power to oâ—daine their own Officers and that by their own authority as we may see Vers 21. 22. Wherefore saith S. Peter of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Iesus went in and out among us beginning from the baptisme of Iohn unto that same day he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of the resurrection And they appointed two c. and they prayed c. and they gave forth the Lots c. all businesses here were managed and carryed in an Aristocraticall and Presbyterian way and all was done by a joynt consent and the common councell of them all Here wee finde none of the multitude of the people though Beleevers here were no Women that gave forth their lots Neither doth the Apostle Peter say Men Mothers and Brethren or Men Women and Brethren or Men Brethren and Sisters but Men and Brethren For howsoever in the foregoing Verses it is said that these meaning the Apostles and Elders all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his Brethren by which they fitted themselves for the Ministery after they should receive the Holy Ghost though I say they joyned with them in those duties of humiliation and prayer which any women may do in the society and company of godly Ministers yet when they went about other acts of Church government as choosing of an Apostle then the Apostles and Elders onely by themselves to whom the power of the Keyes was given ordered that businesse and left the Women to their private devotions and their severall imployments for in this action of giving forth their lots there is no mention of the Women And it is manifest from the Text it selfe that this choosing of Matthias was at another time and without all doubt upon a set day for this purpose for it is said Verse 15. And in those dayes Peter stood up in the middest of the Disciples and said Men and Brethren Here was onely Disciples Men and Brethren and no Sisters Till Pope Joans time and our dayes Peters Keyes never hung at any womans Girdle and we heare not in Scripture that they had any voyce in choosing of Church officers and admi ting of members into the Church or casting out of any till these unhappy times an usurpation not beseeming that Sex as afterwards in its due place I hope to make appear But this by the way Now to the matter in hand I say it is apparent to any that will not shut their eyes that all those or most of them that were in Peters company and at that time met together were capable of an Apostleship and such as were the most eminent of all Christs followers and such as were best instructed in Christian Religion as having been bred up in the doctrine of Saint Iohn the Baptist and under the Ministry of Christ himselfe the Prophet of his Church and therefore they were the Teachers of the Church and people who were their flock which they all fed in common And from thence it argueth That the multitude of Beleevers in Ierusalem was not onely a distinct company from them but that it was exceeding great and numerous that had so many Pastors and Teachers over them For if they had been but so small a company as is here mentioned and that the whole Church had consisted but of sixscore names then the Pastors exceed the number of the flocke which is not onely absurd to thinke but against the evident truth of the holy Scriptures which relate unto us multitudes upon multitudes that were dayly converted by the ministery of John the Baptist and of Christ and his Apostles and added unto the Church before this their meeting So that by this I have now said it is most clear and evident that all or most of these were the most eminent Ministers of the Gospell and the Presbytery of the Church But in this that our Brethren do acknowledge That this assembly here spake of were the church it makes as much against them and greatly for us for it is manifest from the Text
that they were the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell and in that they give them the name and title of the Church it followeth that the representative body and Presbytery is a Church and that to them onely belongs the power and authority of the Keyes according to that of our Saviour in Matth. 18 17 18. Tell it unto the Church c. and whatsoever ye binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven By which words all authority is put into the true Ministers hands so that they onely have the power and authority of ordaining Pastors and Presbyters among themselves as Paul sufficiently declares in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus and that they have not onely the title of the Church but a Charter and Warrant also granted unto them of ruling and governing the Church and of ordaining Church officers and that by joynt and common consent among themselves without the helpe and assistance of the people and congregations under them which by God were never joyned in commission with them And howsoever Paul in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 6. for the taking away the scandall in going to Law before unbeleevers gave them liberty to make choyce of somethat were least esteemed in the Church for the deciding of their controversies yet that did not authorize them to make choyce of all other Church Officers for he limits them to go no farther then to the choyce of such as are of least esteeme And howsoever likewise the Apostles in the 6. of the Acts to free themselves from all impediments that they might the better attend upon their Ministeries and that without interruption they might Preach the Gospell gave them liberty to chuse their Decons and Deconesses yet they prescribe the Rule by which they shall chuse them and keep the authority of ordaining them still in their own hands Looke you out among you say they men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and wisedome whom we may appoint over this businesse and when they had chose such saith the Scripture They put them before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them So that howsoever they gave unto them a Liberty to chuse yet it was with limitation not an absolute liberty for if they had chose men that had not been of approved honesty well gifted and wise and qualified as they appointed it was arbitrary in the Apostles to reject their choyce for they keep the power of Ordination still in their own hands and to them it did belong to ratifie their Election so that the people had not the power of Ordination then nor have not to this day no not of the meanest Deacon or Deaconesse that belongs onely unto the Presbytery much lesse have they power of ordaining Presbyters Indeed for the deciding of controversies and differences they have a liberty given them of making choise of some petty men amongst them and that they may do without the Presbytery but they have no power of Ordination Neither did I ever yet read in the Sacred Scriptures that the people or Congregation had any hand at all in choosing of Ministers and Presbyters neither were they fit for that imployment for it is one thing to judge of mans externall carriage and manners and another thing of his sufficiency for his indowments and abilities of learning and that men of learning and knowledge onely can do and the Sons of the Prophets and it is in speciall given in charge to the Presbyters and Ministers as it is manifest in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus 1 Tim. 4. 14. Tit. 1. And they onely know how rightly to examine them in the knowledge of the tongues and Sciences and such Arts as are requisite besides the knowledge of the holy Scripture all which are little enough for the making of a Minister compleat and fit for that Sacred imployment And all the Primitive Churches in the Apostles times willingly submitted themselves to what the Presbytery then did and assented to their choyce as in the 14. of the Acts vers 23. it appeareth But I say in that our brethren do acknowledge this company this hundred and twenty names to be a church and in that it is also sufficiently manifest that they are considered in a distinct notion from the people which also in the holy Scriptures when they are joyned with their Ministers are called a church as is frequently to be seen through the acts of the Apostles and in that it doth abundantly appear by what hath formerly been spoken and will yet in the following discourse be farther elucidated that there were many congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were all governed by the joynt consent and Common Councell of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom the Apostles themselves were subject who were sent this way and that way by their direction and to whom they were to give an account of their Ministery as we see in divers places in the Acts and were ordered by them what they should do and also made their appeals unto the Apostles and Presbyters in any businesse of common concernment I say in all these respects it is evident That the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies and was yet but one Church and that governed by a Presbyterian Government and by a Common Councell of Ministers to whose order all the severall Congregation were to submit themselves And therefore this their Argument maketh much against them and greatly for us And this shall suffice to have answered to this their first Objection which to speak the truth is that that carrieth the most appearance of any Argument they produce to prove their Assertion and tenent for all their other Objections raised from the severall meetings of the Apostles and people and from the multitude comming to them about the ordaining of Deacons by which they would perswade the world That the company of Believers in the Church of Ierusalem was not so numerous at any time but that they might all meete in one congregation or in one place to partake of in acts of worship they consist most of them in Homonymies and meere Paralogismes which indeed beseeme not the gravity of reverend men and in the weighty matters of Divinity would be undecent in a sucking Sophister and therefore are much more blameworthy in them who by such fallacies labour to amuse the people to the disturbance of the whole Church and Kingdome and alienating the affections of Brethren one from another I shall briefly runne over them Acts 2. 46. where it is related that the Believers and new Converts continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house From these words the Brethren conclude That the multitude of Believers was not so great but that they might all meete in one congregation and in one place to partake in all acts of
widdows were neglected in their dayly ministration Then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them and said It is not reason that wee should leave the Word of God and serve tables Wherefore brethren looke you out among you seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdome whom we may appoint over this businesse But we will give our selues contiunally to prayer and to the ministery of the Word vers 7. And the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient unto the faith In the which words we may take notice briefly of these observables The first of the cunning and policy of the Devill who when he cannot by all his wiles and stratagems assault the Church without then he labours to assaile it within as here with civill discords and differences among brethren and in other Churches in all ages even in and from the Apostles times by dissentions in opinions by Sects Schisms Factions and Heresies and by these his wiles and craft he first bringeth in difference in opinion and afterwards diversity of affection and that among brethren and all this he doth that in fine he may bring ruine upon them all And thus he began with the Church of Ierusalem raising a controversie between the Hebrews and the Greeks who complained That their widdows were neglected in the daily ministration as either that they were not made Deaconesses as the widdows of the Hebrews were or that there was not an equall distribution of the Almes according to the intention of the Church who sold their possessions and goods to that end that they might be parted to all men as every one should have need Acts 2. vers 44 45. chap. 4. v. 35. And this their supposition was the cause of that controversie The second observable is To whom the differing and dissenting parties did apply themselves and appeal and that was to the Presbytery or Colleage of Apostles not to any one of them particularly but to the twelve as in that difference at Antioch Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas and certain other of the Brethren in the Church of Antioch appealed to the Apostles and Presbyters and in both those differences all the Churches submitted themselves to the Apostles Order and that willingly and this example of the Apostles is the Rule for ordering of all controversies that all the reformed Churches set before them deciding all debates in Religion by the Word of God and according to the president they have laid downe unto them by the Apostles and Presbyters in Ierusalem Here I say the whole Presbytery and Colledge of the Apostles determined the businesse neither do we reade that the Assemblies of the Hebrews and Greeks at Ierusalem or the Church of Antioch pretended their own Independent authority though severall Congregations or challenged a power within themselves of choosing their own Officers or determining of differences amongst themselves or pleaded that they had Authority within themselves to make their own Laws by which they would be orderd or that they challenged any such priviledges unto themselves but they all appealed unto the Presbytery at Ierusalem as the supreamest Ecclesiasticall Court and freely submitted themselves to their arbitrement and to the Order they set down as the story specifieth The third observable is the imployment in which the Apostles were all taken up and the effect of it and their imployment is said to be continuing in prayer and the Ministery and preaching of the Word and the effect of this their Ministery was That the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith By all which it is most apparent that such multitudes being dayly added to the Church and where there was such variety of teachers and so many Apostles and all of them taken up in preaching and where there was so many different Nations and such diversities of tongues and languages as was in the Church of Ierusalem they could not all meet together at any one time or in any one place to edification and that they might all communicate in all the Ordinances but of necessity they must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would avoyde confusion and all that I now speak is evident by the very light of Nature and all reason and therefore it followeth That there were many Assemblyes and Congregations in Jerusalem and yet all made but one Church and that that Church was Presbyterianly governed But that I may make this truth more evidently yet appear I will first out the former discourse frame severall Arguments and then go on to the ensuing history And out of all these six chapters I thus argue Where there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by vertue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church of Ierusalem and the society of beleevers besides those that were convertedby John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministery before his suffering and to the which also there were afterwards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of the Priests joyned in so much that they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struâ—k a feare and terrour into them there they could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of Worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblies and Congregations But in the Church of Jerusalem there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by virtue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church and society of Beleevers besides those that were converted by John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministry before his sufferings and to which also there were after wards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of Priests also joyned insomuch as they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struck a fear and terrour into them Ergo They could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblyes and Congregations if they would all be edified For the Major it is so evident that I cannot beleeve that any rationall man will deny it for who yet did ever see an Assembly of above ten thousand people in any one place or Congregation that could partake in all the Ordinances to edification Yea to affirme this is to fight against common reason and dayly experience For the Minor it is proved by the severall places above quoted and therefore the conclusion doth also of necessity follow This Argument is so well grounded upon the Scripture of truth and corroborated also with such solid reasons as it is a wonderfull thing that there should bee any man
20. vers the 7. And our Brethren do not deny this And it is well known that the Primitive Christians had their meetings and assemblies in private houses as by the many places is manifest which I cited but a little before Besides the Sacrament of breaking bread is no Temple-ordinance and therefore could not be adminisâ—â—ed in the Temple with the safety of the Christians and Believers for if they were so highly displeased with the Apostles for preaching Iesus and the Resurrection in the Temple as it appeareth Acts 4. 2. They would not have suffered them to have administred the Sacraments there And if Paul was so assaulted Acts 21. 28. for being but supposed to have brought Greeks into the Temple what would these men have done if one should have brought in a new Ordinance and a new worship and service and that so contrary to their legall rights Surely the Iewes would never have suffered it neither do the Brethren contend for this Now it is well known that in the Primitive Church if not every day yet every first day of the Week at least they met together to break bread that is to receive the holy Sacrament which was never without preaching as we see in Acts 20. 7. and in the places above quoted in which it is said they dayly brake bread together and that in severall and particular houses and that of necessity must be for a few houses could not have held so many thousands as all reason will dictate and if they were or could be contained under one roof yet they must be forced to be in diverse and severall chambers or roomes So that what is done and spoke in the one the other knowes nothing of it so that they are still severall congregations as under the roofe of Pauls there are diverse meeting places where Men may partake in all Ordinances and they are called severall Churches and they that meet there several congregations though under one roof for the distinction of the places under one covert makes alwayes a distinct assembly as it is dayly seen in the severall Committees at Westminster where every Committee of both Houses have their severall roomes and equall authority and are yet all but one Parliament though distributed into so many severall assemblyes So here they had severall assemblies and that in severall houses as is declared and reason it selfe without any testimony of holy Scripture will perswade this for the Apostles they all preached and that dayly and they must have severall roomes to preach in to avoyde confusion for all things in the Church must be done in order and they must have severall auditories or assemblies or else they should preach to the walls so that if the Apostles would all preach and the people all heare of necessity they must be distributed into severall congregations and assemblyes to avoyde disorder and that there were severall congregations and severall assemblies the places above specified do declare and tell us So that there is no man that resolves not to oppose all truth that is contrary to his received opinion but may evidently perceive that there were many congregations and assemblies in the Church of Ierusalem and yet they all made but one Church and were govern'd by one Presbytery as the many Committees in both Houses are in divers roomes and make divers assemblies and have equall power and authority among themselves and yet they all make but one Parliament and all those severall Committees are govern'd by the joynt consent of the Great Civill Presbytery of the Kingdome which is all the Parliament and all this without confusion yea with most excellent order and decency This is the last argument I produced out of the above cited Scriptures to prove that there were many assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem before the persecution And concerning this argument Mr Knollys before he comes to answer it makes a little sucking preamble His words are these But the Doctor saith he hath one argument which is more to the purpose then all the other which I desire the reader seriously to consider page 64. Thus he His Answer to this Argument is as followeth I will set down all his own words which are these Now I desire the Reader to consider how the Doctor proves his Minor which he saith it manifest from Acts 2. 46. and chapter the 5. 12. 42. and chapter 3. 11. 12. and many more places that might be produoed page 64 65 66. In all which discourse the Doctor gives you nothing but his own suppositions and conclusions for the proofe of his Minor proposition which is his manner of discoursing through his booke This Argument saith he I answer First by denying the assumption or Minor proposition and the reason of my denying it is because the Scriptures produced by the Doctor do not in expresse words declare that there were divers assemblies and congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem The Scriptures quoted do in expresse words declare the contrary to what the Doctor would prove For Acts the 2. verse 42. 46. All that beleeved were together and they continued with one accord in the Temple And Acts the 3. 11 12. it is expresly said that all the people can together to them in the Porch which is called Solomons Acts the 5. 12. And they were all with one accord in Solomons Porch So that these Scriptures produced by the Doctor to prove that there were divers assemblyes and congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem who met together in severall places at one and the same time upon the first day of the weeke where they did partake in all Ordinances do expresly prove the contrary to wit that the Apostles and all the Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem met together with one accord in one place to wit in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domatim not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per singulas domos and thus they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quotidie day by day and they continued stedfast the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers and all that beleeved â—â—re together Acts the 2. v. 42 44 46. Yea the Doctor himselfe saith in his Minor proposition the latter part of it That the Apostles and all the Beleevers in Jerusalem did continue dayly with one accord in the Temple and that they brake from house to house and this shall suffice for refutation of what the Doctor hath written touching the first proposition Thus profound Mr Knollys confutes my arguments I have set down all his words at large And as he earnestly desired the Reader seriously to consider my Argument So I in like manner intreat him that he would but looke back upon it and advisedly weight whether there be nothing either in that or any other of my arguments and in all my discourse but my own suppositions and conclusions for proofe of what
nothing had beene granted by himself or said by me to prove it hee grollishly denieth it Secondly I shall intreat the Reader to observe how he doth not onely contradict himselfe but oppose all his brethren of the congregationall way for they all acknowledge That the church at Jerusalem and the government of that was to be a paterne of Government to all churches insucceeding times as being a most perfect paterne and the Mother church in imitation of the which Government as they pretend they mould up all their particular congregationall churches saying that as the church at Jerusalem had an absolute power within it selfe and was not dependent upon any other churches as being compleate within it selfe so ought every church in like manner after the example of that church to exercise all authority within it selfe and not have dependency on any other for in all particulars they avow the church of Ierusalem was a perfect formed church and the same they assert of all the Primitive and Apostolicall churches This I say is the Doctrine of all the Idependents besides himselfe that I ever have read or talked with yea my Brother Burton in the beginning of his Answer to his owne Argument saith that the first formed Church we finde is in the second of the Acts. Then if it was a formed Church as hee confesseth then there was nothing wanting unto it so that of necessity it must be a compleate and perfect church for that that is deficient and deformed that cannot bee said to be perfect and compleate and a formed church now if it were a formed church as he above said then it was a perfect and an entire church as all rationall men will easily and readily gather And yet notwithstanding here he affirmeth that it was not a perfect paterne and therefore saith he for the making up of a compleate paterne of church government all the other Apostolicall churches besides it must come in By which words of his I maintaine hee does not only oppose all those of his owne party who all hold the contrary but contradicts himselfe But let us heare himselfe speake of necessity saith hee we are to take all the churches of the New Testament together to make up one entire and perfect Church patern For in the Church of Jerusalem we find Election of Officers but we find not expressed that part of Discipline for casting out of corrupt Members as in the Church of Corinth and so in the rest For the Churches were not brought forth to full perfection in one day Their very constitution had a graduall growth The Church of Jerusalem had not Deacons at first till there was necessity The summe is to make up a compleat patern not only the Church of Jerusalem but that of Corinth of Ephesus those of Galatia and Philippi and the rest are to be conferred together that each may cast in its shot to make up the full reckoning so that what is not exprest in the one may be supplied by the rest to make up one Entire Platform For the Scripture consists of many Books as so many Members in one body one Member cannot say to an other I have no need of thee 1 Corinth 12. c. Thus my brother Burton confuteth all his brethren who in all their writings with an unanimous consent hold that the church of Jerusalem and all the other Apostolicke churches were prefect formed churches and absolute within themselves and Independent where as he blames them all of imperfection and sayes They must all be conferred together to make up an entire platforme which if it be not an opposing of them all and a contradicting of himselfe I referre to the Iudgement of the learned For he in the beginning of his answer said The first formed church we met with was that in the 2. of the Acts and yet he here accuseth it of imperfection and faylings and therefore not formed for at that time saith he it wanted Deacons and we finde not expressed that part of Discipline for casting out of corrupt members at any time as in the church of Corinth and the rest So that by his Doctrine here was a great defect and fayling in the Church at Ierusalem and therefore it was not a church properly so called for every church properly so called according to his learning must have not only a good Discipline but Distinct Officers and Members united into one church body respectively for these are his formall words page 11. Now a church according to their discription truly formed and properly so called is when it hath a particular Pastor and Teacher or Doctor and two to three Elders and a Deacon with ten or eleven good men and women with an explicite particular Covenant now I shall desire my brother Burton in his reply to send me word which of all the Ministers that were there at that time was the peculiar-Pastor of this formed church and which of them was the Teacher or Doctor or who were their Elders and who were their Deacons for the distinction of Officers and Members united into one church body respectively is that that makes up a formed church properly so called in their Dialect and therfore if he cannot make all that I require of him clearly appeare then he can never prove either the church at Ierusalem or any of the primitive and Apostolicall churches churches properly so called for we reade not in all the holy Scripture that any church had a particular Pastor and Doctor peculiar to it self or but two Elders and a Deacon with a small company of men and women or any particular Covenant but we reade that in all the churches there were mighty multitudes of believers and many Deacons and that they had many Presbyters set over them and church Officers to governe them in common and nothing in particular of that distinction of Officers and Members united into one church body respectively with any such Covenant which he and all the Independents say make a church properly so called and without which in their Language it cannot be adistinct and formall church properly so called from which I do with very good reason conclude and that from the new light I have from my brother Burton that either the church at Ierusalem and all the other primitive churches were not churches properly so called or well formed churches according to the new-testament forme which were impious either to thinke or say or if they were that then there may at this day be compleat churches properly so called although they have not distinct Officers and Members united into one church body respectively but serve their flocks and congregations in common So that all the bable of my brother Burton and his brethren of the congregationall way is but wickedly and unchristianly to abuse the world and to delude poore people when they demande such things of their brethren as essentially necessary for the constituting of a church properly so called as God never required at his
or for want of many things they now exact of all Christians for the compleating and moulding of them into Church bodies pro perly so called for we read That in the Church of Jerusalem they were perfectly converted and were Saints indeed and yet that for some wants they made no separation rent or schisme from their brethren but that they dayly met together in their publick Assemblies as in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and from house to house openly and that in all love and charity with one accord And yet if my brother Burton and the Independents may be beleeved they had neither Deacons nor Elders nor distinction of Officers nor a great part of Discipline nor many other of their requisites So that from the pious and godly example of those glorious Saints I learn this lesson That rents and scismes are not to be made amongst brethren for some failings in any Churches yea though there be some defects not onely in Officers and Members but a very want of Officers themselves and of a good Discipline also in any Church or Churches and that they that do make rents and divisions have a great deal to answer for Withall I learn that it may be a true Church though there be a failing in Discipline and a want of some chiefe Officers and Members For my brother Burton acknowledgeth That the Church at Jerusalem was a formed Church although it wanted both Officers and Discipline and all those things they now require of all such as desire to be made Members in their new Congregations And therefore if this he now preacheth be solid and orthodox Divinity and if he may be credited in what he writeth as there was at that time no just ground of separation from their publike Assemblies for want of those things so there is now in these our dayes no just cause of separation from our Assemblies if there be indeed a reall want of discipline and Church Officers which we might long since have injoyed had not he and his brethren hindred our happy begun Reformation Especially I say we ought not to separate when there is no failing or want in any dominative or fundamentall pointe of Religion necessary to salvation and where all the counsell of God requisite to eternall happinesse is dayly publikely taught in every one of our Congregations and Churches all which the Independents themselves do acknowledge we want not Besides it is granted by all orthodox Divines that Discipline makes not for the esse but the bene esse of a Church Yea the Independents themselves hold That Officers in a Church make not for the esse but the bene esse of it as the New Lights from the Summer Islands apparently delucidate For they say Though the Officers all dye yet the Church ceaseth not to be a church But to return to the matter in hand Whereas my brother Burton affirmeth that the Church at Jerusalem wanted Discipline and that it had not Deacons at first and that the Churches were not brought forth to full perfection in one day and that their very constitution had a graduall growth I maintain that in all he asserteth he is not onely exceeding erroneous and ignorant but understandeth not the very doctrine of the Independents who are all against him in those his assertions for they all acknowledg and in express words affirm it in their writings that all the Officers of the church were virtually in the Apostles saying they were Pastors Teachers ruling Elders and Deacons c. And therefore they wanted neither Deacons nor Elders if their concession be true nor any church Officers which is point blank against my brother Burton his opinion They confesse likewise that all the Apostles and every one of them had the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven that is the power of order and jurisdiction viz the key of knowledg and authority And therefore they had also in the church of Jerusalem that part of Discipline of casting out corrupt Members They acknowledge in like manner that all the Apostles had equall power amongst themselves and that they had authority over all the churches as having the care of all the churches who were committed to their charge and that they left both the Presbyters and people in their several churches to the exercise of all their particular rights impeached neither of them of their liberties And they do also confess that as Paul by his own authority did excommunicate Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. ver 20. and others so might the other Apostles have done if they had had the like occasion given them and might have put any church not only in mind of their duty and reproved them for their neglect of Discipline but have injoyned and commanded them also to have put it in execution as both Paul did the church of Corinth and Saint John the seven churches of Asia which were all well constituted and well and perfect formed churches by their first constitution and brought forth to full perfection in one day so as they had no need of a graduall growth as my brother Burton affirmeth All these things I say the Independents do accord unto And all reason will perswade any well grounded Christians That the church of Corinth was a perfect church at its first constitution before the incestuous person appeared in it and the same they will say of the other seven churches in Asia before the doctrine of the Nicolaiâ—tans and that of Baalam and Jezabell sprung up in them and before those luke-warme Laodiceans appeared and all the other offenders there spake of all the which were so far from adding any perfection to those churches as it was a deformity to them all to have such creatures and failings amongst them and it was reputed their great sinne to connive at them and suffer them to be amongst them and in their bowels which by their first constitution they had power to have cast out For it is well known that all those churches at their first plantation and founding had all of them their Presbyters and Elders and all other Members and Officers as consisting of Saints and had in all those severall churches both the power of order and jurisdiction and the power of the Keyes and this in their first constitution and therefore had no neede of a graduall growth but were all brought forth to full perfection the first day contrary to my brother Burtons doctrine And it is confessed likewise by the Independents and by my brother Burton himselfe That where there are Church Officers as a Pastor and Teacher with an Elder or two and a Deacon and where there are a few visible Saints if they amount but to the number of twenty nay if they be but ten or twelve gathered together according to their method that there is a compleat formed Church where Christ is set up as King upon his Throne and that this Church is clothed with Christs power and honoured with his presence the which
likewise wanteth nothing for matter and forme but hath plenary authority within it selfe and therefore is as compleat a Church within it selfe as any church in the world by all which it must necessarily follow and that upon their own principles that it is brought forth in perfection in one day and hath no neede of a graduall growth Now I shall never beleevethat those glorious churches founded by the holy Apostles in every city in the which they had their Elders and Presbyters and all other Officers appointed them the which churches also consisted of visible Saints that they were not at their first constitution as compleat churches and in the which Christ was not as well set up upon his Throne as any of our new gathered churches of the congregationall way Yea it were an impiety to think that the blessed Apostles did not know how to gather churches and how to set up Christ upon his Throne in them and how to bring them to perfection in one day at their first constitution as well as our brethren the Independents who notwithstanding do all proclame they but imitate the Apostles both in the gathering and constituting of their new churches And therefore if the Independent congregations are all compleated at their first founding and constitution and be all compleat within themselves as having plenary authority and power within themselves much more had all the Apostolicall and Primitive Churches absolute jurisdiction within themselvs at their first constitution which is yet more manifest from the reproofe given to the Church of Corinth by S. Paul who blameth them for not casting out the incestuous person and from the reproof given to some of the 7 churches of Asia by Christ himself For otherwise they if they had not bin perfect and compleat at their first constitution might have replyed and answered That they had no power to cast out corrupt Members and that their churches were not compleatly moulded up at their first founding and that they wanted that part of Discipline but none of these churches pretended any such thing neither could they for Saint Paul had given the church of Ephesus by name a caveat to take heed of Wolves that would rise up among them after his departure and had armed them likewise with power and authority for the casting of them out as it is at large to be seen in the twentieth of the Acts and that church executed its power in finding out of false Teachers and is praised for it though the other are blamed So that the neglect of this their duty and not executing of their Discipline was that that was found fault with in them and that they had not exercised that power that was given them in casting out of those corrupt Members from amongst them This I say was their failing and for this were they blamed so that it was not for want of Discipline or that they were not perfect at their first constitution but their negligence and their not doing their duty was their sinne Neither was the Church of Ierusalem inferior to any other church in power or wanted that part of Discipline of casting out corrupt Members as my Brother Burton boldly and without all reason affirmeth for it is well knowne that the church at Ierusalem had power of life and death as wee may see in the storie of Ananias and Saphira his wife the which if it could take away the very life of offendors as it did theirs for lying to the Spirit of God then it had power to cast out any corrupt Members and scandalous persons if they had had any amongst them as all reason will dictate to any well grounded Christian But that wee reade not of any excommunicated in the Church at Ierusalem it was not for any want of Discipline or power in that Church of casting out offenders but because there was no open Delinquents and scandalous persons for they were all zealous of the Law as it is well knowne and would suffer none in the least to transgresse it without questioning them nay if they conceived but an offence in the Apostles themselves they would call them to an account as wee may see Acts the â—1 where they questioned Peter for going in to the Gentiles and it is conceived by learned and judicious Christians that the punishment also that was inflicted upon Ananias and Saphira strucke so great a terrour of offending into all the Ghurch as it is in expresse words declared that they durst not in publike be vitious and therfore that made them all afraid of publike open and scandall withall it is recorded that they were all true Beleevers and Saints in the Church of Ierusalem and that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer and were all true converts and Saints indeed now no church useth to cast out Saints and men of a holy and unblameable conversation and such as persevere in goodnesse and doe their duty but the wicked and scandalous which when there was none in the church at Ierusalem there was no need of excommunication or at least they had no occasion of exercising that part of discipline at that time For discipline in any church is as Magistracy in a Common-wealth or Kingdome which is not a terrour to the good but to the wicked as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. the 13. it is a comfort to well doers and as the Magistrate useth the sword onely against Offendors and Delinquents so the Officers of the Church exercise that part of Discipline only in casting out corrupt and scandalous Members which is solely to bee put in execution against them and therefore that wee reade not of excommunication in the Church at Ierusalem it was not for want of that part of Discipline but because there were no publick and scandalous persons there as in the church of Corinth Besides all men know that Discipline is one thing and the execution of discipline is an other and is but the result and effect of discipline as the church is one thing and the Administration of the Sacraments is another Power and Authority in a court whether ecclesiasticall or civill is one thing and the execution of the power of that court is an other and as the execution of its authority makes it not a court nor giveth not the power to it but declareth it to be a court invested with authority as in the Parliament the great and supreme court of this Kingdome the cutting off of Strafford and the Prelates heads gave not power to the Parliament but declared the power they had by their first constitution for they were a court before and had the power of execution before but upon this occasion they exercised it but will any man say if they had not at this time exercised their authority as they have not done for these many years before that the great court had wanted that part of Discipline all men that should attempt to say that great councell
wanted that part of Discipline I beeleeve they would exercise some more of their authority to teach such an one better manners or more wit Even so it was in the Church at Ierusalem they had discipline in that Church though wee reade not of the putting of it in execution as we do in the Church of Corinth and Ephesus neither wil any rationall man conclude that all the other Primitive Churches wanted that part of discipline because I say wee reade onely of the execution of it in the church of Corinth and that of Ephesus which is commended for it and some of the other seven churches are blamed for not casting out their corrupt Members and because they had not at that time exercised their authority neither reade wee of it in the churches of Galatia Colosse nor amongst the Thessalonians nor in the church of Rome nor Antioch nor in Samaria will any man therefore say that all these churches wanted that part of Discipline because wee reade nothing of it in them I am confident they will not be so fanaticall as to make such a conclusion from so brainsick a premise much lesse will any intelligible christian argue as my Brother Burton does saying wee reade not of that part of Discipline in the church at Ierusalem of casting out corrupt Members Ergo it had it not this would indeed prove a non sequitur and such a consequenct or conclusion could least of all have been made from the Church at Ierusalem upon such an Antecedent then from any of the other churches because the church at Ierusalem had not only the power of the Keyes within it selfe but a legislative power also who gave Lawes to all other churches both for the ordering and ruling of them and for the exercising of their Discipline in every particular and that by Gods appointment for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law saith the Prophet Isa 23. and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem So that the Church at Ierusalem the Mother church gave power to all the daughter churches and that both the power of Order and Jurisdiction the power was radically in it and in that church was the fountain of all authority the streames of the which flowed to all the other churches of the world For out of Zion shal go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And can any rationall man thinke it gave away all its power and did not keepe a reserve donec ad triarios redierit res I beleeve that all the Independents will much blame my brother Burton for this his rashnesse in affirming the church at Ierusalem wanted that part of Discipline for casting out corrupt Members when the Apostles themselves had all power in their hands bequeathed unto them by Christ himselfe who said Mat. 28. verse 18. 19. All power is given to mee in Heaven and Earth goe yee therefore and teach all Nations c. and Iohn the 20. verse 21 22 23. as my Father hath sent mee even so send I you and when hee had said this hee breathed on them and saith unto them receive yee the Holy Ghost whose soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins yee retaine they are retained Loe here was plenary authority given unto all the Apostles who as they had the Keyes promised them in the sixteenth of Matthew here they now received them and therefore they had the power in their hands both of order and jurisdiction which the Keyes imported as all the learned know and the very Independents doe not deny now this power was not onely given unto them but unto all faithfull Ministers their successors to whom Christ made a promise as well as to the Apostles Matth. 28. that hee would be with them to the end of the world neither doe wee ever reade that the Apostles and Ministers in the church of Ierusalem did ever relinquish their power and therefore they wanted not that part of Discipline as my Brother Burton grollishly affirmeth who begins now to doubt when hee begins to dote but if there had been any just occasion without all controversie they would have put it in execution but that church consisting of visible Saints and having no scandalous persons amongst them had no occasion of the exercise of that part of Discipline which they wanted not though they exercised it not for it is to be believed that the Apostles would have discharged their duty in punishing offendors if there had beene any And I believe that the Independents would blame any of their Schollers and Members if they should say their new congregated churches wanted that part of Discipline of casting out of corrupt Members though they have not as yet in some of them put it in execution for they have learned to distinguish between the power of a Church and the execution of that power in a church for as it doth not argue that a Court of Justice hath not power of life and death when notwithstanding it is invested with the Authority of hanging and drawing though perhaps after it is erected they either have no occasion of executing that authority that is given or them out of Clemency will for a time shew mercy and use lenity towards offendors not taking the extremity of the Law the more with humanity and kindnesse to reclaime them even so in all well constituted Churches the not executing of the power given them by Christ or the not having just occasion of putting that power in execution doth not prove a want of that power and if any of the Members of the new congregations should so argue against their new church Officers I believe they would soone make use of their Keyes to shut such a Member out of their Church doores as my brother Burton falsly complaines that Truth was lately shut out of Aldermanbury Church doores And truly if one of their whibbling congregations have no want of that part of Discipline though they execute it not shall any man be so temerarious and unadvised as to thinke that the power of the church in Ierusalem was evacuated or enervated or that they had not that part of Discipline when there was greater power in it then in any church in the world all who had all the Apostles amongst them and as Christs and Iohn Disciples all of them armed with the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and when the Magazine and treasury of all power resided continually in that church and therefore that part of Discipline when all other churches derived their power authority and jurisdiction from that as the mother church And to this I now say I am most assured all judicious men will easily consent and agree And therefore my brother Burton affirming that the church at Ierusalem wanted that part of discipline of casting out of corrupt Members saying That neither the Church at Ierusalem was a perfect patterne nor none of the Primitive churches were compleat within themselves but that they must
that Church was wholly committed into the hands of the Presbyters who had the charge for the examination and tryall of the doctrine of all Teachers that came amongst them and that they were invested with power likewise and authority of casting them out that were Deceivers and fals Teachers and we farther learne that the care of all those severall congregations was committed to all the Bishops and Presbyters of that Church in common and although it consisted of many congregations yet it was but one church and therefore was classically governed communi consilio Presbyterorum and so were all the other six churches of Asia governed in all and every one of the which there were many congregations and churches of beleevers as is manifest from the manner of Christs concluding his Epistles sent by the Ministry of Saint John to all those Asian churches Rev. the 2. ver 7. Let him that hath an eare hear what the spirit saith to the churches From the which I thus argue He who maketh the particular or singular church he writeth to to be a multitude or company of Churches not one onely as the body is not one member onely he doth make that one church to which hee writeth to in singular or particular to be a Presbyterian Classicall or Collegiate Church But Christ in his Epiphonemicall conclusion to every Church which he had spoken to in singular or in particular doth speak of the same as of a company or multitude of Churches let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches Ergo One Church hath many Churches in subordination to it and is classically or collegiately governed communi consilio Presbyterorum To the which argument the Independents answer by denying of the assumption saying that the words may be taken consequentér as well as antecedentér with relation to what followes as well as to what goes before and they cite Junius his testimony for the proofe of this their denyall nothing to the purpose They produce also Master Bains his authority to as little end Christ saith he doth not use the plural number in respect of the one Church preceding but in respect of the seven collectively taken it being his will that the Members of each singular Church should lay to heart both severally and joyntly whatsoever was spoken to them and to others This is the Answer the Author of the New Lights from the Summer Islands in the name of all the Independents makes to this Argument page 133. And if words may serve for answers those of the congregationall way will never want Answers and Replyes but we look for reasons and not for words in any men that shall deny our arguments And therefore when he hath no reason for his gainsaying the argument shall for ever stand in force to prove many Congregations and many Churches in the Church of Ephesus and in the other six Churches And truly he granteth the argument whiles he seemeâ—h to oppose it saying that the words may be taken consequenter as well as antecedenter So that he acknowledgeth the worâ—â— may be taken antecedenter as well as consequenter that is with relation to what goes before as well as to what follows viz both wayes which is as much as I require and as much as by the argument I laboured to prove For who ever denyed that when Christ spake to his Apostles bidding them watch that what he spake to them he spake to all men So who ever yet denyed that when Christ in the conclusion of every one of his Epistles to the Asian Churches said Let him that hath an eare hear what the spirit saith to the Churches that by Churches there Christ hath as well reference not onely to all the seven churches in Asia but to all succeeding Churches to the worlds end that they should by their examples be forewarned lest they likewise offend in the same manner For all men know That whatsoever was written was written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come Though primarily principally and antecedenter he hath reference to all the severall Congregations Assemblies or Churches in each of those Churches as first to those of Ephesus which is yet called but one Church in the singular number as the others also as consisting of many severall companies and severall congregations yet being all combined together in their severall Precincts and subordinate to each of their Presbyteries were all collectively taken but for one Church within their particular jurisdictions and therefore Christ speaks to them all severally in the conclusion of all his Epistles in the number of multitude as to many though in the beginning of his Epistles he writes to them all as particular and singular Churches because though each of them consisted of many congregations as I said before yet they were subordinate to their several Presbyteries and governed by the common counsel of their severall Presbyteries in a classicall way And there is all reason to convince any man that the word Church in those Epistles should as well be considered collectively as the word Angell Now all orthodox writers and the very Independent Ministers themselves hold that by Angell is meant all the Ministers and Presbyters in each of those severall Churches And therefore if the word Angell in those severall Epistles may or be to be taken and interpreted collectively for many Ministers then the word Church also may or is to be taken collectively for many Churches For those of the congregationall way do acknowledg that Pastor and â—lock are relatives and have reference one to another Now if there were many Pastors in each of those Churches then there must likewise be many Flocks in each of those churches but that there were many Pastors and Bishops in those churches it is manifest by their constitution For the Apostles ordained Presbyters in every Church Acts 14. and in the church of Ephesus by name we finde many Presbyters and Bishops a whole colledge of them Acts the 20 ver 17 and 28. And therefore it is manifest there were many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers as in that church so in the other six for in expresse words Paul sayes that he preached unto them in the Church of Ephesus publikely and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in every house which is by Master Knollys acknowledged to signifie many several congregations in that church And as it is at this day amongst us when the Independents preach publikely and from house to house or in every house every one of the shallowest understanding knowes that they have severall congregations and severall meeting places and therefore severall churches even so it is to be understood by the same expression that there were many churches in that one church of Ephesus because they had many assemblies and many meeting places which the Scripture saith they had both publikely and privately It seemes that the Magistrates there were converted and the Christians in that city had obtained so much
and pleasure of God in them and accordingly determined that difference and question by the written Word and from thence commanded that the Decrees of that Councell should be observed in all Churches After the very same manner in this their so doing the church of Ierusalem is a paterne to all other churches upon the like occasions it any difference of opinion rise amongst the churches or if any new heresies spring up tending to the subversion of the soules of the people how holy and godly so ever they seeme to be that broach them and what pretence so ever they make that they have them from divine Authority I say upon the like occasions in Imitation of the Apostles and Elders in the church at Ierusalem Kings and Princes and Christian Magistrates and those that are in Authority may call a councell or Synod of Divines together and as the Apostles and Elders there debated things by dispute and reason and by searching the holy Scripture found out the truth and determined the question and sent their Decrees which were binding to all other churches so I affirme also in this their so doing that church is a paterne of imitation to all churches in all Nations and Countries and Christian churches in them that Ministers out of severall Presbyteries in a representative body may meet together by the appointment of their Magistrates and dispute those questions by reasoning and discourse and finding by searching of the Word of God what his good will and pleasure is may determine the question accordingly and give out their decrees grouned upon the written Word with authority to be observed by all those churches under their severall Jurisdictions and as the people then did patiently wait till the determining of that difference without making of any rents schismes or separations one from another and did then yeild obedience to those decrees without any reluctation but observed them all willingly after the debate so ought all people in imitation of them and following their example with patience to wait without making any rents and divisions till things are fully discussed and determined in any such Synode or councell and then willingly and cheerfully submit themselves and yeild obedience to them and in their so doing they have the church at Ierusalem for a paterne and the Apostles and Elders of that church and the other churches for an example of imitation so long as they injoyne nothing contrary to the Word of God For this way of governing the church by Synods and Councells upon differing and dissenting opinions betweene church and church and upon occasion of any new Heresies sprung up in Christian Countries or any old ones revived as it hath its paterne from the church at Ierusalem and that of Antioch which is left for our imitation that all churches upon the like occasion should follow it So this way of ruling is grounded upon most excellent reason as most agreeable both to the Law of God and nature and the practise of all Nations and Kingdomes of which we have many presidents in the holy Scriptures besides this councell at Ierusalem and some others For as all Nations and Kingdoms have been ever governed by generall councells and have ever had their severall appeales from inferior Courts and councells to Superior upon either publicke grievances or upon any differences betweene Province and Province and County and County or betweene Corporation and Corporation or City and City or upon any Pressures or oppressions or impeachments or incroachments of each on the others liberties or through injustice or injuries done to each of them from some that are in power and authority So the church of Iesus Christ which is his Kingdome is inferior to no other Kingdome upon earth but in that also the severall Corporations that are under it which are so many Presbyterian churches have in like manner the liberty of their appeales upon any of the aforesaid or above named occasions And although they all injoy equall priviledges amongst themselves as the severall Provinces Counties Corporations and Cities in any kingdome do so as they cannot severally and by themselves considered give a Law each to other yet as in a generall councell in Kingdomes and Common-wealths when the Knights and Barons and Burgesses of each of them are all met together in their representative bodies in a Parliament or Diet may being so Assembled together not only redresse any abuses and punish Delâ—nquents but also for the better government of those severall Doâ—inâ—ons for the future give Lawes to each Province County City and Corporation yea and unto the whole Country And enact penall Statutes both to them and to the whole Countries under them according to the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdomes and Countries In the same manner it is in the visible Catholicke church which is Christs Kingdome although in it the severall Presbyteries and churches considered by themselves and as having equall Authority amongst themselves cannot give Lawes to each other severally and by themselves considered as the Church of Corinth and that of Antioch and Ephesus and the other could not prescribe to each other a rule or Law to walke by with Authority but only in an examplary way by well doing yet all these severall churches ioyning together in a generall councell as they did at Jerusalem Acts the 15. and having from each of them deligated and sent their Presbyters and Ministers as so many Burgesses of their severall cities and Corporations and they being all met together upon any grievances and having by debating of the matters and differences in question by dispute and by disquisition found What is the good will of God and what is his pleasure in his good Word and in the holy Scriptures which are the Fundamentall Lawes of his Kingdom may in any Christian councell so called and ordering their businesse as the councell and Synod of Ierusalem did give out their Decrees and those binding ones to all those severall churches that are under their jurisdictions and all these severall churches ought to yeild obedience to them And in this their so doing they have the church of Ierusalem and the other churches a president and a paterne For I say in all these respects the church at Ierusalem is a paterne to all other churches And as in the church at Ierusalem Corinth Philippi Samaria Ephesus c. the Apostles Evangelists and the Presbyters in every one of those churches had the charge of each of those churches committed to them in common as is manifest from all the places above quoted and through the holy Scripture and as they fed them all and governed them all in common so in that also both the church at Ierusalem and all the other churches according to my brother Burtons doctrine who saith they must all come in for the making up of a compleat platforme I say as all the Presbyters and Ministers fed those severall churches in common so they are a paterne to all churches in all
Synod now present and their imployments likewise are of an other nature then that of ordinary Pastors in their severall congregations as all men know and therefore not a church properly so called according to their language for a Synod and church are two distinct things and both of them together were never yet found in any one congregation in the world and so by consequence there was never any congregation or particular church that yet injoyed all Gods Ordinances and therefore if their definition be good they were no true churches for they had no Synod or Councell in them neither can any of our new congregations at this day have a Synod in them and therefore they injoy not all Gods Ordinances in them severally and so come not within the compasse bounds and limits of their owne definition and therefore remaine not true formed churches as not injoying that Ordinance Besides there are other Ordinances that the congregationall churches cannot injoy for there is an impossibility of it not only in the beginning and first constitution of them but many times after in regard of mortality and the death of their Elders and Pastors and other Officers or when there remaines but one alive as it often happens in our new congregations and therefore of necessity they must bee Dependent if they will injoy all Ordinances or else be no churches as not injoying all Ordinances As for instance there are Ordinances that neerly concerne every particular congregation which cannot be performed by that alone for how can a particular congregation which for the most part consists of ignorant men and women try the sufficiency of the Presbyters that are to be elected or put over them when they have no knowledge in those Sciences Arts Faculties and Histories and of the tongues and languages as Latine Greeke Hebrew and are ignorant in many other things that in some competency are required in all such as are to be made Presbyters and Ministers over them when I say not any one in those congregations many times have any knowledge in any one of those arts and sciences in all which a Minister ought in some measure to bee versed in if hee will take upon him that high calling and charge of the Ministry and duly and rightly performe it unto them and were it so that in all these new gathered churches they had such intelligible Members who when they have made choyce of them shall give them imposition of hands which belongs onely to the Presbyterie and Elders to perform cannot be done by the people who never were appointed by God to ordaine Officers in his church as all the learnedst of the Independents hold and teach so that when any Elders and Presbyters and other church Officers are to be ordained in their new gathered churches they permit not the common people to impose hands upon them but alwayes desire Elders and Presbyters of other congregations to doe it without whose helpe they cannot injoy this Ordinance amongst themselves and therefore if they will have it they must necessarily be Dependent The same may be said of the Ordinance of Excommunication but I will first speake of imposition of hands and ordination of Elders and Officers the which howsoever in some of the more unlearned Independents esteeme it to be of small weight and but a complement yet it is one of Gods holy Ordinances which the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes accounts and reckons amongst the Principles of Religion and a part of the Foundation Heb. 6. ver 1 2 which place of Scripture one of the Fathers of the congregationall way Master Henry Iacob by name who first baptized their new gathered churches with that compellation of Independent churches for his owne advantage exceedingly urged to overthrow the lawfulnesse of the Ministers of the church of England because as hee supposed the church of England erred in the Foundation not having the due and right imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie though in this as in many of his other opinions hee was very much mistaken for those that imposed hands upon the Ministers at their Ordination were Presbyters Yet I say they can urge this place for their advantage against us and therefore I see no reason why wee also may not much more make use of it against them it being Gods owne institution and to be perpetuated to the worlds end in all churches so that wheresoever this Ordination and Imposition of hands by the Presbyterie is wanting in any church that church cannot be truly said to injoy al Ordinances within it selfe for there is an impossibility of obtaining or injoying this Ordinance of Ordination of Officers by the Imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie and that often in their new gathered churches not onely in the beginning of them and in their first constitution as I said before but at many other times also and that by reason of the death and mortality of their Elders or when but one of them remaines alive which frequently happens amongst them as daily experience teacheth us so that of necessitie they must crave the helpe of other churches and therefore in all these respects are Dependent for not any one Elder alone and by himselfe can ordaine an other there must be more together for that imployment for it must bee done by the imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie if it be justly done and according to Gods appointment that is of many Presbyters as the word imports And if wee take a survey and view of all the Primitive and Apostolicall churches as that at Ierusalem of Philippi Ephesus and the other Asian Churches wee shall find in them all an established Presbyterie as I have abundantly proved many Elders and Pastors in each of them appointed over them to govern and rule them in common and all those severall Presbyteries had in each of them the power of Order and Jurisdiction and the authority of imposing of hands and ordination of Elders and Officers within themselves in their respective Presbyteries so that they were as so many Corporations or Committees having their Presidents and Chaire-men with all other Officers amongst themselves and that in abundance as the Scripture relateth as in all well ordered Corporations at this day it is to bee seene so that if any one or more of their Presbyters or Officers dyed within their severall preeincts they did by vertue of their severall Charters presently goe to the Ordination of new ones and of as many as they had need of of which they had store and choyce for the most part as all well ordered Corporations at this day have who if their Presidents dye or any of their Aldermen or any of their Common Councell or any of their other Officers they forthwith make election of others out of some of their Free-men or of men well knowne to them for sufficiencie wisedome and discretion and all other abilities without having recourse to any other Corporations for they are armed with
may we suppose were then in the Church at Ierusalem when many more great congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers were dayly added to that Church and when the holy Word of God in expresse termes in the 21. chap. of the Acts saith There were many ten thousands of beleevers there without all controversie there must needs at that time be a mighty many of Assemblies and Congregations and yet in the very infancy of it and when there were but five thousand beleevers as my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo do both witnesse they then had divers Assemblies and Congregations and communicated in severall private houses and brake bread from house to house that is to say in every house And therefore I have now great hope that not onely Mr Knollys will confesse the brethren have acknowledged That there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem but that Sir I. S. his scrupulous conscience also will be satisfied about this point especially when it commeth ratified not onely by Scripture but by the testimony and witnesse also of my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo But if Sir I. S. shall still persevere in the error of his wayes and shall be so far from beleeving that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem as he will yet swear there were no more Saints there then could or did dayly all meet in one place or congregation then I will conclude of him that he is a gentleman very fit to be made a Knight of the post whether I send him to be whipped out of his grolleries Having for the gratifying Mr Knollys and Sir I. S. and for the undeceiving of all cordiall and well affected Christians and such as desire to know the truth been the more large in this controversie I shall now refer my selfe and all that I have said concerning my first and second propositions to the judgement of every indifferent Reader whether I have not sufficiently proved not onely that there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem but that it is likewise acknowledged by the brethren that there were many Assemblies of them there if any credit may be given either to my brother Burton or to Saint Hanserdo and if they shall judge that I have sufficiently proved it both from Scripture and Reason and from the testimony of two prime witnesses of the Independent party against whom there can be no just exception by any of the Congregationall way they being of their own fraternity Mr Henry Burton and Saint Hanserdo by name I shall again challenge Mr Knollys his promise who hath ingaged himselfe That if I could by the expresse word of Scripture evince there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem that he would relinquish his grollish opinion of Independency Now therefore when I have done it both by Scripture and the two witnesses above specified I say again I challenge his promise and if he notwithstanding all I have writ will not abandon this his error I shall never esteem him to be either a man of faith or common honesty and shall for ever hereafter proclaim both himself and all such teachers as he is fighters against God and his truth and resisters of his holy Spirit and such as withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse And so I conclude this second Proposition and come now to see what they have to say to the third My third Proposition is this viz. That the Apostles and Presbyters Governed Ordered and Ruled this Church consisting of many congregations and Assemblies by a common Councell and Presbytery This is my third Proposition which is evident out of many places of the Acts and sundry other places of holy Writ some of which with my Arguments I shall here relate in order as they were first set down in my book called Independency not Gods Ordinance the which Mr Knollys I. S. and my brother Burton indeavoured to Answer unto And after I have faithfully related the Arguments I deduced from those severall Scriptures by which I then made good my third Assertion I shall also truely set down the Answer of Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. to all those Arguments The places therefore of Scripture with my Arguments gathered from thence are these following Acts 11. 27. And in those dayes there came Prophets from Ierusalem to Antioch and there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth through all the world which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar then the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send reliefe unto the brethren that dwelt in Iudaea which also they did and sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Here in these last words we see that the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the Almes for it is said They sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul which sufficiently proveth That the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government as who had the Ordering and authority of appointing unto the Deacons how they should distribute those monyes that they might be best improved and disposed of which is an act of government as all men that know what belongs unto government will acknowledge Now should it be granted that these Presbyters here spoken of were the Presbyters of Iudaea which notwithstanding is not specified but onely the distressed brethren in Iudaea yet had it been in expresse words set down That the Almes had been sent to the Presbytery of Judaea the Presbytery of Ierusalem must necessarily have been included in it as being the Metropolis of Iudea and it was an ordinary thing for the Churches that were abroad and particularly that of Antioch to send to the Apostles and Presbyters of Ierusalem as we may see Act. 11. ver 22. and Act. 15. And by all probability Paul and Barnabas brought these Almes to the Presbyters of Ierusalem for he in the fifteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans maketh mention of a contribution that was made in Macedonia and Achaia for the poor Saints in Jerusalem Whether the Apostle saith he was going to Minister unto them and desired the Romans to pray for him that he may be delivered from the unbeleeving Jews and that his service for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints which by the learned Interpreters is generally taken that Paul speaketh of this time and that they were then sent to Ierusalem from Antioch But howsoever it should be understood that these almes were sent to the Presbyters in Iudea yet these two conclusions necessarily result from it The first that this expression comprehends also the Presbyters of Ierusalem as being the chiefe City of Iudea The second that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men to whom the government and ordering of businesses was committed and in whose hands the power and authority lay of
passed by the joynt consent and Common-counsell of them all and whose place and office it is to command and rule and the peoples office and place to obey and yeeld subjection to whatsoever they command and injoyne according to the will of God and for the common good and preservation of themselves and the whole Kingdome and that whosoever should resist this their just authority are guilty of contumacy and are high offenders and delinquents for God hath laid the government upon them and left the duty of obedience to the subjects who may not without a publicke call intermeddle with matters of government And so in the matters of Church-government I look upon the Presbyters as Gods peculiar servants and as upon the Stewards Councellours and Magistrates and Iudges in the Church as men set apart by God himselfe for this purpose to be the Teachers and Rulers of their flockes committed unto them in the Lord to whom in the matters of their soules all people under their severall Presbyteries so farre as they command in the Lord and according to the written word are to yeeld obedience and much to reverence and honour them and this according to Gods command for it is his Ordinance And they are not to be looked on and slighted as the fagge end of the Clergy as many black mouthes and prophane lips speake of them for the Presbyters they have their authority as well grounded in the word of God as Kings and States have theirs and therefore as they are imployed in a more supreame orbe and in matters of eternall concernment so they should bee venerated as men watching over our soules and all contumelious speeches against them deserve severe punishment and ought not to be tolerated and so much the more the Presbyters of this Kingdome in these our dayes have deserved better from the Church the Parliament and the whole Kingdome then any of their Predecessors not onely in their desiring a perfect and through Reformation in both Doctrine and Discipline but in that they have stood now so cordially to the common cause and more for the liberty of the Subject then any before them and have cleaved most faithfully to the Parliament and have beene also a most singular meanes of keeping the people wheresoever they were suffered to Preach in obedience to that great Conncell In all these respects I say they deserve well yea better not onely from the Church but from all the Kingdome for the present than any of their Predecessours and their memories ought to be famous to all posterity for this their good service And that governement that God has given unto the Presbyters if the Lords and Commons shall now labour to establish it in the Kingdome and to settle it on them they may not onely promise unto themselves a blessing from heaven and peace unto the Church and State but also immortall praise from all succeeding ages Having taken leave to make this digression I will now to my busines and prove that the Church of Jerusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies were all governed by a common Presbytery and that the Apostles there acted as Presbyters among the Presbyters They that in the Holy Scripture are called Presbyters and acted and ordered things in a joynt body and Common-councell with the Presbyters and exercised that ordinary power that was committed to them in the 18. of Matthew they acted ruled and governed as Presbyters but the Apostles in governing the Church of Jerusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies acted and ordered things in a joynt body and Common-councell with the Presbytery of that Church as Presbyters Ergo the Chuch of Ierusalem was Presbyterially governed and by a Common-counsell of Presbyters The Maior and Minor of this Syllogisme being proved the conclusion will necessarily insue And for proofe of the Major the Scripture is cleare as 1 Tim. chap. 4. ver 14. where Paul writing unto Timothy saith neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee to preach with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery in the which Presbytery Paul was one that laid his hands on him and ordained him as is evident in the second Epistle to Timothy ch the first vers 6 where putting Timothy in mind of his duty hee saith stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands so that Paul joyning in this publicke action of ordination though an Apostle yet acted as a Presbyter and counts himselfe in the number of them as any of the Presbyters that now ordaine the Ministers may say as well as all of them together to any new ordained Minister neglect not the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands As men ordinarily in a Iury may assume that unto themselves that all may doe as being Actors in common So Peter likewise in his first Epistle ch 5. verse 1 2 cals himselfe a Fellow-presbyter and Saint Iohn in his second and third Epistle stiles him so also The Presbyter unto the elect Lady c. The Presbyter unto the well beloved Gajus c. So that his Presbytership did not exclude his Apostleship nor the acting at any time of a Presbyter deprive him of his Apostolicall power for at that very time hee cals himselfe a Presbyter hee wrore Scripture by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit and yet continued still a presbyter So that for the Major although I should say no more it is sufficiently proved yet for a further corroboration of it it is not good to reject the consent of our Brethren in this point for they acknowledge that the Apostles are called Presbyters vertually because as they say Apostleship contained all offices in it yea they further assert the act of ministerial power to bee the same in the Apostles and Presbyters the onely difference they seeme to insinuate is in the extent from which it may be inferred that in all the affaires transacted by the Apostles properly concerning the Church of Ierusalem they did act as presbyters because in such acts there was no extent of their power to many much lesse to all Churches But when they affirme that the Apostles power over many congregations was founded upon their power over all Churches and so cannot be a patterne andpresident for the power of Presbyters over many For answer first I say that the Brethren in my opinion take more upon them then beseemeth them and usurpe a kind of unlimited authority to themselves that they can make what pleaseth them exemplary only and reject whatsoever agreeth not with their opinion and humour though they were all the acts of all the Apostles and transacted by joynt consent and common agreement and accord and left in the church of Christ as well for a patterne and president for the Presbyters and Ministers to follow in al succeeding ages to the end of the world as any of their other acts and so they pick and choose at pleasure and
in so doing under reformation be it spoke I say they assume unto themselves a greater authority then beseems them for they can make the Apostles joynt governing of one congregation for so they take it pro confesso that the church of Ierusalem was but one congregation to bee a patterne of many Ministers governing one congregation but whereas it is most evident that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations and were yet under but one Presbytery and was governed by the joynt consent of the Apostles and Presbyters as under a grand Common-presbytery this at pleasure they reject and make it no way exemplary and binding But for a further answer I assert that the Apostles power and authority over many assemblies as one Church to rule and governe them all as one Church joyntly and in common was not grownded upon their power over all Churches but upon the union of those Assemblies and Congregations into one Church which union layeth a foundation for the power of presbyters ruling and governing many Congregations and the Apostles practice in governing many Assemblies joyntly as one Church is the patterne and example of that government to all succeeding ages and this president of the Apostles the presbyters in all churches ought to set before their eyes in all reformation for what the Apostles did in the publicke affaires of government they did as presbyters and for imitation Neither doe our Brethren onely grant the act of ministeriall power to be the same in the Apostles and presbyters saving in the extent but they acknowledge also that they were called presbyters vertually as I said before and that the Apostles acted in a joynt body and by common consent and affirme that it was fit that they should so doe and say withall that the Apostles wherever they came left the presbyters and people to the exercise of that right which belonged to them although they joyned with them These are their formall expressions out of which their concession my argument yea the whole Syllogisme is not onely confirmed and strengthened but the truth doth more evidently shine forth for if the Apostles left the presbyters and people to the exercise of that right which belonged unto them in all churches and the presbyters right be to rule as Ecclesiasticall Magistrates as to whom the power of the Keyes peculiarly belongeth by Gods institution and the right of the people in all churches bee to obey as they are every where commanded then it followeth necessarily that it doth not belong unto the people to ordaine either Deacons or Presbyters whatsoever they may doe in the choosing of them nor to excommunicate or cast out any out of the Church or to make Members whom they please nor to rule and governe the Church which is the peculiar right of the Presbyters left unto them by Christ and his Apostles for none of all these things were ever left unto the people neither is there any President of it in holy Scripture so that while the brethren seeme to contend for the liberty of the people they plainly overthrow it for they grant That the Apostles left the Presbyters and people to the exercise of that right that belonged unto them in all Churches the right therefore of the keyes of Government and Jurisdiction belongeth properly unto the Presbyters in every Church who are the Officers and Magistrates appointed by God himselfe for that purpose Acts 20. ver 28. and therefore when the Apostles writ to the Church of Corinth to excommunicate that incestuous person although his Epistle be not directed to the whole Church yet the Presbyters in that Church onely executed that act of Government which of right belonged unto them though the people also assented unto it even as we see dayly and experience teacheth us in all well ordered Corporations when the King or Counsell writes unto any City or Corporation though their mandates be directed to the whole City or Corporation for the raising either of men or moneyes or about any other imployment of publike concernment the Mayors Aldermen and Common Councell and the Officers under them onely manage the businesse for that is their right and place and the people under them do yeeld obedience and submit themselvesto what they order and command and intermeddle not in that imployment as knowing very well it is their right and place onely to obey And even so it was in the Church of Corinth the Presbyters onely exercised the Government and ordered all according to the Apostles injunction and the people assented unto it and submitted themselves to their order and the mistaking of that place and many more hath been the cause of so much confusion in the Church at this time when not onely the men in every Assembly but the very women in many of the new Congregations as Members challenge a power and right both in the electing of Church Officers and of admitting of Members and of casting out and excommunicating which before these our times was never heard of in the world when as the right of Jurisdiction and of the Keyes as I have often proved peculiarly belongeth unto the Presbyters and that the people neither men nor women ought to intermeddle with it for if they should in short time it would overthrow all Government in Church and State and bring confusion into the world But I conceive the cause of so grosse a mistake of that place concerning the excommunicating of the incestuous person arose from this that they look upon the Church of Corinth and the other Churches spoken of in the New Testament not as Corporations as they were indeed but as on their now sucking Independent new Congregations and Assemblies consisting of twenty or thirty Members such as many of those be whereas those severall Churches are to be considered under another notion as consisting of many Congregations as that of the Church of Ierusalem united into one Church or body in the severall Corporations and each of them governed by a Common Councell of Presbyters and by the joynt consent of their severall Presbyteries all these severall congregations making but one Church though never so much dayly increased and keeping still the name and denomination of such a Church either from the place City Country or Nation or severall language as the Church of the Jewes the Greeke Church the Latine Church or from the Cities as the Church of Ierusalem of Ephesus Rome c. All the which though they consisted of never so many Congregations and Assemblies yet they ever kept the name of unity were accounted but one Church in their severall places and Precincts as at this day the Church of Geneva though it consist of many Congregations is counted but one Church as it is so that I say the conceiving of the Church of Corinth and those seven Churches in Asia under the notion of one of their Congregations caused through this mistake that great confusion that is now in the Church and was the originall
the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the Almes which sufficiently proveth that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government To the which argument of mine Master Knollys page 11. replyeth as followeth It is not denyed by the brethren saith he that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they are Elders But this I conceive by the Doctors favour doth not prove it to wit because the almes were sent unto the Elders Much lesse doth that Scripture prove that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled the Church in Ierusalem by a common Councell and Presbytery But in the 15. chap. ver 2. 4. 6. 22. and and chap. 16. 4. and chap. 21. 17 18. The Presbyters of Ierusalem by name saith the Doctor are expressed These are Master Knollys his own words with his reply and answer to my first argument by which I proved my third assertion in the which I shall desire the Reader to consider what he denyeth and what he granteth It is not denyed saith he by the Brethren meaning the Independents that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the churches in which they are Elders Take I pray his own expression He acknowledgeth that the government in all churches was committed to the Presbyters and that it lay only in their hands as to whom it was solely delegated so that he granteth as much as I contended for by that argument by which all judicious and understanding men may now perceive that Mr Knollys and the brethren do accord unto this truth viz. that the people have nothing to do with the government of the churches in which they are Members so that I have as much assented unto by him and all the brethren as I desire by the which if I am not mistaken he hath utterly excluded the people in all their seven new churches and in all their new gathered assemblies of the congregational way from any hand in the government of the churches For saith he it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the churches in which they are Elders So that hereafter I hope the brethren will not be so inraged against me if I beleeve as the seven new Churches beleeve and as all the brethren of the congregationall way beleeve those confiding men when Master Knollys saith that it is not denyed by them that the government in all Churches is laid upon the Presbyters shoulders and therefore not upon the peoples So that now there is little need of farther contesting between us about this businesse seeing he granteth that the Presbyters in all churches ought to have the government of them But it will not be amisse a little to take notice of the contentiousnesse of the mans spirit who grants the thing and yet wrangles about words and that wretchedly and poorly and therefore I shall desire the Reader to consider what he denyeth in my argument with the reason of it viz. these two things First that this doth prove it to wit because the almes were sent unto the Elders Secondly that that Scripture proveth that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled the church in Ierusalem by a common Councell and Presbytery These two things Master Knollys affirmes will not insue from that portion of Scripture upon which I grounded my argument Now before I come to reply to both these cavills of Master Hanserdo I shall take this liberty to say unto him that as he is a meere novice in Divinity and a foreiner to all good learning so he is but a sucking polititian not knowing either his Primer in that art or his Catechisme in Theology or any thing in the government either of Church or State which is one of the grand errors and heresies of all his fraternity who while they pretend to learning and would perswade the world they are excellent Statesmen and Grandees in Government they will in time prove themselves as they are indeed a company of grolls and ninnyes and I hope yet to see that day that they wil be as much exploded bafled out of their fond whimsies as ever the Prelates were or any distempered Sect in the world But that all men may the better see the truth and discerne Master Knollys his errors and the groundlessenesse of his denyall of my argument who saith it doth not prove that the presbyters were the men in government because the almes were sent unto the Elders and that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled that church by a common councell and presbytery because the relief was sent unto the Presbyters I shall now upon this occasion speak something concerning politicks and shew wherein the soveraign power and authority in all governments consists and in whose hands it resides and what are the essentiall properties or rather parts of Government in either of them So that wheresoever they are exercised in any country or common wealth those men only who are invested with them or to whom they are betrusted either immediately by God himself or by the election or choice of the people the soveraign authority in those severall governments lies and is deposited in their hands that mannage them and in no bodies else but such as are allowed of by their appointment or good liking and love And if men will then seriously consider and weigh the government secular in all States and Countries and compare the Ecclesiasticall with them which without any offence they may do the truth will more gloriously shine forth and the strength and force of my Argument will be the more obvious to every intelligible creature Now all men know that have either read or observed any thing in Politicks and the government of the world that in whose hands soever the legislative power lyeth so that they can either make or enact new Lawes and Statutes or repeale or abrogate any old ones and ratifie both with sanctions and who have also the power of life and death and the authority of punishing all Prevaricators against their Lawes all men I say know that the soveraigne power and authority resides and lyes soly and only in those mens hands that exercise it And this is the first essentiall part or property of soveraigne and supreame authority in any state and that declares unto all men who are the men in government there The second Essentiall part of soveraigne power in any government consists in this that they can erect and create new Offices and new Officers within their jurisdictions and set up new Courts and Iudges and can conferre Names Honours and titles of Dignity upon them severally and invest them all with power and authority to execute their severall places Offices and Iudicatures and this is the second essentiall property of supreme authority in any state so that in whose hands soever this power resides they onely are the Rulers in that government and no other
persons The third Essentiall part of soveraigne power in any state is this to make warre and peace at pleasure either forraigne or domesticall upon any just occasions and to have the managing of the Militia c. so that those only in whose hands this authority lyeth they are reputed and indeed are the supreme Rulers in that state The fourth Essentiall property of superlative power and authority in any government or state is this to have a Court of ultimate resort to the which all men may fly for reliefe and to the which all Appeales by all persons from all parts within their jurisdictions and from all inferiour Courts are made upon any unjustice done them there or upon any pressures or grievances by any one in authority and in whose power it is to end and determine all controversies and differences or to redresse all abuses and to relieve the oppressed so that in whose hands soever this authority resides they onely are said to exercise the soveraigne power and to bee the sole Governours and Moderators in that state The fifth and last paâ—t of supreme authority in any state consists in this that they have the power of pressing and stamping monies and coynes and setting the valution upon them or any other monies that are currant in their countries or have the disposing of the treasurie of those states in which they live and have the Exchequer in their hands and all the revenues of them and to whom all the tributes subsidies assessements customes benevolences and collections of the people that are gathered for the common reliefe and preservation of the whole countrey or state are sent and who have the disposing of them according to their wisedome in those mens hands I say that this power â—esideth of disposing the treasury or revenues they and they onely are the supreme Magistrates and Rulers in that state as at this day it resides with all the former essentiall properties in the hands of King and Parliament that great Councell of the Kingdome by all which it sufficiently appeareth that all soveraigne power resides in them onely and is soly exercised and managed by them so that if Master Knollys should say that it doth not prove that the government lyeth now in the hands of King and Parliament that great Court because the contributions collections and excises from all parts of the Kingdome are sent unto them and are now at their disposing I beleeve the great Councell would teach him a little more wit and all those his brethren that should joyne with him in this his argumentation a little better manners Now if wee will compare things together wee shall find that whatsoever can prove the soveraigne power in all secular governments to be in those mens hands which exercise it the same may be said concerning the Ecclesiasticall Government in the Church at Ierusalem and of the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church who were the chiefe Officers and men in authority in it that the government and soveraigne power in that Church lay in their hands onely So that it will then undeniably follow that my argument will for ever stand good against Master Knolly's fond cavils for the proving of these two truths viz. that the Presbyters in the Church at Ierusalem and in all other churches were the onely Governours in those churches and that from this reason because the almes were sent unto them and because they had the disposing of the treasury of the Church This I say will in the first place necessarily follow The second truth that will result out of the words is this that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled that Church by a common-councell and Presbyterie both which Master Knollys vainely denyeth will follow from my Argument But for the farther elucidation of this truth and that it may the better appeare unto all men I will briefly run over the essentiall properties and parts of supreme and soveraigne power that were exercised in that church and shew that they resided onely and solely in the Apostles and Presbyters hands who were the Governours of that church and that the people had nothing to doe with them and for the first to wit the legislative power it was in the church of Ierusalem and committed onely into the hands of the Apostles and Presbytery of that church as who had received the Keyes Matth. 16. and Matth. 18. For so saith the Prophet Isaiah chapter the 2. verse 2. out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and Acts the 1. vers 2. 3. it is said that Christ for the time that hee remained upon the earth after his Resurrection through the Holy Ghost gave commandements unto the Apostles whom hee had chosen speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God and commanded them that they should not depart from Ierusalem but waite for the promise of the Father which was that hee would send them the Holy Ghost the comforter which should teach them all things and bring all things unto their remembrance whatsoever Christ had said unto them and that hee should abide with them for ever Iohn 14. verse 26. and leade them into all truth and in the fifteenth Chapter hee cals his Apostles his friends telling them that hee had made knowne unto them all things that hee had heard from his Father verse 15. and hee promised that the Holy Ghost should bring all those things to their memories and in the same Chapter in the 26. verse Christ saith when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father hee shall testifie of me From all which places and from the 28. of Matth. verse 18 19 20. Mark the 16. verse 15 16 17 18. and Iohn the 20. verse 21 22 23. and many more that might be alleaged it is apparently evident that the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Ierusalem were invested with a legislative power so that whatsoever they preached or writ that wee find recorded in the Holy Word of God they are all the Statutes and Lawes of the King of his Church Christ Jesus and by the which all Christs subjects to the end of the world are to be regulated and governed The Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Ierusalem had power also to abrogate old Lawes and to enact and establish new ones as wee may see Act. 15. and Act. 16. yea they had power of life and death of which wee have one example in Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. yea they raysed the dead cured the lame and healed the sicke with their very shadowes and all this power was given unto them for the ratifying of their authority and to shew they were sent of God withall they had the power of erecting new offices and creating new Officers not onely in Ierusalem but in all the Churches as that office of Deacons in the sixth of the Acts and the
office of Elders or Presbyters in the 14. chapter where it is said that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every Church and therefore they appointed them first in the Mother-church Jerusalem for out of Zion saith the Prophet shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem yea they gave those Officers their names and invested them all with power to execute their severall Offices as is manifest Acts the 6. and in the 20. of the same booke and in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus They also had the power of making warre and peace with the Nations and all the Inhabitants of the earth for they preached and published the glad tydings of peace to all such as received the Gospel and denounced warre and death with all manner of judgements to those that obeyed not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 1. verse 8. and to the Apostles and Presbyters in Ierusalem likewise as to their ultimate and extreme refuge and reliefe and helpe all appeales were made as we may see in the fifteenth of the Acts and in the 6. and in the 9. and in the 15. of the same booke as to the supreme Tribunall upon earth in Gods matters in whose hands all the highest power and soveraigne authority for Ecclesiasticall matters then resided and whose place it was not only to hear the controversies and differences of greatest concernment in Christs Kingdome his Church but also to decide and determine them and put a finall period unto them the which example of theirs was left as a presiâ—ent of imitation to all succeeding ages for Ministers to doe the like upon the like occasions as in that controversie that arose among the Christians at Antioch through false Teachers by whom that heresie was broched viz. that it was necessary to salvation that the ceremoniall Law should be observed and that Beleevers could not be saved without it by which great scandall was given to the weak lewes who by this meanes were alienated from the beleeving Gentiles because they did neglect those Ceremonies whereupon there arose a great schisme and rent amongst the brethren to the disturbance of the Church of God Now for the deciding and determining of this controversie the Christians of Antioch appeale to the Apostles and Presbyters at Ierusalem as knowing that all power was given unto them both Dogmaticall Diatacticall and Criticall yea authoritative and commanding who entring into a Councell and Synod and there debating the busines by Reason Arguments and Disputation and finding by disquisition of the whole matter what was the good will and pleasure of God what hee had revealed concerning the Gentiles and the New Covenant under the Gospel they determined the whole matter according to the written Word of God not pretending any new Revelation or new light or any extraordinary or superlative assistance in the deciding that debate but only exercised that ordinary soveraigne power in the church of God which God had invested them with and given unto them in his holy Word the rule and square of all Doctrines and not onely unto them but to all his faithfull Ministers his servants to the end of the world and in the deciding of this controversie they first shewed and put forth their dogmaticall power confuting and convincing the heresie and vindicating the truth Secondly they declared their diatacticall authority making a practicall Canon or Law for avoyding of scandall and abstaining from such things as gave occasion of it Thirdly they exercised their criticall power and judiciary authority verse 24. condemning and branding those Teachers with that infamous and blacke marke of Lyers subverters of soules and troublers of the Church Fourth and lastly they sufficiently manifested their imparative and authoritative power in sending those Decrees unto the Churches of the Gentiles with doe this and live v. 29. for so much the words imports all which are acts of soveraigne power and authority in all governments whatsoever as the learned know which when they resided in the Apostles and Presbyters of the Church at Ierusalem and were exercised by them there it is sufficiently manifest that all the power of government likewise remained and resided wholly and solely in the Apostles and Presbyters hands and that they exercised it by joynt consent and the Common-councell of them all for all acts of government ever run in the name of all the Apostles or in the name of the Apostles and Presbyters Lastly they had the disposing of the treasury of that Church in their hands as all the Presbyters of all the other Churches had for they brought the monies alwayes to the Apostles and laid them downe at their feet as it appeareth Act. 4. and afterwards all the monies and almes were sent to the Presbyters through all Churches as in whose hands the soveraigne authority lay which they never gave out of their hands or relinquished but upon all occasions gave directions to their severall Deacons how to distribute them for the good of the church and for the common emolument of the poore Saints for otherwise to what end should the almes and benevolences of the Gentiles be sent unto the Presbyters in the churches in Iudaea if they had not beene the men in authority in those churches and to whom the government of them belonged and who only and wholly had the disposing of them Now then when the contribution and releefe was sent unto the Presbyters of the church in Ierusalem as wel as the other churches it followeth that they and they only had the power and authority in that church which they ever exercised by the joynt consent and common councell and agreement of them all for it was sent unto all the Presbyters in every church and therefore they were in common to dispose of them Now before this reliefe was sent thither and long after that as the story of the Acts declareth most of the Apostles resided there and all the Apostles were Presbyters as the Independents themselves doe acknowledge and the same Scripture that relateth that the almes and reliefe were sent speaking in the plurall number saith they were sent unto the Presbyters now they were all Presbyters and therefore they were sent unto them in common and if wee observe the Dialect of holy writ through the whole story of the Acts wee shall find for the most part if there be any mention made of any act of government that either all the Apostles or some more of them are ever made mention of to be the chiefe Moderators and prime Agents in the busines which was never carried by any one of them or by the multitude or people and it it is credibly beleeved that most of the Apostles resided in Ierusalem or in Judaea till after the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. and for the Apostle Saint Iames it is the opinion of most of the Ecclesiasticall Writers that hee continued President of the Presbytery in Ierusalem his whole life time
as hee was President in that Councell in the 15. of the Acts and it stands with very good reason for many yeares after he continued still the prime man in authority there amongst the Presbyters and knew very well the condition of all the Beleevers there and what numbers and multitudes of Disciples there were Inhabitants in that Church all which sufficiently demonstrateth that hee had his residence continually or for the most part in Ierusalem so that Paul comming thither to the Feast as it is related Acts the 21 chapter was informed by him not onely that there were many ten thousands of Beleevers in that Church but what those Disciples had heard concerning his preaching which sheweth not onely that Saint Iames had his aboad in that Citie but that those beleevers likewise were dwellers and inhabitants there and that now hee had very good acquaintance and familiarity with them yea which is more at that very time that Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem with those almes Peter and Iames were then in that Citie if not other of the Apostles also as the twelfe chapter of the Acts abundantly sheweth and without doubt they all joyned with the Presbyters and in a Common-councell ordered how the Alms should be disposed of by the Deacons to the necessity of the Saints yea it doth most necessarily follow what so ever Mr. Knollys and those of his Fraternity shall be able to say to the contrary for the Scripture recordeth that the reliefe was sent to the Presbyters through Iudaea Ierusalem was the Metropolis citie in Iudaea and in the 12. chapter v. 25. it is related that Barnabas Paul returned from Jerusalem whither they had carried the almes so that many of the Apostles being at that time in Ierusalem and the princiall and chiefe Presbyters in that Church amongst the other Presbyters it may not bee credited that they I say being the prime Magistrates and Governours did sit still and leave the rule ordering and government of that Church to other of their fellow Presbyters and them of inferiour ranke but they also acted their parts in the government at that time as well as at others and therefore I say when the disposing of the treasury of the Church or State is an Act of soveraigne power and belongs only to those that are in authority in either and when all the Apostles and Presbyters governed that Church by a Common-councell and joynt consent and when the almes were sent unto all it necessarily followeth notwithstanding all Master Knollys his garrulity that my Argument out of that Scripture will ever stand good to prove that the sending of the reliefe to the Elders makes good these two things the first that the Presbyters were the onely men in authority there and secondly that the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church governed and ruled it by a Common-councell and Presbytery yea Master Knollys his owne words confirmes mee in my opinion who saith it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they are Elders so that all businesses of publicke concernment were to bee transacted and managed by the common consent and agreement of them all and not by the determination of any one particular Presbyter in either of those Churches much lesse by any other persons or people in them but the Presbyters And this shall suffice to have spake concerning the confirmation of my first Argument grounded upon that Scripture that the reliefe and almes were sent unto the Presbyters of Ierusalem And now I come to what he hath to say against my second argument by which I proved my third proposition which is this as he himselfe set it down in the 12. Page of his book They that in the holy Scripture are called Presbyters and acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbyters and exercised that ordinary power committed to them in the 18. of Matthew they acted as Presbyters But the Apostles in governing the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbytery of that Church as Presbyters Ergo the church of Ierusalem was Presbyterially governed and by a common Councell of Presbyters The Major and Minor of this Syllogisme being proved saith the Doctor the conclusion will necessarily insue Thus Master Knollys relates this Argument wholly passing by all the rest And to this argument he first thus replies I know not saith he that the brethren ever deny ed that the Church of Ierusalem was presbyterianly governed So that he assenteth unto the conclusion which is all I contended for by that argument So that by this it followeth that the people had no hand in the government for they are not Presbyters by office And yet such is his ambition to be thought some body in the art of disputation that he quarrels the forme of my Syllogisme and takes upon him to shew me how I should have framed it aright but all those that know indeed what really belongs to learning will easily perceive the man doth but babble and if I should spend time in trifling with him about forms moodes and figures in Syllogisms who knows no more in Logick then the horse he preaches on I might be thought as vain as himselfe therefore intreating him hereafter to learn his Grand-dame to suck and not mee to make Syllogisms passing by all those his grolleries I will set down what he hath farther to reply to this argument in the 13. page and then answer to that and after I have done with him I will come to I. S. that learned Gentleman and profound Clerk Master Knollys to this argument thus farther answereth Though the Apostles saith he were called Presbyters in the Scripture yet it followeth not that they acted as Presbyters but as Apostles Act. 15. And they cannot therein be a pattern and president for Presbyters First because the Apostles had the care and charge of and over all Churches 2 Cor. 11. 28. But the Presbyters had the care and oversight of some one Church onely as Ephesus Act. 20. 28. or Philippi Phil. 1. 1. and this the Doctor often inserts in his book That all the Churches we read of in the New Testament though they were presbyterially governed were Dependent upon their severall Presbyters page 12. And secondly because this would make the Presbyters Independent indeed for so the Apostles were in the government of all the Churches the Presbyters of Jerusalem of Ephesus and of all the Churches were Dependent upon the Apostles and the Apostles only Dependent on Christ by whose holy spirit they were alwaies guided in the government of their churches and therefore they said Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us And though the Doctor say the Presbyters might say so as well as the Apostles because the Elders and Presbyters are mentioned there The
sent to Samaria by the Apostles Act. the 8. and Paul and Barnabas were sent from Antioch by that Church there to Ierusalem and from Jerusalem they were sent againe to Antioch Syria Galatia so that they were as much dependent as any other Ministers of the Gospel and therefore M. Knollys is altogether in error in asserting that the Apostles were independent neither is that true also that the presbyters were dependent upon the Apostles any farther then they commanded in the Lord for there was a speciall caution caveat made to the contrary not only by Christ himselfe who said to all his Followers and Disciples beware of false Prophets and false Christs but also by the Apostles themselves and that in the Synod at Ierusalem Acts the 15. who bad all the Gentiles beware and take heed that they listned not to any as comming from them unlesse they taught according to the word of God and their decrees yea Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians Gal 1. verse 7 8. gives them and all Christians a speciall charge that if hee himselfe or any of the Apostles or an Angell from heaven should teach otherwise then hee had taught them that they should account him accursed and the same doctrine hee delivereth to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 10. and 11. charging them to take heed of fals Apostles although they transformed themselves into the Ministers of Righteousnesse and injoynes Timothy and Titus to doe the same and in them warnes all Christians to beware of false Teachers though they come in the name of Apostles if they bring not the doctrine of Christ and teach not according to sound words and the same doth Saint Peter in his Epistles and Saint Iohn in all his Epistles and commandeth them withall that they should not receive them into their houses nor bid them God speed and the same doth Saint Iude in his and the Church of Ephesus Revel the 2. verse 2. is commended for discovering and casting out the false Apostles by all which and many more proofs and reasons that might be alleaged it is apparently evident that the Presbyters did not depend upon the Apostles themselves but upon Christ whose Ministers and Angels they were and the stars in his right hand Apocalyp the 2. verse 1. who had their authority and Commission as well from Christ as the Apostles themselves had theirs and who preserved and protected them as well as hee did the Apostles bidding them not to be affraid what man could doe against them as the second and third chapters of the Revelations sufficiently declare and therefore they were all dependent upon Christ and not upon the Apostles as Master Knollys fondly saith who were their fellow servants though in a higher degree and order and if wee duly consider the transaction of all the busines in the Synod at Ierusalem Acts 15. the Presbyters were as much guided by the spirit in that Councell as the Apostles themselves as I said in my Argument and shall by and by by Gods assistance more abundantly prove that all the world may see the vanity of Master Knollys who thinkes all men should take for an Oracle every word that fals from his pen though it be never so erroneous and never so lyable to exception and just controule as that other of his expressions is where he saith that the Apostles were alwayes guided by the spirit in the Government of their Churches in the which words there is a twofold error for Peter was not guided by the spirit neither when Christ called him Sathan neither when he denyed his Master nor when he temporized amongst the Galatians besides the Churches were not the Apostles Churches as he erroneously and ignorantly speaketh but they were Christs golden Candlesticks Revel 1. ver 20. who walked amongst them And the Apostles professe 2 Cor. 4. ver 5. that they preached not themselves but Jesus Christ the Lord and themselves the servants of the Church for Jesus his sake and in the first of the Corinthians chap. 3. ver 21 22 23. Therefore let no man glory in men saith the Apostle for all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods If the Churches therefore be Christs golden Candlesticks and his Churches and his houses as Paul in the 1 of Timothy averreth ch 3. ver 14 15. where he saith These things I write unto thee that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth if therefore I say Churches be the houses of God and the Churches of the living God and the golden Candlesticks of Jesus Christ and he be the Lord of them and there be also a speciall prohibition given by Christ himselfe to all his Apostles and to all ministers that they should not Lord it over his people as the Princes of the Gentils did over them that were their subjects how then can Mr Knollys say that the Churches were the Apostles Churches Every man I conceive that hath any ordinary understanding that with deliberation shall read Mr Knollys scriblings will conclude of him That he is altogether ignorant in sacred things and if he had not been a frontlesse man and without all shame he would never have published so many errors and so much ignorance as he hath done to the view of the world neither would he ever have said that though the Apostles were called Presbyters in the Scripture yet they acted not as Presbyters especially when it was proved unto him and all those of his fraternity in my first book that they acted in all acts of Government and in that Synod at Jerusalem Acts 15. as ordinary Presbyters But because Mr Knollys is not yet satisfied about that point nor perhaps never will be for the more ample satisfaction if not to him at least to others I will here prove that point a little more fully viz. that the Apostles acted as Presbyters in an ordinary way as the other did and after I have done that I will briefly also answer Mr Knollys his grolleries concerning the fufferage and votes of the Church and people in that Synod in Ierusalem But first I will prove that the Apostles in the debate and controversie in the Synod and in that whole businesse did not act as Apostles with a transcendent and infallible authority but as Presbyters in such a way as makes their meeting a president and pattern to ordinary Councels and Synods For first Paul an Apostle and Barnabas though both extraordinary men and indued with an infallible spirit yet were at that time sent to Ierusalem by the Church of Antioch ver 2. as servants of that Presbytery who willingly and in obedience to the order of that Church subjected themselves to their determination which they would not have done had they acted as
and the Doctor might as well have affirmed that the Brethren even the whole Church might say it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us Thus Master Knollys disputeth not onely against all sound Divinity but against all reason whiles hee would make all the people to have equall suffrage and voices or votes with the Elders in that Councell and therefore Master Knollys shall never be my Master who had hee known any thing concerning governments either in Church or State or had hee ever read any thing concerning Councels in either hee would never have so argued For Councels in all governments consist of peculiar and select men who for their Gravity Wisedome Learning and their inveterate experience are made choyce of and set apart for that purpose and to whom the rule and government of the Kingdomes and Countries wherein they live is committed so that the ordinary people are not to intrude or intermeddle in those affaires whose place it is only to obey and to yeeld subjection to their Ordinances and they that would goe about or indeavour to change this order appointed by God himselfe would speedily bring confusion upon themselves and others and as it is and ever has beene in the matters and affaires of the State and in the Kingdomes of this world so it is in the Kingdome of Jesus Christ which is his Church all things are to be managed with order and decency and by such men only as upon whose shoulders God hath laid that government and into whose hands he hath committed the Keyes those ensignes of authority now when Christ the King of his Church hath given the Keyes to his Apostles and to the Presbyters only and to be continued in their hands to the end of the world they only are to manage the affaires government of the Church to the consummation of all things whose calling and place it is to rule and govern them as who have the care of the churches who are the prime men in authority in them for the ruling and governing of them and the people are onely to obey them and their Ordinances in the Lord and are not to intermeddle in the government of the Church or have their voices or votes in matters of government as hath beene often proved And therefore Master Knollys in saying That the Brethren even the whole Church the multitude how many soever the Doctor can make of them were present as well as the Presbyters and had their voices there is altogether mistaken in his commentary exposition for he by Brethren understanding that the whole Church the whole multitude of Believert men women and children then in Jerusalem for so his words doe import were present in that Councell speakes hee knows not what for it is most certaine by the holy Scripture that the tenth part of the Believers that were in Ierusalem could not have met together in any one place and therefore all the many ten thousands that were there could not possibly have come together in one Synod or Councell and besides the impossibility of it all men know that the Members of Synods and such as have their voices there are Presbyters and Ministers of the Gospel only and such as are sent Commissioners and delegated out of the severall Presbyteries to those Councels for the right ordering and well managing of the government in them and this is their calling and for the other people as the secular Magistrates Masters of Families Wives Children and Servants they are every one of them to continue in that calling and statiou God had placed them in 1 Cor. 7. and all under authority are therein to abide and every one of them to follow their particular negotiations and affaires yeelding obedience in their severall places to those that are over them and women especially by a statute Law from heaven 1 Cor. 14. are injoyned silence in all the Churches and are commanded if they have any doubts to aske their Husbands at home and to be subject and obedient unto them they are not to vote it in Synods neither were women ever that I have read or heard of before such Teachers as Master Knollys and his Fraternity appeared in the world permitted to have their voices in the Churches and Synods which when it is an apparent transgression of the Law of God I am confident that the Apostles and Presbyters then assembled in the Councell of Ierusalem would not have suffered any women to have brake the Lawes of God before their faces and therefore I may with good authority out of Gods Word conclude that there was not a woman in that Synod for the Scripture saith the Synod consisted of brethren and not sisters who had never the Keyes committed to them or any voice there as Mr Knollys vainly asserâ—eth and therefore for women they were not there so that there was not the whole multitude how many soever the Doctor can make them when the sisters are exempted there being none but brethren Besides it was against another statute law from heaven made by the Apostle Paul in the 14. of the Romans ver 1. that weak brethren should be admitted to doubtfull disputations who saith For those that are weak in the Faith receive but not unto doubtfull disputations or ambiguity of disputes for they being not well setled and grounded in Religion would have either been more imbittered against one another or filled more full of scruples then resolved as dayly experience teacheth all men who see what a confusion such paultry fellows as Master Knollys is have already brought inâ—o the world by admitting their weak brethren to their doubtfull disputations and vain janglings uâ—on all occasions Neither will I ever beleeve for my part that the Apostles â—ould be transgressors of their own Laws and teach one thing and practice the contrary now when Saint Paul had made that law that the weak brethren should not be admitted to doubtfull disputations shall we think that the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem would have admitted the whole multitude of all the beleevers amongst the which there were so many weak brethren into the Synoâ— to those disputes and so have violated this law and statute from heaven especially can any rationall man believe this when they were not at that time so well acquainted with their Christian liberty For this would have tended to nothing but a confusion of all things would have put the people in an uâ—rore as is evident from very good reason for if many years after the preaching of the Gospell and the free grace of God and the teaching of them their Christian liberty they remained still so zealous for the observation of the ceremoniall law of Moses as we may read in the 21. chapter of the Acts that they out of a distempered zeal would have destroyed Paul and onely because they heard that hâ— taught the Gentiles not to observe the law of Moses how would all those weak brethren have been inraged against all the Apostles
reade this Booke I will here againe repeate his answer to my Argument with his distinction The Jndependents saith hee grant that it is the Presbyters part to rule but saith he wee distinguish betweene authority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other this latter belongs unto the people the other is proper to the officers which they exercise in the name of the Church c. If hee had said in the name of Christ it had been better but all error is like unto sinne it seldome goes single and alone for here I. S. commits a multiforme error in robbing not onely the Presbyters and Ministers of Christ of their due honour but in robbing also the Lord of life himselfe of his dignity and royaltie and making all the Ministers and Officers of Iesus Christ and his peculiar servants but the vassales and slaves of the people who they call the Church so that according to I. S. his learning all the Officers and Ministers of Christ are at the peoples disposing for they are all of them to act as the Church directs them and they must doe it alwayes in the name of the Church and this is the Hysteron Proteron Divinity of the Independents in all which they deale most wickedly on every side so that when they seeme to speake the Ministers fairest they abuse them to their face for here I. S. by that distinction of his would perswade the world that the Independents give great honour to the Ministers in saying that authority and jurisdiction belongs unto them and is theirs properly and that only power and interest belongs unto the people and yet in the same breath before hee hath passed two steps by his owne description of the power and interest which hee grants unto the people hee gives away all that authority and jurisdiction that hee spake of a little before not onely from all the Ministers and Presbyters of the Gospel but from Christ himselfe the King of his Church and invests the people with it which hee cals the Church saying that the Officers are to exercise their authority and jurisdiction in the name of the Church so that it is evident according to his Divinity that the Ministers of Iesus Christ are but the slaves of the people and that all men may see that this is his meaning he in the 12. page saith that the very Apostles and Elders in the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem were but as a Committee to prepare the dispute and then to report it for the assistance nnd concurrence of the multitude these are his owne words by all which if hegives not the people by his distinction of power and interest a greater authority then hee gives unto the Apostles and Presbyters and to Christ himself let every ingenious man judge which is not only a horrid impiety but abominable in justice sacriledge yea every man may plainly perceive that out of his own words and from the language of al the Independents that he invests the people with all authority under that distinction of power and interest for in saying in the same pag. that in ordination election of officers belongs unto the brethren and imposition of hands to the officers where there are officers as in a Church constituted and compleate by these words hee invests the people with all full and ample authority as any men are capable of or can be betrusted with for amongst many of the Independents to my knowledge they make nothing of ordination and imposition of hands and count it but a complement that makes nothing to the essence of any officers as they say for they assert that it is sufficient to make any man an Officer or Minister if hee be once chosen by the people and it is the election of the church and their call as they say that makes officers without which they affirme they can bee no true officers so that if election be the maine and essentiall busines required for the making of Church-officers and as they teach their followers and they give the power of election to the church or people and affirme that all things are ever to be done in the name of the church it matters not with them whether they be ordained or have any imposition of hands or no that being in their dialect but a complement or a needless ceremony for so I have heard them speak the which ordination also though they say it belongeth unto officers notwithstanding the church and people make no scruple to exercise it at any time and to put it in execution if they thinke it fit as the practise of the new gathered Churches daily teaches all men yea wee may gather as much out of I. S. his owne expressions that the power of ordination as well as of election resides in the people and lies in their hands who saith that imposition of hands is proper to the officers where there are officers in a Church constituted and compleate intimating that if they have no Church-officers they themselves may then ordaine them and this is the practise of some of the churches of the congregationall way by all which their language and proceedings if by their distinction of power and interest they doe not assume arrogate all power to themselvs and take it into their owne hands and invest the people with plenary authority over all Ministers in Church and State I know not what it is to conferre authority on any people It is most notoriously knowne that our Independent Gentlemen would place all authority in the people and would have the Magistrates and Ministers in Church and State all dependent upon them and expect their election and ordination from them and they onely would be independent and all this may be gathered not only from their words and practises and out of all their Pamphlets but even from I. S. his owne distinction of power and interest which hee saith belongs unto the people having thus from their owne Principles sufficiently elucidated that by the Independents doctrine and by their distinction of power and interest they assume all authority to themselves whiles they pretend they give authority and jurisdiction to the Ministers I will now set forth their wickednesse in shâ—wing how they rob Christ of his honour and the Apostles also and Presbyters of Ierusalem of their dignity and power as well as they doe all other ordinary Presbyters of their due honour and authority And I will first begin with their dealing towards Christ the King and Lord of his Church which is his Kingdome All those that know how the Kingdomes and Empires of the world aâ—e governed know that all their Councels Embassadours Judges Rulers and Officers under them either in the time of peace or warre in all their acts of government and in all their precepts and mandates whether Imparative or Prohibitive and in all their Courts of Judicature transact and passe all things with all their writs and summons in the
that hee may be our sole Monarch and eternall King and may perpetually rule in his Church and have all things done in his alone name and according to his owne appointment to the judgement I say of all such cordiall subjects of Iesus Christ and to their seriousest thoughts and censures I leave the consideration of this weighty busines I am confident they will conclude their blasphemy was yet never paralleld by the very Pope himselfe or by any of his shavelings who were never yet so notoriously usurping and iniurious to Christ the King of his Church as to send out their Mandates in their owne name but all things issued out in in nomine domini hence came up the Proverbe when they heard of any thing from the Pope that they usually said in nomine domini incipit omne malum for he always pretended to do al in the name of Christ the King for that stile notwithstanding did that man of sinne ever observe and keepe continually ever setting forth his grolleries in nomine domini whereas our Independent Brethren act all their baggatelly and trifling busines in the name of their severall churches their officers ever saying when they carry or bring any learned Messages one from an other that they come in the name of the churches and what they doe they would have them know they doe it as officers in the name of the church Christs name the King of his church is never so much as heard amongst them in the transacting of their church affaires so that wee may truely say that whatsoever they pretend of setting up Christ as King upon his Throne their practise sheweth the contrary for in the government of all their severall churches they act all not in the name of Christ but in the name of their several churches so that Christ the Kings name is not so much as mentioned amongst them as wee have learned not onely from their daily practise but from I. S. and our American monstrous Divinity To all that I have said for proofe that all the Independents by their doctrine disthrone Christ and set themselves in his place whiles they most of all pretend they set him up upon his Throne I may for a corallary add their new traditions and practises which they impose upon all the Members of their severall new gathered churches as the commandments of God and as the practises of the Saints of old and injoyne them and urge them as the statutes ordinances and decrees of God yea I might here farther shew how they practice contrary unto Christ's the King and Lord of his Church commands For whereas he sending out his Disciples and Apostles setting down the conditions upon which all men should be admitted into the Church which were to repent and beleeve and to bebaptized in token of their beliese and repentance which whosoever should accept of and imbrace they should thereupon be received into Church fellowship the Illdefendents notwithstanding regard not Christs commands but unto it add their own vain traditions for the which they have neither precept nor president in all holy writ nor the practice of any well reformed church and they force men to conforme unto them or else there can be no admission howsoever they offer themselvs to do as much as Christ their King commands them to do And whereas Christ the King of his church layd the Government of it upon the shoulders of none but his Ministers to whom he had given the Keyes the Il-dependents not onely dispense with this law at pleasure but absolutely oppose it for contrary unto this law is their doctrine and practice who teach that the power and interest lies in the people and that is their part and that the Ministers are to exercise their authority and jurisdiction in the churches name and so they spoile the Ministers of their power and invest the people with it and give lawes unto the people of God yea unto the Lawâ—iver Christ himselfe whether all these dealings therefore of the Illdependents with many more paslages of the like nature that might be produced if not worse be not to disthrone Christ when they slight his Laws and prefer their own traditions before the commandments of Christ the King of his church and revile and reproach his servants and officers offering all the indignity that can be committed against men to them all I leave it to the judgement of the wise and godly Again I refer it to the wisdome of any discerning spirit to consider and judge what difference there is between the Sectaries and the Pope and his conclave in this point whenas they both assume all authority to themselves and take it from the Ministers and make them but their executioners Surely they will finde them both equally guilty and both Antichristian in rebelling in all things against Christ For Christ saith to all men that they that despise his Ministers despise him and they that despise and slight Christ in as much as in them lies they disthrone him and therefore when all the Independents dayly practice all the malifices above mentioned and that in a higher manner and strain pretend they what they will of setting up Christ upon his Throne they plainly disthrone him dishonour him which may yet further appear if we consider some of their other passages for it is well known that some of the chiefe pillars in their houses and churches those Atlasses that some of them confide so much in for their strength and so much extoll for the preaching up of Christs Kingdome and for the setting of him up upon his Throne I say some of these as it is well known have upon the Frontispices of their Pamphlets set this title Against Jesu Worship Now although it be praise worthy in any in maintenance of Gods true worship and service to write against all Idolatricall or Superstitious worship of the true God or Jesus yet it is a thing no way beseeming any Christian to write agaist God Worship and Iesu-Worship which are both commanded because that some faile and erre in the manner of the Worship of either God the Father or God the Sonne Yea it would have been thought in any Christian Nation an unsufferable thing to have tolerated the very reading or publishing of any books with such a title and inscription though the matter in them might have been good for no man much lesse a Christian oâ—ght to write against Iesu-Worship no more then he ought to write against God-Worship for Iesus also is God blessed for ever the eternall Son of the eternall Father who hath commanded all his Disciples Iohn 5. To worship the Son as they worship the Father Now then if it be an unsufferable thing to write against God-Worship no lesse intolerable is it in any to write against Iesu-Worship and all such as write such books and all such as allow of them and approve of them and their authors let them pretend what they will of setting up Christ upon
that by this their doctrine they not onely rob Christ the King of his Church of his honour and dignity which I made good before but all the holy Apostles and Presbyters his Ministers and Servants also of their honour power and dignity which the King of his Church the Lord Jesus had invested them with and bestowed upon them all which will clearly appear if we shall again briefly consider and but take notice First what power and authority God gave unto his Apostles and to his Ministers which was the power of the Keyes Matth. 16. and Matth. 18. that is all power in his Church under him Matth. 28. and Mark 16. I say if we shall duly in the first place but consider that all the Apostles Christs speciall Ministers and Servants were by Christ himself invested with all authority and guided in their preaching and writing by his holy spirit so that whatsoever they taught or writ as his Ministers were the dictates of his spirit and the commandments of God and were for ever to be the rule of his Church to all succeeding ages to the end of the World and if we consider also what he promised to his blessed Apostles and all his Servants and Ministers that should succeed them viz. that he would be with them to the end of the World to all which Ministers likewise he had given the keys and made them stewards and overseers of his house which is his Church I say if we but duly weigh all these things we shall finde them all invested with plenary authority and by the very commission of God for ever inabled to exercise all acts of Government in the Church and that by themselves without the assistance and concurrence of the people who were never joyned with them in commission but received commands from heaven to obey those that God had made guides over them and made Rulers in his Church I say if we maturely consider all these immunities and priviledges and the power that the Apostles and Ministers of Christ were indued with and that from Christ the King of his church And on the other side shall but consider what learned I. S. in the name of all the Independents his brethren declareth concerning not onely all the ordinary Ministers of the church but what he delivereth concerning the blessed Apostles we shall clearly perceive that herobbs them all of that honour dignity and power which God hath given them and invests the people with it which is a double injustice First in taking from the Apostles and Ministers that which was their due and which God had bestowed upon them And secondly in giving unto the people that which pertained not to them and to which they had no right nor could lay no claime and with which they were not to meddle But take notice of his Doctrine what hee holds and beleeves concerning the ordinary Ministers page 12. In ordination saith hee election belongeth unto the brethren Jmposition of hands is proper to the Officers where there are Officers as in a Church constituted and compleate otherwise if the Church be not compleate according to his learning the people may doe it Thus I. S. speaks there and in the 11 page hee grants it is the Presbyters part to rule But as soone as hee hath spake the word as if hee repented of what he had said hee comes in with a but saying but wee distinguish betweene Authority and Iurisdiction on the one hand and Power and Jnterest on the other this latter belongs unto the people the other is proper unto the Officers which yet they exercise in the name of the Church The Officers saith hee ordaine they excommunicate they leade and direct in all government and disputes they have the executive power but the people have a power and interest too that is in his dialect as hee declared himselfe in the words going before the Officers must exercise all their authority and jurisdiction in the name of the Church and must doe as the people shall direct them for their power is onely the executive power they are onely the executioners of the church they can neither elect any officers nor excommunicate any without they have the leave and good liking from the people for the radicall and originall power lyes in the people and church which if it be not utterly to overthrow the authority of the Ministers and to make them nothing but cyphers in the Church and most sacrilegiously to rob them of that power Christ the King of his Church hath given them and to arrogate it and assume it unto themselves and whether this be not the greatest wickednesse and injustice in the Independents that can be committed against men I leave it to the consideration and judgement of all conscientious and learned men and whether such temerarious and bold impudent theives and Church-robbers ought not with greatest severity and justice to be proceeded against for this their malefice and unsufferable wickednesse who doe not onely take from the Ministers of Iesus Christ whom they ought ever to have in great reverence for their workes sake 1 Thess 5. that honour power and authority Christ hath given them but labour likewise now with all their might to take from them also that that God hath put into the hearts of men his servants to give them viz. their tythes and lively-hood and all that by which they should support themselves and their poore Families which is as intolerable an in justice and ingratitude both towards God and men as can by mortall creatures bee committed which wickednesse of the Independents and Sectaries if the Magistrates shall suffer to goe unpunished I most confidently beleeve that the Lord and King of his Church the Lord of heaven and earth will take the quarrell of his righteousservants into his hand and will poure downe his plagues both on them and all their complices and abettors And now I have made it evident how they rob all the ordinary Ministers and Presbyters of the Gospel of their due honour and power I will make it likewise appeare that the Apostles also are by their doctrine in the same predicament and that they deale no better with them whom they have robbed also and spoyled of their honour power and authority and count of them all no otherwise then of ordinary and common Ministers and but as of a company of Executioners for wee must take what I. S. speakes in this busines to be uttered in the name of all the Independents for hee is but their mouth and his booke came forth by the authority and approbation of them all and was esteemed of as a goodly peece and he highly honoured amongst them for it His words are these page 12. The Apostles and Elders saith he as a Committee first prepared the dispute as not counting it so safe perhaps to admit the weake to the same whiles it was intricate and then reported it and had their assistance and concurrence and the Letters of resolution
and humane learning yea contrary to the very opinion of the learnedst of the Independents for this I. S. his judgement is that the Apostles and Presbyters without the concurrence of the people and Church could not have made the Decrees valid and binding whereas all the Independents besides himselfe joyning with the Papists against the Protestants affirme that the Apostles onely in that Synod and Councell by their infallible authority ratified those Decrees and so they exclude all the Presbyters saying that the Apostles acted not as Presbyters in that Councell but as Apostles stles with a transcendent power and were onely the men who were led and guided in that Session by the Holy Ghost and by a spirit of infallibility which say they the Presbyters were not indued with and therefore their presence onely as Apostles made their Decrees binding which opinion of the Independents howsoever it is very erroneous as I have often shewed in the foregoing Discourse yet it is point blanke against the Doctrine of I. S. who places all the power in the people robbing both the Apostles and Presbyters of their authority and on the other side his brethren they place all authority upon the Apostles and deprive the Presbyters of it and count them but ordinary men and not infallibly there assisted by the Holy Ghost both which opinions as they are contrary unto the word of God so they sufficiently prove that these men are but Babel Builders whose tongues and language are divided and tend to confusion for they are diametrically fighting one against ano ther so that all the world may see that those men that begin once to fight against the truth like the Midianitâ—s they destroy one an other But this has generally beene observed that such men as these are that study to invent Engines to beate downe the truth yet all the vapours of their braine cannot so much as cloud so bright â— Sunne but it will evermore gloriously shine forth to the dazeling of the eyes of all the enemies of the same So that it is a wonder of wonders to mee to see the people generally so hardned by obstinacy that they cannot yet discerne into the craft and juggling of the Ill-defendents predicants who whiles they give the people or Church power and interest to humour them it is not so much out of love to them as hatred to the Presbyterians to build up their Diana Temple of Independency hoping by raysing it to ruine the truth it selfe and to overthrow the whole Fabricke of Presbyterian government which Christ the King of his Church hath appointed and in fine by this meanes to bring in a confusion of all things and a mâ—â—re Anarchy in Church and State But howsoever the Ill-defendents seeke to put out the light of the truth by this their snuffing at it they make it burne the brighter as I. S. and Hanserdo Knollys have done by their snuffing at it And this shall suffice by way of Answer to have replyed to what both these Gentlemen Master Hanserdo and I. S. had to say to my third Proposition I come now to my fourth which I will first set down with their Answers to it and then make my reply as I have done to all their former cavills and I will go on in the same order first answering to Hanserdo and then to I. S. My fourth Proposition is this viz. That the Church of Jerusalem and the government of the same is to be a pattern for all Congregations and Assemblies in any City or Vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers and Presbyters of those congregations to govern that Church joyntly in a Colledge or Presbytery And for the proofe of this there needs no great dispute for all men acknowledge that the mother Church must give an example of government to all the daughter Churches now then when it doth evidently appear that this mother Church of Jerusalem in her most flourishing condition and by her first constitution was consisting of many Congregations and severall Assemblies and that they were all governed by a Presbytery or a joynt and common Councell of Presbyters then it followeth that all other Churches should be governed after the same manner as the mother Church was to the end of the World neither doe the brethren deny but the government of the church of Jerusalem must be the patterne of government to all churches and therefore out of that misprision and mistake that she was consisting of but as many as could meet in one congregation they take the church of Ierusalem for imitation and teach all their severall congregations to do the same and to exercise the same power among themselves Independent and to govern with as absolute an authority in their severall Congregations as the whole Colledge of the Apostles and Presbyters did in the church of Ierusalem and from the which they allow of no appeale as all that know their tenents can witnesse So that this last Proposition being strengthned both by reason and the consent of the brethren needs no further proof Now to this my fourth Proposition and the Arguments contained in the same Master Knollys thus replyeth Page 14. Neither do the Brethren deny but the Government of the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all Churches But the Doctor knows that the brethren deny that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers Congregations and severall Assemblies under a common Councell Consistory Colledge or Court of Presbyters And this they have not granted neither hath the Doctor proved And this may be sufficient to be said in Answer to the four Propositions touching the first Question This is all Mr Knollys hath to say by way of Answer to this my last Proposition in the which Answer of his I desire the Reader to observe what he in the name of all the brethren granteth and assenteth unto and what both he and they all deny at least as he saith for he personateth them all He grants in behalfe of them all that the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all churches And this is as much as I desire But by the way take notice that Master Hanserdo reckons before his host for I. S. is one of the brethren and yet he Page 13. asserteth that the example of that Church is not bindingly presidentiall Now what he and all the brethren deny if Mr Knollys be worthy of credit are these two things viz. The first That the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers congregations Secondly they deny that the Doctor hath proved it That all the brethren deny as Mr Knollys saith that the church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations is not altogether to be believed For my brother Burton none of tne meanest of the Brethren doth not deny it yea he not onely grants it but by arguments proves that there were many Assemblies of Believers in the church of Ierusalem and therefore Mr Hanserdo in this also his assertion
he and his complices have to say to my five other quaeries But I will set downe my Brother Burtons oowne words which are these p. 19. seeing saith he wee have all bound our selves by solemne Covenant to reforme our selves and those under our charge according to the word of God yea and every one to goe before others in this Reformation tell me now Brother saith hee if it were not a matter worth the while for our Reverend and Learned Assembly seriously to take into debate whether the general tying up of men to waite necessarily on the Synod for its finall resolution about Church government be not an usurpation upon our Christian Liberty and a Diminution at least of the authority and sufficiency of Scripture and so consequently be not a trenching upon a fundamentall heresie as also an inhibition restrayning every man in his place Ministers Masters c. from setting upon the work of Reformation and so necessitating a violation of our Covenant or a dangerous retarding of the worke thus my Brother Burton these and such like are the subtill baits and cunning snares wherewith he catches and draws into his Net many ignorant yet well meaning tender hearted Christians whereas Reformation and Discipline in the Church in the full power thereof had beene settled long since had not Independents studied ways to molest our peace in opposing the setling of Church government according to the word of God for this they have and doe labour to withstand with all their might and great subtilty by which meanes my Brother Burton and those of his faction increase and strengthen their party and set up their new wayes and give an in-let to old and new heresies without interruption but this practice of Independents is offencive to God and man and absolutely contrary to that Covenant which we have all entered into For when we covenanted for Reformation it was to be understood that wee were thereby ingaged to humble our selves before the great God and with fasting and prayer earnestly to seeke to the Lord who is wise in heart and mighty in strength Job 9.4 able to over-power the hearts wils and affections of Principalities and powers yea of the greatest Kings and Monarchs in the world who by his wisedome can advise counsell and direct and by his mighty and omnipotent working and by the operation of his spirit can inforce and compell them to obey his Royall commands and to set up an universall Reformation of Religion and Discipline in his Church in its full power according to his sacred word and divine will And whereas wee have all bound our selves by solemne Covenant to reforme our selves and all under our charge according to the word of God this strictly binds every one of us in speciall to Reforme our selves and those under our charge by forsaking every sinfull way and evill practice that wee or they have formerly walked delighted and continued in whereby wee have provoked the Holy one of Israel unto anger Isaiah 1. 4. and hereby Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters of Families are bound to take care that all under their charge frequent the Ordinances of God and exercise all holy duties with them and that they doâ— not suffer any to wander and straggle abroad into dangerous ways and by-paths and errors and heresies and blasphemous tenents for if they let them walke where they please it shewes but little care taken to reforme and keepe them in the right way which leads to happinesse and it is a violation of this part of our Covenant where wee have bound our selves every one to reforme one and all under our charge yea and wee are bound every one to labour to goe before others in this Reformation But our Covenant doth not therefore bind every man and woman to take upon them to set up and follow what Government seemes good in their own eyes or rather is most suitable to their boundlesse spirits our Covenant gives no such Liberty to any for were this the sense of the Covâ—nant when it binds every particular man to indeavour to goe before others in Reformation this were to covenant against sinne Formality and Tyrannie and to vow for unlawfull Libertisâ—e Prophanesse and an Anarchie which would bring inevitable confusion in Church and State for under the pretence of going before others in Reformation Heresies unwarrantable corrupt and dangerous new opinions would then be broached maintained and disperst abroad without either the feare of God or man as at this day wee are taught by sad experience and all these deadly and destroying Heresies would be disseminated and divulged under pretext that their ways are agreeable to Gods word and that they come neerer and walke more close to the rule of Christ then others doe although their feet tread not in the steps of his commandements but walke in wayes contrary to his holy will and therefore such disorderly walkings as these are a Deformation of Religion not a Reformation according to Gods word and our solemne Covenant which wee have all entered into But my Brother Burton as I related before puts it to the question Whether or no it be not an usurpation upon our Christian Liberty and a diminution at least of the authoritie and sufficiency of Scripture c. for a man to be tyed to waite on the Synod for its finall resolution for Church government It may be answered for Magistrates to be zealous for Reformation and to settle that Church government which God hath appointed is so farre from being any usurpation upon our Christian Liberty or a diminution of the authority and sufficiencie of the holy Scripture as they have warrant for it out of holy writ and the practice of the most godly Princes is there recorded for their example and incouragement to go on undauntedly in the work 2 Chron. 15. 8. to the 16. v. 2 Chro. 17. the 6 7 8 9. 2 Chron. 29. c. 2 Chron. 30. c. 2 Chron. 31. 31. c. 2 Chron. 34. c. 2 King 23. to the 24. ver Ezr. 9. Neh. 9. so that Gods word be the absolute rule to direct them in this their undertaking and the true intent of our Covenant is that we will all be ayding and assisting to the utmost of our power to further them in their holy indeavours Now wherein for the effecting of such a Reformation that may in all things bee grounded on Scripture can a better course bee taken then authority hath appointed namely by calling together an Assembly of Ministers men skilfull in the originall tongues learned in all other sciences and approved to be godly pious zealous orthodox men and mighty in the Scripture and which is more to be selfe-denying men who being met together have humbled themselves by fasting and prayer before the Lord of Heaven and earth imploring his divine assistance illumination and direction out of his holy word for the Reforming and setling the Government of the Church according to his sacred will and for these
godly conscionable and learned Ministers as they did thus meet together so they have ever since laboriously searched the Scriptures to find out what is the good will and pleasure of our God herein and they have not concluded of any thing but what they bring their warrant for out of Gods word being taken from the example practice precepts and commands of the holy Apostles and the Churches in their times for that government which they stand for and humbly desire to have setled aud established in the Church of God Now can it be justly said that if men waite patiently while these truths are discussing which have beene the longer by reason that daily opposition and many cavilling argumentations that have beene brought against that truth which they hold forth by some irresolvable spirits that this is to tye them to waite on the Synods finall Resolution no surely for to waite on the meere resolves of men the wisedome of the State would never permit to tye any man but to waite on Gods word and those warrantable and unquestionable truths which by the Synod are clearely demonstrated out of the same concerning Church-government and this is a truth cannot be denyed or gain-said that it is better and the safest way for men to waite see and seriously consider of what God shall out of his word reveale to his faithfull servants the Ministers who are met together in his name and feare for this very end and purpose diligently to seeke and find out his good will and pleasure in this particular then for men to tye themselves to the private opinions and wayes policie of some particular men who under the pretence of going before others in Reformation set up what government they please and cause people to enter into a Covenant of their owne framing for all which when matters are rightly stated and tryed by the ballance of the Sanctuary there is not any colour nor warrant out of Gods word nor in the solemn Covenant which we have taken therefore in the judgement of all who are humble and low in their owne sight and who sincerely aym at the glory of God Zions peace it is not thought any usurpation upon our Christian Liberty nor diminution of the Scriptures authority nor retarding of the worke to waite and see what God shall make cleare to the Synod out of his word upon their debates consultations and answers to all opposing parties for this is a way to make truth perspicuous and as wee are exhorted to try all things and hold fast that which is good so those that are godly and will not be deluded with shewes they bring all these results to the Touch-stone of Gods word and if they find that they indure the teste then they dare not but receive and hold them fast being the words of sound and wholesome truths so that the finall Resolution for Church government which men waite for is not from the Synod further then they hold it forth and make it manifest to be agreeable to the Scriptures and to that rule all men are bound to submit and we ought to waite and see what the Synod doth conclude of out of Gods word as the Church of Antioch and other Churches did Acts 15. where we have a President for our imitation set before our eyes in the which wee may observe that the Christians of those times were as well instructed as any in the new gathered Churches or any of the dissenting brethren whether assembled or not assembled and yet all those holy and godly Christians thought it no usurpation upon their Christian Liberty nor no diminution of the authority and sufficiency of the Scripture nor no dangerous retarding of the worke of reformation and of setling their Church-government to waite upon the Synod at Ierusalem for their finall resolution about that question there in debate and which had caused so great a schisme betweene the Jewes and Gentiles I say these glorious and truly precious Christians had none of these panicke feares the Ill-dependents of our times are troubled with but willingly and cheerfully waited upon that Synod and Councell without making in the meane time any rents and separations from their Christian brethren and this their doing was left for our example to teach us to doe the like and not under a semblance and shew of going before others in â—reformation to make rents and schismes in the Church and State and to gather new Churches and separate Assemblies and this shall suffice in way of answer to have spake to all my Brother Burtons cavils against my first Querie and for answer likewise to the question propounded by him to mee and now I come to see what my Brother Burton hath to say concerning my second Querie viz. touching the requisites in those that are to bee made Members the Reader may looke backe to the querie by which hee will the better discerne the Grollery of the man As for I. S. hee answers to that querie although it be the practice of many of new gathered Churches that hee knowes none such who hold it so so that it seemes I. S. is but a Catachumenos in the Independents doctrine whiles hee undertakes to instruct others in it But my Brother Burton he is well verst in all the Ill-dependent discipline both for the Theory and Practick who answers thus to my second querie page 14. I pray saith he what harme is in that that none are to bee allowed of but by the consent and approbation of all the congregation for answer I say very much harme in regard they impose a Law upon their brethren that Christ the King of his Church never laid upon his people by which they deprive them of that Christian Liberty Christ hath purchased for them and in the which they have a command to stand fast Gal. 5. 1. which is not to bee intangled with any yoake of humane bondage But it will not be amisse to heare his reasons They saith he who are to walke together should first be agreed together as Amos the 3. 3. an two walke together except they be agreed If therefore any one of the Congregation can object any thing as a just cause of non-admittance of a Member hee ought to shew it not onely for his owne peace but the peace of the Church c. A second reason is this to know those well saith hee that are to be admitted abundans cautela non nocet in things weighty we cannot be too wary nor do we so much look at circumstances in conversion as the substance This is all my brother Burton hath to answer to my second quâ—ry which he calleth a caption But for answer I expected that he should have produced some command or example out of Gods Word for the ratifying of this their practice in their new congregations for that is ever to be the rule of Christians obedience and where our King Christ Jesus hath ceased to command there all his servants must cease
We hold it saith he yea that for the admission of any to Membership or Office bearing in a church the consent of the congregation or the major part thereof as well as officers be required and that as well in regard every one takes a charge upon him as in respect of interest I expected that this groll I. S. should according to his promise not onely have given me a parcell of words but as he accounted me a Catachumenos that he should have taught and instructed me out of Gods Word which must be the rule of our obedience and out of his statutes where ever Christ the King of his Church had ever given such a law unto his people that they should admit of none into his house without the consent of all their fellow servants and where he did resign his authority and put it into the peoples hands and commanded them that they should take a charge of his family upon them as having an interest in it and where Christ did ever by any law or statute make his people servants to each other as that they should take a charg over them have an interest in them to judge them at pleasure all this I looked for at I. S. his hands and that now he should have fully informed me in it especially when we have a command from Christ our King to the contrary I desire to go on warily 1 Cor. 7. 23. who saith to all his servants and subjects by his Apostle Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Now if we are not to be the servants of men how then comes it to passe that the Independents make us not onely servants but slaves and vassals to them for what greater bondage and servitude can there be in the World then to be under the controule of every one his fellow servants so that without their good likinâ— they can neither come in nor go out of their masters house nor be admitted to do that service their master calls for at their hands but if any one of their fellow servants shall except against him he must be kept out of doors I appeal here to the judgement of all men whether there were ever extant in the World such a generation of Lordly Gentlemen over Gods heritage seen since mortality inhabited the earth or that did ever more impudently domineer and Lord it over Gods Clergyes then in this our age where every man makes himselfe a Lord and Judge over his brother who is purchased by Christ his King and made free by his Word especially is not this a horrid insolency in any to take upon him to judge his brother when there is a statute law and a command laid upon him to the contrary Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore saith the Apostle judg one another any more but judg this rather that no man put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way in the which Law statute there are 2 observables The first is this that no man should judge his brother any more and this statute is ratified by many other and from most warrantable and divine reason the other statutes that confirme this are many in the same chapter with the reasons thereof For saith the Apostle What art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own master he standeth or falleth ver 4. therefore thou oughtest not to judge him For to this end saith he ver 9. Christ both dyed rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Christ saith he is our Lord both by donation by conquest by purchase by covenant by fellowship with the sonne and with the Father we were given unto him by God the Father and he conquered all our enemies and led captivity captive and vanquished the strong and armed man and disarmed him and rescued all his servants out of his slavery he hath redeemed us by no less price then his pretious blood and we are his people also by covenant and by communion in his graces and resurrection and glory injoying with him all felicity and everlasting happinesse with an eternall Kingdome therefore saith he in the 12. verse Why dost thou judge thy brother and why dost thou set at naught thy brother we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ Therefore judge not thy brother And St. James saith my brethren be not many Masters And this I say is the first observable out of that text that we ought not to judge one another any more The second observeable is that no man should put a stumbling blocke or occasion of fall in his brothers way Now I appeale unto any man what greater stumbling blocke or occasion to fall can be put in any mans way then when men on their own heads impose a Law upon their brethren that Christ our King never gave to his people or what greater scandall and offence can be given to a poore servant of Jesus Christ his King then to be thrust out of their Masters doores or to be kept out of their Masters house and to be judged at the will and pleasure of his fellow servants whether hee be fit to come into his Maastars family or not if this be not to judge his brother if this be not a scandall yea if this be not an intolerable tyrannie there was never any either judgement scandall or tyrannie in the world nor greater rebellion and contumacy against the King of his Church and against his subjects servants and redeemed ones and therefore if the Pope and Prelates were so much abominated and abhorred of all men for their usurpation over Gods heritage and clergies how much ought such squanderling fellowes as this I. S. and his complices be abominated who thus take upon them to discerne into the very secrets of their brethrens hearts and to judge them fit or not fit to be received into Church fellowship and into the communion of Saints and according to their conceit and opinion so to bring in their verdict of admission or non-admission when Christ our Lord and King sayes judge not lest ye bee judgod Matth. 3. and bids all men that are heavie laden to come unto him Matth. 11. and saith Iohn the 6. v. 37. Him that comethunto me I will in no way cast out Here the Lord the King of his Church gives free admittance to all his subjects and servants to come into his Kingdom and house but here is my Lord Taps his Chaplaine and his associats and they all take upon them this power and authority that except it be by their good leave liking they shall not be admitted into the house of God for they have a charge over that house and an interest also these are I. S. his owne expressions Now I do here againe appeale to any that have but any ordinary understanding whether there was ever such a supercilious brood of creatures in the world before these Ill-dependents were hatcht that can
truly preached the Sacraments rightly administred and the name of God rightly called upon and all those essentiall marks made that Church a true formed Church after the New-Testament forme if the Scripture and my Brother Burton may be beleeved and therefore I take notice of this as a speciall error in my Brother Burton that hee makes excommunication the Gospel forme of a true Church for which his tenent I beleeve he will find some moderate check or other from some of his brethren of the congregational way who hold that their particular explicite Covenant is the forme of the Church and this shall serve for answer to that second Grollery of my Brother Burton His third Grollery is that hee saith that the power of admitting and casting out Members was not in the Apostles and Ministers alone but in the Churches which is a notable error in my Brother Burton and Contrary unto many places of the holy Scripture for God gave the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel only the Keyes Matth. 16. Matt. 18. and Matth. 28. and they that had the Keyes and were the Stewards of Gods family could onely open and shut the doores to whom they pleased without the people and we see that the Apostles onely in the second of the Acts without the people received into the Church those three thousand first Converts yea and received Paul into their Fellow-ship contrary unto the Disciples and peoples mind Acts 9. and wee know that Paul by his owne power did excommunicate and deliver to Satan Hymeneus and Alexander and others 1 Tim. chap. 2. verse 1. and we learne in the second and third of the Revelation that the Lord writing unto the Churches sends his Epistles to the Angels as the chiefe officers and blames them for neglecting their duty in not casting out those wicked ones that were amongst them by all which testimonies and many more that might be produced it is sufficiently evident that the Ministers only ought by themselves to manage the government of the Church and that it is their peculiar office and the place of the people to yeeld obedience to what they do and even out of 2. Cor. 2. the same may be gathered where it is said he was excommunicate by many not al. And therefore it is a marvellous great error in my brother Burton to conclude because Paul writ to the church of Corinth for the casting out of the incestuous person therefore the power and authority lay in the peoples hands and not in the Apostles and Ministers alone But these are the unsound conclusions that those of the congregationall way gather too too often from the holy Scripture for the ingratiating of themselves amongst the people whom they pretend much to honour in telling them that they have a power and interest in the government as well as the Ministers have and that the Presbyterians challenge this to themselves joly it is onely to inslave the people and to Lord it over them and that worse then the Prelates and for no other end I am most assured did my Brother Burton bring in this cavill in opposition to my Argument which not withstanding stands firme to prove that John the Baptist did by himselfe and without the people execute his Commission and receive Members into the Church and that from his and the blessed Apostles examples all other Ministers may take this example and doe the same and that by Gods owne appointment as wee shall see more fully in the following Discourse and this shall suffice to have spake to this cavill also of my Brother Burton and all the Grolleries of the same concerning the Baptist and his gathering of churches But now to goe on after the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ and that the Apostles had received the gifts of the Holy Ghost and at their first entring upon their Ministry had preached unto the people and that the people were pricked in their hearts when they heard them it is said that the people addressed themselves onely unto Peter and the other Apostles saying Men and Brethren what shall wee do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost c. Act. 2. 23 24 then they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day were added unto them about three thousand soules Here wee may observe these two things The first that the Apostles by themselves alone without the multitude or church admitted the people into the society and company of beleevers Secondly that in the execution of their commission they did nothing but according to their warrant and according to their injunction that was given unto them by Christ they propounded no other condition or termes for the making all and every one of them Members of the Church but Baptisme and Repentance the which when the people had accepted of they were forthwith admitted and that upon their own word and testimony without any more adoe or further inquiry concerning the soundnesse of their repentance without any witnesse from others of their conversation and without the voyce allowance or approbation of the people or the multitude of beleevers in Jerusalem much lesse of the whole Church who were never joyned with the Apostles in their Commission or consulted with by them whether they should be admitted or no into the Fellowship of the faithfull or demanded or asked by the people whether it were not fit that they should take some time of further consideration that they might walke with them to the end that they might behold their conversation and by their owne experience might further be confirmed that their conversion was sound and well Neither did any call for at their hands that they should make a publicke confession of their faith to the Church and give in their evidences to the Congregation that they were converted really or that they should take a private covenant or enter into the Church by way of a peculiar covenant nothing of all this specified But it is onely related that the people upon their being pricked in their hearts applyed themselves unto the Apostles and that the Apostles by their owne authority and that power that was delegated unto them without reference to the Church or people admitted them into the number of Beleevers I expected in this place to have met with Generall Burton or cavalier Hanserdo Saint George his chaplaine knowing what daring men they are that they would have fought me here especially and that they would have indeavoured with all their forces to have beate mee from this ground a place so advantagious that they that are Masters of it may bid defiance to the powerfullest and potentest enemies of the truth and indeed I did so much the more expect their incounter here and that they would have given mee Battell and that wee should have had a pitcht field for it because they
have ever pretended an interest in it yea and challenge a right unto it saying that the church of Ierusalem is theirs and which is more they had by usurpation got this church into their hands and had the possession of it and having thus attained unto their designe being backt with great friends some Tobiasses and Sanballets they began to build castles in the ayre and made Fortifications in their braine and laid a foundation in their phantasie upon which they built an Independent Church consisting of no more then could all meet in one place to enjoy all acts of worship in Gods service and pretended that this Church being the Mother-church was to bee an example and paterne to all the Daughter-churches and that all Churches through the world must be governed after that modell and being by the assistance of many Sanballats and Tobiesses much strengthened as I said before they began to insult and to give Lawes of government to all Churches and to gather and set up churches after their owne modell and being much assured of their owne strength they bad defiance to the whole world flinging and casting their Gloves to all their enemies assembled and not assembled whereupon I being a Commander in the Presbyterian Army and taking up the Glove came out against them and by divine assistance reduced this place and tooke it from them which they had sometime unjustly detayned from the Presbyterians to whom indeed it belonged by the right of inheritance and succession I say I having by conquest taken this strong citie from the Independent Vsurpers that now labour to mannage all government by sea and land in church and state pretending they are Saints and that the Saints must governe the world and being in the possession of it I expected that those two confiding Commanders Saint Hanserdo valiant and venerable old Henry being so compleatly armed as he was with his sword and Phocions Hatchet and with his great white basket-hilted beard that both of them assisted also with I. S. would have come out in battell against me and would not have left the field as Van Trump lately left the sea especially seeing in their march they all passed by the church of Ierusalem and having also so great an advantage against mee they being three to one which makes mee conceive that they are all either desperate cowards or terribly treacherous and in that regard are not fit to be Generals and Commanders any longer in so great an Army as that of the Ill-dependents yea this their declining Battell with mee makes me boldly conclude of them that they deale unmanly on all sides for if the church of Ierusalem be theirs and that they have any interest in it or a right unto it why did they not now ingage themselves in her quarrell and fight for her especially when all their Army lay in the field certainly it had beene much for all their honours now to have shewen their valour and therefore they all of them not striking a stroke proclaime unto all the world their want both of animosity and all heroicall vertue and their want also of honesty in that they pretend a right unto that they have no just title or clayme to and for which they dare not fight in that they amuse the people and stirre up factions on every side and all to strengthen their owne party for the making of a groundless combustion in Church State telling the people that they have power and interest in the government of the Church and that authority and jurisdiction only belongeth unto the Presbyters which they ought alwayes to exercise in the name of the Church and thereupon they perswade them that if they relinquish this their right unto the Presbyters they will more Lord it over them then ever the Prelates did and they teach them farther that this right is derived unto them from the example of the Church of Ierusalem and the other Primitive Churches who when they were cast into a Gospel forme as they say the Apostles and Ministers had not the sole power of governing them but the people also were joyned with them and that they are all of them to have their voices both in electing of officers and in receiving in of Members and casting out of any offenders as well as the Presbyters and Ministers and wish all the people to stand and continue in that liberty wherein Christ hath made them free these and such like unsound Principles they season the people with for the inraging of them against the Presbyters and take all occasions to pervert the holy Scripture for the maintenance of their new-found way of Independency and labour continually by shifts and juglings to evade the dint of any Arguments that are brought against them for the proving that the power of government in the church resideth in the Presbyters and Ministers hands both for the admission of Members and the casting of them out as it did in the hands of Iohn Baptist and the Apostles and Disciples who onely had the authority with the Keyes committed unto them by God himselfe and who onely exercised it in their dayes as by innumerable examples may be proved as by that of Iohn the Baptist and the Apostles in the church of Ierusalem which latter example both my brother Burton and J. S. passe by with great silence wherein they deale most dishonestly as I shall by and by make appeare But for the example of Iohn the Baptist my brother Burton set upon that at first pretending to the people that the example of Iohns gathering in of people by his sole authority was not binding because as hee saith it was extraordinary and that the Churches and Assemblies gathered by him were not formedinto Christian Churches these are his words page 16. and that those Churches onely which were put into a Gospel forme after Christs Ascension are to bee a paterne of government unto all christian churches to the end of the world and he saith if we visit them wee shâ—ll find that in them the power of admitting and rejecting Members was not in the Apostles and Ministers alone and for an instance of this hee bringeth in the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 2. which hee saith is a sufficient President to all churches and thereupon concludes and so perswades the people that the example of Iohn the Baptist in receiving in and admitting of Members by his sole authority cannot bee an example patern to the Ministers under the Gospel to do the same and therefore labours with all his power to evade the dint of that Argument by such turnings and evasions as these telling the people That those Congregations that were gathered by him not being in a Gospel-Form nor moulded up after the New Testament form cannot be bindingly presidential and therefore for our imitation he affirms we must necessarily come to the Christian Churches constituted by the Apostles after Christs Ascension as that one for example the Church of Corinth in which
of all things See what Saint James saith in his fifth chapter to all churches and christians in the world Is any man sicke saith hee let him send for the Presbyters of the churches and let them pray over him c. and the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him The Apostle Iames here sends all christians to the Presbyters of every church who had the power of the Keyes delegated unto them for spirituall comfort and whose office onely it was to pronounce pardon and remission of sinnes unto the sicke upon their true Repentance if they had offended and sinned against God in the time of their health and so scandalized the Gospel and the Church and it was the Presbyters place and office to admit them againe into the fellowship and communion of the Saints upon their coâ—diall and untained repentance and that without asking the church any leave for as the Presbyters onely had the power of casting out offenders out of the Church so they onely had the authority of receiving them in againe upon their repentance and not the Church so if wee looke into all those Epistles that were written unto the seven Churches of Asia in the 2. and 3. of the Revelations we shall find them all directed to the Angels of the seven Churches which is as much as to say to the presidents of every severall Presbytrie established and constituted in every one of those Churches which is a sufficient Argument to me to prove a Counsell or Colledge of godly Ministers in every one of those cities according to that of Paul to Titus chap. 1. verse 5. for this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest ordaine Presbyters in every Citie not one but many And in the 14. of the Acts verse 23. and when they had ordained them Presbyters in every Church c. many Presbyters a Colledge of them was appointed to every Church and so in the 20. of the Acts there were many Presbyters who had the charge and government of that Church committed unto them in common ver 28. there was a Colledge of them constituted in that church and therefore for order sake which the light of nature teacheth they must have a President who by the way of excellencie and to distinguish him from the other is called an Angel as the inscription of the Epistle Rev. 12. 1. declares saying Vnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus As in our dialect when we speake of the great counsell of the Kingdome or of the reverend assembly of Divines if there be occasion of distinguishing the Presidents of those councels from the other Judges in those assemblies wee say Master Speaker in the house of Lords or Commons or of the President of the Ministers we say Master Prolocutor and if any have occasion to write to either houses or to the Assembly they direct their letters to the Speakers or to the Prolocutor who communicates them to each Assemblies as being the Presidents of each Society and yet none of all these Presidents by that their place of honour and eminency have any more power or authority then the rest but onely in the casting voyce when the parties upon any occasion are for number equall and for appoynting of the times and places of meeting and for the methodicall and orderly carriage of the busines yea it is ever observed wheresoever there is a President there is a colledge or councell or a court nature dictates this and the custome of all nations proves it and withall by the same light of reason that counsell or colledge to whom God himselfe writes and directs his letters for redressing of abuses has the power in their hands for the rectifying of things amisse and that it peculiarly belongeth unto them as to the Magistrates invested with authority to order things according to direction and to punish and cast out offenders and that by their own power without the consent and approbation of the people as it is now in the great Councell and Parliament of the Kingdome who make not the people acquainted with what they have to do but so far as it pleaseth themselves and not out of any duty And so it was in the government of Gods Church by the first constitution every Church consisting of many congregations were governed by a colledge of Presbyters as that of Ierusalem and this of Ephesus and the other six Churches in all the which the Presbyters by their sole authority governed them according to Gods Word without taking the people into councell with them who were no where joyned in commission with them and therefore it is most apparent by those examples I have now produced and many more that might be added and from the commission that Christ gave to the Apostles and in them to all Ministers that the people had not their voices either for the admitting of any to be Members in any church or in the casting out of any for their delinquency much lesse have they authority to require a publike confession of their faith to be made unto the congregation or to exact of them to bring in the evidences of their true conversion or to require that they should walk with them some time before admission or to enter into a solemn private Covenant before they be admitted as Members for we have no president for any of these things in Gods Word much lesse any command only in Acts the sixt there is mention made that the Apostles for the freeing of themselves from all unnecessary incombrances and that they might the better attend upon their Ministery and preaching gave the people liberty to make choice of their own Deacons but still keeping the power of ordaining them in their own hand which always was arbitrary in them whether they would exercise it or no neither would the Apostles have ordained them unlesse those that were to be ordained had been men so qualified as they had appointed for otherwise it lay in their choyce whether they would ordain them or no. But that ever the congregation or people had the power of admitting of members or of ordaining of Officers it is no where extant in Gods Word But that the women should have a voice in the Church either for receiving in or casting out of members or officers or should have any thing to do with Peters Keys it is against the law of God and nature For Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinths 14. makes it one of the marks of confusion in any Church where women have their voices saying God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all the churches of the Saints and in the next verse following in expresse words saith Let your women keep silence in the churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law and if they will learn any thing
let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church And what Saint Paul writ to this Church of Corinth he writ to all Churches and proclames that what he writ to them were the commandments of the Lord ver 37. so that God had commanded that the women should not speak in the Church and saith that it is a shame they should and yet in these our dayes in many of the new congregations they have their voices in choosing of officers and admitting of Members and have all of them Peters Keys at their Girdle and make learned parts of speech in the congregation and dispute questions and debate of matters and give their reasons con pro as it is credibly reported and others of them set â—orth and print learned Treatises in polemicall Divinity with great applause and admiration of the Independent Ministers who cite their authority and quote them in their writings as classicall authors to the shame of the Nation and ludibry of Religion and howsoever there is not any that shall more honour the truly vertuous and pious of that sex than my selfe yet I must confesse when I see how far they become transgressors of the law of God and do those things that the holy Apostle hath not onely forbidden but proclamed a shame I cannot but exceedingly blame them and those Ministers that allow of and approve of such rebellion against God and nature And as if it had been the speciall care in the Apostle to prevent this evill of womens intermedling in matters of the Church he foreseeing the confusion that would be brought in upon it In his first Epistle to Timothy and in him to all Ministers to whom the Government of the Church was committed he gives him direction how to behave himselfe in the house of God which is the Church of the living God in chap. 2. verse 11. 12. hee saith Let the women learne in silence with all subjection for I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence for Adam was first made then Eve and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression c. Here the Apostle againe and againe twice in these few words enjoyns them silence in the church and imposes upon them subjection and obedience I suffer not saith he a woman to teach or to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silene and he giveth his reasons of this his command because saith he Adam was first made not by the woman nor of the woman but the contrary and therefore shee may usurpe no authority over the masculine sex especially in Gods matters and she is to be the disciple of the man and not the man her scholar and therefore that superiority that the God of order had established upon the man in the first creation hee doth now re-establish upon him againe in his holy Word after all things through sinne had beene disordered and confused and commands the woman to be both subject and silent especially in the Church Another reason of this his command is because the woman was first in the transgression and was the cause of Adams fall as hee accuses her and her disputing and voycing of it then brought confusion upon all man-kind and for this her so doing S. Paul concludes for ever hereafter that she ought to hold her peace be in subjection to her husband and ought to learne in silence at home but more especially in the Church for if they come to voice it once againe in the Church as Eve brought confusion upon man-kind by her disputation and reason so these with their loquacity and babble and confusion of voyces will bring in a new Babel into the Church and State as they have prettily well already begun to doe Saint Paul saith I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence Here the Apostle as in the place above cited out of 1 Cor. chap. 14. commands them silence and permits them not to speake and expressely forbids them to usurpe authority over the man that is the viril sex Now I appeale unto any understanding creature whether or no to make large parts of speech in the Church as many of them upon occasions doe and dispute and give their reasons con pro be not to speak in the Church and whether to have their voices in either admitting of Members or Officers or in the casting of them out be not to usurpe authority over the man for all the world knows that they that have the power in their hands of either admitting of any into the fellowship or communion of the Church or of hindring their coming in or have their voices for the casting of them out when they are received exercise and usurpe authority over those they so deal with and there-fore they do against the expresse prohibition of the Apostles and all those women that have usurped this authority and all those Ministers that have permitted them so to do or taught this doctrine unto them are all guilty of great contumacy against God and ought seriously to repent for this their temerity and rebellion and it will be the imortall honour of those women that have not intermedled and if there be not some speedy course taken by authority to forbid such disorder we may promise nothing to the Church and whole Kingdome but confusion It hath ever been observed that Hermaphrodite councels in any Kingdome or Country when women that are subjects intermeddle in government and matters of state that that Kingdome and Country is very crased and not far from ruine and destruction and we need not look into many ages or countries for presidents of this kind and if Hermaphrodite counsels in Kingdoms have ever been so fatall unto them what may any man think in time will become of this Church and Kingdome when the women have gotten Peters Keys at their girdle and have their voices in many congregations and a power of ordering and disposing of things in Church affairs Certainly nothing but confusion can be expected for this their doing is against the expresse command of God who is the God of order and injoyns the contrary Yea it is not onely against the law of God but against the very law of nature and the practice of all Nations for never was it yet heard of in any well governed City or Commonwealth or Kingdome that women that were subjects had their voices in choosing officers or Burgesses or making of freemen or disfranchising of them or were permitted so much as to sit in counsell with them much lesse to rule and give laws to others out of their own houses And therefore as it is a thing odious to God and man and that which is a shame to that sex it ought to be cast out of all wel-governed Churches and States and as the women ought to know their
Church then the doctrine of the Congregationall way falleth to the ground or vanisheth for if there were many and severall Congregations there that had not an absolute authority and jurisdiction Independent within themselvs respectively but were subordinate and subject to another authority above them then of necessity that tenent of the Congregationall way is but a meer chimera or whimsy of your own heads as all the learnedst of your tribe do acknowledge Now when my brother Burton hath not onely granted there were many Congregations of beleevers in that Church but by arguments proved it he hath utterly I say lost the field before he entered into the combat as will yet more perspicuously appear in the following discourse but by that I have now said you may see how unhappy you are in all these your Champions and Generals that give as great wounds unto your cause as any adversaries you have in the world now living ever gave That which I have now to say in the first place to all your leaders and guides is earnestly to intreat them as they look for true comfort in life and death and as they desire the peace of the Church and quiet of this distracted State and Kingdome they would now no longer withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse which hitherto they have done but that they would unfainedly bewaile the errors of their wayes and repent of their seducing and misleading of the poor people let it be enough that they have so highly provoked God and caused the enemies to blaspheme our Christian Religion And in the second place I desire all you that have hitherto been misled and carryed about with every wind of their new doctrine that now you would more seriously prove and examine all things according to the Apostles rule 1 Thess 5. 12. and hold fast that which is good Lay not out your time and moneys for that which will profit you nothing but whiles it is called to day set your selves seriously upon the work of examining all those new doctrines that have been taught you set before your eyes the example of the noble Bereans search the Scriptures whether things be as they have taught you and if you please diligently to read what I have writ out of a zeal of the glory of God and out of love to your selves and a true desire of your eternall felicity If any of you that have erred from the truth shall be converted by it let him know that he that converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins James 5. 19. 20. John Bastwick THE ANTILOQVIE SOLOMON the Wisest of men and one beloved of God gives this counsell to all the sons and daughters of God and to the universality of all man-kind saying unto them all Prov. 23. ver 23. Buy the truth and sell it not also wisdome instruction and understanding He counsells them all to prise truth with wisdome instruction and understanding above all things as the onely means of making men happy not in this life alone but eternally for so Solomon that wise man asserteth Prov. 3. ver 13 14 15 16 17 18. saying Happy is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold Shee is more precious then rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her pathes are peace She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her If all the Orators of the World had been gathered together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they could not with so illustrious a brevity have set forth the excellency of wisdome and understanding nor with more glorious encomiums and ellogies have decipher'd the amability of them for the making of them specious and lovely and for the inviting of all men to the ready and willing imbracing of them for if either life profit pleasure honour or any delectable content or any thing indeed desirable in the world can invite any creature to be inamored with any object of love all that can be said in way of the praise thereof is contained in this description of wisdome and understanding delivered by Solomon And yet truth hath the preeminency before them all the first place for dignity being given assigned unto her and by a speciall command from God himself who spake by his servant Solomon all men are injoyned to buy the truth and that upon any termes and not to bartell it away or sell it or to part with it though it might be with never so much worldly emolument unto them Buy the truth saith God sell it not keep it for ever For by the truth thou shalt perfectly attain unto liberty which is the life of life yea which is better then life liberty being that the whole world contends for every man not onely desiring it but fighting for it Now the truth will make every man free so saith Christ John 8. ver 32. The truth shall make you free from all error and from the fear of Hell and Death and from the very terror of both And lest any man should seriously doubt what truth is as Pilate scornfully did Christ himselfe hath taught us John 17. v. 17. saying Thy Word is Truth and that Truth that sanctifieth his people For every thing is sanctified by the the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4. v. 5. This precious good Word of God and the faith once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. contained in it is that that all men are exhorted earnestly to contend for And therefore more especially in these our times every one ought vigorously to stand up and contend for it yea upon any termes or at any rate to buy it when it is become such a rarity as it is scarse to be met with being almost lost in the thickets meanders and labyrinths of so many errors so that the faith once delivered unto the Saints is very rarely to be found amongst the sons of men through the involutions and intanglements of writhing and restlesse spirits whose whole work and designe it is as by their dayly practices it doth appear either wholy to eclipse or darken it or totally to take it away that by this meanes Truth and Light being once removed the deceivers and impostors may the better put off their corrupt and putrid wares and commodities and the poor deluded people may the more facilly and readily be deluded cheated and consened and those that are wayfaring men for the want of its direction may wander in the by-paths of darknesse to their own eternall perdition And the verity is too too many by their needlesse vain and unnecessary janglings about the truth
and the way have lost them both and are now turned Seekers to the dishonour of God and their eternall shame and misery too if they speedily repent not For God in the 30. of Deut. ver 11. saith there This commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far of it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldst say who shall goe over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it See saith the Lord I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evill Now if in the dayes of Moses the truth was so near unto them that the Lord says there unto his people that he had set it before their eyes yea that it was in their hearts so that they had then no need to run from land to sea and from sea to land to finde it how much more obvious is it now may every rationall man conclude when it is so gloriously set forth and that through the whole Scripture of the New Testament And how inexcusable will all such be found that complain the truth is not yet clear unto them So that it may be an astonishment to all men to hear any that have read the holy Word of God say that they are yet in the dark the truth doth not appear unto them And yet such men there are who declare unto the world and professe it that they are expectants and seekers and many have often said unto me when I have been in familiar discourse with them That as yet the truth was not made out unto them concerning the Presbyterian way and therefore they could neither communicate with our Assemblies nor yet joyn with those of the new gathered churches Now that all those who have wandred and strayed from the old way and those that are at a losse and seek it may find it and the truth which they have a command from God to buy and purchase and that they may all clearly perceive that they are in the by-path of error that are still Scepticks and doubting about the way I shall at this time endeavor to be their guide nothing doubting but by the grace of God and his speciall assistance if they will bring docible hearts and willing minds to follow the thred of his Word and be directed by that unerring line of the same they may speedily be led and come into the right way and find the truth and with it peace and comfort to their own souls in life and death I will first therefore dissipate and scatter those mists that have been cast before their eyes by which the truth hath been clouded and remove all those stumbling blocks that have been put before them and then I doubt not howsoever it be thought a difficult work yea an unpossible thing but to make the truth evidently appear unto them and bring them into the right way from which some have wandred and strayed and others yet doubt of And I hope so to clear up the light of the truth that the way of it shall not only be plain to them but to every man and woman that have not lost the eye-sight of their reason or have not sacrificed themselves to error and vanity And therefore that the truth concerning the Presbyterian way may the more elucidately appear to every intelligible man I will here briesly state the question which is fully handled in the following discourse and shew What hath been the principall cause of putting so many out of the way and keeping and deterring others from it and withall I will set down the ground and rise of the Independent tenent shew upon what as a foundation they lay the whole Fabrick of this their new Babell which I hope to make evident to be nothing but a meer chimera and phansie in their own brain and that there is not the least warrant for it in the whole book of God And all that I now say I am confident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discover to all those whom the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the clear sunshine of the Gospell of Truth Those that call themselves by the name of Independents and have separated themselves from our Congregations and Assemblies counting us such Saints as Job would not set with the doggs of his flocke calling us the sons of Belial proclaming us to be the enemies the Lord Iesus Christ and his Kingdome for this is their language concerning us all those I say pretend that they have both the Word of God and the example of the Primitive Churches especially that of Jerusalem for the maintenance of their Independency and for these their unbrotherly proceedings whose opinion and doctrine is this That the Church of Ierusalem that Mother Church consisted of of no more beleevers at any time then did ordinarily meet altogether in one place and Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and they teach withall that this Church consisting of no more had an absolute soveraignty within it selfe Independent without reference to any other Church and from the which there might be no appeal for the redresse of any conceived wrong and they moreover affirm that the constitution of this conceited forme of government is the true Gospel forme of Church government and is for ever to be a patern to all Churches in all succeeding ages to doe the same and to exercise the same authority within themselves severally that they imagine this Church did though they consist but of twenty or thirty Members apeece yea fewer This is the opinion of all the Independents saving my Brother Burton who in this differeth from all his brethren beleeving yea acknowledging that there were many Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem by which he hath overthrowne their opinion whiles notwithstanding hee labours with all his might to maintaine it as will appeare in its due place whereas all the other Independents as I said before confidently assert that there were no more Beleevers in that Church at first and last then could all meet in one Congregation to communicate in all the Ordinances Now the Presbyterians on the other side and that upon very good grounds as will in the sequell of this discourse appeare hold and beleeve that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that all those severall Congregations made but one Church within its pracincts and were all under one Presbyterie and that the government of this Church consisting of many Congregations combined together under the government of a Colledge of Presbyters is a paterne of government to all Churches in succeeding ages to the â—nd
in the second Chapter and first Verse were Christs apostles and Disciples and such as had followed him from the beginning of Iohns baptisme and were indeed all Ministers of the Gospell and preachers of the Word and men of great eminency and fame and renoun and therfore by a great elegancy are called Names the number of the Names saith the Holy Ghost which kind of expression in the Holy Scripture is ever used for to expresse men only of transcendent excellencie and desert for their rare vertues and endowments as is manifest out of the Revel 3. 4. and all these were taken up in holy duties as the occasion required and were by themselves but may any rationall man conclude from thence that there were no more Beleevers in Ierusalem would not this be thought an odde kind of arguing if one should thus dispute against the Independents those Homothumadon brethren all the Independent Predicants and their Itinerary Preachers those eminent and learned men those names are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Citie of London on one of their Feast dayes Ergo there is no more Independents in the Citie of London then can meet at all times in any one Congregation to partake in all their Ordinances would not all the Independents laugh at any Presbyterian that should thus dispute when they themselvs boast that there be millions of them in London Now by the holy Scripture we are truly informed there were millions of true beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem at that very time and that they were the Ministers only that were present together on the day of Pentecost and that the other Beleevers were in their other meeting places yea besides those that I have now named it is said in the same Chapter verse 5. that at that instant of time there were dwelling at Jerusalem Iewes devout men out of every nation under heaven that is true Worshippers and Beleevers here therefore must needs bee an innumerable company of these and all these were then Inhabitants in Ierusalem so that the Holy Scripture doth by many witnesses prove there were more then a hundred and twenty Beleevers or more then a hundred thousand in Ierusalem at that time how therefore with any honesty can the Independents conclude from Epi to auto that there were no more Beleevers then in Ierusalem nor ever after then could all meet in one Congregation If this be not to fight against God there was never any fighting against him But should I yeeld unto them which I cannot doe for many reasons that there were no more Beleevers at that time in Ierusalem then did or could all meet in any one place will it follow in any sound understanding that they could ever after all still meet in one Congregation when they were infinitly daily increased I trow not for so to speake and so to argue and conclude would be but to prove fighters against all reason yea against God himself as I said before and to deny the expresse Scriptures as will forthwith appeare for in the same Chapter when there were but three thousand new Converts added to the Church it is said that then that company could not all meet in any one place to communicate in all acts of worship but for want of a place spacious enough for to breake bread in they were forced then to meet in divers places and to divide themselves into severall Assemblies and Congregations and that in severall houses for so saith the Scripture verse 46. and they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house that is in many severall houses they had their meetings to communicate in therefore at that very time there were many Congregations of Beleevers so that they could not possibly meet altogether in one place And here by the way it is good to take notice not onely that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem which the Independents confesse to be the first formed Church and that when there were but three thousand new Converts added to the Disciples but that all these were speedily and readily received into Church-fellowship and that by the sole and alone authority of the Apostles so that it was not required at their hands that they should first walke sometime with the Church before their admission or that they should make a particular confession of their faith or bring in the evidences of their conversion or that they should enter into any particular explicite Covenant or that they must have the consent of the Church before they could be received into Church-fellowship nothing I say of all this was either practised in this Mother-church or any Daughter-church in the Primitive and purest times but these two truths are most certainely evident out of the Scripture The first that all Christians in the church of Ierusalem were admitted into Church-fellowship upon their repenting beleeving and being baptised without any other conditions and that upon offering themselves The second truth is this that there were many congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem at that instant time which is abundantly proved out of the testimonies and reasons above specified and those expresse words where it is said that they brake bread from house to house therefore there were many Congregations then But it will farther more illustriously yet appeare if we consider the divers other additions of Beleevers and that daily unto the Church of Ierusalem for in the last verse of this chapter it is said that the Lord added daily unto the Church such as should bee saved here we find additions upon additions of Beleevers and that daily indefinitly set downe as if they could not easily have been told which addeth no small Emphasis unto the expression and all these were admitted into Church-fellowship without any of those conditions the Independents require of all their Members in these our times for it is said the Lord added daily unto the Church such as should be saved and therefore hee did it onely upon his owne termes of Repentance Faith and Baptisme Now what understanding man can easily beleeve that when there was such daily increase of Beleevers made that they could all still meet in any one place or Congregation to partake in all Ordinances But if wee looke into the fourth chapter we shall find an other new Addition and that of five thousand men more besides women for so saith the Scripture verse 4. Howbeit many of them which heard the word beleeved and the number of the men was about five thousand Now if when there were but three thousand they were then forced for want of a convenient place spacious enough to communicate in to divide themselves into divers severall houses how impossible a thing was it for them all daily then to meet together in any one place or congregation may any one imagine when there were not only daily additions of Beleevers but five thousand men more added unto the
Priests were also added unto the Lord so that if there were a great Congregation and Assembly of the Priests as the Word of God relateth there must necessarily be many more Congregations of the ordinary people and all these are to be yet reckoned upon a new account and upon a new List so that there were numberlesse Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem if any credit may be given to the Holy Scripture and that in the very infancy of the Church so that I am most confident that this truth is now evident and perspicuous to all those that have but ordinary understanding But because this is the onely busines as the Independents say and that will put an end to this controversie betweene us for they have often said prove once but clearly unto us out of the Word of God that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and then wee will grant you the day I say in this regard I shall briefly adde some other Arguments to prove there were more Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all possibly meet in any one Congregation or a few for to these that were daily converted and added to the Church wee heare upon all occasions of additions upon additions and of increase upon increase of many more Beleevers for in the ninth chapter verse 31. it is recorded that the Churches having rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria they were multiplyed for so it is in the Oâ—iginall Now Ierusalem was the chiefe Church in Iudaea and therefore shee also multiplyed and increased in Disciples daily which being added to the former spake of it makes it an impossible thing that they could all meet together in any one place or a few And in the 12. chapter upon the miraculous death of Herod it is said verse 24. that the Word of God grew and multiplyed in Ierusalem that is brought forth great increase of ' Beleevers and made them exceedingly daily to multiply so that all these additions upon additions of Beleevers made it an impossible thing that the hundreth part of them could meet in any one place But omitting many Arguments that I could produce from the multitudes of their Preachers and the diversity of the nations and the infinit number of the Inhabitants and from the Miracles in Jerusalem that necessarily called for many Congregations and Assemblies that one place in the 21. of the Acts may for ever silence all Gain-sayers and abundanly prove unto rationall men that there were many if not numberlesse congregations of Beleevers then in the church of Ierusalem If we will but take notice what Saint Iames and all the Presbyters of Jerusalem spake unto Saint Paul who being all Inhabitants there and the Ministers and Preachers of the Word in that Church must all necessarily know not onely the condition of the Beleevers there but for the most part the number of them now I say it will be worth our paines and attention to observe and take notice what is there confirmed by the testimony of many witnesses yea a cloud of witnesses and all of them without exception there was Iames the Apostle by name and all the Presbyters of Ierusalem all Synodians whose witnesse was true and for ever to be beleeved and yet they give in this evidence to Saint Paul concerning the Beleevers in Ierusalem that there were many ten thousands of weake Brethren here how many ten thousands more may we suppose were there then of strong Brethren in the Church of Jerusalem seeing for the most part in all Churches where there are able and learned Ministers it is ever observed that there are three strong brethren to one weak one at least more strong brethren then weak ones Now when there was a whole Colledge of Apostles for the most part resident in that Church and a whole colledge of Presbyters fixed Ministers there and able Preachers besides a multitude of Priests and all painefull and laborious that preached unto them night and day instructed them all in their Christian Liberty and confirmed them in it with miracles and when they had also for a farther strengthning of them in that their Christian Liberty called a Councell and Synod in Jerusalem and ratified the abrogation of the legall Ceremonies and that from the Holy Scripture and the Spirit of God and did daily preach unto them all this their Christian Liberty we are bound by the Law of charity to beleeve there were many more thousands of strong Christians then weake in that Church yea our daily experience will perswade any man to beleeve this Doctrine Now let us heare what Saint Iames and all the Presbyters witnesse unto Saint Paul concerning this point verse 20. Thou seest Brother Paul say they how many ten thousands for so it is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Iewes there are which beleeve and they are all zealous of the Law out of the which words wee may observe that those Saint Iames and the Presbyters speake of were all Inhabitants in Ierusalem for they could witnesse nothing of strangers those that dwelt in other places neither could they have said thou seest them if they had not beene Inhabitants or if they had beene here to day and gone to morrow for then they could not have beene taken notice of but they speake of Inhabitants as by many Arguments may be proved and of all these they asserâ— these things First for the number of them that they were many ten thousands Secondly that they were all Beleevers Disciples and very good Christians yea very zealous ones Thirdly they doe witnesse that all these many ten thousands were but weake Brethren and therefore gave Saint Paul counsell yea an order somewhat to connive at their weaknesse for a time that hee might the better ingratiate himselfe into their favour the story is there fully set downe Now I say if there were many ten thousands of weak Brethren in the Church of Jerusalem how many more ten thousands of strong Beleevers may any rationall men suppose were then there in that church where there were a colledge of Apostles forthe most part and a standing Colledge of able Presbyters all miraculous Teachers and assisted immediatly by the spirit of God Surely a few hundred of houses or places could not possibly have held their very bodies much lesse could a few hundred of houses have held them to partake in all the Ordinances so that all men that have not absolutely resolved to give the Spirit of God the lye yea to wage warre against Heaven must acknowledge that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem especially when it commeth confirmed by so many witnesses of divine authority By which it appeareth that there were many Congregations of Beleevers there as in every house one So that for this point I am most assured it is now without controversie that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers
do they not as they falsly accuse them first prove them to be enemies of Jesus Christ and his Kingdom and not a godly and an honest Presbyterie and then as in duty they are all bound earnestly in the first place seeke to God that he would send faithfull Labourers into his Vineyard and secondly to authority that they would set up an honest and a godly Presbyterie and give unto them full power that they may be as so many Angels to gather out of Christs Kingdom every thing that offends according to the Word of God which all the knowing godly Presbyterians Ministers and people do heartilydesire that so no truly tender consciences may be scandalized this I say were the duty of them all and not to make suppositions needlesse requests to those that have neither power nor authority to doe it But the Independents are so farre from this that they have made it their designe hitherto to hinder the worke of Reformation by raysing up questions continually as being alwayes unsatisfied and by seeking to stirre up the people in their preachings and Pamphlets against the Presbyterians and that meerly to oppose retard and keepe off a setled government in the Church of God saying what haste is there of that and in the meane time they fish in our troubled waters and yet their strongest and most effectuall baits wherewith they allure and catch the poore silly fishes I meane the simple and unstable people is this to tell them that there is not any Church government setled and that as they have waited many years already so they may waite as many more and be as farre off from Discipline and a through Reformation as they now are saying withall if they doe waite to have a Presbyterie set up what if it be not a good one and what if they have not power to gather out of Christs Kingdome every thing that offends affirming that as it is uncomfortable so it is absolutely sinfull to live without the Ordinances which amongst the Saints and none but Beleevers in their Congregations they may injoy Thus whiles the Independents doe labour and endeavour with all their might to oppose the setling of Church government they make the want thereof the most powerfull and prevalent Engine and Argument to draw the people into their way and upon the occasion of these Interrogatories or queries and of these Ifs and An ds of my Brother Burton and his confedertes I shall set downe some of their Independent practises well known to many thousands in this Kingdome besides my selfe by which their ingratitude both to God and men and the restâ—esnesse of these mens spirits will the better appeare to all such as are not blinded with a previous or prejudicated opinion So that all men of discerning spirits by beholding their juglings and unwarrantable proceedings may learne to shun them and to take heed of them and all their by-wayes It is well knowne that in the time of the Prelats power the removall of a very few things would have given great content unto the most scrupulous consciences for I my selfe can speake thus much not only concerning the conscientious Professors here in England but the most rigid Separatists beyond the Seas with many of which I had familiar acquaintance at home and abroad and amongst all that ever I conversed with I never heard them till within these twenty yeares desire any other thing in Reformation but that the Ceremonies might be removed with their Innovations and that Episcopacy might be regulated and their boundlesse power and authority taken from them and that the extravagances of the High Commission Court might be annihilated and made void and that there might through the Kingdom be a preaching Ministery every where set up This was all that the most that I was then acquainted with desired in the Reformation of Church matters Indeed within this sixteene yeares I met with some that desired a more full Reformation and yet if they might have injoyed but that I now mentioned they would have beene very thankfull to God and authority and have sate downe quietly But yet I say the extreamest extent of their desires reached but to the removall of all the Ceremonies and Innovations the taking away of the Service Booke and the putting downe of the High Commission Court which was called the court Christian though it was rather Pagan and the removall of the Hierarchy root and branch and the setting up and establishing of a godly Presbyterie through the Kingdome this was I say all and the uttermost Reformation that was required by the most scrupulous men then living that I knew yea I can speake thus much in the presence of God that Master Robinson of Leiden the Pastor of the Brownist Church there told mee and others who are yet living to witnesse the truth of what I now say that if hee might in England have injoyed but the liberty of his Ministry there with an immunity but from the very Ceremonies and that they had not forced him to a subscription to them and imposed upon him the observation of them that hee had never separated from it or left that Church This I can depose so that all men may see the very dispensing with the ceremonies would then have given great content to the most austere professors how much more may any man suppose would they have sate down satisfied if but the very ceremonies then might have bin removed Surely if the Prelats had not beene infatuated and had they but in those things a little connived and would have abated somewhat of their rigour for ought I know they might have never been questioned but they might have injoyed all their honours and greatnesse and whatsoever they could have desired and that with the good liking of all the people had they I say but dispensed with those needlesse vanities and had they but favoured honest and godly Ministers and set up Lights I meane good Preachers in the darke places and corners of the Kingdome they would have beene beloved and reverenced of all men and no man would have envied their Magnificence yea I am most assured had they but favoured good and godly men the whole Kingdome would have beene their friends and whereas they all at last petitioned against them they would have supplicated in their behalfe that they might still have continued in their authority But through their owne pride and from an ambition of Lording it over their brethren and by their tyrannicall practices and licentious living they have brought confusion upon themselves and beene one of the principall causes of all the miseries and distractions and of all the blood-shed that the three Kingdomes are now involved with and for ought I can discerne our Independent Predicants now treading in their steps and seeking to be the sole and onely men and to set up their new government which is more groundlesse then that of the Prelates if the Lord of his infinite power and goodnesse prevent
envyings are of the flesh and they that do such things shall not enter into the Kingdome of God A double misery follows those that do these things misery here and misery hereafter it excludes men out of heaven The contemplation of the sad condition that will inevitably come upon that Land Kingdome and Church where those variances and heart-burnings are and where there is such diversity of opinions and by reason of them such difference in affection put me chiefely upon this imployment to see and try if by any possible meanes I could by shewing wherein the difference between the brethren lyeth be an instrument of a good accord amongst them resolving with my self by Gods assistance whatsoever others do to observe to the uttermost of my abilities the royall Law Jan. 2. 8. I do conceive that if there were a right understanding one of anothers opinions the world would wonder there should be such invectives in every pamphlet one against another and such varience among those that are joyned together and that with nighest relations The truth is the mis-understanding of each others opinions and the mis-prisian of each others intentions is the onely cause of this diversity of affection which to the dishonour of God and of our holy profession and indeed to the disgrace of Christian Religion every where too much venteth it selfe And therefore as Abraham said unto Lot so say I to all those that love the truth in sincerity and wish the Peace of Zion Let not us contend especially with evill language for we are brethren we have one father we worship one God we have one light one truth one way And this I professe to all the world That I contend not for victory but for that ancient light the faith once delivered unto the Saints Iude 3. For that truth which we have heard from the beginning 1 Iohn 2. ver 14. for the old way verse 6. The way the truth and the life Ioh. 14. and for the honour of that Church against which the gates of hell can never prevaile in the which there are all those undeceiveable marks as are able for ever to declare her to be built upon the foundation of Peter in which the Gospell of Jesus Christ is purely and sincerely both preached and beleeved and where the Sacraments are rightly administred and in the which there is the true invocation of God and all other requisites that make her a true Church and from which there is no just cause of separation That I have dedicated this Treatise to no man nor sought the patronage of any Authority no mortall creature I presume will blame me knowing my Reasons For writing in defence of the Prerogative Royall of Kings against Papall Usurpation I dedicated my booke unto the King of great Britaine France and Ireland supposing my selfe safe under his protection whose honour and imperiall dignity I maintain but all men know what misery to the ruine of me my wife and many small children came upon me by it through the power and exorbitant authority of the Prelates so that for my duty and Loyalty to the King I had a prison for my reward and the scornes and contumelies of the world to comfort me in it And when I most humbly petitioned his highnesse complaining against the injustice done me and most submissively supplicated his Majesty who was the Caesar to whom only I could then appeal that he would be pleased to grant me one of these humble requests either That his Majesty would be pleased but for one houre to give me a hearing of my just defence or if that could not be granted That at lest he would then grant me that liberty in his Kingdome that he denyed not to Crows and Kites and other Vermine that I might provide for my young ones and if his highnesse would not be pleased to condescend unto either of the former just demands That then he would give me leave to depart the Kingdom and to go into any other Country where I might enjoy my Liberty and provide for my poore distressed family I am most assured there was never a more equall Petition put up to any Prince in the world yet his Majestie vouchsafed not to yeeld unto any of these my requests nor to any other Petition put up either by my poor distressed wife or calamitous children so that without any wrong unto his Majesty I may truely say That Paul found more favour from a Heathen Roman Caesar then I had from a Christian King the defender of the faith After I saw all possibility of releefe was now taken from me I writ my Apology to the Bishops themselves discovering unto them their unjust proceedings in their Courts and their unrighteous dealings towards my selfe and gave them my reasons of all I spake without any offensive language and without any perturbation of Spirit and Dedicated this my Booke to the Lords of his Majesties Privy Councell expecting ayde and reliefe from them and indeed I had no hope of succour from any other nor knew none to whom I could better apply my selfe earnestly imploring their patronage but they as it is well knowne of Patrons became my unjust Judges and after they had made me a spectacle to Men and Angells and exposed me to the scorne and ludibry of the world sent me into banishment where I lived a living death and a dying life and suffered such intolerable misery of all sorts as would exceed beliefe to relate and I am most confident if all the particulars were truly known the world never heard the like and there I had ended my dolefull life had not God of his infinite mercy called this Parliament and put into their hearts to redeem me from my captivity for the which incomparable favour I do as of duty I am ever bound professe my selfe to the last drop of my blood to be their servant in the Lord and in all their most just and honourable imployments I hope with all fidelity to answer to the expectation of the world and shall in life and death shew my selfe to be one that without all by-respects shall ever aime at the glory of God the honour of them and my Country and the common good of all and shall never by Gods assistance do any thing in their concernment that shall be unbeseeming a Man and a Christian Now because by my sad experience I found that I could neither from King nor Nobles have protection I resolved never any more in Gods matters to shroud my self under any covert but Divine Providence and that I with an assured confidence promise my self especially when I now maintain the prerogative royall of the King of Saints King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ Who is our Lawgiver upon whose shoulders the government of his Church is laid who is the wonderfull Counseller the Prince of peace whose dignity and royalty in all this dispute between me and Mr. Walter Mountague I have to the uttermost of my power maintained under the
more evident then yet it hath been viz. That Diotrephes was the primate of the Independents and of all those of the congregationall way But first I will set down Mr Knollys his words at large to take away all occasions of their calumniating tongues who ordinarily use to say That we keep from the world their Arguments that we may the better delude the people and hold them in ignorance His words therefore by way of answer to that Argument are these Now let the reader judge saith he whether the Doctor be not much mistaken in his commentary exposition and application of this place of Scripture And let me give you to understand that Saint Iohn saith verse the 9. I wrote unto the Church But seeing no mention is made of any particular congregation how can the Doctor so confidently affirme that it was his particular congregation Now the reader may see plainly that the Doctor can expound those brethren and their Elders or Presbyters which the Scripture calls a Church to be a particular congregation And what it was which Saint Iohn had written to the Church is not in this Epistle nor in any other Scripture delcared except it was to receive those brethren which he saith ver 8 ought to be received and ver 10 whom Diotrephes would not receive how then doth the Doctor say that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe which belonged unto the Colledge and Councell of Presbyters without whose joynt and mutuall agreement and common consent nothing ought to be done or transacted of publike concernment is the receiving of brethren or casting out of brethren a power which belongs to a colledge of Presbyters and neither the one nor the other may be transacted by the Elders and Brethren of a particular congregation unlesse the Court or common-councell of Presbyters conjoyntly consent unto it Let it be also considered that D otrephes opposed the brethren and forbad them that would have received those who Saint John saith vers the 8. we ought to receive yea and cast them out verse 10. of the Church to wit excommunicate them Doth it hereby appear that Diotrephes would have his congregation Independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it selfe No but Diotrephes would lord it over the Church and have the preeminency above his brethren whether fellow-Elders or fellow Saints Diotrephes loving the primacy amongst them he would be the Primate and Metropolitan of the Church and have the preeminency of all the Presbyters in it and brethren of it The Doctor could have urged this Scripture against the domineering Prelates and why should he marvell that his brethren should now urge it against the Court of Presbyters It is confest that Diotrephes did that which was evill in usurping authority over the Church and those brethren he cast out of the Church But that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian government or that he did affront a Court or common councell of Presbyters it is more then I know or the Doctor can prove For had Diotrephes done so why was he not convented before them Surely the Apostle Saint Iohn would rather have written to the colledge of Presbyters if there were any such then to the Church or in writing to the Church would tather have sent him a summons to appear at some consistory before the Court and common-councell of Presbyters then to warne them to take heed of hiâ— evill that they did not follow it And doubtlesse St John would have writen thus Diotrephes loves to be a Primate amongst you wherefore when the Presbytry that is to say the Magistracy or Signiory of grave solid learned religious and wise Divines and Ministers come to keep order and meet together in a Court and common-councell I will remember his deeds and informe or complain to the Court and common-councell of Presbyters that he prates against us the Presbyters with malicious words But the Apostle Saint Iohn did not know any Court or Common-councell of Presbyters neither Classicall nor Synodicall to appeal unto Nor can the Doctor make good those appeals he mentioneth page 10 to be according to the Scripture of truth to wit that every particular man as well as any assembly or congregation may have their appeals to the Presbytry of their Precinct hundred or division under whose jurisdictions they were and if they found themselves wronged there that they have appeals to some other higher Presbytry or Councell of Divines for releefe and justice I only aske the Doctor how he can prove those appeals by Scripture and if he could whether that higher Presbytry or councell of Divines especially if they may say the Holy Ghost and wee be not as Independent as these brethren and their churches against whom the Doctor hath written And if so then such a high Presbytry or councell of Divines is not Gods Ordinance by the Doctors own confession and affirmation Therefore the Apostle writes to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a Member and an Elder whom he knew had power to judge him as well as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and therefore might as warantably admonish Diotrephes as the Church of Colosse might Archipus Coloss 4. 17. And if nothing of publike concernment ought to be done or transacted without the joynt and mutuall accord or agreement and common consent of the Presbytry Iohn the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farr as to take upon himselfe this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults and to say he would remember him and sharply reprove him and teach him to prate against the Presbytry with malicious words which belonged unto the Court and common-councell of Presbyters But I shall have a just occasion to say more touching this matter in the answer unto the third question and therefore passing by the objection with his answer mentioned page 19. to the 29. unto its due place I shall desire seriously to consider the Doctors proof of his first proposition which he laboureth first by producing such Scriptures as he conceiveth make for the manifestation of the truth and from thence frames and formeth his arguments Thus Mr Knollys in way of reply speaketh to my argument concerning Diotrephes and of his intention what he will do in the insuing discourse to all the other arguments I have here set down his words at large omitting only the greek and latin texts which he School-boy-like scribleth to little other purpose than to shew his own vanity and to perswade the ignorant people that he is some-body in the Greeke and Latine tongue which kind of learning notwithstanding the most of his fraternity generally despise and contemne I have therefore omitted them especially having learned this lesson from Saint Paul 1 Cor. chap. 13. vers 19. rather to speak five words to the understanding of the people that I might teach others then ten thousand words in an unknown
and they onely in every Church had the rule of the people committed unto them as the head eyes ears and hands the more noble members and that the people as the other members under them were to yeeld obedience unto them in the Lord. And we find that in the holy Scripture every man is to look unto that Office that is committed unto him and that every one is to keep himselfe in that Station God hath placed him in as we may see it at large Rom. 12. ver 6. Having gifts differing according to the grace given unto us saith Saint Paul whether prophecy let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith or ministry let us waite on our ministry c. He that ruleth with diligence c. Here we finde that every man according to his place and office he is injoyned to wait upon it and not to desert it they that are appointed to rule they are ever to rule and the others that are under them are ever to obey every Member is to keep his station in this mysticall body the Magistrates and Parents and Masters whether ecclesiasticall or civill are to continue in their severall places and to keep their ranks as long as they are in those places and all those that are under them whether Subjects children or servants they are likewise to keepe their places and to obey all those that are over them in the Lord and that is their place for so the holy Scripture everywhere teacheth us and especially in the 7. of the 1 of the Corinth ver 19 20 21 22. Circumcision saith the Apostle is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God That is the yeelding of obedience to the commandments of God and the obeying of those God hath set over us and the honouring of those that are in authority and doing the will of God in every thing to our power is that that commends any men unto God especially the honouring of God himselfe and the reverencing of our godly Ministers and painfull Pastors according to that of Saint Paul 1 Thess 5. 12. Know them which are over you in the Lord and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake For God hath made them Pastors and all the people their flock them fathers and the people children begotten by their Ministry them builders and the people the stones layd by them in the building them Stewards and the people Domestiques under them and their conduct So that every one in the Church of God is to continue in that Station God hath placed them in untill they by their gifts and graces and eminent abilities be removed to a higher calling or else for their misdemeanours are cast out and therefore Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 7. ver 20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called and as if it had not bin sufficient to have once specified his mind in this businesse in the 24 verse he reiterateth this precept saying Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God So that for the Ministers and Presbyters of the Church or for the Magistrates of the Common-wealth or for Masters or Parents of Families for either of them I say to leave their calling in their particular places of ruling and for either the flocks under the Pastors or subjects under the Magistrates or servants and children in the severall Families under their Parents and Masters to offer to take the Government into their own hands or to joyne themselves in Commission with them and to take the rule in either Church State or Families upon them is to leave their callings and so to transgresse against the commandements of God who hath injoyned the Magistrates Ministers and Pastors both in Church and State to command and all the people under them to obey and in their so doing they each of them abide in the same calling and station wherein they are called otherwise they will be found transgressours of the Laws of God and Violaters of that Order God hath appoynted in Church and State and bring confusion in both Now God is the God of Order and hath injoyned all men to keep his commandements and the commandement given to the Magistrates is to rule and the commandement given to the people in every Church is to obey their guides and yeeld double honour unto them the honour of reverence and subjection and the honour of maintenance they are ever bound to obey them in the Lord And this is the Order God appointed in all the Primitive Churches That the Presbyters only should rule in them and that the people should obey and not intermeddle in the government for that is not to keep themselves in their severall Stations and to abide in the same calling wherein they were called And to speake the truth the ignorance of this doctrine and the pride of too too many hath bin the onely cause of all those confusions that now the Church and State are imbroyled with for if every man had learned but this lesson To keep himselfe in the same calling wherein he was called he would know that the Magistrates place whether civill or ecclersiasticall is to command and that the subjects and peoples place under them in their severall aboads and habitations is to obey They would understand likewise that in every kingdome commonwelth corporation or in any Province and Country or church that howsoever businesse of publike concernment belongs unto the whole body in each of those governments yet the managing of them and ruling and ordering of them respectively belongeth and pertaineth onely to those in authority as in a kingdome or Republique howsoever the embasladours of other nations are sent into such a Kingdome and Common-wealth about businesse that may concern the whole Countrie yet none but the King and his Councell or the State have the ordering and managing of the businesse and the people and subjects under them intermeddle not in those high affairs for they are Arcana Regni and appertain not unto them And so it is in every Corporation howsoever the Letters or Mandates from either King Parliament or State are directed unto the severall Counties Hundreds or Corporations or Cities yet the Lieutenants Governors Sherifes Mayors Aldermen and Common-councells in each of them are to mannage the businesse and to put in execution what they are commanded and injoyned by either Letters or Mandates and the people under them severally are to yeeld obedience to what they order and command according to the severall exigences of the times as daily experience teacheth all men so that the directing of their Letters to the severall Counties or Hundreds or Corporations in generall doth not invest all the people with power or joyne them in commission with the Magistrates of those respective places but leaveth the transacting of all things to those onely in those severall jurisdictions that are in authority and armed with power which the people are not Yea
and as the House of Commons sends to the House of Lords and the House of Lords to the House of Commons by their Messengers and as all businesses are to be done in the Name of the States and in the name of either Lords or Commons so those little sucking congregations and churches though they consist but of 10. or twenty a peece although never an one of them knowes any more what belongs to government then the horse Master Knollys preaches on when he goeth into the Countrey yet they send their Officers in the name of the Church to any other of their Churches upon any difference or about any of their Grolleyes with as great State and Grander as if they were very absolute principalities and they use by the report of those that have seene the manner of their carriage in their imployment in imitation of greatnesse the same garbe and gestures that Embassadours or those that carry a Message from the House of Commons to the House of Lords usually do making their honours and conges and they are such bunglers at the work as those that have seene them say it is one of the ridiculosest spectacles that ever was beheld for they make a thousand Jackinaps tricks and act their severall parts with such affectation of State that experienced men and such as well know what belonges to the entertainment of Embassadors affirme that they never beheld any thing so fanaticall It is reported that Iohn Lilburne my Scholler is Master of the Ceremonies amongst them and teaches them their postures of Court-ship If ever there were any people in the world that trampled all government both Divine and Humaine under their poluted feete or ever made a scorne of authority I may truly say the Independents are the â—en and yet they applaud themselves in all their actions and sticke not to say by these their doings they set up the Lord Christ upon his throne in his Kingdome and in their houses and compt all those that differ from them of their congregationall way as enemies of the Lord Iesus and of his kingdome and esteeme of them as of a company of Infidels and yet they have neither precept nor president for their so doing but St. Diotrephes in all the holy Word of God which constituted a Presbytery in every Church and committed the government of all the congregations under each Presbytery into the hands of a Common-councel and Colledge of Elders as that Church Saint Iohn write unto can witnesse which was governed by the conjoynt consent of them all in which Saint Iohn was a Presbyter and therefore writ If he came he would remember Diotrephes deeds which abundantly declareth that Saint Iohn acknowledged a Court a settled government in every church whether the members might have recourse for redresse of any abuse or scandalls and therefore took no more upon him then belonged unto his place and this shall suffice to have answer'd to Master Knollys his last whibbling cavill and to have spake of this point of controversie between us in this place I shall answer methodically to all his other evasions in their due places which the reader shall finde as they are scattered through the booke for he is very immethodicall in all his pamphlet where I will set downe Master Knollys his owne words But in the meane time it is sufficiently confirmed out of the Word God and out of all the Scriptures above quoted that all the churches we reade of in the New-Testament were so many corporations in Christs kingdome which were to be governed by a Common-councell of Presbyteries And so for many yeeres after the Apostles times they were Governed Communi consilio presbyterorum as our brethren the Independents do confesse and prove by antiquity and humane authority which weapon I wonder they will contend with in deciding of Gods matters which are only out of his holy Word to be proved which is to be the rule of our faith But it seemes Saint Ambrose his authority pleaseth them well though if we looke into it it makes much against them He lived as the author that cites him saith within the fourth Century His words are these upon the 1. of Timothy Synagoga postea ecclesia seniores habuit quorum sine consilio nihil agebatur in Ecclesia Quod qua negligentia obsoleverit nescio nisi doctorum desidia aut magis superbia dum soli volunt aliquid videri Take with it his own interpretation The Iewes Synagogue saith he and afterwards the Christian church had Elders without whose counsell nothing was done in the church which by what neglect it grew out of use I knew not unlesse it were perhaps the sloth or rather pride of the teachers whilest alone they would seeme to be some body However it is acknowledged by their owne testimony that in the Apostles time and many yeares after the Apostles nothing was done in the church without the Councell of the Presbyters So that it is evident the Primitive churches were governed by the joynt and common councell of the Presbytery and the people had nothing to do with it We may adde here unto Saint Ambrose Saint Ieromes testimony who in his Commentaries upon the first chapter of the Epistle of Paul to Titus largely declaring himselfe as in many other places concerning the occasion of the change of that government established by the Apostles saith Idem est ergo Presbyter qui Episcopus antequam diaboli instinoâ—u studia in religione fiâ—râ—nt diceretur in populis ego sum Pauli ego Apollo ego autem Cephe communt Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae gubernabantur c. In the which words he acknowledgeth by the first institution all Churches were governed by the common councell of the Presbyters and not by the advice of the people Yea the very Canons of the Pope in the first part and the 95. distinction giving the reason why the Presbyterian Government came to be changed and the Hierarchiall was put in the place affirmeth that it was through faction and for the avoyding of further Schismes and rents in the Church and cities using the very words before quoted out of Saint Ierome and confesseth that before that time the Churches were governed Commum consilio Presbyterorum not by the people or any one Prelate but by the Presbytery and their councell And if humaine authority were needfull in this businesse I might make a volume with their very expressions to prove the novelty of the Hierarchicall government and that of the peoples jurisdiction assuming the Authority of governing into their hands and the Antiquity of the Presbytery and that by the enemies own confession Bet I am resolved to cleave only unto the Word and sound reason deduced from thence for the deciding of this controversie being sorry that there was so much as occasion of naming humane authority in a point of Divinity As for the Presbyterian government in the sense that I understand it there is nothing more
cleere to me in all the holy Scripture Yea the very word and name of a Presbytery signifieth a Magistracy or Aristocracy or Signory or Court that is a Company or Senate or Councell of grave wise and understanding men invested with authority and power of ruling ordering and commanding and in whose hands the government is put And as the word is taken in the civill polity and Government so in the Ecclesiasticall By a Presbytery we understand a Religious Grave Solid Learned and wise councell of Divines and Ministers or men of inveterate experience and such as know how to Rule and Govern those that are under their command with wisdome and moderation and according to the Word of God and the which men likewise are invested with Authority and Power for to exercise a jurisdiction over others and are hereunto called by such as are able to judge and discerne of the sufficiency of their gifts and abilities for this worke which the ordinary and common people cannot do And as in the civill State the Presbyters and Elders of the people were those that had the rule over them for the common good of them all and for their bodily preservation So the Presbyters and Elders in the Church are those that have the rule and government over the Churches for the spirituall good of their souls And as Kings and Rulers are by a Metaphoricall and borrowed speech called Pastors and Sheepherds of the people and are said to feed the flocks committed to their charge by which word is understoode the exercise of all lawfull and moderate authority agreeable to the Law of God over them so the Presbyters and Ministers are called the Pastors and Sheepherds yea and Stewards over the flocks committed to their charges and they are commanded to feed them by which metaphor they are invested with the authority and power both of preaching and ruling and have the Government over those flocks put into their hands which they must alwayes exercise according to Gods Word they must feed them and rule them in the Lord and not after their own wills and pleasures they may not have dominion over our faith as Paul saith in the 2. of the Corinthians chap. 1. verse 24. But that they should be helpers of our joy that is they may not usurpe an absolute Soveraignty or power over the consciences of the people as if the spirituall state and welfare of their flocks depended on them which is onely grounded upon their faith in Jesus Christ but as they are the Stewards of God and Ministers and servants of the Church so they should comfort them and rejoyce their hearts in the Lord and establish them in the faith and use all the care and diligence that is possible like good Shepheards to preserve the flockes committed to their charge that they straggle and stray not from Christs fold and run not into the by-wayes and thickets of sinne and errour and be corrupted with noysome food and false Doctrine And if they have any among them that are unruly that they bring and reduce them into order or if they have any sicke feeble poor or weak that they cure releeve comfort and restore such and if they have any that are infected or scabby that they remove such from the sound till they be recovered or if they have any broken or wounded that they heal and recover them with all lenity and humanity and that they should by common councell govern and order their flocks and take speciall care that the particular Pastors and Ministers of the severall Congregations and Assemblies under their Presbytery and charge assume not any sole and soveraign Authority to themselves over the flock to do any thing of publike concernment without the joynt consent of that Presbytery or spirituall Corporation under whose commands they are And it stands with all reason that a Common councell of godly grave learned and experienced ministers should ever be more able to manage and order a government then two or three unexperienced men or two or three hundred young people of which most Congregations consist in whom the sap of youth is not yet dryed up or if many of them should be of riper years yet they know little what belongs to government and therefore they can never be so well able to govern as men both of known learning ancient experience and honesty and approved judgement and integrity as a whole Colledge or an Assembly of learned Presbyters commonly are who by God himself have the dispensation of the Word and the ordering and ruling of the Church committed unto them and who in the Preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments and in all ordinary acts of worship and in governing and ruling the flocks committed to their severall charges are the successors of the holy Apostles But by the way an objection is here to be answered unto made by some of the Independents after this manner The Elders and Presbyters of the Apostles times say they by the imposition of their hands gave the gift of tongues and prophesie Acts 19. 1 2 3 4 5. and the 8. 18 and 1 Tim. 4. 14. and healed the sick Iames 5. 14 15. according to our Saviours promise Mark 16. 18. Let say they the Presbyters of our time let them impose their hands upon the sick and heale them let them by imposing hands upon their disciples inable them on a sudden to speake with strange tongues and foretell things to come and then we will acknowledge them for a true Presbytery then will they be a right assembly of Elders and the Apostles successors but if they cannot give to others nor yet have for themselves in store any of the true Apostles any of the right Presbyters gifts and characters we may not we dare not acknowledge them as such These are their formall words in print Before I come to my answer I desire there may be speciall notice taken of this Objection and such like for for ought that I know if any man will argue afthis manner all Christian religion may be called in question and no man will have any Creed or Belief except he may make his own Articles as Thomas did who said Vnlesse I put my hands into his side and my fingers into the print of the nailes I will not believe And as the Iews said unto our blessed Saviour Thou that savedst others now save thy self come down from the Crosse and then we will believe in thee do this miracle and then thou wilt perswade us Here we see they would make their own Articles or else they would have no Creed The Jewes had learned this method of disputing from the Devill who at his meeting of our Saviour Christ and at his first assault thus disputed If thou be the Sonne of God saith he and wouldest have the world so believe and me too on thee then command these stones to be made bread do this miracle first but thou canst not do it Ergo. So in like
The summe of my Arguments is this Where there was an infinitemultitude or a mighty City of beleevers there they could not all meete together in one place or roome or in one congregation to injoy all acts of worship for edification but in the Church of Ierusalem by the very baptisme and preaching of Iohn there was an infinit multitude and a very City of believers ergo they could not all meete together in any one congregation This is the sum of my first Argument The second is this Where there was such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and believers as kept a tyrannicall King in awe and all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a terror into them all as they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies there of necessity the number of them must be so great as they could not all meet together in one place or congregation to partake in all Acts of worship But in the Church of Jerusalem there was such a company of believers by the very baptisme of Iohn ergo they could not all meete together in any one place or congregation This is the summe of my arguments which I made good out of the Word of God and from sound reason as they that have read my booke with judgement I am confident will acknowledge Now heare how J. S. setteth them downe with his answer to them pag. the 8. and 9. of his booke The Doctors first proposition is saith he that there were many Congregations and severall assemblies in the Church of Jerusalem c. for proofe whereof saith he he bringeth the multitudes of Converts to Iohns Baptisme the people of Jerusalem all of them and all Iudaea c. whereby saith he all became Christians or members of the Christian Church for Iohns baptisme was into Iesus Christ and the very same with that of the Apostles Thus I. S. sets downe my Arguments which I affirme is not candidly done of him for the ignorant Reader cannot see into the strength of my arguments they being delivered in such obscure tearmes and set down also to the halves the whole truth not being specified For not one of ten thousand had ever seene or read my book I dare say not one of an hundred of the Independents had ever vouchsafed so much as to looke into it for I was made so odious unto them by their blasting language as they abhorred my very name with all howsoever they boasted at the first coming of it out that there were twenty pens at worke in answering of it yet not one of them ever appeared till three moneths after it was printed Now all the Copyes that were printed were all gone in one weeke so that the answers coming out so long after and my arguments not being known to the people and being in this obscure manner and in such darke expressions and but to the halves set down every vulgar understanding can never see into the weight and strength of them especially they having not my booke before them And to say the truth all the Independents ordinarily use this method in their pretended answers as first to let the bookes they reply unto be forgotten and after that to blurte out something against them concealing the truth and then they crow out as victors and conquerers that they have beate up our quarters and puld downe the pillars of our discourse as I S. doth vainly in this his Pamplet when it will appeare to all intelligible men that he hath onely cast a squib or two at them and then as a meere fresh water Souldier speedily ran away and left that worke to others as he unaduisedly in the tenth page and in his wise Epistle confesseth sayning indisposition of body when indeede it was his want of wit learning honesty and courage As I haveset downe the sum of my Arguments and compared his expressing of my meaning with it I will also set downe the summe of his answer to them which he giveth in the name of all the Independents saying we answerd to your reason and then set downe his own words in their full length that all men may see my faire dealing with him For I. S. doth not here deny my minor as Master Knollys did or accuse me of false Musters as he vainely and impiously doth in his answer to my second Arguments But plainly denieth that those that were baptized by Iohn Baptist were Christians to whom my brother Burton assenteth page 16. of his book saying that those beleevers that were baptized by Iohn Baptist into Christ to come according to the Papists doctrine were not formed into a Christian Church or Churches as after Christs resurrection Christians were These are my brother Burtons formall words who not only assenteth to I. S. in this his opinion but also bringeth in the authority of the Papists to confirme this their doctrine and so in this the Independents agree with the Papists to overthrow the truth and to maintain their abominable errors And this I conceive was the cause that moved my brother Burton in the ninth page of his booke in the beginning of his answer to say `as for your indefinite enumeration of those multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples we take no notice of them This is his expression there concerning the which in due place Surely if my brother Burton had thought them Christians he would have demeed them worthy to have been taken notice of but in this he agreeth with I. S. and the Papists Now I will give you the summe of I. S. his Arguments in way of answer by which he denieth that those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were Christians The first is because saith he they were baptised into Christ that was to dye and not dead therefore in his dialect they were no Christians The second they were not baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire therefore thy were no Chrstians The third they were no more Christians then the Iewes that passed through the red Sea but they were no Christians ergo they also that were baptized by Iohn were no Christians The fourth The baptisme of Iohn was not perfect ergo those that were baptised by him were no Christians The fifth those that were baptized by Iohn did not only hasitate but were scandalized at the true Messiah and under the forme of Iohns baptisme did fight against the true baptisme and baptiser the Lord Jesus ergo they were no Christians Sixthly they that were baptized by Iohn were not cast into a Church mould according to the New testament forme neither were they members of one Christian Church at Jerusalem ergo they were not Christians and this Argument is brought in by way of a corallary This must needs be the scope of his answer or else he sayth nothing to the purpose in denying my Arguments which were not only to prove that those
doctrine to prove this their opinion to be legitimate So that in this point of their beliefe the Papists and the Independents agree against all the current and the whole Schooles of all the most Orthodoxe Protestant Divines who hold they were Christians Secondly they agree in this also that both of them hold that the forme of a church must ever be visible and apparent So that were their never so many Assemblies of Christians in a city or country and all beleevers if they be not cast into such and such a mold and forme then theyare not churches properly so called but in their dialect they are either Heritickes or no Christians but proclaimed enemies of Iesus Christ and his Kingdom So that according to the Papists doctrine all those Christians that are not within the limits compasse and bounds that they have circumscribed their church with and are not under that visible forme of government they have appointed they accompt them all Heritickes and no churches as all men know And in the same manner do the Independents unchurch all churches in the world but such as in their opinion are cast into a church mould according to the New Testament forme and have their distinct Officers and Members united into one body respectively That is to say speaking in their owne language all such congregations and assembles as are fluid and are not joyned and united together by an explcite particular Covenant fixed in their officers and Members having a Presbytery of their own with absolute Soverainty and power within themselves Independent they are no churches and all those Christians that are not within the compasse and limits of this their new mould or modell they proclaime them enemies of Iesus Christ and his kingdome and accompte of them as a company of infidels and affirme that they are no true churches nor churches properly so called So that we see that both the Papists and Independents agree in this that they bound and limit all churches to such and such an externall forme so that wheresoever that is wanting according to their dialect though otherwise they have the preaching of the Gospel the right administration of the Sacraments and the true invocation of God they are no churches properly so called And both of them farther accorde and agree in this that the forme of their churches consists in the distinction of their Officers and members and the uniting of them into one body respectively they must not be fluid as they speake but they must be fixed in their Officers and Members and having a Presbytery of their owne with absolute soverainty and jurisdiction within themselves Independent But in this the Papists deale far more honestly then the Independents for they have in many large volumes fully set downe the modell of their government and what it is and shew how they are fixed in their Officers and Members and for their chiefe Officers they say they are the Pope and his Presbytery at Rome the Cardinals Patriarchs Primates Metropolitans Archbishops c. and we know where to finde them and what their modell and government is to a hare But what the Independents modell is or will be no man could yet ever learne but by conjecture which I must confesse seemes a wonderfull thing to me that they should thus at pleasure unchurch and unchristian all churches and Christians as not formed into a church mould after the New Testament forme and yet never declare what that forme and mold is And yet this is their daily wicked practice So that all men may see if they will not put out their eyes that in this and many other of their tenents and opinions the Independents are but a company of Mungrell Papists and would have all men belieeve with an implicit faith as their Churches believe and take all they speake as Oracles though it be never so groundlesse But we have learned Christ better then so who is the Prophet and King of his Church and who hath commanded us to heare him Matth. 17. and to obey his voyce Iohn 10. and not to give eare unto strangers And from his blessed Word we have learned these two lessons the first that wheresoever the Gospel of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ is faithfully and truly Preached by Ministers sent by him and where this Everlasting Gospell is imbraced and believed and yeelded obedience unto by the people and where there is the right Administration of the holy Sacraments and the true invocation of God they are a true church or churches although they be fluid and be not fixed in their Officers and members and have not that externall forme either the Papists or the Independents speake of and for this our faith we have warrant from Gods holy Word Secondly we are taught out of the holy Scriptures also that there may be a true church or churhes in many nations and kingdomes where they injoy not all the Ordinances in a publicke manner nor where their very meetings together are not allowed unto them by authority for all such as confine a church or churches to these externall formes they speak of they confound the essence and substance of a church with the adjuncts and Accideuts of it whereas churches may be true churches and yet want the externall forme of Government as may by innumerable places of holy Scripture be proved as for instances In Israel where God had set up his owne worship and established a forme of Government and commanded that it should punctually be observed yet we read in the 2 of the Chron. chap. 15. ver the 3. these words Now for a long season Israel was without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without law So that from this place we may gather that their did not then appeare any externall forme of a church no not in Israel when the true God was not publickly known amongst them and yet notwithstanding God had there his true church amongst them yea in the greatest height of Idolatry when all the Prophets were persecuted and lay hid in Caves yet at that time also God had seven thousand that never bowed knee to Baal So that it is evident that it is not the externall forme that is absolutely required for the making of a true church but it may be a true church without that externall appearance they speak of For a church is one thing and the outward forme and discipline is another And truly if a man will not suffer himselfe willingly to be deluded with appearances and naked shaddowes for the truth it selfe and will but consider the great variety and change of the church in respect of the outward alteration of the government of it in all ages after God himself had set it up in Abrahams Family and consider it in all its peregrinations and pilgrimages and that after God had given unto Abraham and his seed such directions for the setting up of his worship wheresoever he and his posterity should come and
true Church or Churches in the world all the times of Antichrists reigne Nay if the doctrine of the Independents be true and orthodox the very Church of Jerusalem Acts the 2. which they call the first formed church was no more a true formed church nor cast into a Church mould according to the New Testament forme then those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were for they describe a Church unto us after the New Testament forme to be a company of Saints or Beleevers consisting of no more in number then can all meet together in one place or congregation having their distinct officers and members united together into one body by a particular explicite Covenant So as that assembly or church must not be fluid but fixt in its members and officers having a Presbytery of its own with absolute authority and jurisdiction within it selfe Independent and injoying all Gods holy Ordinances This is the discription of an Independent Church after the New Testament forme as they call it as far as by their practise and writings we can gather So that whatsoever Church wants this forme according to their language is no true formed church as not being cast into a church mould after the New Testament forme And by this their modell the church it selfe of Ierusalem was not a true moulded church after the New Testament forme as I shall here briefly in some particulars shew and more largely demonstrate when I come to my brother Burton For it is confest by the Independents that at that time there were three thousand soules added to the church and five thousand after that it was then a true formed Church after the New Testament forme and yet at that time they acknowledge they wanted Deacons and Presbyters and they confesse withall as we shall see in its due place they wanted that part of discipline of casting out corrupt Members so that then they had not a Presbytery in the church of Jerusalem and withall the Independents affirme that many of the Beleevers and Saints of Ierusalem were inhabitants of other churches through Iudaea for they say there were many other churches there and that many of those belonged unto the other churches and it is sufficiently proved also out of the holy word of God and acknowledged by my brother Burton that there were more assemblies and congregations of Beleevers in the church of Ierusalem then one yea he confesses that in its infancy the number of them was so great as they could not all meet in any one place and yet they were but one church Neither do we ever read that they tyed themselves to each other by any particular explicite Covenant or counted such a Covenant the forme of a true church From all which I gather that the difinition or description of the Independents Church is erroneous or if it be orthodoxe then the very Church of Ierusalem was not a true formed Church after the New Testament formewhen they say it was For first there were more Beleevers in Ierusalem then could all meet in one congregation or a few yet though in severall and distinct places and assemblies they all made but one Church which is contrary to the Independents doctrine Secondly they had no fixt Officers and Members united into one body respectively nor no Presbitery for if there were not then Deacons at all nor Elders as the Independents doe acknowledge and if many of the Beleevers in Ierusalem were strangers and had their habitations in other cities as they say then they were not fixt neither in their Officers nor Members anâ— yet a true Church not in the Elders nor Deacons for they then had none at all nor in their members for they confesse many of them were strangers and did not inhabite and dwell there and therefore no fixt Members and for the Apostles they were notfixt bnt as Noahs Dove was sent out by him and returned with an olive leafe in her mouth at the next time departed and went her way so the Apostles they were the universall Messengers of Christs Kingdome which were to be sent out into all nations with an olive leafe in their mouthes that trophie of Peace and glad tydings they were to preach the Gospel in all nations and howsoever for a time they remained in Ierusalem yet all men know that was not their abiding place for they were not fixed Officers there but were to goe out into all countries to preach and baptize and when the persecution came according to the Independents doctrine then all the Members of that Church were scattered and there were none left in Ierusalem if their doctrine be â—ound but the Apostles so that it is most certaine those Members were not fixt but fluid when they ran this way and that way to save themselves so that the Apostles those great Pastors of the Church remained in Ierusalem according to their language all alone without either sheep or Lambes they also were not fixed bnt were afterward sent into all nations to teach and baptize as I said before withall the Independents confesse they had no Discipline in the Church of Ierusalem for they want ed that part of it viz. excommunication and therefore they had no Presbytery in it nor no jurisdiction within it selfe Ergo it was not a true formed Church after the New Testament forme if their doctrine be true and good neither could they then injoy all the acts of worship and therefore was no better then those that were made christians by the Baptismeof Iohn for in the Church of Ierusalem there were more then could meet in any one place which the Independents wil not admit of by their difinition they had neither fixed officers nor Members nor that part of disciplin Ergo they did not injoy all Gods Ordinances In a word there was nothing in the Church of Ierusalem that now the Independents require for the moulding up of a Church after the New Testament forme no more then was amongst those that were baptized by the Baptist And therefore all that I. S. and the Independents bable about the forme and mould of a Church after the New Testament forme is to little purpose yea meere vainty for it is evident out of the holy Scripture that a Church may be a true formed Church after the New Testament forme although it want all those things that either the Papists or the Independents thinke absolutely necessary for the moulding up a Church after the New Testament forme For the very Church of Ierusalem which was the Mother-church and which was to be a patterne to all other Churches was a true formed Church and at that very time according to the Independents learning and yet I say then shee had neither fixed Officers nor Members nor any external explicite particular covenant nor discipline nor many other requisites that they now require as necessary for the forming of a true Church as wee shall see more at large in its due place But now to returne and come
by the rest to make one entire platforme For the Scripture consists of many parts as so many Members in one body one Member cannot say to another I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12. Againe the Church at Jerusalem if it must be a paterne for all other Churches then in this that all other Churches must be subject to some one Church because Acts 15. things in question were there debated and determined and sent to other Churches to be observed But for as much as that Church at that time in those things was infallibly guided by the Holy Ghost wherewith the Apostles there were inspired in which respect their resolutions were with authority it pleased the Holy Ghost and us that which no particular Church since the Apostles could ever say it followeth that the Church then at Jerusalem remaines not in all things a paterne for other Churches for a paterne must be in all things imitable and perfect Lastly for Appeales so much agitated and pressed I have said enough before and else-where as in my vindication to vindicate the right use of that in point of Church matters And so I passe briefly from your first question to your second which is concerning the manner of gathering of Churches and admitting of Members and Officers I have set downe my Brother Burtons expressions at large that all men may see how fairely I deale with hâ—m â—s for his censure upon all my Arguments that went before by which I proved my first Proposition that they are rather words and tautoligies then arguments by which I toyled my selfe and my Reader I passe it by as neither regarding his pr yses nor sleightings who was never yet constant to the Principles either of Humanity or Religion but like the Camelion hee speaketh of page 3. receives impressions of sundry formes changeable according to the present condition And as it is said of King Henry the eight that hee never spared any man in his rage so it may truly be averred of him that hee never spared any in his fury passion neither living nor dead upon the least conceived displeasure against them no not those hee was most obliged to as all that have beene familiarly acquainted with him and his frothy Pamphlets and language can testifie for he spares not the King himselfe nor Parliament upon all occasions to the one of which notwithstanding hee was not onely obliged in all Loyaltie as a subject but as a speciall servant and to the other if ever any man was ingaged in all the obligations of duty and veneration hee was who is bound unto that great Councell for his Liberty which is the life of life and for his honour and good name which is better then life and yet hee hath spared neither but hath most unchristianly and undutifully and that publickly and privately aspersed them upon all occurrences and therefore if at pleasure hee can vilipend sleight traduce and speake evill of those dignities I may not thinke my selfe agrieved if hee most unbrotherly in his scriblings abuse me Yea I am so farre from being offended at him for this his so dealing with mee as I thinke my selfe honoured by it and account it matter of rejoycing having learned that lesson of my heavenly Master That when men revile me reproach me and speake all manner of evill of me falsely for his names sake that I should rejoyce and be exceeding glad for so they have done by all the Prophets Matth. 5. Luke the 6. and Paul tooke such dealing from the false Teachers of his time for matter of triumph 2 Cor. 12. verse 10. saying I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake for when I am weake then am I strong This I apply unto my selfe who have suffered as much from him and those of his party in reproaches in persecutions and in all manner of reviling and blasting language as their daily Pamphlets and words can witnesse as any man now living and for no other cause that I know of but that I maintaine the truth against error and oppose the novelties and groundlesse opinions of the times all the which will the more aggravate their judgement because they did as immoderately prayse me as can be proved before they knew my differing opinion from them as they doe now maliciously and causelesly vituperate mee and the Lord knowes that I am not changed in my opinion in any knowne truth from what I both beleeved and to my power practised above these thirty yeares neither had I any reason to vary from my Principles they being grounded upon the unerring word of truth and therefore for my brother Burtons and his parties sleighting of mee and my indeavours I wave them as meere Grolleries knowing that my bookes have beene read by more judicious men then either himselfe or any of his Fraternity and have had the approbation of learned men at home and abroad And now I come to his Argument for hee hath not so much candour and faire dealing in him as to lay downe my reasons that the Reader might see the grounds of truth but conceals them all and makes a Syllogisme of his owne or else hath borrowed it from some of his American friends and fetcht it out of the new World For I never read the like in either Europian or Asian Writer no nor in any African Author yet that Country was famous for Monsters and usually esteemed to be the Mother and Nursery of prodigious births and yet such a Syllogisme I never saw brought forth by any of that Nation as this of his framing and I am confident that every sucking Sophister will bee ready truly to say of it as hee falsely speakes of those multitudes baptized by Iohn Christs disciples that they were not formed into a Church or Churches the same I say will any but a Novice in the Art of disputation conclude of his Syllogisme that it hath neither forme mood or figure and that I could easily make evident were it not for mispending of precious time and that I desire not to displease the good old Father in discovering his nakednesse and infirmities who if hee were so highly offended with mee because hee conceived I meant him when I spake of a Basket-hilted beard how much would hee be inraged if I should discover his ignorance and make it appeare that hee is a meer stranger in the art of Logick which hee would perswade the world hee were so great a Master in But leaving that I will come the matter in hand which is of publicke concernment and in the first place I must needs blame him for his Sacriledge and unjust dealing who at one time robbs the Church of Christ of such multitudes of believers as were converted and baptized by the Baptist and Christs Disciples and by them added unto the Church of the Iews who were then the only visible Church upon earth and proclaimed by Christ himself Iohn 4. to be the
only true worshippers who saith that Salvation was of the Iews and that the Samaritans worshipped they knew not what Now to the Church of the Iewes those true worshippers those that were converted by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples and baptized into Christ were added and therfore they were worthy to have been taken notice of by my brother Burton as formed into a Church or Churches if believing in Christ repenting and being baptized in his name and by his authority be sufficient to make men members of a Church for as the Catholicke visible Church consists of many Nationall Provinciall and Presbyterian Churches so did the Nationall church of the Iews of many citie Countries Churches which were in their Dialect called Synagogues which is the same with our Churches both in cities and countries as all the learned well know for in all those Synagogues they partaked daily in the morall worship and had the Preaching of the law and the Keyes of Heaven Now then when those multitudes that I enumerated in my arguments baptized by Iohn and the blessed Apostles and the seventy Disciples were all gathered into Christs fold and made his sheepe and true believers and that by the Preaching of the Gospell and hearing of the voyce of their Pastors and had amongst them all those sealing and discriminating Ordinances that were sufficient not only to forme them into a church or churches but to difference them from Pagans and Infidels as who were Israelites to whom pertained the adoption and the glory the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the promises as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 9. vers 4. all which I conceive were sufficent and avaylable to make any then living members of Christs Church I say when they had circumcision and the Passoever baptisme and the Law and the Gospell and that worship of God that he had established amongst them and were his peculiar people of whom Christ had given this testimony that they were his true worshippers and when they were also gathered in according to Gods own appointment by the sound of the Gospell and by the preaching of Faith and Repentance and by the Ministry of the Word as all the Prophets had formerly gathered Churches then those that were Baptized by Iohn who was a Prophet sent of God Luke the 3. and sent to baptize Iohn the 1. 33. and those that were baptized by the Disciples who were sent from Christ as he was from his Father who said Go teach all nations baptising them c. all they I say ought by my brother Burton and all the Independents to be taken notice of as formed into a Church or Churches what so ever he and I. S. say to the contrary who in this agree that those that were baptized by John and by Christs Disciples were no Christians much lesse cast into a Church mould according to the New-Testament forme and lest of all that they were members of one Christian Church at Ierusalem These are J. S. his formall words pag. 9. So that whiles these men vvill dispute against the truth they blaspheme and give the Spirit of God the lye for Christ hath said that they that heare his Disciples heare him and that they that heare his voyce are his sheepe novv vvhen all those that vvere converted by their Ministry and vvere in token of their faith and obedience baptized and had given up their names unto Christ they were all incorporated into his fold which is his church his Mysticall body and were moulded into a church or churches and so they are set down to us in the holy Scriptures as believers and true members of Christs church and therefore formed into a church or churches for there is but one Shepherd and one sheep-fold and Christ had then no other church on earth that we reade of but that of the Iewes and which is yet more it was a reformed church for Christ had cast out all the Buyers and Sellers John 2. out of the Temple and cals it his Fathers house and the house of prayer so that it was now a pure church and clensed from all pollutions and in the which all Christs Ordinances were in their purity here was the Preaching of the Gospell the Teaching of the Law and all the sealing Ordinances both old and new here was Circumcision the Passeover Sacrifices and Ceremonies here was Baptisme and the Lords Supper or breaking of bread here was the true Invocation or calling on the name of God and that in the house of Prayer where all Supplications were heard and that before Christs death Here we have all the materialls for the making or forming of a church or churches or casting of Christians into a church mould according to the new-testament forme to speak a little in the Independents dialect for here we have visible Saints in multitudes devoute men and true worshippers from out of all the Nations under heaven Acts 2 here we have Christ and his twelve Apostles and his seventy Disciples Elders and Teachers in abundance besides many Women that followed him and ministred unto him here was no want of Ministers and Officers and Members of all sorts besides innumerable multitudes of believers and cryers Hosanna and all this before Christs death as well as after and all these Christian believers and such as did partake of all sealing and saving Ordinances sufficient to cast them into a church mould and to forme them into a church or churches as well as after Christs ascension and therefore my indefinite enumeration of those that were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples ought by my brother Burton and I. S. and all the Independents to have been taken notice of as formed into a church or churches without Christ and his blessed Apostles who partaked in all Ordinances be not in their esteeme reputed Christians and formed into a church or cast into a church mould which were blasphemy in any to thinke and therefore is much more the height of wickednesse in my brother Burton and I. S. to affirme and Print for I. S. his expressions I produced them often before I will now set downe my brother Burtons formall words which I cannot but reiterate For your indefinite enumeration saith he of those mulititudes baptized by Iohn and by Christs Disciples we take no notice of them unlesse formed into a church or churches but following the expresse Scripture the first formed church we finde is in Acts 2. These are his words and that in the name of all the Independents saying we take no notice of them So that by this all men may gather that in the Independents language and in their Divinity Iohn Baptist and all Christs Disciples with Christ himself and all Christian believers in Christs time and all that by baptisme were received into Christs fold and church and such as had given up their names to Christ were not worthy to be taken notice of by the Independent brethren who esteeme of
them in all which Ordinances every one of those severall congregations did daily partake with the Fellowship of the Apostles all which in these our dayes are thought sufficient by those of the congregationall way to make any of their Assemblies a true and compleat formed Church and a Church properly so called so that wheresoever according to their owne Doctrine and Principles they inioy all these Ordinances in their severall meeting houses with a Pastor and Doctor and an Elder or two and a Deacon and three or foure good women and as many men every one of these severall Congregations challenge unto themselves though they consist but of ten or twelve the name of a formall and compleate Church properly so called and doe conclude that they are so many Churches properly so called in all which they affirme and no where else that Christ is set up as King upon his Throne And therefore if all the severall Congregations of the Independents considered by themselves respectively apart may properly in their opinion be called churches and that for the injoying but some of the above mentioned Ordinances and Priviledges that all those severall Congregations in the Church of Ierusalem did compleatly partake in then all good reason will conclude that all these severall Assemblies in Jerusalem respectively and severally considered were compleate churches properly so called and that as I said before with a great deale more and better reason by how much it is certaine that those congregations and severall assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem had both for Matter and Forme and all other requisits whatsoever in these our dayes can make a compleate Church or Churches properly so called And this that I have now said for the confirmation of the Major Proposition of my Argument may suffice it being grounded upon the Independents owne Principles and Doctrine so that I shall not need any more Reasons for the corroborating of the truth of the same As for my Minor Proposition they that shall reade but the first six Chapters of the Acts and the 18. of Matt. and the 28. of the same Booke and the sixteenth and twentieth of Saint Iohns Gospel shall find it sufficiently confirmed yea my Brother Burton denys not that there were many congregations in Ierusalem So that now I hope every judicious and intelligible Reader from all the forgoing Discourse will see that I have proved what I undertook viz. that there were not only several Congregations and assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem which all the Independents saving my Brother Burton deny but that all those severall congregations and assemblies severally and respectively considered were Churches properly so called which my Brother Burton thought a thing impossible to be evinced and that all those congregations and Assemblies notwithstanding made but one Church and were all of them under one Presbyterie governed communi consilio Presbyterorum which my Brother Burton all the Independents do acknowledge and therfore of necessity it must follow there was in Ierusalem a subordination or combining of many Churches all which neverthelesse were called but one Church as being under one government as the Churches at this day of Geneva Bazill and of the other reformed Cantons all the which consisting of many congregations or churches properly so called being united and combined together and subordinate make up but one Church in their severall Precincts after the example of the Church at Jerusalem and the other Primitive and purest Churches the government of all the which was left as a patterne of imitation to all succeeding 〈◊〉 to the end of the world to teach them to unite and combine themselves ther for the better and more orderly governing regulating of them And it is very fit that as the Mother Churches and those the most purest ones were ruled and ordered so should all the Daughter Churches be moderated and regulated in all following Generations to the full consummation of all things yea all reason will perswade any intelligible man that a Councel or colledge of grave Divines and experienced men and men of Knowledge Learning and Integrity should know a great deale better how to governe then a few giddy headed witlesse and worthlesse men women which most of the new Congregations consist of Now in all the Primitive and Apostolicall Churches wee find this kind of government as in the seven Churches of Asia the which consisted of many and severall Congregations in their severall Precincts and yet made but one Church in their particular Jurisdictions and all those my Brother Burton speaks of and which hee brings in for the making up of a compleate paterne of Church government were so governed communi consilio Presbyterorum as that of Ephesus as I shall by and by briefly prove after I have answered to what my Brother Burton hath yet to say in this busines to whose words if any credit may be given then the Church of Ierusalem it selfe which hee cals the first formed Church was not a perfect formed Church for hee accuseth that of imperfection and not that only but all the other Primitive and Apostolicall Churches saying that they were not compleate within themselves so that to make up a compleate patterne of a true constituted Church we must borrow something from each of them and he affirmes that there is the same relation betweene church and churches that is betweene the Members of the body every one having need of the other so that of necessity by this his doctrine they were all dependent by the which he doth oppose all his brethren of the congregationall way who hold and labour to maintaine not the perfection onely of every one of the Primitive churches within themselves but the parity likewise of them and the equall authority and affirme that they were all Independent which opinion of theirs my Brother Burton overthrowes making them all Dependent But let us heare himselfe speake Secondly saith hee it being no more then one entire particular Church and not any Diocesan or Provinciall Church or the Presbytery thereof classicall as you would beare us in hand it is a paterne to all particular Churches in succeeding ages and yet by your favour not so perfect as no Apostolick churches besides it should also come in to make up the patern compleat for wee must necessarily take all the Churches c. as you may see at large in his words before quoted I desire the Reader here in the second part of his answer to take notice of his expressions where First there is Petitio principii an ordinary Error amongst sophisticall dealing men hee begs the question denying the Presbytery of the church at Ierusalem to be classicall which notwithstanding the Scripture sufficiently evinceth as hath beene abundantly proved viz. that the church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations and notwithstanding it was governed by the joynt consent and common counsell of many Presbyters to both which he accordeth and yet as if
favour from them that they allowed them publike places of meeting as well as private as may be gathered from Pauls words who said That he had taught them publikely and from house to house Now where there were such multitudes of people as could take up a famous Apostle night and day for three whole yeares together who ceased not all that while to warne every one with teares Acts 20. 31. and that publikely and privately ver 20. and where there were many more extraordinary Teachers besides a whole Colledge of Bishops and all of them faithfull and painfull Preachers as appears Revel 2. ver 2. and all these likewise continually imployed there of necessity there must be severall churches and congregations but in the church of Ephesus there were such multitudes of people as imployed the Apostle Paul for three whole yeares night and day and many other extraordinary Ministers besides a whole colledge of faithfull and laborious Pastors and Bishops Ergo there were severall churches and congregations in the church of Ephesus and therefore the word church is to be taken collectively as well antecedenter as consequenter as well as the word Angell for there is the same reason of both Now then if the word Angell in the Independents opinion 〈◊〉 to be taken collectively the word church by as good Authority is to be so taken and therefore as there were many Angels and Ministers in the church of Ephesus so there were many Assemblies and churches in that church by all which it undenyably followeth that one church may have many churches in subordination to it as this of Ephesus and the other Asian churches had and consequently was Collegially and Classically governed communi consilio presbyterorum Now then when the the church of Ephesus and all the other churches my brother Burton enumerateth were all so governed it followes that all these churches must be a paterne of government for the regulating and moderating of all other churches to the end of the world which being all Presbyterially and Classically governed as hath been proved all other churches at this day are to be Classically and Presbyterially moderated so that now when it is manifest both by Scripture and reason and by the Independents owne concession that the word churches may be taken as well Antecedenter as consequenter it matters nothing what Master Baines thinks to the contrary whose judgement in this businesse is very erroneous how Orthodoxe soever he was in his other writings for there is no man though of never so greatlearning or parts no not an Angel that shall ever by Gods assistance make me believe or imbrace any doctrine or opinion that is contrary unto the holy Scripture and all sound reason as this novell tenent and whimsie of the Independents is and truly so it appeareth to be from my brother Burtons owne words who by his induction of so many churches and by that nigh relation he affirmes they all had each to other and amongst themselves concludes they were all dependent For if there was as great or nigh a relation betweene church and church as is between member and member in the body of a man as he asserteth so that the one cannot say to the other I have no neede of thee then of necessity they must be all dependent but there is as great or nigh arelation between church and church as my brother Burton asserteth as there is betweene member and member so that the one cannot say to the other I have no neede of thee Ergo they are all dependent For the antecedent it is so cleere that all intelligible men will assent unto it And for the assumption my brother Burtons words confirme it and therefore the conclusion doth necessarily insue And if men would but consider and that duly the mâ—nner of the civill government in all the Cities we reade of in the old Testament both in Iuda and Israel and the Ecclesiasticall government in them the truth would easily be perceived and the controversie would quickly be at an end amongst all sober minded Christians Now in those severall Cities we shall finde that under their severall Kings and Princes they were all governed by a secular Presbytery called by the name of Elders and Nobles whose civill power and Authority under those Kings and Princes extended as far as the severall bounds and territories under their severall Cities delated themselves and not only within their wals for as at their first constitution they were so many severall kingdomes as the Scripture relateth and had their severall jurisdictions and bounds so into whosesoever hands and Authority they were in succession of time devolved either by conquest donation agreement or compact they commonly continued their Antient dimensions and limits and as farre as their secular power extended it selfe in respect of their civill government and policy the same limits did the Ecclesiasticall ever observe and governed all the Townes and Villages under them all whose inhabitants and dwellers in their severall abodes and habitations within the compasse of their severall jurisdictions were called Citizens and the whole country in their severall precincts were called by the names of the severall Cities as all Histories relate And if we will but examine the Annals of times all men may finde that which I now say to be true For we see in the change of all governments from Democratiall to Aristocraticall and from both to Monarchy that as far as their bounds and limits extended themselves before their changc the Monarchsor Kings that either invaded those Governments or were brought in by election or the free choyce of the people extended their sole power to the extreamest limits of those severall governments and in their owne name ruled those severall Countries which before were governed by the Common counsell of their States Senats Elders or Judges as we see it hapned not onely in the kingdomes of Iuda and Israel after the government of the Israelites was changed into a Monarchie but even in the Roman Empire and all other kingdomes for when Caesar had invaded the Soverainty and had made himselfe Perpetuus dictator as farre as the bounds and limits of the Roman Aristocracy extended its selfe before the change so farre did his sole power expatiate and extend it selfe after the alteration and the same power did all the succeeding Emperours exercise to the extremest bounds of that Empire till the dissolution of it as all Histories declare Even so when the severall Presbyteries through the Christian world were through the cunning and policy of Antichrist that man of sinne changed into Episcopacies as farre as the severall Presbyteries extended themselves so farre did the severall Bishops appointed over them extend their sole power and exercise their sole Authority Hence arose so many broyles contentions and digladiations amongst those severall Bishops about the bounds and limits of their severall Seas and jurisdictions of which all Ecclesiasticall stories are full all the which doe sufficiently prove and declare
whiles with their scriblings they trouble the world in making rents and schismes in church and state But heare yet how hee cavilleth the church of Ierusalem saith hee cannot bee a paterne to all churches for then all Churches must have seven Deacons and must bee all subject to some one Church because things in question were there debated and determined and sent to other Churches to be observed and in regard also that that Church was infallibly guided by the Holy Ghost in which respect the resolution of that Church was with authority it pleased the Holy Ghost and us which no particular Church since can ever say In these respects saith hee it followes then that the Church of Ierusalem remaines not in all things a patterne for other Churches for a paterne must bee in all things imitable and perfect Thus my Brother Burton makes a noyse to little purpose contradicting all those of his owne party that I ever yet read or talked with who all acknowledge that the Church of Ierusalem was a paterne to all churches and from the example of that church as they pretend they forme and governe all their churches and labour to reduce all to that paterne and ground all their proceedings upon the Plat-forme of that church and doe all as they affirme in imitation of that holding Synods to bee one of Gods ordinances and ground it upon the meeting of the Apostles and Elders in the 15. of the Acts and yet my Brother Burton here maintaineth the contrary as his words sufficiently declare for which his grollery I beleeve all those of his Fraternity will give him little thankes and blame him for his so great haste in answering mee who in his wise Epistle to the Reader saith I hasted at last as fast as before I was slow if possible to recover our brother so that it seemes hee made more haste then good speed according to the Proverbe Canis festinans caecos parit catulos and will have cause at leisure to repent for hee hath by this his jugling and conjuring quite rased the foundation and overthrowne the whole Fabrick of the new Bable of Independency which his brethren had beene so busie and diligent to lay erect maintaine and uphold and that from the example of the Church of Ierusalem But it will not be amisse to examine his trifling reasons of this his gain-saying and denyall that the Church of Ierusalem cannot be a paterne to other churches for then saith he every Church must have seven Deacons and all Churches must be subject to one Church and to the Decrees of that Church which they cannot be there being none now infallibly guided Thus my Brother Burton out of the acumen of his wit disputes at randoun after the very same manner did the Prelates in their generation dispute against the godly people they termed Puritans when they alleaged the example of Christ and the blessed Apostles in receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as that they all received it either sitting or using a Table-gesture and therefore that all Christians and Christs Disciples were bound to imitate and to follow his and the Apostles examples rather then Antichrists as a paterne set downe to them of receiving the Holy Communion to the end of the world To which the Prelates and those of that faction replyed that if the Puritans would make Christ and his Apostles in receiving the Lords Supper a paterne for their imitation then they must always celebrate it in an evening and that after supper and in an upper roome and in a private house and not in publick and then they must never exceed twelve or thirteene communicants and they must be all men and no women and an hundred such other toyes they brought to prove that the example of our blessed Saviour and his holy Apostles was not to be a paterne of imitation for the receiving of the Lords Supper to all Christians in succeeding ages and after the same manner doth my brother Burton now trifle to no purpose For as the example of Christ and the blessed Apostles was a paterne in respect of substance and not in every circumstance which was never required so was the church of Ierusalem in respect of substance and not in every circumstance to be a paterne to all churches for their imitating to the end of the world As for instance The church at Ierusalem had liberty given them by the Apostles to nominate and make choyce of Deacons when there was a necessitie of such Officers to nominate and make choyce of as many as they thought sufficient for their occasions And in this it was a paterne to all churches in succeeding ages that they likewise if they had need of Deacons might make choyce of holy and godly men and of approved integrity and of as many as they had need of whether fewer or more and as often as their occasions required no church being limited for the number and as the Apostles onely in that church ordained the Deacons and not the people so the Ministers and Presbyters only in all churches should doe the same And as upon any difference amongst the brethren that are joyned together in church Fellowship as it hapned then betweene the Grecians and the Hebrewes Acts 6. about their widowes who they thought were neglected in the daily Administration they made their appeales to the Apostles for redresse so in this the church at Ierusalem is a patern to all other churches upon any occasions of such or the like difference to appeale unto their severall Presbyteries and as they willingly submitted themselves to their determination so when the Presbyters command or appoint any thing in the Lord and according to his word the people are to yeeld willing subjection obedience to their order and in their so doing to make the church of Ierusalem their paterne and as in the church of Ierusalem there were many congregations and churches and all these were combined together and subordinate to one Presbyterie in this also the church of Ierusalem is to be a paterne to all churches in succeeding ages that they may doe the like in imitation of that church which is for ever to be a paterne to them and as upon occasion then certaine men went downe from Iudaea to Antioch Acts 15. 1. and troubled the people there and in other churches with words subverting their soules saying that they must be circumcised and keepe the Law vers 24. pretending they came from the Apostles and had a command from them of their so doing so that upon this the churches sent unto the Apostles and the Elders at Ierusalem for the determination of this busines in debate waited patiently for their resolution without making any rents or schismes in the church and as the Apostles and Elders of that church and of other churches called a councell and Synode and there disputed and debated the matter with arguments and reasons searching the holy Scriptures What was the good will
succeeding ages to the end of the world that they may do the same in their severall and respective Presbyteries Neither is there any president or example in all the holy Scriptures of the new-Testament that any church had its peculiar Pastor and Teacher or Doctor alloted to it with but two or three Elders and a Deacon with a slender congregation of people of the which they only had the cure and care for the feeding and ruling of it and the which had absolute Authority within it self and from which there was no appeale the which notwithstanding the Independents assert is a true formed church after the new testament forme such a modell of a church I affirme can never be shewed or proved in all the new testament God saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 12. vers 28. hath set some in the church first Apostles Secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after Miracles then Gifts of healing helps in government diversities of Tongues are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. and in the 4. of the Ephesians vers 11. When Christ ascended on high he gave gifts unto Men c. and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints c. all the which places are to be understood concerning the Catholicke visible church So that to appropriate these places of Scripture to any particular church as those of the Congregationall way do is to abuse and pervert the holy Scriptures for the upholding of their unwarrantable proceedings for if these Scriptures are to be applyed unto every particular congregationall church then there must not only be a Pastor and a Teacher but many Pastors and many Teachers in each of them besides other church officers and then the Pastors and Teachers would be more in number many times then the flocke and if we looke upon all particular Churches founded by the Apostles which must be a paterne indeed to all churches then we shall finde that in all of them severally they had many Presbyters as in the 14. of the Acts and in the 20. of the same and in all the above cited Scriptures doth abundantly appeare So that there is no ground in all the holy Scripture of the new modell of the Congregationall way for following the expresse Scripture to use my brother Burtons owne words the first formed church we finde is in the Acts the second which consisted of many thousands and in that church there were no distinct officers and members united into one church body respectively for all the Apostles and Ministers of that church fed and ruled that church in common and therefore after the very same example and paterne may all Christian churches to the end of the world do the same and be well formed churches yet have neither a particular Pastor nor Teacher nor distinct officers amongst them for neither the church of Ierusalem nor any of the Primitive and Apostolike Churches had that distinction of officers amongst them and all and every one of them neverthelesse were well formed churches and therefore in this they be a paterne to all churches And as in the church of Ierusalem and in all the other churches all those that were converted and added to them were none of them forced to walke either Dayes or Moneths or years with them before their admission that they might either know the Saints and Members of that Church or be known of them noâ— were ever forced to make a publike confession of their faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion or to enter in by an explicite particular covenant and to obtain the consent of the whole church before their admittance So in this the Church of Jerusalem and the other Churches of the New Testament are to be a pattern to all other churches to the end of the World that they may follow the example of that Mother Church and all the primitive Daughter-Churches in admitting of their Members without any of these things for that was the first formed Church and yet shee required no such things of any that were added into her But of this in its due place And as the Ministers of the Church in Jerusalem the Apostles and Teaches only had the power of government and admitting of Members and did it without the consent of the people as wee may see in their first admission of Members who applyed themselves unto the Apostles onely saying men and brethren what shall wee doe and not unto the people and as in that Church when the people and Beleevers opposed any that desired to be admitted as they did Saint Paul Acts the 9. verse 26 27. of whom they were afraid not beleeving hee was a disciple and hee then appealing to the Apostles who upon hearing of the truth of the busines they admitted him comming in and going out without their consent in this also the Church of Jerusalem is to be a paterne to all Ministers and people in all succeeding Churches that it is the Ministers place onely to admit of Members and not the peoples and if they should gaine-say the admission of any upon either their feares or jealousies or out of other respects that then they may have their appeales from them to the Presbyters in each Church and giving them an account of their faith they are by them to be admitted notwithstanding the dislike and dissenting of their brethren for of this way of proceeding wee have the Church of Ierusalem for a paterne And as the Church at Ierusalem and all the other Primitive Churches never made any rents and schismes from the publike assemblies for some faylings but alwayes constantly frequented their publike meeting places notwithstanding the many corruptions of the Teachers both in Doctrine Discipline and Manners and had not only the example of the blessed Apostles but of Christ also in so doing who when he was questioned concerning his doctrine said I taught publickely in the Temple and in the Synagogue and not in corners and by places and he inioyned the people also to doe the same Matth. 23 saying the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses his seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not yee after their workes c. So likewise other Churches to the end of the world ought to imitate this Church as their paterne not to separate from the publike assemblies and those Churches for some faylings especially when they are found in doctrine and preach all saving truths needfull to salvation without any mixture of humane inventions and so much the rather all Churches ought to imitate the example of the church of Ierusalem and the other Primitive Churches in this not only because they have Christs both example and precept for it but because also separation is blamed by the Apostle Paul in the Hebrewes Heb. 10. and therefore forbidden who saith verse 23 24 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
be all dependent I shall set downe the chiefe things observable in it First they define a visible church to bee a mysticall body of which Christ is the head the Members Saints c. Secondly they assert that this church is but one congregation or as many as can conveniently meet together in any one place to partake in all Gods holy Ordinances Thirdly they affirme that the forme of this church is a holy explicite covenant which falsely they make one of Gods Ordinances or they say they are united together into one congregation by an holy covenant Now it cannot be holy except it be one of Gods Ordinances and have his command and authority for it which is that that ingraves holinesse upon it otherwise it is either diabolicall or at least but humane So that in the Independents learning wheresoever any of these things are wanting in any congregation of christians it is not a formed church for this is their definition of a church within the bounds and limits of which whatsoever church doth not come and within the which it is not terminated it is no true church and so by this all particular churches that are and have beene in the world neither were nor are true formed churches no not the very Independent congregations themselves as I hope by Gods assistance I shall illustriously make appeare after I have said something in order of the particular branches of this their definition and have shewed the absurdities of it and the impossibilities of attaining such a church as they have set out and the great inconveniences and indeed the unsupportable bondage that would redound unto thousands of Gods people if these men might have their mind and all things according to their definition For from such a church as they describe and desire though it consist but of ten or twelve bee they never so erroneous in their doctrine and never so corrupt in their manners and never so perverse malicious and unplacable in their minds and wils and let their unjustice done against any poore oppressed Member by them be never so great or exorbitant there is no appeale from it or helpe or redresse to be expected by any appeale to any other court church or Ecclesiasticall Tribunall which is a yoake of one of the most horrid tyrannies and slaveries that ever the world yet saw and which neither wee nor our Fore-fathers could ever beare a greater then the which never any men voluntarily put themselves under before these our unhappy times All the which I shall God assisting mee in the examination of the severall parts of this definition make evident And first whereas they define a visible church to be a mysticall body If any Presbyterian should have so spake the Independents would have said it had beene a bull For visible and mysticall cannot be predicated of one and the same body at one and the same time for if it be mysticall then not visible and if visible then not mysticall and therefore their definition belongs rather to the invisible church then to any visible congregation because the matter of it is the mysticall body of Christ consisting of Saints and such as are truly holy and godly which none know but God himselfe for no man can certainly and positively say that this or that man is a Saint but in the judgement of charity which is often mistaken as the Independents themselves acknowledge they have beene for the time was that they thought some men Saints who are the same still they then were and yet now they not only thinke but say though falsely they are Devils and repent that ever they prayed for them But most true it is that God only knowes who are his yea the Apostles themselves though of more discerning spirits then any in our age yet could not discover Iudas Christ onely knew hee was a Devill it was hidden and a mysterie to the Apostles and the same to this day lies hid from all men who are Saints indeed that belongs onely to God it is his Prerogative who is the searcher of all hearts and therefore their definition is absurd groundlesse and vaine in this branch of it when they say a visible church is a mysticall body consisting of none but Saints And then it would follow that none of the Apostolicall churches were true formed churches according to this their modell for wee reade not onely of many scandalous walkers amongst them but of some hereticks and yet they ceased not to be true churches what ever the Independents thinke now of such congregations as are mixt though in none or in very few of them they can discover any such offenders as were in the church in Corinth Galatia Philippi and in some of the seven churches of Asia and therefore if their definition bee good none of the Primitive churches were true churches yea I hope to make it evident in the sequell that none of the churches of the congregationall way are then true churches as not consisting of all Saints But now I come to the second branch or part viz. that the Church they desire must be but one congregation injoying all Gods Ordinances in it which if it be true and good in this branch also then the Church at Ierusalem was not a well formed church for there were many congregations and then also never a Church in the world to this day was a true church much lesse can any of our new congregations challenge that title and be true churches it being impossible though they consist but of one congregation apeece for them severally to injoy all Gods Ordinances in any one of them for amongst Gods Ordinances the Independents both in New-England and here amongst us hold that Synods and Councels are one of Gods Ordinances and yet they are not churches properly so called in their dialect though as they are representative bodies of many churches they may have that name given them and are churches in my notion and according to my understanding but I say not properly according to their language for their congregations consist of particular Pastors and Teachers and of two or three Elders apeice and Deacons and of a few men and women and have many other pretty things required for the moulding of them up into formed churches after the New-Testament forme whereas in Councels and Synods they have neither particular Pastors nor Teachers over them nor any such Elders and Deacons as they require nor no women so that no particular church in the world to this present day injoyed that Ordinance in it For a Synod and Councell consists of Presbyters onely and that of many not onely out of any one particular church though never so large and great but out of many sent and delegated from each of them respectively and severally yea many times not only out of many severall Presbyteries adjacent but out of other countries and Provinces as that at Jerusalem and all the ancient Councels and that lately at Dort and this our
and all those that either speake such words or write or print such Books and Pamphlets and all such as allow of such words and Pamphlets either by their silence or connivence or approbation or by buying and receiving of them into their houses or venting selling and publishing of them and either prayse or like of the authors and contrivers of them and all such as shall scatter and spread such books abroad and shall releeve and support such men in this their evill doing by supplying and furnishing them with moneys or visiting of them and petitioning for their maintenance and allowance in these their wicked practises or by their silence favour them all and every one of them may truly be said and that by divine and humane authority and by the very testimony of my brother Burton to be such as backbite their brethren and they have all of them a great deal to answer for such their doings before the righteous judge of the whole world and in Gods dialect all such as backbite their neighbour with their tongue and pen are no Saints for the true Saints backbite not their neighbour with their tongue Now that it is the generall practise of all the Il-dependents to do this I refer my selfe to those Pamphlets above specified and to their dayly Proceedings their combinings and confederatings of themselves together for this very purpose all which do sufficiently testifie and declare unto the world as well as their dayly publishing through City and Country such words and books as tend altogether for the defaming of the Parliament and the traducing of all their brethren that it is one of their master pieces boldly to calumniate all men that something may cleave and stick Again I demande of any man what it is to do evill to his neighbour if plotting against the life and blood of their neighbours be not to do evil unto them if making rents schismes and factions in Church and State and to vent and publish desperate and dangerous opinions and open heresies all which are works of the flesh leading men to perdition Gal. 5. I ask I say of any man whether the acting of all these things be not to do evill to their neighbours And whether or no to violate all the laws of God and nature upon needlesse and unwarrantable pretences as to divide the husband from the wife the parents from the children the servants from their masters the subjects from their governours and them in authority over them the people and sheep from their Ministers and faithfull Pastors and to labour for a toleration of all Religions in a State and Kingdome yea in many Kingdomes and by this means to bring confusion upon them all I demand I say of any moderate man whether the acting of all these things be not to do evill to their neighbours And whether to ride and run from one end of the Kindom to another to seduce the people and to do their neighbours a mischiefe and by tongue and pen and all manner of infamous language to wrong them to the taking away of their good name which is better then their life be not to do evill to his neighbours Again I demand of any solid Christian whether the indeavouring the taking away all means of livelyhood from the Ministers as their tythes the onely support of their families and the making of them odious by their railing Pamphlets and the hindring Reformation in the Church and the breaking of all promises and covenants with their brethren to the prejudice of the whole Kingdom be not to do evill to their neighbours And whether to raise up false and infamous reports against their brethren the Scots and them in authority and to publish them in word and print be not to do evill to their neighbours And whether the denying of their brethren their very prayers aide help and assistance at any time yea to pray against them and for their confusion be not to do evill to their neighbours I shall here desire of any sober-minded Christian to tell me whether the acting or doing of all these things or any of them or the consenting unto them and allowing of them be not to do evill to their neighbours And I am most assuredly confident that he will candidly acknowledge that the acting of all this is to do evill to their neighbour Now that the Il-dependents dayly practice all these things can be proved by a cloud of witnesses yea all their Actions and Pamphlets can testifie it especially the late conspiracy of many of them against the life of that Honourable Gentleman Mr Speaker of the House of Commons and many more of the High Court of Parliament and their running and riding about to preach up their new doctrines and hereticall opinions to the disturbing of all order in Church and State for the seducing of the people and their running riding and going from place to place to defame and traduce their neighbors for the hindring of them from coming to any imployment by which they might have been useful in their generation to the land of their nativity all these passages I say can witnesse against them and innumerable presidents more of their unchristian proceedings against their brethâ—â—n might be produced and may be proved by numberlesse witnesses besides their owne writings that all of them do evill to their neighbours and that this is the generall practice of the Il-dependents Yea it is notoriously known that there is scarce a meeting of them whether in their festivities or in any of their solemn assemblings of themselves together gether that they do any other great thing amongst themselves but that that tends to the evill of their neighbours in word and deed there scarce issuing any thing out of their mouths but injurious words against them Yea they cannot contain themselves in the very open streets and in the Churches from railing against their Christian brethren as can sufficiently be proved Yea let any Presbyterian accidentally but come into their houses and they will reproach and raile at him And if all this be not to do evill to their neighbours I know not what is to do evill unto them Now in Gods dialect all such as perpetrate any of these actions are not Saints indeed for the true Saints do no evill to their neighbours The Il-dependents may not here pretend that their Ministers can preach and pray well and that those of their fraternity have many of them excellent gifts for gifts are not sufficient to make Saints but grace is that that makes Saints For Saint James and Saint Paul have sufficiently proved That unto all the true Saints for so in the first of the Corinthians ch 13. v. 1. 2. Though I speak saith Paul with the tongues of men and Angels and have no charity I am become as sounding brasse and a tinckling symball And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could
disposing of the very charity and bounty of the brethren to all the necessitated Disciples within their jurisdictions and who gave directions to the Deacons how they should be distributed to the best emolument and benefit of the poor and according to the intention of these benefactors which as it is an act of Government and that a principall one so of necessity the Presbyters must then meet together that by their joynt and common consent and councell all things may be rightly ordered But in the chap. 15. v. 2. 4. 6. 22. the Presbyters of Ierusalem by name are expressed and in chap. 16. and in Act. 21. v. 17. 18. in these words Then they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine other of them should go up to Ierusalem unto the Apostles and Presbyters about this question and they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom they declared all things that God had done with them and how that there rose up certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which beleeved saying that it was needfull to circumcise them and to command them to keepe the law of Moses and the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of this matter c. ver 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and chap. 16. v. 4. And as they went through the Cities they delivered them the Decrees to keepe that were ordained of the Apostles and Presbyters which were at Ierusalem c. and chap. 21. v. 17 18. And when we were come to Ierusalem the Brethren received us gladly and the day following Paul went in with us unto Iames and all the Presbyters were present and v. 25. As touching the Gentiles which beleeve we have written and concluded say the Presbyters that they observe no such thing Out of all which places before I forme my arguments to prove That the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies was governed by a Presbytery that is by the joynt consent and common Councel of the Apostles and Presbyters which made but a grand Presbytery I shall desire all men to consider that howsoever the Apostles in the places above specified are differenced by that title from the Presbyters yet in all acts of government performed by them in the Church of Jerusalem they were for the substance of them ordinary acts such as Presbyters dayly performe and therefore answerably the Apostles themselves are in them to be considered as Presbyters that is men governing in an ordinary way as such as had received the keyes which is the power of jurisdiction and therefore were in their ordinary imployment though at other times in their severall ministries and going from Nation to Nation to preach as Christs extraordinary Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. they used superlative authority which God had invested them with and graciously bestowed upon them for the benefit of the Church and the good of his people and I am induced so to beleeve because the Apostles in holy Scripture are called Presbyters that is the ordinary Governours and Magistrates of the Church though the more principall and primary ones and therefore did act as Presbyters in ordinary acts of Church Government and for a pattern to all Churches in like administration Neither may any suppose for all this that the Apostles did fall lower in their power in that they acted as Presbyters for our brethren do acknowledge that at Ierusalem the Apostles acted as Presbyters of a particular Congregation Now then if they did not fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a particular Congregation what reason will dictate to any man that they should fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a joynt Presbytery The truth is to govern and to rule the Church was the ordinary imployment of the Apostles and therefore they are stiled Presbyters which is to say the Rulers Councellours Magistrates and Governours of the Church neither for all this did their Presbyterships exclude their Apostleships nor did their acting as Presbyters deprive them of their Apostolique power nor of that Apostolique spirit which guided them even in these things wherein they acted as Presbyters for although under one notion we looke upon the Apostles as extraordinary men yet under another as in all those affaires of publique concernment and in matter of government and for that end the assembling of themselves together we do not consider them as Apostles for therein they did not act as Apostles with a transcendent and infallible authority and in an extraordinary way but as Presbyters and ordinary Governours and Councellours and in such a way as makes their meetings and actions a patterne and president to succeeding ages and of the Presbyters congregating of themselves together for common acts of Government whether in a Presbyterian or Synodicall way And as it is in civill affaires and in the government of Kingdomes and States so it was then in the Church of God in a Kingdome some of the Counsellors are of the more secret admission and are generally called Cabbinet Counsellors and are counted of as extraordinary men and others of the generall ordinary Councel yet when all these sit in a Common Councell together to consult about matters of State and publique concernment they â—it then together as ordinary Councellours and every one of them has as much authority and liberty to debate things by reason and dispute in way of consultation and to give his vote about any thing as well as any of the most extraordinary Councellors and this hath been the practise of all ages We read that Hushy when he was by Absalon called into counsell had his voice and gave his vote as well as Achitophel the Oracle of that time and as in the Common-Councels and Parliaments of Kingdomes whatsoever honour dignity or extraordinary imployments any of them were taken up in before their session and meeting or whatsoever dignity or titles of honour they have extraordinarily above others and take their places accordingly before they come together into the Parliament yet they all sitting as Judges and Peeres in the Kingdome the meanest Lord in the Kingdome hath as much authority there as the greatest and so in the House of Commons as they are Judges and chosen by the people for that purpose have all of them even the meanest as much voice and authority in way of consultation as the greatest And so likewise in the Synod or Assembly now of Divines the meanest Presbyter hath as much voice and liberty in way of debate and voting as the greatest Prelate there And even so it was in the Church of Jerusalem when the Apostles those extraordinary gifted men and the Ordinary Presbyters met together in counsel they all acted there as counsellors and ordinary presbyters and therefore in all those particular actions of the Apostles wee have mention of in their severall meetings whether wee consider them by themselves alone and not joyned with the
Presbyters or in common councell with them those actions I say were done and acted by men which were Apostles but not as they were Apostles exclusively so as they might not act them under another notion neither will our brethren affirme it for if the Apostles did preach take the trust of the goods of the Church ordaine Officers as Apostles exclusively and in an extraordinary way and as by a priviledge peculiar to themselves it would follow from thence that none may doe any of those things but Apostles which the Brethren will not assent unto as for some instances In that ordination of Deacons in the sixth of the Acts the Apostles there acted partly as Apostles and partly as Presbyters for in constituting an Office in the Church which was not before they acted their Apostolicall authority but in ordaining men to that office which the Church had chosen they did act as Presbyters and there is no doubt but the Brethren will yeeld to this for if they will not grant that the Apostles did herein act partly as Apostles partly as Presbyters they must then accord that they acted either onely as Presbyters or onely as Apostles If onely as Presbyters thence it will follow that all Presbyters have power not onely to ordaine men but to erect a new office in the Church If onely as Apostles then hence is no warrant for Presbyters so much as to ordaine men into any office nor for so much as to meet together to consult about acts of government either in a Presbyterian or in a Synodicall way and by this meanes all Church government would speedily be overthrowne Neither is it a difficult thing in our Brethren or any other man to distinguish betweene these two for looke by what infallible rule they make some thing in the practise of the Apostles to bee not onely a patterne and president for imitation but even a proofe of institution yet decline other things practised by the same Apostles as things not onely by institution not commanded to us but not permitted to bee imitated by us By the same rule they may infallibly distinguish betweene what they acted as Apostles and what they acted as Presbyters and as ordinary Counsellors Iudges and Governours and withall they may infer and conclude that what they acted as Presbyters and by joynt and common consent it was to give a patterne and president to all Presbyters and Synods in all succeeding ages and as the taking in of the consent of the Church in the choice of Deacons Act. 6. was to give a patterne for the sufferage and voice of the people in all Churches to the end of the world in chosing of their Deacons so for another instance as there were many Congregations in the Church of Ierusalem and divers Assemblies and all these congregations made but one Church and the Apostles and Presbyters who were Officers governed that joyntly and by a common Councell as our Brethren acknowledge Here likewise they left a patterne and president to all ages for severall Congregations and Assemblies in a Citie or vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers and Presbyters of these Congregations to governe that Church joyntly in a Colledge and Presbytery And for a third instance as the Apostles and Presbyters meet together in a Synodicall way and the Apostles in that Assembly acted not by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit no more then the Presbyters did as when they were writing of Scripture but stating the Question and debating it from Scripture in an ordinary way as it is at large discussed in Acts 15. which wee never reade they did when they writ the Scripture and having by disputing arguing and searching the Scripture found what was the good and acceptable will of God thereupon they determined the question saying it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us as the Assembly now of Divines or any other for ought I know upon like assurance of Scripture warrant may doe In this action also and their so doing the Apostles and Presbyters left an example and president to all the Presbyters in all succeeding ages what they should doe upon the like occasions for the deciding of controversies and differences of opinions in Religion viz. To congregate and meet together in some one place to state the questions and to debate from Scripture and to follow the written Word as their rule in all things and whatsoever they doe to doe it by joynt consent and the the Common-councell of them all or by the most voices but in all these their proceedings they must ever cleave to the rule of the Word of God or warrantable authority and evidence of reason deduced from thence as then the Apostles and Presbyters did yea the very name of the Presbyters in Jerusalem signifieth the Iudges Counsellors Magistrates and Rulers of that Church who had the Keyes committed unto them as well as the Apostles and by their place were more peculiarly overseers of that Church as they were tyed unto it then the Apostles as the Presbyters of Ephesus were in that Church and were assigned in their severall places to execute their office and to looke to their particular charges in the government so that whether the Apostles were present or absent the Presbyters had the government laid upon their shoulders and if the Apostles themselves had taught contrary to this Constitution or an Angel from Heaven Gal. 1. I am confident the Presbyters would not have obeyed them nor have relinquished their authority neither ought they but would still have kept that rule power and authority which God had put in their hands so that for my owne particular I looke upon the Apostles in all these severall actions and in all those acts of government joyned and met together with the Presbyters as I looke upon Counsellors and Iudges in the great Councell of both Kingdoms where all the Iudges have equall power and authority in decisive voting and doe verily beleeve that the Presbyters sitting at any time in councel with any one or more of the Apostles did act as authoritatively as the Apostles themselves and I am ever able to prove it and make it good against any man that the Presbyters might as well conclude It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us as well as the Apostles and may say we have written and concluded as well as the Apostles As any two or three of the Parliament whether of the Lords or Commons may as well say wee have made such an Ordinance as any twenty of them or the whole Councell and that without disparagement or impeaching the dignity of any when they joyned with them in that worke and assented to it and in this very notion I looke upon the Presbyters in Ierusalem joyned with the Apostles and consider them as in my contemplations I looke upon the Lords and Commons now sitting in the great Councell as the grand civill Presbytery of the Kingdome where all binding Ordinances are to bee
Apostles and not as Members for that present of the Presbytery of Antioch now all men know that they that are sent as Messengers by command and appointment as they were were not greater then those that sent them which is one of the reasons all orthodox Divines use against Peters Supremacy in that the Apostles which were in Ierusalem Acts 8. 14. sent him and Iohn to Samaria and therefore they conclude that the Colledge of Apostles had authority over him and that they were not subject to him And the same may be concluded concerning Paul and Barnabas that they were subject to the command of the Church And it is yet more evident out of the second verse of the 15 chapter of the Acts Where it is said that when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention disputation with them that then they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Ierusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question out of the which words every one may observe these conclusions following First that Paul and Barnabas used not any transcendent extraordinary and Apostolicall authority in that Church neither did they challenge unto themselves an infallible authority for the deciding of that difference which they might have done if they had then and there acted as Apostles and put forth their Apostolicall power yea which is more it is in terminis said that Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention and disputation with them intimating by those words that they argued and debated the matter by Reasons and Arguments as the other ordinary Presbyters of that Church did which they would never have suffered if they had acted there as Apostles and with an infallible authority and this is the first conclusion may be gathered out of those words to prove that Paul Barnabas acted there as ordinary Presbyters and were not onely at that time subject to that Church but Members of the same The second conclusion that may be gathered out of those words is this That they were sent as the other ordinary officers and the same commands laid upon them that were laid upon the other Now if they of Antioch had looked upon Paul and Barnabas as extraordinary Messengers indued with Apostolicall authority they would have made some difference between them and the certain others spake of in that place but sending them all with equall authority and with one and the same Message and making no distinction between them it sufficiently proveth that they of Antioch in this imploiment lookt upon them but as ordinary Presbyters The third thing observable is this that Paul and Barnabas with those certain others were sent as well to the Elders or Presbyters at Ierusalem about the question as to the Apostles for so runs the text they were all sent unto as having equal authority and as the ordinary Governours and Councellours of the Church and as to such as sat by one and the same Commission Writ or Charter and governed with a joynt consent and by a Common Councel and Agreement And therefore they are all to be considered as ordinary Presbyters in that Councel and Synod and all this I say may be gathered out of that text But there are many other Arguments to prove it because the Presbyters all of them and that all along through the whole debate acted as authoritatively as the Apostles For as the Presbyters were sent unto as well as the Apostles and assembled themselves accordingly v. 6. So they did decree and write the Epistle as well as the Apostles ver 22. 23. and Act. 16. 4. they are called also the decrees of the Apostles and Elders and Act. 21. the Presbyters say Wee have written and concluded manifesting unto all the World that they in that Synod sat and acted by the same authority and were assisted and guided by the same spirit the Apostles were as sitting by the same Commission or Writ And therefore when the holy Ghost makes no difference between them in respect of their authority but only in regard of their names it is a very great rashnesse in Mr Knollys and those of his fraternity to say that the Apostles acted not as Presbyters which is indeed to confute the Scripture and all this to delude the poore people Many Arguments more might be produced to prove that the Apostles acted as Presbyters and were no more then guided by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit then the other Presbyters but for brevity sake I shall only name one more which is this in that they stated the question and debated it from the holy Scripture in the ordinary way disputing Con and Pro arguing and reasoning what they should write and what they should judge of that busines as it is apparent in the 7. verse and many more places in that Chapter by their deliberate suffrages and discourses in that Councell and having by searching the Scripture saith the Holy Ghost found what was the good and acceptable will of God thereupon they say it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us as any Synod or Councell of Divines upon the like assurance of Scripture warrant may doe Now I affirme had the Apostles at that time acted by an apostolicall and infallible Spirit a when they writ the holy Scripture and not as Presbyters they would never have admitted any disputation nor entred into a serious debate and consultation what they should write and judge of that matter but would speedily have dispatched the busines and by their Apostolicall authority and that infallible Spirit they were led with they would have decided the matter and either have said thus saith the Lord as the Prophets of old did or take notice that what wee write are the commands of the Lord dictated unto us by the Spirit of God and would never have gone to consult with others about it or debated the matter by Arguments and reasons which when they did it is a sufficient Argument to prove that the Apostles acted as Presbyters in that Councel and therfore from all that I have now said it is apparently evident that all the Apostles at Ierusalem acted as Presbyters and that the other Presbyters had equall authority and power with them notwithstanding all Master Knollys his bable And this shall suffice to have spake by way of answer to that part of his fond cavill and now I come to reply to his Grolleries concerning the votes and suffrage of the people in the Church at Ierusalem whom Master Knollys joyneth with the Apostles and Elders and makes them equall with the Elders in authority misconceiving what is meant by brethren there his words are these page 13. The Doctor saith hee might have also considered that the Brethren even the whole Church the multitude how many soever the Doctor can make of them were present as well as the Presbyters Act. 15. 4. 12. 22 23. 25. 27 28. and so have made the Brethren the multitude even the whole Church independent also
and Officers much lesse in Synods that imployment belonging wholly to the Presbyters in each Church whom God had made Rulers in his Church over them and commanded the people to yeeld obedience unto them Heb. 13. and therefore that all the new gathered Churches affecting an Independency and challenging their Votes and suffrage in the Government of their Churches are all transgressors against both precept and example And this shall suffice to have spake in way of Answer to Mr Knollys his vain jangling against my third Proposition And now I will briefly Answer to what Sir I. S. hath to say to it whose words are these pag. 11. In asserting That the Presbyters did rule the Church and ordinarily other Churches whom do you hit saith he sure not the Independents as you call them we grant it is their part to rule but we distinguish saith he between Authority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other this latter saith he belongs to the people the other is proper to the Officers which yet they exercise in the name of the Church so they i the Officers ordain they excommunicate i pronounce excommunication they lead and direct in all government and disputes they have executative power as you demand pag. 93. but the people have a power and interest too as those places alleadged by your selfe shew expresly Act. 15. for though ver 2. Paul and Barnabas are said to be sent by the Apostles and Elders onely yet ver 4. they are said to be received of the Church and Apostles and Elders therefore they were sent unto the Church also and that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord ver 25. imports a multitude met together and this to be the result of that multitude else it were no great commendation of the resolution that it was convened and issued forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though onely the Apostles and Elders are mentioned as comming together to consider of the question verse 6. yet it is said verse 22. that it pleased not onely the Apostles and Elders but the whole Church also therefore the Church also came together to consult or the Apostles and Elders as a Cnmmittee first prepared the dispute as not counting it so safe perhaps to admit the weake to the same while it was intricate and then reported it and had their assistance and concurrence and the Letters of resolution run in the name of the brethren i. the Church as well as the Apostles and Elders ver 23. and so in Ordination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Election by lifting up the hand belongs to the brethren though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. imposition of hands be proper to the Officers where there are officers as in a Church constituted and compleat Thus speaks I. S. in the name of all his brethren in way of answer to my third Proposition the errors of whose expressions should I but only name them all severally they would take up some time and a great deal of paper but should I undertake the ful confutation of them all and discover all the impiety evil and wickedness that lyeth couched in these his words I might make a just volumn and spend some moneths in the imployment for grosser errors my eyes never beheld and such as are more contrary unto the holy Scripture and to the honour and dignity not onely of the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church at Ierusalem and in all Churches but to the very dignity and honour of Christ himselfe the King of his church who the Independents most shamefully disthrone as I shall by and by make appear God assisting me whiles notwithstanding they make the greatest noise of setting him up King in his Church And to speak the truth though the Independents seem to hate Popery their doctrin is Popery it self only the upside of it turn'd down and the reare made the front otherwise there is no great difference between their Tenents but that the Independent doctrine is more shamefully erroneous as will be made evident and more derogatory to the honour and dignity of Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to the honour and dignity of the Apostles and Presbyters and more tending to confusion and the overthrow of all Government in Church and State all the which assertions that they may be made a little more evidently manifest I will briefly run over and examine some of the passages in this his answer for to discover but halfe the errors of it they would weary the Reader to hear them and to speak but the verity he that shall have to do with such whibling and unlearned fellows as I. S. and Hanserdo Knollys are had need to be a man of intolerable patience But before I begin with him I shall desire the Reader to consider whether I. S. be not guilty of interferring tautology and great confusion crimes he layes to my charge to use some of his own language Page 15. and 16. if not contradiction and be not great of his own sense and a very catechumenos and one that hath as well need of instruction as of refutation for as much as to me it seems unmeet that a man should be polemically exercised before he be positively principled these things I refer to the Readers consideration and now I go to my work In asserting saith I. S. that the Presbyters did rule that church and ordinarily other churches who do you hit Not the Independents as you call them saith he We grant it is their part to rule but we distinguish between avthority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other this latter belongeth to the people the other is proper to the officers which yet they exercise in the name of the Church So they i. the officers ordain they excommunicate i. ◠pronounce excommunication they lead and direct in all governments and disputes they have the executive power but the people have a power and interest too c. And in the 12. page In Ordination saith he Election belongs to the brethren but imposition of hands is proper to the officers where there are officers as in a Church constituted and compleat Thus profound I. S. I shall intreat the Reader here to take notice what he grants and what he denyes and how at every turn he juggles First he grants that the Presbyters did rule the Church of Jerusalem and ordinarily other Churches and saith that my Argument hits not the Independents for they as he in the name of them all asserteth grant that it is the Presbyters part to rule So that if he had stayed here there had been some ingenuity in him but with the same breath he blasteth yea bloweth down all that he had formerly set up and that with a windy vain American distinction which he hath borrowed out of some of those monstrous Pamphlets that come from thence called the way and the keyes c. which are fraught with
name of the King or Emperour and for any Magistrate or any Court to issue out any writ warrant mandate or summons in their owne name and by their owne authority makes them fall into a Praemunire and makes them guilty laesae majestatis so that all warrants run in the name of the King or Emperour and whosoever fayleth in this kind as not to command in the Kings or Emperours name doth make himselfe a Delinquent and this if I am not mistaken was one of the charges against the Prelate of Canterbury that hee issued out writs and summons in his owne name or in the name of his Court. Now Christ is the eternall King of his Church that immortall and mighty Potentate in whose name all the Prophets of old â—ssued out all their warrants and mandates speaking ever to the people in the name of the Lord saying thus saith the Lord nothing was done in the name of the Church or in the name of any creature in those dayes and God never changed the stile of issuing out his warrants neither did Christ resigne his regall dignity or put it into the hands of the Church but is still their King and he keepes the same tenure still all through the New Testament as well as through the old commanding that all should be done in the name of God saying Matth. 28 19. Goe ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you all even to the end of the world amen By the way take notice the very Apostles themselves were limited what to preach they might not exceed their bounds they must teach nothing but what Christ the King of his â—hurch commanded them but Christ never taught his Apostles or any of his true Ministers to issue out any thing in their owne name for that was the custome of all false Teachers neither did hee ever teach them to issue out any thing in the Churches name or say unto them at at any time what you doe in all Administrations let it be done in the Churches name Christ I say taught nothing of all this that is but the new blasphemous stile of our new gathered churches and of our new church officers who J. S. sayes must exercise their authority Iurisdiction in the name of the church whereas Christ our King and Law-giver as in the place above quoted so in Mark 16. v. 17. In my name saith he they shall cast out Devils c. all in the church was to bee done by all the faithfull Ministers and people of God in Christs name the King of his church And so S. Peter accoring to his Masters command in his Sermon in the 2. of the Acts preaching unto all the people and new converts sayes nothing to them in the name of the Church but in the 38. verse saith Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ c. Hâ—e was a faithfull officer and did nothing in the churches name hee was not acquainted with our new Divinity and in the 3. chapter when hee cured the Creeple verse the 6. In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth saith hee rise and walke and so Saint Paul had learned his Lesson well who when hee cast out the spirit of Divination out of the Damosell in the 16. of the Acts verse 18. saith unto it I command thee in the name of Iesus Christ to come out of her and hee came out at the same houre Nothing was done in those dayes in the Churches name but in the name of their King Iesus Christ to omit many other places we have a speciall command in the 3. of the Coloss verse 17. whatsoever you doe saith the Apostle in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thankes to God and the Father by him all Christians are bound to doe all in Christ their Kings name Yea the Apostle in the 1 of the Corinth the fifth chapter verse the 3. and 4. teaching the Corinthians and in them all Christians in whose name all acts of Church governemt should be managed and exercised saith I verely as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already that hee that hath done this doed in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord Iesus Here the Apostle teacheth all Ministers of all Churches that as all beleevers are to be received into the Church in the name of the Lord Iesus their King so when any for their disorderly walking are to be cast out they are to exercise all those acts of government and to cast them out in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ their King hee knew nothing of this new stile that our Independents and learned I. S. publish to the world who in terminis saith that that Authority and Iurisdiction that is proper to the officers is to be exercised in the name of the Church these are his words in the name of all his brethren saying the Officers ordaine and they pronounce excommunication they leade and direct in al government disputes have the executive power but the people have a power and interest too that is in his learning the officers must yet exercise their power and Iurisdiction in the name of the Church so that the Ministers are but the churches servants at pleasure and their executioners This is our American Divinity so that whereas wee are taught by Christ himselfe and all his blessed Apostles to doe all in the Church in the name of Christ our King these our confiding brethren and our Itinerary Ill-dependent Predicants have brought in a new stile of exercising all acts of church government and that not in Christ the Kings name but in the name of the Church and whereas the Church of Jesus Christ is the most absolute Monarchy in the world in the which all things should be done and acted according to his command and in his name they have changed this Monarchy into so many thousand sucking Democrasies or rather so many Anarchies in all the which they transact all things and send out all their Writs Warrants in the name of their severall new Churches and so have dis-throned Christ whom notwithstanding they pretend to set up as King in his Church But whether in this their so dealing with Christ and with his people and subjects they are not more Independently and arrogantly blasphemous then the Pope himselfe or any Prelates that ever the world yet saw I leave it to the saddest thoughts deepest consideration of all such as truly love the Lord Iesus and desire from their soule the glory of his Kingdome and
same word is used Matth. 19. 5. For this cause saith our Saviour shall a man leave father and mother and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall cleave to his wife Now saith he we know that a man cleaves to his wife by a covenant and therefore why not so to the Church If he had said why not so unto Christ he had said something to the purpose for we are married onely unto Christ and not to the Church knowing that the Church is Christs Spouse and Christ is the Churches Husband and we are married unto Christ and not to the Church and one to another neither did any Christian yet ever deny but that all those that would be joyned unto Christ and so be received into his house and family and be subjects of his Kingdom they must take the oath of Allegeance unto their King Christ and therefore must enter into his house which is his Church by the covenant of Baptism this I say all men accord unto when men are first admitted into the Church And this covenant I say all that will be Christs Disciples and of his Kingdom and Family must take before they can be admitted But that they should after they are baptized enter into another particular explicite covenant and by that binde themselves to the Church I affirm there is neither precept nor president for it in all the holy Scripture either of the old or new Testament neither is there any such mystery in the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to imploy so much for we know the same word is used in the eighth Chapter of the Acts verse 29. Where the Spirit said to Philip go neer and joyn thy self to this Chariot Where the word joyn in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which word Philip did not understand that he must joyn himself to the Eunuchs chariot by a particular explicite covenant No more ought any wise man to conceive that when Paul assayed to joyn himself to the Disciples that by that he would have taken a particular explicite covenant of Church fellowship This is nothing else but to beg the question and to amuse the simple and to deceive them by taintering the words of Scripture and stretching them beyong their native signification to make them fit for their occasions that they may juggle the better to delude the poor people which is a great wickednesse in these men thus to trisle about words till they loose the Truth which is the substance to the destroying of their poor souls The truth is that word is often used in the holy Scripture and is used metaphorically as being taken from Joyners and crafts men that joyn many things together by Glew And â—o ordinary discourse it intimates a close joyning whether natural as a branch to the Vine or an arm to the Body or artificial as when two sticks are joyned to become one in Ezekiels hand Ezek. 37. As when Masons joyn stones together or Carpenters timber to make a house But that this word joyn should alwayes imploy a particular explicite covenant to any Church or Congregation when any man takes on him a new relation to it and is made a member of it I affirm there is not one example of it in all the Word of God and as for any command that every member of a Church should do it there is none And therefore it is a meer Will-worship and one of their own Traditions and ought to be abandoned of all Christs Disciples and with so much the more detestation because they make it one of Gods Ordinances and part of his Service and Worship and the very form of a Church whereas it is a batch of their own leven by which they have of late much sowred the Truth But as I said before so I say now again that Christians are to swear fealty onely to their King and Lord Christ Jesus who is their husband and who is the onely Master of his own House and Church and whose voice is onely to be heard and whose Laws are onely to be obeyed and listned unto we swear no allegiance or fealty to the Church for we are all his servants domesticks and have no authority one over another to impose Laws upon each other or to enter in to any covenants amongst our selves without a special command from Christ And as when Stewards of Princes or Noblemen take any in to their masters families they swear them onely to their lords and masters we never hear that the servants enter into any covenant among themselves or joyn or unite themselves in covenant one to cleave unto another Such proceedings amongst servants would never be allowed or tolerated amongst men it would be thought rather a conspiracy or a confederation to do mischeif if they should attempt such a thing As when those men enterd in to a covenant amongst themselves that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul yea it hath ever been observed in all countreys That when servants began once to combine together and to joyn themselves by secret covenants they have alwayes plotted mischeif and therefore there hath been special care used to prevent such conspiracies And all men may well perceive by this their covenanting in their new gathered Churches what it tends to if God of his infinite goodnesse prevents not their designe Therefore I say we being Christs domesticks and his Church and being his house and he being the onely Lord of it and our King we are to smite our covenant onely with him and to swear fealty and obedience to him onely and his Laws and we are not to be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7. And therefore the Lord saith in Malachi the first If I be a father where is my reverence if I be a Lord where is my honor How is it that ye obey me not We are onely therefore to obey his voice and not to regard the traditions of men or to serve God after the commandments of men Now then when the Independents impose this their covenant upon the people as a part of Gods worship and will not admit of any into their new Churches without entering in to this conspiracy I say by all their proceedings in as much as in them lies they dis-throne Christ in preferring their own laws before his wherein they commit a detestable wickednesse And this shâ—ll serve to have spake concerning the fourth quere And now I come to the fifth of womens votes whether they are to be admitted in elections To which my Brother Burton thus replies Page 15. We saith he tie not the keys to womens girdles And I. S. page 19. But as for this of womens voting in the Church saith he we have no such custome nor any of the Churches of God that I know Thus he For answer to both my Brother Burton and I. S. I say thus much That they cannot be ignorant of the practice of the Churches in many of which and those the
saith my Brother Burton The people had authority of admitting and rejecting members as well as the Apostles and Presbyters and therefore those primitive and Apostolike Churches onely are to be a patern of imitation to all Christians and Ministers of governing by and not that of the Baptist and by this their craft and juggling and by these fallacious means and unwarrantable wayes my Brother Burton Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. with all the fraternity of the Ill-dependent Predicants having prepossest the people with a prejudicate opinion against their faithful Ministers as if they affected a lordly power over them and more then Prelatical They have I say by this craft so infatuated them that there is scarse left an ear open in many of them to hear the just defence of the Presbyterians or an eye to see or read what they can say for themselves and against all their calumnies which wickednesse and deceitful dealing of the Ildependents itinetary Preachers is unexcusable But because my Brother Burton not onely carps at the example of Iohn the Baptist but likewise at those I brought of the Eunuch of Paul of Cornelius of Lydia and of the Goaler Mr. Knollys also joyning with him in this good service and skirmish the which after that both himself and Absurdo Know-lesse for so he may truly be called had spent their breath and strength to evade and yet perceiving evidence of truth in them so apparently perspicuous as it dazzled their eyes they cry out that those were extraordinary examples and not binding because those being baptized were not admitted or received members into any particular Church but into the Catholike visible Church and therefore say they those examples are not for our imitation we look onely for the example of such Churches as were cast into a Gospel-Form and into the mould of the New Testament-Form Now what a heighth of wickednesse is it in these men thus to trifle for the deluding of the simple people and to pretend unto them that there are divers wayes of admitting of members into Christs Church one way of admitting members into the Catholike visible Church and another of admitting members into a particular Church when in truth there is no difference for he that is a member of any particular Church is a member of the Catholike and so on the contrary as by the examples both ordinary and extraordinary by me produced is sufficiently apparent for they were all admitted after one and the same way and I had two examples of receiving in members into Churches constituted after the New Testament Form as that of Jerusalem and Damaseus both Churches according to the Gospel-Form and there were there three thousand received members at one time in the church of Jerusalem without any of those conditions they require at their members hands and Paul also was received a member of the Church of Damascus upon the same terms that all the rest were and therefore the example is bindingly presidential And these two examples are taken no notice of but are passed by and all the other counted extraordinary by them And the people by this means are deluded and miserably abused Now can there be a greater imposture or deceit in any that pretend unto Religion and honesty then that in these men When they say in their writings upon all occasions produce us some examples of Churches according to the New Testament Form wherein any members were admitted by the Ministers sole authority and without the consent of the people and without those conditions we require of all such as are to be admitted members into our Churches and then you do some thing Can there I say be a greater deceit in any men then this of theirs to make the people beleeve that there hath never been any such example produced when notwithstanding I had set that example of the Church of Jerusalem and that of Damascus both constituted after the Gospel-Form before their eyes in both of which their members were admitted by the sole and alone authority of the Ministers of those Churches without the consent of the people or without any of those requisites they now demand of their members in all their new gathered Churches By which their proceedings they make themselves guilty before God and all men of indirect dealing and of withholding the Truth from the people in unrighteousnesse and manifestly declare unto the world that they are resolved against all the Light of the Truth obstinately to persist in their erroneous wayes which is the greatest height of impiety and wickednesse in the world and no lesse then to resist the Spirit of God For if there had been but the least dram of candor and fair dealing in them they would never have uttered such words and had there been but any Christian honesty and love to the peace of the Church in them they would not have passed by the Church of Ierusalem and that of Damascus unsaluted and without taking any notice of them and fell upon the examples of the Eunuch Cornelius Lydia and the Goaler and then pretend that they were extraordinary But that all men may see my fair dealing with them and if it be possible that I may undeceive the deluded people I will in this place to gratifie my Brother Burton and Absurdo Know-lesse set before their eyes the examples of the two Mother Churches in their Gospel-Form viz. that of Ierusalem Samaria that so by the mouth of two witnesses the Truth may the better be confirmed Now because they took no notice of the Church of Ierusalem in my former Book but passe it by as not worth the regarding I shall desire them at this time and all those that read this Book duly to consider how members were admitted there not onely at one time but always And I shall desire them likewise seriously to weigh the practice of that Church in the admitting of their members the example of which according to their doctrine must ever be followed and imitated And because my Brother Burton says That the other Churches also are to be taken in for the making up of a compleat patern I will produce two other formed churches after the New Testament Form among the Gentiles and them eminent ones that there may be no want of witnesses for the confirming us in the right way of gathering Churches and for the receiving in of members First therefore I shall intreat the Reader to look into the second chapter of the Acts where he shall finde at the first admiâ—sion there were three thousand souls taken in and made Members of that Church by the sole power of the Apostles and where the people had no voice in the admission of them neither was it required that they should walk sometime in fellowship with them that they might have experience of the truth of their conversion neither was it required of them that they should make every one of them a publike confession of their faith and bring in the evidences
of their conversion or that they should enter into a particular explicite Covenant or that they should have the consent of the whole Church nothing of all this was required there neither had the people any hand in the admitting of them but the Apostles by themselves and by their sole authority managed the whole business for those that were converted and pricked in their hearts applying themselves unto the Apostles said Men and Brethren what shall we do and the conditions upon which they admitted them upon their repentance were these onely beleeve and be baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus the blessed Apostles were not acquainted with our new modell nor with the conditions of the new Congregations But by the way let me tell the Illdependents that the Apostles and Disciples had then a just ground of making such conditions if ever any had for they might with great reason have said howsoever these souls be not miracle proof but that they are wounded to the heart by them and by the Sermon of Peter yet we are not by and by to confide in them and to admit them into church fellowship unlesse they will walk some time with us that we may have experience of the truth of their conversion and unlesse also they will make all and every one of them a publike and particular confession of his faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion and enter also into a particular explicite covenant for observing all the Laws of membership and that they come in by the generall consent and approbation of the church I say if ever there was a time that these conditions might have been required by any it might then especially have been because all those had had their hand in crucifying of the Lord of life as Peter told them and therefore they might all be well suspected that howsoever for the present they were all struck into a trembling condition yet that they could not judge upon so short a time of the soundnesse of their conversion and therefore they might well have urged all the former conditions and chiefly because they had our Saviours own example freshly before their eyes in the second of John where it is related that he would not commit himselfe unto men which had been convinced by his miracles although they beleeved in him so that I say in that regard when Christ would not commit himselfe unto them the Apostles and Disciples might much more have pretended in all these regards that they had no reason to confide in these men until they had had better experience of them for the truth of their conversion But when neither the Apostles nor none of all the Disciples so much as urged any conditions upon them beyond the commission given them by Christ to wit Repentance Faith and Baptism the example of this church is for ever binding to all churches that they in the admission of their Members should do the same and they that propound other conditions do no lesse then accuse the Apostles of injustice and imprudency as of taking that authority into their own hands from the people and of so suddenly and without any deliberation admitting of Members into church-fellowship which ought according to my brother Burtons doctrine ever to be done with great caution who saith in his 14. Page Multa cautela non nocet adding moreover that in things weighty we cannot be too wary in regard they look not so much at circumstances in conversion as the substance and in regard also there ought to be a provident care for preventing inconveniences and scandalls seeing turpius ejiciâ—ur quam non admittitur hospes it is easier for a guest to be kept out then to be cast out by all which his expressions and by their dayly practice they do no lesse then proclame unto the world that the Apostles took too much upon them and were not so prudent in the admission of Members into church-fellowship and communion as they should have bin for if they did not accuse the practice of all the Apostles of deficiency why do they not follow their examples and why do they impose new laws of admitting of Members and other conditions then either Christ the King of his church God blessed for ever or his holy Apostles did Which whether or no it be not one of the presumptuous and blasphemous wickednesses both in the Ministers and the people that exercise this new Government that ever was in the world I leave it to the judgement of all consciencious and solid Christians This one example in the church of Ierusalem might be a sufficient president for all churches imitation for ordinary admission of Members into church-fellowship But I will produce other admissions in the same church that there may be no want of witnesses to corroborate this truth In the last verse of the second chapter besides this first admission in terminis it is said there that the Lord added dayly unto the Church such as should be saved Here we finde additions of Members upon additions for they were dayly added saith the Scripture and that by the Lord and King of his Church Iesus Christ and that upon the former conditions for we learn of no other viz. of repenting beleeving and being baptized Here we finde nothing of walking sometime before their admission here is nothing of publike confession of their faith nothing of bringing in of the evidences of their conversion nothing of a particular explicite Covenant nothing of the consent of the Church the Lord Jesus whiles the Government of his church whose yoke was easie and his burthen light lay upon his shoulders and as long as the rule lay in his own hands and before it came to my brother Burtons fine white fingers which he saith in his learned Epistle that some of his friends would not have him foule with me I say whiles the Government of Christs Church lay in his own hands and before it came to my brother Burtons fingers and into the paws and clutches of those of the congregationall way all Christs Disciples and pretious ones were admitted into church-fellowship without that heavy burthen of those conditions they have most arrogantly brought into the Church of God by which in as much as in them lies they have not only put the whole world in a combustion but most blasphemously dis throned Christ preferring their own vain traditions before his most holy Laws and doing all in the Churches name and inslaved his people whiles notwithstanding they pretend they set up Christ upon his Throne and they preach the liberty of the Gospell unto the people which is most impiously to juggle on all sides But now to go on to the other presidents of admitting Members in that Church In the fourth chapter we have it recorded verse 4. that many of them which heard the Word beleeved and the number of the men was about five thousand And all these were admitted into church fellowship and into the Communion
of the Saints and that by vertue of their beleeving Repentance and Baptism as the Scripture relateth Here is nothing recorded of walking any time for they were suddenly admitted here is nothing of a publike confâ—ssion of their faith nothing of bringing in the evidences of their conversion nothing of an explicite particular Covenant not a word of the consent of the people And yet this was the first formed Church after the New Testament Forme by all which it doth sufficiently appear that all the practice and prattle of the new gathered Churches hath neither precept nor president for it in the Mother Church But it is not amisse to produce an example or two more omitting many through the Acts. In the fifth chapter upon the sudden and miraculous death of Ananias Saphira and through the other wonders and miracles that were wrought it is said that beleevers were the more added unto the Lord multitudes both of men and women that is to say many more Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers were added to the Lord and admitted to be Members of that Church And all these also were admitted to be Members by the Apostles sole authority and that as soon as they offered themselves to be entertained without any of those conditions they now require in their new gathered Churches And yet let me tell the Independents by the way that at this time also the Apostles and Disciples might have challenged a right to have propounded those conditions if they might at any time have been urged upon the people for they might have suspected that this suddain conversion proceeded more from the miracles then from any sound conviction of them from the conscience of their sinne And therefore they might have urged that it was now very fit that they should propound some other conditions of admission then they had formerly imposed upon them and that it was requisite and convenient that they should now walk sometime in church-fellowship with them that they might have more better assurance of their real and true conversion and that they ought therefore before their admission be urged to make all and every one of them a particular confession of their faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion and enter into a particular explicite Covenant for the better preserving of Church Communion especially they seeing now before their eyes a president of so grosse hypocrisie and false dealing in Ananias and Saphira and what a consternation came upon the whole church by it and by the which also God was so much displeased therefore I say in all these regards they might then with very good reason if at any time have urged all those conditions and withall they might well have added that they should not be admitted without the consent of the whole church of all which when there is no mention it is abundantly evident that they were received into church communion without them and that by the sole authority of the Apoâ—tlâ—s which is left for a rule for all other churches to the end of the World of admitting Members after the same manner which when the Independents in all their new gathered churches dayly swarve from in their admission of Members they are in their so doing prevaricators both against the precept of Christ the King of his church and against the example of the blessed Apostles and against the example of the church at Ierusalem which was the first formed church after the New Testament Forme by which practice of theirs they make themselves offenders in an elevated nature Now I will adde one example more of ordinary admission of Members and that in the same Church chap. 6. it is said verse 7. that the Word of God increased and the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith All these also were by the Apostles sole authority admitted Members of that Church And here likewise the Apostles and Disciples might upon very good ground have urged the imposing of new conditions of admitting Members if they might at any time have done it in regard of those Priâ—sts for they were notoriously knowne to have beene Christs enemies in his life and death and â—ad a great stroke in his crucifying and therefore if the Disciples were affraid of Paul as it is relâ—ted in the ninth chapter because hee had persecuted the Church and in that regard were unwilling that hee should be a joynt Member with them they had very good warrant here of being affraid of this great company of Priests and might therefore have desired that they might not bee admitted Members into Church-fellowship till they had walked some time with them that they might have some testimonies of their true conversion and that they might also for the satisfying of the whole Church every one of them make a particular confession of their faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion and enter into a particular explicite Covenant and be received in by the consent of the whole church all these things I say they might have urged with great authority and have beene as well affraid of these Priests as they were of Paul Now in that the Apostles admitted here of all those Priests as they did of Paul Acts 9. by their sole authority and without their either walking with them in Fellowship some time or without a publicke confession of their faith or bringing in their evidences of their conversion or without a particular explicite Covenant or without the consent of the people I say in all these regards it is manifest to all such as will not put out their owne eyes that all the Independents that impose other Lawes upon the people in their admission of Members into Church-fellowship with them are Trangrâ—ssors in a high degree against both the command and example of Christ who admitted of all that came to him and refused none and against the example of all the holy Apostles and against the practice of the Mother Church and the first formed Church after the New Testament Form and therefore I will be bold to say thus much That all those Ministers and people of the Congregational by-path that shall notwithstanding all that I have now set before them out of the good Word of God still persist in their unwarrantable practices against both the precâ—pâ— and president of Christ the King of his Church and of all his blâ—ssâ—d Apostles they will be found fighters against God and iâ— they do not all of them that have had their hand in these unwarrantable proceedings speedily repent and relinguish thâ—se theâ—â— râ—bellious courses they will highly provoke the Lord King of his Church to come out in wrath and indignation against them And who knows but as he let the devil loose upon the sons of Sceva those exorcists for abusing his Authority and using his Nâ—mâ— for all their wicked dealings I say who knows but the righteous and just God may in
like manner if they will still persist go on in these wicked and ungodly courses to seduce his people and pretend that they have authority from him for their preaching and practising of all these things notwithstanding they have neither precept nor example for them in all the holy Word of God that he may in justice let the devil loose upon them for the beating of them all out of their TUBS Certain I am they by all these their dealings highly provoke the Lord to jealousie and that daily so that if the Christian Magistrates do not take some speedy course for the vindicating of Gods Honor I do verily beleeve the Lord will from Heaven shew some fearful judgement upon this whole Kingdom and visit it with so many plagues and such sore calamities as all the Inhabitants thereof will desire wish that the Mountains may fall upon them and the Hills cover them from the presence of the Lamb and from him that sitteth upon the Throne the which that they may not happen upon this Nation shal be my daily constant prayer And this shal serve to have spake concerning the Church of Ierusalem the first formed Church and concerning the ordinary admission of members in it I will now come to the Church of Samaria and that of Corinth and Ephesus all formed Churches according to the Gospel-Form and briefly shew how members were admitted into them all and by whom and upon what conditions that all men may see there is no want of presidents to convince the Ildependents of their Grolleries In the eighth of the Acts it is related there that through the miracles of Philip and through his preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Iesus Christ they were baptized both men and women from the greatest to the least Verse 10 12. And were all admitted unto Church-fellowship and that by Philips sole authority and this his method of gathering of Churches was ratified by the authority of the Apostles Peter and Iohn and the whole Colledge of the Apostles at Ierusalem And this was a true formed Church after the New Testament Form For in this Christ himself had planted a Church and converted many as it is at large set down in the fourth Chapter of the Gospel of Saint Iohn and here it is said That the people with one accord gave heed unto those things that Philip spake and that there was great joy in that City Verse 6 8. And that they were all baptized both men and women Here we have neither any walking required at their hands for he better assurance either of Philip or the Church of the soundnesse of their conversion Here is no publike confession of their faith required before their admittance into Church-fellowship Here is no evidences of their conversion called for Here is no particular explicite covenant demanded of them Here is no consent of the people desired before their admission into Church communion and yet this was a Church established according to the Gospel-form So that according to the practice of the two Mother churches in Iudea and Israel all beleevers were admitted members and received into Church-fellowship without the conditions those of the Congregational way now require of all those of their new gathered Churches Whether therefore it be not a high presumption and arrogancy in all the Independents to slight the Laws of Christ the King of his Church and the example of Christ himself and the example of all the blessed Apostles I leave it to the judgement of all prudent and advised Christians I will now to satisfie my Brother Burtons desire visit some Churches of the Gentiles formed according to the New Testament Form and I will first in this visitation begin with that Church which he himself hath set before all Churches for a patern of imitation viz. the Church of Corinth In the eighteenth of the Acts it is recorded that when Silas and Timothy were come unto Paul to Corinth the Jewes refusing to receive the Gospel of Iesus Christ that hee shooke his rayment against them and said unto them your blood be upon your own heads I am cleare from hence-forth I will goe unto the Gentiles and departing thence hee entred into ones house named Iustus one that worshipped God and preaching the Gospel there it is said that Crispus a chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved on the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing beleeved and were baptized Here wee see in a Church put into a Gospel forme the Members of that church were admitted by the sole authority of Saint Paul and that barely upon their hearing and beleeving for the Apostle required no other conditions of them for their admission into church Fellowship hee said not unto those many that were baptized that before they could be made Members of that church they must walke some time with the church that they might have experience of the truth of their conversion neither did he injoyn them for satisfaction of the people to make a publicke confession of their faith or to bring in the evidences of their conversion or to enter into any particular explicite covenant or to have the consent of the whole church nothing of all this did Paul require of the Corinthians in this church after the Gospel forme but following Christ the Kings commission upon their Faith Repentance and Baptisme hee hy his owne and sole authority admitted them The same way of admitting of Members wee shall find in the Church of Ephesus as it is at large to be seene in the nineteenth chapter of the Acts where the manner of admission of Members there is fully set downe and that was a Church also my Brother Burton sets downe amongst those that must be brought in for the making up of a compleate paterne now in all those Churches they were all admitted upon Christs owne termes and by the Apostles and Ministers sole authority without either walking sometime with the Church or without any publicke confession of their faith to the Congregation or bringing in their evidences or entring into any private explicite Covenant or without the consent of the people How unsufferable a thing therefore is it now then in all those of the congregationall way to demand other conditions of all their Members before they can be admitted into Church-fellowship with them then those that Christ the King of his Church and all his blessed Apostles demanded If this be not the highest point of presumption that was ever heard of I leave it to the consideration of the very ruggedest Independents upon due deliberation desiting they may all seriously lay it to heart and timely repent of it for if they doe not they will indeed be found fighters against God and dis-throners of Christ the King when they shall slight both his Lawes and example and the example of his blessed Apostles and the practise of all those glorious Gospel formed Churches and set up new Lawes and
examples of gathering Churches and of admitting of Members whereas in all the New Testament wee have but one way of admitting of Members whether in an ordinary way or an extraordinary for they that are made Members of any particular Church by vertue of that they are made Members of the Catholike and those likewise that are made Members of the Catholike Church may by vertue of their admission into it be Members in any particular Church as I shall prove by the Independents owne Principles And as for the ordinary way of admitting of Members I have proved it from the fore-going examples and the Primitive practise that it was upon condition onely of Repentance Faith and Baptisme and Christ required no more and for the extraordinary way if it bee evinced that that was after the same manner and upon no other conditions then all men may see into what a desperate condition of Rebellion all the Independents have by their new wayes plunged themselves into and may withall well perceive the vanity of all those cavils my Brother Burton and Master Knollys made against my following Arguments Now that they may see how and upon what conditions all Christians were admitted into the catholicke visible Church it will be worth their paines to looke upon the practice of the holy Ministers of the Gospel both Evangelists and Apostles who were all directed in what they did by the speciall command of Christ himselfe And therefore farre more worthy of imitation then our Independents practises Now we may take notice that when the Angel appeared unto Cornelius in the tenth of the Acts hee sent him unto Ioppa to call for one Simon whose surname was Peter hee did not send him unto the Church in Joppa And it is related that when Peter came to Cornelius and that hee had recited unto him the manner of the vision and that hee was commanded by the Angell to send for him it is further also declared what Peter there did and that he said of a truth J perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him And after a Sermon made unto Cornelius and all that were assembled there with him It is said that the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word and that all the beleevers that came with Peter were astonished at it for they heard them speake with divers tongues and magnified God Then answered Peter can any man forbid water that these men should not bee baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as wee And hee commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Here wee see first that Peter was sent unto and not the Church Secondly that he admitted Cornelius and those that were with him into the number of beleevers and into the fellow-ship of the Church by his owne authority and never consulted with the Church to aske their leave or voyce but concludes the busines with an interrogation which hath a greater force of binding that no man ought to hinder any beleever from comming into the society of the church and communion of Saints in whom the graces of Gods spirit evidently appeare as in these so that if either the Ministers come into their houses or they goe into the Ministers and make sufficient testimony by themselves of their faith and that they feare God of what nation soever they bee they are by the Ministers to bee admitted the congregation hath nothing to doe to hinder any such nay they may not it is more than belongs unto them neither did those that came with Peter intermeddle in that busines or require a covenant at their hand or a publik confession of their faith Againe when the Lord of his infinite mercy was purposed to reveale himselfe unto the Eunuch in the 8. of the Acts he sendeth Philip the Evangelist unto him whom hee found reading in his chariot the prophesie of Jsaiah and after that hee had interpreted unto him that prophesie and preached unto him Iesus and Baptisme in his name it is related that when they came unto a certaine water the Eunuch said unto him what doth hinder me to be baptized and Philip said if thou beleevest with all thine heart thou maist And hee answered and said J beleeve that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God and hee commanded the chariot to stand still and they went downe both into the water both Philip and the Eunuch and hee baptized him Here wee see that Philip and not the church was sent unto the Eunuch and that Philip by his owne authority and upon the Eunuch his owne testimony without any reference unto any church or without consulting with any Congregation admits him into the number of beleevers and makes him a member of the church and here was neither a publicke confession required of him by any of the church or any Covenant exacted by the people and so when Saul in the 9. of the Acts was fallen downe out of astonishment and afterwards was converted as the Storie there fully declareth the whole manner of it the Lord sent one Ananias a Disciple and Minister unto him hee did not send the church unto him neither did Ananias when hee came to Saul say unto him I will consult with the church to see whether they will admit thee to be a member for thou hast greatly wasted the church and made havocke of the Saints and therefore I will have their approbation and consent and I will have thee first walke with the Church some time that they may behold thy conversation and then thou shalt make a confession of thy faith publickly before the Congregation and give in thy evidences of the truth of thy conversion and enter in a private and solemne covenant and so be received and admitted But without all this adoe he baptizes Paul and admitteth him into the number of beleevers and makes him a member of this formed Church that by his sole authority and he was received immediatly among the Disciples at Damascus without any reluctation or so much as any scruple and strait-way hee preached Christ in the Synagogue that hee was the Son of God hee was both ordained and put in office without the approbation and consent of the people who knew nothing of the busines but onely stood amazed and said Is not this hee that destroyed them which called on this name in Ierusalem and came hither for that intent that hee might bring them bound unto the high Priest The Ministers in those dayes when they were all taught of God they only admitted Members by their owne authority into the church without the approbation of the people but in these our dayes wherin people have gotten itching eares and teachers after their owne humours such as S. Paul speaks of in his Epistles to Timothy they teach a new doctrine and bring forth new borne lights to the darkening of truth it selfe and to the bringing in a confusion
places so ought all men that are under obedience to learne their duty and not to take upon them that which God never gave unto them as to have their voice either in making of members in Churches or casting of them out or of ordaining of officers or of imposing laws upon others either of making publike confessions before the congregations or of producing evidences of their conversion or that they should walk with them some time that they might behold their conversation or of imposing a Covenant upon any that shall be admitted for all rule and government in the Church is put into the hands of the Presbyters and does not belong unto the people or multitude neither may the Presbyters usurpe authority but they also must exercise it onely according to the commission given unto them by Christ they may not transgresse it or go beyond it in the least thing and therefore when many of the brethren call for a publike confession of mens faith to be made in their new congregations and the evidences of their conversion to be produced and impose a Covenant upon them before they admit them to be members of their Church as if they had lived before in infidelity Who notwithstanding were known to be holy and godly Christians and as true beleevers as any that now live in the world and think them onely Christians and Beleevers that doe as they would have them and count of others that will not conforme themselves to their customes and novelties but as the off-scowring and refuse and no Christians I say it is an intolerable usurpation and a thing that was yet never before practised in the world in any Church either Jewish or Christian till these dayes and therefore they go beyond their commission in so doing for God in his commission to his Apostles and all Ministers bids them admit of all that come in and beleeve and are baptized he quencheth not the smoaking flax nor breaketh the bruised reed now then when they know thousands in this Kingdome that do beleeve and are men of unblamable lives and such as would lay down their lives for the faith once delivered unto the Saints and are baptized what have they to do to lord it over them and to hinder them from communicating in the Ordinances and to be admitted into Church fellowship with them or to debarre them from the communion of the Saints Me thinks the vision to Saint Peter in the tenth of the Acts should teach such men their duty when God said unto Peter rise kill and eat Peter said not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is common and unclean and the voyce said what God hath cleansed call not thou common And this saith the Scripture was done thrice that by the mouth of two or three Witnesses this truth might be confirmed to Peter and all other Ministers not to call those people common prophane and unclean and to count them but rubbish whom God hath graced with the gifts of his holy Spirit and hath sanctified and such as beleeve in Jesus Christ and are baptized as well as themselves and such as stood to the truth when they durst not shew their faces but ran from the Cause and deserted it or at least temporized and such as if the like occasions were offered would manifest unto the world by Gods assistance that their lives and all they have should not be dear unto them for the restimony of Jesus and yet such as these must be debarred from the communion in their Assemblies unlesse they will conforme to their new-born traditions for these are no traditions of the Elders but of the younger and if Christ in his time sharply reproved those that brake the Commandements of God through the traditions of men and deeply reproved the Ministers in those dayes for teaching the people to preferre the traditions of the Elders before the commandements of God and for teaching them the fear of God after the precepts of men What shall we think those Ministers will have to answer at the dreadfull day of judgement when they set up their traditions in the Church of God and preferre them before the Commandements of God and what can any man think of the condition of that people that account of such novelties as the Oracles of God and violate the law of Love and make rents and schisms in the seamlesse garment of the church through these traditions Surely whatsoever they may promise to themselves their condition is very dangerous for our Saviour saith Woe be to those by whom offences come Matthew 18 and whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea And whether this be not to transgresse the the Commandements of God through their traditions and to offend those little ones that beleeve in Christ when they will not receive such into the communion and fellowship of the church as beleeve and are baptized but count them as aliens and strangers yea infidels and rubbish I referre my selfe to any that is but of ordinary understanding For Gods command unto all Ministers was that they should admit all such into the church as beleeved and were baptized upon their desiring it without any confession either private or publicke or entring into any covenant Now this command of God they trangresse by their traditions and keepe out many thousands of Beleevers through the Kingdome as unholy and as having no right to the Ordinances because forsooth they will not obey their new-borne Lawes and Traditions for where did ever God command that no Beleevers should bee admitted into the church except they made a publicke confession of their faith and walked some time in fellowship amongst them and then gave in the evidences of their conversion and entred into a private covenant and gave the Church satisfaction Or where was it ever practised by any of the Primitive christians either by those that were converted by Peters Sermons and the other Apostles or by Pauls preaching was Lydia when God opened her heart to beleeve Pauls preaching admitted into the church upon any such termes was the Goaler and his converted family forced to make a publicke confession to the church of their faith and to give in the evidences of their conversion and to enter into a private convenant before they could be made Members of the Church or was the Churches assent required before they could be admitted and made members of it or were ever any of these things they impose upon Christians now required at beleevers hands before these our times and therefore they are to be abominated as vaine traditions and such as by which they breake the Lawes of God making divisions in the Church and Kingdome and through all the families and houses of the same so that neither Masters of families nor parents have any rule over their wives children or servants
their husbands goe out one way the wife another their children to this Assembly their servants to that Congregation and as it was among the Corinthians which Paul blames in them one said I am of Paul another I am of Apollo the third I am of Cephas and so they flutter about like a company of chickings without either heads or wit and none will bee under obedience to either Parents or Masters not withstanding God hath commanded children to obey their Parents and servants their Masters no farther than pleaseth their owne humours and all this they have learned by the traditions of the younger and whether I have wronged the Brethren in any thing I have now said I report my selfe to all the distracted Families in the Kingdome where they have beene preaching and the daily experience of any moderate minded Christian and if ever there was a Pantheon of all Religions in the world it is now in England by reason of these new teachers to the great dishonour of God the hinderance of Reformation and the alienating of the affections one from another of those that are joyned together in nighest relations Now whereas Master Knollys and my Brother Burton passing by the Church of Ierusalem in their march as I said before make some poore weake skirmishes against my forces drawne out of the Garrisons of holy Writ as that of the Eunuch Paul Cornelius Lydia and the Goaler which I had formerly brought into the field pretending they were extraordinary and not binding because they were not as they say admitted in any particular Church constituted according to the Gospel forme but into the catholike visible Church I cannot passe by their trifling without some answer unto their bravado and therefore I thought good in this place before I march on to fight them that they may not hereafter boast vapour that I durst not incounter them or looke upon their most materiall Reserves which is concerning Cornelius and those that were with him which they especially pitch upon conceiving they have a great advantage against mee for the making of this ground good viz. that the sole power of admitting any to bee Members of any Church doth not reside and lye soly in the Ministers of the Gospel but that the people also have a hand as well in their admission as they and if they shall dislike the reception of any that then the Ministers cannot by their owne and sole authority admit them though never so well qualified for this must necessarily be the scope of their incounter for to what end otherwise should it be made yea their very words manifest as much which are these first Master Knollys page 15. and 16. thus declareth himselfe that the brethren did not intermeddle in that busines saith he viz. of the admittance of Cornelius and those that were with him by Baptisme into the Church I conceive the reason why the Brethren did not intermeddle to hinder their admittance to that Ordinance of Baptisme was not because they had not that liberty but because they had no just objections to declare to Peter Now that the Brethren had a liberty to declare any thing which might justly have hindred doth appeare by the question the Apostle expounded saith hee I conceive hee meant propounded verse 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not bee baptized And the Doctor himselfe saith hee acknowledgeth that the Brethren or Disciples of the Church of Jerusalem which must be a paterne of all Churches had this liberty to except against some sort of persons in case that such persons have beene formerly knowne to have beene open Enemies and Persecutors of the Church and then they are justly to bee suspected untill they have given publick evidence by witnesse to the Ministers of their true conversation and there produceth a plaine instance to prove this out of Acts the ninth where Paul comming to Jerusalem assayed to joyne himselfe to the Disciples but they were all affraid of him beleeving not that hee was a Disciple Thus Master Knollys speaks and then concludes that all the Disciples in the like case have the same liberty because Jerusalem the Mother-church is to bee a paterne to all other Daughter-churches therefore saith hee when it doth evidently appeare that the Disciples or Brethren of the Church of Ierusalem in her most flourishing condition had this liberty to declare their feares and their ground thereof against Paul How can the Doctor saith he make good that the Presbyters alone without the consent of Brethren may admit Members and cast out Members and that the Brethren and the Congregation have nothing to doe to hinder any such thing I have faithfully set downe his words and the force of his Argument to which I will by and by give my answer after I have set downe also what my Brother Burton hath to say in this busines and then I will reply to them both in order My Brother Burtons words are these page 17. It is one thing saith he to preach and instrumentally to convert soules which chiefly pertaines to those that are called thereunto but in the case of Church-government of admitting and casting out it is otherwise And here let Peter himselfe whose words you alleage resolves us who when the Holy Ghost so wonderfully fell on all of them that heard the Word said can any man forbid water that these men should not be baptized c. Which words imply that if any exceptions could have been made it was in those Jews present to give forth their allegations why those beleeving Gentiles should not be admitted to become one Church with the beleeving Jews So as your Observations fall to the ground as that first Peter was sent to and â—ot the Church And secondly Peter commanded them to be baptized Again this example was extraordinary in all the circumstances of it Your instance of the Eunuch Act. 8. 8. of Lydia Act. 16. as many other are meer extravagants We faith he speak of Churches constituted not of single converts here and there one not yet joyned into a particular Church-body Thus my brother Burton declareth himselfe whose words I have faithfully set down and all he hath to say against all those examples But before I come to my answer I shall desire the Reader to take notice of these mens dealings they make all these examples either extravagants or extraordinary and yet they would from the example of Cornelius and Peters question to the brethren that came along with him inferre that the authority of admission of Members lay not onely in the Ministers hand but in the peoples also as who had the liberty to bring in their exceptions against any for their not admission So that these men at pleasure will make the same Scripture they except against as not authoritative and binding for us yet to be bindingly presidentiall for themselvs So that as far as in their own opinion it makes for their grolleries and serves their turn it shall be for
a pattern of imitation to bind all Churches to the end of the world which both Master Knollys and my brother Burton learnedly inferre but as far as it makes for the advantage of the Presbyterian opinion and to shew that the Presbyters have the sole authority of admitting Members into Church fellowship from the example of Philip Ananias Paul in baptizing the Goaler and Lydia and Peters baptizing of Cornelius and admitting of him and those that were with him Members into Church communion by their sole authority without those conditions they propound and without the consent of the people then they cry out that they are extraordinary examples or meer extravagants Now whether this be not with the Papists to make the Word of God a nose of wax or a leaden rule that they may either work and mould it or bend it into what fashion they please I leave it to the judgement of the learned and experienced Christian But by the way also I desire the Reader to take notice what my brother Burton granteth viz. that the receiving of those Gentiles and the admitting of them by Peter into the Church by Baptism was to make them one Church with the beleeving Jews these are his own words From which it is sufficiently apparent that be men baptized and admitted into the Church either after an ordinary way or after an extraordinary it is sufficient to incorporate them into Church-fellowship both with the beleeving Jew and Gentile and to make them Members of Christs Church which is as much as I contend for So that it is most certain as those that are Members of any particular Church are by vertue of that Members also of the whole Catholique visible Church so in like manner those that are made Members of the Catholique visible Church may also by vertue of that be Members of any particular church for the Church of Christ is his Kingdome and it is but one Flock and one Sheepfold and there is but one Shepherd of it and King that governs it and therefore in whatsoever part of this Kingdome of Jesus Christ they are admitted Members and after what manner soever they be admitted whether in an ordinary or an extraordinary way they are Members of the whole Church and may communicate in all ordinances with any particular Church whatsoever as being subjects of Christs Kingdome and injoying all the immunities and priviledges that any of Christs subjects can challenge And all this I learn from my brother Burtons doctrine who so long as he holdeth out any truth unto me I will listen unto as he hath done in this point but no farther Again as all those viz. the Eunuch Paul Cornelius Lydia and the Goaler were admitted to be Members of Christs Church by the sole authority of the Ministers Evangelists and Apostles and without any of those conditions urged by the brethren so are all other Christians by the sole authority of the Presbyters to be admitted into church-fellowship and that upon Christs own conditions viz. Faith Repentance and Baptism Having upon the occasion of my brother Burtons and Hanserdoes words spake thus much I will now come to my Answer to them both And first whereas they peremptorily affirme from the interrogation of Peter to those that came along with him where he saith Can any man forbid water that these men should not be baptized c. that it doth imply that the brethren have power also of admitting Members into the church and ought to have their voices as in the receiving of them in so in the casting of them out It is a meer non sequitur and a very groundlesse illation and inference for the interrogation plainly manifests the contrary as will appear from other presidents and reason as for example in the eighth of the Romans ver 33. 34. Saint Paul saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Who is he that condemneth who shall separate us from the love of Christ All the which interrogations do not imply as the Apostle himselfe answereth that any creature can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect or that any creature can condemn or that any creature can separate the Elect from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Another instance to omit many we have of the same nature with that of Peter Acts 8. 35. Where the Eunuch said unto Philip See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized I demand of any whether or no this interrogation of his doth not imply as much as if he had said no creature now can hinder me from Baptism seeing that we have water that element that is appointed for it and I do beleeve And so much may be gathered from Philips Answer to him who saith nothing could hinder his baptism and admission into the Church if he did beleeve in Christ with all his heart whereupon the Eunuch answered I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he was forthwith baptized So that by this it is sufficiently manifest that that inference they would gather from Peters words cannot groundedly be made viz. that it is in the power of the people to hinder any as is yet more evident from Peters own words and reasons when he was questioned about this businesse in the 11. of the Acts the story whereof is there set down at large with Peters Answer to all their Objections Who told them ver 12. that the spirit bad him go with those that came from Cornelius nothing doubting c. saying in the conclusion of his discourse and that with an irresistible reason ver 17. For as much then as God gave them the like gifts as he did unto us who beleeved in the Lord Jesus Christ what was I that I could withstand God All the which discourse of Peter and this his reason do sufficiently prove that his interrogation saying Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptiâ—ed Doth not imply as my Brother Burton and Master Knollys would have it that it was in the power of those that were with Peter or any other to have hindred their baptism and admission into the church of Christ seeing they beleeved For if Peter himselfe should have refused it he had been disobedient to God himselfe and had doubted which he was forbidden and withall had resisted in as much as had been in him the spirit of God For so saith Saint Peter What was I that I could withstand God From which I gather and that by very good reason that all those of the congregationall way that will not admit all such as beleeve and are baptized into their new gathered churches without they walk some time with them and without the making of a publike confession of their faith and the bringing in of their evidences of their conversion and entring into a particular explicite covenant and without the consent of the whole church are all fighters against God and withstanders of his spirit And if they do
not speedily repent for all their wickednesse and relinquish their ungodly unchristian and unbrotherly practises the Lord from heaven will shew his wrathfull displeasure upon them all for he will vindicate his honour and the honour and priviledges of his people Shall not he avenge his own Elect and that speedily Luke 17. And this shall suffice for answer to that impious cavill of my Brother Burton and Hanserdo Now for that instance that Master Knollys bringeth it quite overthroweth their doctrine for it is point banke against it and their practise For although it be not denyed but that all true beleevers may at any time make their complaint to the Church that is to say to those that are in authority in the Church to wit the Presbyters as the extreamest refuge upon just offence yet it must ever be granted that it lyeth in the brest of those that are Iudges to determine of the busines according to the allegations and probations so that those that complaine may not be both Plaintifs and Iudges this I say is so known a maxime that none can deny it Besides we must take notice that we never read inall the New Testament that the disciples ever so much as questioned any that desired to be admitted into church fellow ship or refused communion to any but Paul the reason was as the Scripture relateth because they knew that hee had beene a mortall enemy unto them and had beene a great Persecutor and were then ignorant of his conversion and therefore it is said they were affraid of him and upon the like occasion I beleeve any of the brethren in any church may doe the same and they may feare such an one and suspect him and complaine of him and that is all they can doe but power they have none to keepe him out of Church-fellowship if upon the Ministers and Presbyters examining of the busines they find that the man is a beleever and converted from his sinfull courses for by their sole authority without their good liking or the consent of the people they may admit him into church fellowship and if the people should refuse to receive him upon his assaying to joyne himselfe with them hee may appeale from them to the Presbyters and Ministers who are Gods Stewards and who have the power of the Keyes to open the doore of the church to whom they conceive are fit and for this his so doing and for the Presbyters accepting of his appeale they have the Apostles and Presbyters of Ierusalem for an example for when the Disciples feared Paul and seemed to be unwilling to admit him into communion with them Hee forth with appeals to the Apostles who upon his appeale admitted him into church fellowship according to their commission which was that whosoever beleeved and was baptized hee should be received into the church and that without the consent of the people or any of those conditions the Independents now impose upon their Members as by this very example and instance of Mr. Knollys doth abundantly appeare which makes wholly against their doctrine and practise and utterly overthrowes their tenent for most certaine it is that the power of admitting of Members and casting out of offenders lies in those mens hands only and solely that have the power of the Keyes and are by God himselfe made Stewards and Over-seers and Guids of his Church his house which when they peculiarly belong unto the Presbyters and not to the people they onely and not the people ought to have the managing of the government of the church and this hath beene sufficiently proved by the receiving in of Members both in an ordinary way and in an extraordinary manner by all the examples I have produced and by this very instance of Saint Paul alleaged by Master Knollys himselfe who when hee was admitted into Church-fellowship not onely without the consent of the brethren but against their good liking it is abundantly manifest that the people have nothing to doe with the government of the Church but that it lyeth wholly in the Presbyters hands And all this I say is clearly proved out of the good Word of God within the wals of the which it is ever safe to abide and in the action of obedience to the which all men may promise to themselves perpetuall security and this shall suffice to have answered to all that Mr. Knollys and my Brother Burton had to say to all my Arguments And by all that I have now spoke I hope it doth sufficiently appeare that there is neither precept nor example through all the Holy Scripture to warrant the practise of these men in the gathering of their new Churches and if a man will but looke a little more upon the practice of Christs seventy disciples of all the Apostles in the gathering of Churches they shall not find one footstep through the whole Booke of God of the gathering Churches after the manner of their congregating of their assemblies as for Christs Disciples they were all sent to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel they went not to gather in converted men from amongst converted men for they were to bring the lost sheepe into Christs fold and wee are taught there is but one Shepheard and one sheep-fold wee never read that after they were once folded and brought into the Church that any true Pastors came into the fold and flocks of their fellow-shepheards and picked out all the best and the fattest sheep and the most wholsome and molded them into an Independent Fold by themselves as separate and distinct from the others and with the which they would have no fellowship and communion in the Ordinances this was never heard of before these dayes Paul was so farre from getting away of others sheepe that hee tooke it for a dishonour to him to build upon anothers foundation Rom. 15. and preached Christ in those places where they had never heard of him before and planted the Church of Corinth himselfe and left Apollo to water it and committed all the flocks that he had gathered as that of Ephesus to the charge and care of faithfull Pastors and commands both the flocks and the Pastors and in them all Shepheards and Folds to keepe unity and love one with another Ephes 4. verse 1 2 3 4. c. and forbids them to make separations and divisions and schismes betweene flock and flock and this method hee used wheresoever hee came yea as soone as hee was converted and entred upon his ministry as wee may see in the first of the Galathians hee went into Arabia and preached there among the poore Infidels hee got not other mens sheepe from them neither did hee ever make any separation of sheepe from sheepe yea even in those flocks and churches as that of Corinth Galatia and Colosse where there were many that walked disorderly and against the rules prescribed and taught false doctrine and heresies and made schismes in the Church and were very
than the Common-Prayer to many of the precious consciences of Gods people whose duty it is in his judgement to dye in a prison before they act or stoope unto so dishonourable a thing as this is to their Lord and Master as to maintaine the black-coats with tythes whom they looke upon as the professed enemies of their anointed Christ c. These are some of his formall expressions I leave the comment of these severall passages to others neither doe I rehearse innumerable such like sentences as are daily vented to the intolerable disgrace both of all the Ministers of the Church of England and of all those beleeving christians that are under their severall charges and that in every Pamphlet in the which they proclaime all the Ministers to be the sworne and professed enemies of the Lord Iesus Christ and such as deny disclaime and preach against Christs kingly government over mens consciences and churches and for the people and beleevers in England they proclaime them to be men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the maine thing Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of the faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and Infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church communion may and ought to be denied c. By the which words they not onely unchurch all the congregations of England Scotland Ireland but indeed all the reformed churches and unchristian all christians but those that are in their owne independent assemblies and account them as aliens and strangers from the common-wealth of the Saints and make Christ to be no King over them or to have any Kingdome in or amongst them but onely amongst themselves in their new congregations whereas Christ ever had a church or Kingdome upon earth in all ages before they were and hath without all controversie a true Kingdome in many churches in these our dayes where they are not Had I not seene their expressions in print and the Booke in which they are uttered set forth by authority with approbation I should not have beleeved that they had all of them bin so uncharitable but finding that booke not onely printed by license but generally applauded by them all and much magnified as the frequent editions of it doe manifest I gather it is the universall opinion of them all Than the which what could bee more uncharitably and unchristianly spoken what comfort can any of the Ministers of the Church of England have in the society of these men who what soever outward seeming favour they shew to them in their hearts conceive of them as the sworne enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and as men unworthy to live and who count it a dishonourable thing to their Lord and Master to maintaine those black-coats with tythes whom they looke on as the professed enemies of their anointed Christ can I say any Ministers with joy and alacrity converse with these men no surely what reall comfort can any poor christian beleevers through the Kingdome either expect or looke for at these mens hands if they were in their power whom they declare and that in print and in their Pulpits to be men unconverted or converted but in part wanting the maine thing Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and Infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church-communion may and ought to be denied can any true christians be reall friends to the enemies of Christ He saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. chap. 16. v. 22. that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathama Maranatha will any true Christians blesse those that God hath curst David said I hate them that hate thee yea I hate them with a perfect hatred And surely those that are true friends to Christ hate all his enemies now they looke upon our Ministers as the profest enemies of Christ and upon all the people under their ministery as enemies of his Kingdome and as men to whose persons infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church-communion may and ought to be denied they are their own words can they therefore expect any reall friendship from them whatsoever outward curtesie they seeme to shew them no doubtlesse how can any poore christian have any delight to come amongst these men or so much as to be in their society whom they account of as the enemies of Christ and his Kingdome For my owne particular I would not willingly come in any mans company or be familiar with any that I thought a profest enemy of Christ and his Kingdome neither should I ever beleeve I could have any reall esteeme from such as thinke mee an enemy of Christ and his Kingdome It was the greatest calamity to the poore sufferers under the Prelats tyrannie and to all those distressed christians that were haled into the High-commission court or into the Star-chamber or before the Counsell-table for matter of Religion and conscience which was the lot of many thousands through the whole Kingdome that commonly their greatest enemies were those of their owne house their parents their brethren and sisters would be the chiefest calumniators and reproachers of them and that in word and deed would most despightfully persecute them denying them the common humanity of hospitality and would not so much as looke on them except it were to revile them and insult over them and would ordinarily joyne with their enemies both privately and publickly and desert them in their greatest streights as all of them can generally witnesse which not onely encouraged their enemies against them but added credit to their false acculations and calumnies for they would usually say ye may see what manner of men these are whose nighest friends are not only ashamed of but thus speake of them which was a greater affliction unto them than all the other miseries and sufferings they under-went for had they beene their professed enemies as David said they could easily have endured it and there would lesse credit and regard have beene given to their words but they were their parents brethren sisters and familiars and therefore it added more sharpely to their affliction So had they beene our professed enemies as Papists Socinians Arminians or those of the Prelaticall faction that should have proclaimed us enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and had they denyed unto us and our children the seales of grace with all church-communion it would not have troubled us but tu Brute that Brethren that fellow-sufferers in affliction that had gone up to the house of God together and had taken sweet counsell together that they should now proclaime us the enemies of Iesus Christ and deny communion with us oh let not this bee spoken in Gath and Ashkelon This is that that grieves and sads
their own and therefore if the name of Presbyters be odious in the Ministers of the Church of England no reason can gainsay it but that they also should be as odious to the people as their brethren for they also are Presbyterians But that the truth may the better appear whether the Ministers of the Church of England or the Independent Ministers be most guilty of all the accusations laid to their charge it will not be a misse to compare the practice of the Ministers of the church of England and the proceedings of the Independent Ministers together and that both for their doctrine and discipline and in their severall studies and endeavours for the advancing of Christs Kingdome and by so doing it will be easie for any to judge which of their governments and which of the Ministers are more intolerable and which of them are most guilty of those foule reproaches the Ministers of the church of England are aspersed with by their Brethren for he hath a shallow understanding and a very dim sight that cannot discern whether those that advance Christs their Kings Word and Laws onely and follow his commission and the example of the holy Apostles in their Ministeries and that of John Baptist and the primitive Preachers or those that set up their own inventions and prefer them before the Laws of Christ and have neither precept nor president for their doings in all the holy Word of God He I say that cannot judge which of these most advance Christ for their King either those that obey Christs Laws or those that observe their own neglecting Christs is of a very shallow capacity But now let us compare them together the Ministers of the Church of England preach faith and repentance the Law and the Gospell according to Christs commission given to his Apostles and they receive all into the Church that beleeve and are baptized and such as but desire to be admitted they demanding of them what they should do to be saved and in their so doing they have both precept and presidents For Christ in his commission unto them hath given them authority so to do Neither did he ever say unto his Apostles and Ministers admit none into the church although they beleeve and are baptized without they walk with you some dayes weeks moneths or years that you may behold their conversation and manner of life and after you have had some tryall and experience of them see then that they make a publike confession of their faith before the church and give in the evidences of the truth of their conversion before the congregation and enter into a private and solemne Covenant and be admitted by the consent and approbation of the Church or otherwise if they will not submit themselves to this Law and come into the Church upon these conditions receive them not into your Assemblies nor admit of them for members Here is nothing of all this in Christs Commission nor in his holy Word nor any president of the same in sacred Authority and therefore John the Baptist and the holy Apostles and primitive Ministers admitted all that came unto them and such as but demanded of them what they should do to be saved and baptized them and received them into the Church without any gainsaying or question as we may see in the third of Luke and in the seventh chapter of the same book and in the second of the Acts and no sooner did the Eunuch desire baptisme but Philip granted it the Goaler did but aske Paul and Sylas What they should do to be saved and they said Beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house and it is related that the Goaler and all his were streight way baptized Acts 16. vers 31 32 33. that is they were forthwith admitted into the Church without either walking any time with the Church for their approbation or without either making a publike confession of their faith before the Church or giving in evidences of the truth of their conversion to the congregation or entring into a private covenant and without the consent and allowance of the Church And Christ notwithstanding was imbraced by them as their Lord and King and was preached by Paul and Silas as the Lord and King of his Church and was set up upon his Throne as King by them as well as he is in any Independent Churches and yet they had none of all their new borne truths and they could then see how to set up Christ upon his Throne without their new lights and as Christ was then by Paul and Silas and the other Apostles set upon his Throne as King in all those primitive Churches so he is at this day in all the true Protestant Churches through the world as well as in any of the Independent Assemblies and yet they were and are all ignorant of their new way so that any understanding christian may gather that all their new borne truths are no way requisite for the setting up of Christ as King in his Church nor for the advancement of Christs Kingly government for if they had Christ would have put them into the Apostles Commission and the Apostles who were led into all truth by the holy Ghost who brought whatsoever Christ had taught them concerning the Kingdome of God Act. 1. into their memories would have suggested all these things The new way the new borne truth the new lights to them that they might have been recorded if they had been necessary for the setting up of Christ upon his Throne but when neither Christ nor the holy Ghost nor the blessed Apostles have prescribed any of all these to the church nor called for them nor required them of any that desire to be saved or made Members of the church whether this be not a great temerity in any men to preach all these things as the lawes of Christ I leave it to the judgement of any ingenuous minded christian and whether this be not to preferre their own inventions and traditions before the commandements of God and the lawes of Christ the King of his church and whether this be not rather to set up themselves than Christ I referre it also to any judicious and impartiall christians to weigh and consider I shall now demand of any moderate christian therefore and let him answer me candidly whether of those Ministers and people most advance the Kingdome of Christ and acknowledge him to be their onely Lord and Law-giver that both in their teaching and beleeving follow his commission and Word and teach nothing nor beleeve nothing as they are injoyned but what Christ their King commands them or those that to the commission and commands of Christ adde their own inventions and traditions and preferre them before the lawes of Christ the King and Law giver of his Church I am confident if he will deale impartially he will answer me that those Ministers and that people most advance Christ for their King
consider what those false teachers were wee shall find them to be no other but such as under shew of holinesse and piety taught their owne inventions and grolleries and abused the simplicity of the people for their owne advantage and brought them into bondage and devoured them verse 20. as the Phatisees did the Widowes houses under pretence of their long prayers which our Saviour Christ sharpely reproves them for and denounces a woe against them for their so doing after the same manner did these false Teachers amongst the Corinthians who made their owne traditions joyned Members with the Gospel as if they had had a more fine neat eleganter way of gathering of churches and admitting of Members than Paul and the other Apostles But the Apostle bids the Corinthians take heed of all such how glorious soever they seeme to appeare and tels them they cannot teach the way to Heaven and happinesse better than hee and the other Apostles have done and yet neither Saint Paul or any of the Apostles in preaching of the Gospel taught them that they should admit of none to bee joyned Members of the Church although they beleeved and were baptized except they walked sometime in fellowship amongst them that they might have approbation and tryall of their conversation first and after make a publick confession of their faith before the church and did give in evidences of the truth of their conversion to the congregation and entred into a solemne private covenant and were admitted Members by consent of the church Not a word of all this in the Gospel that Saint Paul and the other Apostles taught and therefore all that teach their new wayes their new-borne truths and set up their new lights are wise above that which is written and teach otherwise than Christ and his Apostles have taught or the christians of the Primitive times had received and therefore ought by the Apostles command Gal. 1. verse 8. 9. to be accursed Saint Iohn also in his second Epistle to the Elect Lady verse 9 10. saith Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ hee hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any unto you that bringeth not the doctrine of Christ receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for hee that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evill deeds Now the doctrine that the Independent Ministers teach for the gathering of churches and admitting of members and joyning and jumbling of them together was never taught by Christ nor any of his Apostles for they themselves confesse it is a new way and a new borne truth and a new light and therefore not the doctrine of Christ and therefore such novelties are not to be entertained nor imbraced nor the teachers of them if we will be obedient to Apostolicall precepts I desire therefore those of the Independent brethren to produce any one testimony or any one president out of the Word of God where these things following are taught or have beene practised First that although men and women beleeve and are baptized they are not yet to be admitted as joyned Members till they have walked sometime in fellowship with the church for approbation of their conversation this is the first thing I desire of the brethren either a precept or an example for this in Gods Word The second where it is commanded that those that beleeve and are baptized should not be admitted as Members of the church whithout a publike confession of their faith before the church The third where it is enjoyned that to their Faith and Baptisme they should bring in the evidences of the truth of their conversion before they can be capable of their membership The fourth where it is commanded that they should enter into a solemn and private covenant before they can be admitted to church-fellowship The fifth where it is imposed upon those that beleeve and are baptized that they should not be received into the church without the consent of the congregation Sixthly where it is commanded that the Ministers of the Gospell shall run about from their own places and charges into the sheepfolds of their fellow-shepherds and separate and pick out all their best sheep and bring them into their own folds and debar them from all church-fellowship and communicating with the other beleevers in Gods holy Ordinances and Sacraments or where ever it is commanded that the Preachers of the Gospel shall gather beleeving Christians from among beleeving Christians and separate them from the other sheep into Independent congregations and shall proclame all that are not thus moulded up after this new modell to be people out of covenant and to have no right to the seals of the new covenant neither they nor their children though beleevers All these things I desire the brethren by evident places of the holy Scripture to make good and to confirme or by any president or example to declare to have been practised either by Christ or his blessed Apostles for I look for a law from Christ the King of his church who was as faithfull in the house of God as Moses was and hath not left the ordering and disposing of his church to the will of men but hath commanded the church to hear his voice who is the great Pastor and Bishop of our souls and the teacher of his church his Word therefore I look for for a warrant for the ratifying of all these doctrines and I have good ground and reason to demand of them a warrant and authority out of Gods Word for what they both teach and practice for we are taught by Christ the onely Prophet of his church that they that serve God after the precepts of men offer him a vain worship and it stands with all good reason that if all humane traditions though of never so ancient standing and of never so long antiquity were all cast out of the church because they had no footing or ground in Gods Word that all novelties or new inventions of men which notwithstanding are imposed upon the people as the ways of God should be abrogated and nullified and cast out of the church It is recorded in holy writ Ioshua 9. that the Gibeonites deceived Ioshua and the people of Israel under pretence that they came from a farre country and for proofe of that they produced their mouldy bread and their tattered botles and their old shooes and they taking what they said pro confesse and not consulting with the mouth of the Lord as it is fully related in that chapter were deceived by them and entred into a League with their enemies And thus the Papists and Prelates for these many hundred years have deluded the world under pretence of their mouldy antiquities and tattered raggs of traditions and in all this time they prevailed to mislead the poore people because they consulted not with the mouth of God nor examined things
thoughts of the one and a lesse esteem of the other for in the Presbyterian Government Independent they exercise a kind of absolute power and soveraignty amongst themselves in every of their severall Churches or Congregations so that if two or three of the Presbyters be malicious or selfe will'd or corrupt or hereticall as it happens many times and by their learning or eloquence or great abilities of wit and schollership or by their wealth or power the congregation perhaps consisting of many poor people and it may be ignorant who aâ—e relieved by them and whose favour they dare not so feit if they prevailing with the major part of the congregation as commonly the poor people are like a company of wilde Geese who which way soever their their leader flies they all follow I say if they do once deliver a man to Satan and will not by any art of perswasion be induced to reverse their unâ—ighteous sentence the innocent and wronged man must live under this doome all the dayes of his life without any remedy and must be held by all the Churches of Christ that are after that new modell to whom their sentence is given notice of as an excommunicated person and shun'd accordingly they have no power to absolve or helpe him and from which he hath no benefit or appeal And this that I now speak there is not any of the brethren that is well verst in the grounds of that kind of government that either will or can deny it And this rigor to my knowledge both in the low Countries in the severall congregations of the English there and in some here in England among us was the cause of making so many severall sects for when they were cast out of one congregation for some particular opinion in the which they differed from them the other Churches and Congregations of the same mould and profession could not absolve them nor durst not receive them into Church-fellowship with them without an attestation from the Church out of which they were excommunicated of their Christian walking amongst them or untill they had g ven satisfaction to that Church of which they had been Members and that they would never be brought unto conceiving that the wrong was theirs who complained as unjustly excommunicated neither would they relinquish their opinion as being perswaded it was grounded upon the Word of God whereupon they finding others of their own opinion joyned themselves into a new society and congregation and had a peculiar Church by themselves and this hath been one of the chiefest causes of all these rents and divisions we now see every where for when they are upon every slight occasion or for any difference in opinion cast out then they congregate a new Church by themselves and turn Pastors The which blessed be God in the reformed churches of France and Germany hath not yet been seen since the first reformation for the governing of Churches by the Common-councell of their Presbyters where they find such brotherly dealing and where they have their appeals upon any conceived wrong or injury and have right and justice done them makes them willingly submit themselves to that manner of government without making rents and schismes And truly if things were but maturely weighed all men would readily perceive that there is no just ground of reproach to belaid upon the Presbyters neither would they see any reason why in way of disdaine the Ministers of the Church of England should be more called Presbyterians than the Independent Ministers for they also are Presbyterians and labour to set up a Presbyterian Government as well as the other and professe in their writings that they contend for the ancient Presbytery so that they also are Presbyterians as well as the other and if the one be made hatefull and formidable to the people in the judgement of all solid men the other also may be made as odious and hatefull for if that odium and hatred they bring upon the Presbytery be for the onely feare they have conceived the Presbyters will lord it too much over them and that onely I say be the occasion that so terrifies the people from that government let all men here consider and compare each kind of Presbytery together both that of the Dependent and that of the Independent for if the Independent Presbyters in the infancy and very first beginning and rise of their government assume unto every severall congregation and Presbytery of theirs an absolute kind of soveraignty and jurisdiction from which there is no appeal and if they alâ—eady take upon them to unchurch all Churches but their own and proclame all the Ministers and people but those of their own congregations profest enemies of Christs Kingdome what would they do if they were once established by authority in their severall Jurisdictions and Assemblies and if now they will admit of none into their severall Assemblies though never so eminent beleevers but upon their owne conditions and unlesse they will be admitted members upon such termes as they propound without either precept or president out of the Word of GOD for their so doing which is the greatest tyranny of the world how would these men lord it if their government were once established by Parliament It is well known and can sufficiently be proved that godly Christians and people of approved integrity and of holy conversation against whom they had no exception either for doctrine or manners and who offered themselves to be admitted members upon their own conditions yet were not suffered to be joyned members onely because they were poor and this very reason was given unto them for their not admission that they would not have their Church over burdened with poore And others desiring that their Children might be baptized in their Congregations and going to the Ministers of those Assemblies to entreat this favour that their children might be baptized among them For Answer it was told them that they could baptize none but such as were infants of their joyned Members which is their practice and wished them first to be made joyned Membert in one of their Churches Whereupon they thought that there was no Congregation fitter for them to joyne to than to that Pastors Assembly that had given them this counsell and therefore they applyed themselves unto him and desired that they might bee admitted joyned Members for answer it was replyed that the congregation of which he was Pastor consisted of great personages Knights Ladies and rich Merchants and such people as they being but poore could not walke so suitably with them withall hee said he could doe nothing without the consent of the congregation wherefore hee perswaded them to joyne themselves to some other congregation among poore people where they might better walke and more comfortably in fellowship with them so that the last newes I heard of this busines was that the children were neither baptized nor the poore men admitted to be joynt Members of that congregation
What their Ministers have done since I know not but I well perceive it is as great a difficuly for a poore man to get into some of their congregations as to get into Suttons-Hospitall and that I conceive to be the onely occasion that makes some walke so long in many congregations before they come to be admitted members for if they be rich they are speedily received nay invited to be Members It is too well knowne that many godly and holy people have left their native countrey and transported themselves over into New England where this government is set up onely that they might enjoy the Ordinances there in their purity they were beleevers before they went and were baptized and such as were knowne before they went thither to be the deare servants of God but when they come there especially if they be poore they make them walke some a yeare some more yea some six or seven before they can be admitted Members of their Congregations and they baptize none of those children that are borne there before their Parents be joyned Members and except they will in all things conforme themselves to their owne conditions they shall never be admitted And some time the man onely is admitted and his wife left out still to walke and some time the wife is admitted and the man left out still to walke and both these notwithstanding are beleevers and baptized and after with a great deale of difficulty they are admitted to be Members a very small offence will be sufficient to cast them out againe if they be poore But for stories of this nature I doe not love to multiply them but I have heard many of this kind from those places and from such as have beene in New-England and men both then and now no way evilly affected either to the place or people serving God there But it is too notorious they lord it there over Gods poor Clergies in the superlative degree and every man that hath but eyes in his head may see it here in England in their congregations what difference they make between the rich and poor and that they have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons a sinne in Saint James his time highly blamed in Christians James 2. And as in their carriage towards the poor they are very lofty and look for great observance and attendance from them wheresoever they come so likewise a little thing will displease them if they speak a word amisse it is enough to be cast out of the Congregation presidents of this nature might be brought many And if all this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies I know not what it is to admit of none though beleevers and already baptized but such as will come in upon their own termes and keep out the poor either altogether or as long as pleaseth them without any other reason but because they are poor and cast them out again upon every slender occasion I say if all this be not a most diabolicall tyranny and lording it over Gods Clergies I referre it to any moderate man to judge of and if to unchurch all Churches but their own and at one blast to proclame them all enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and to deny all Church-fellowship with them be not more than a Diotrephian Prelâ—ticall and Papall Authority there was never any in the world and if this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies there was never any known Now I say if the Independent Presbyters do so timely begin their absolute lording of it what would they do if their government were established by authority Their Ministery and government is farre different from that of Christ and his holy Prophets and Apostles for they invited all the poor to come in and to buy milk yea to come in and buy milk without money Isaiah 55 〈◊〉 and Saint Paul for the encouraging of the poor to come in â—aith not many mighty not many noble but the meane and contemptible things hath the Lord made choyce of intimating unto the poore that they have as good right to Heaven as the greatest and chiefest and our Saviour Christ saith come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ye shall find rest unto your soules Our Saviour hath no respect of persons but the poor are with him as acceptable as the rich if they be weary and heavy laden with their sinnes for that is all the condition that Christ requires in all that desire to be admitted Members of his Church Now when these Presbyters already make so great difference between the poor and the rich and between beleevers and beleevers as they will admit none but at their own times and upon their own conditions I do conceive that this is a most tyrannically lording it over Gods Clergies and Inheritance which when they dayly do it and the Presbyters of the Church of England do it not it is most apparent that their rule and domination is more prelaticall and more to be feared than that of the Presbyters of the Church of England for from the Independent Presbyters they can never expect any appeal for releife and redresse whatsoever wrong or injury they have sustained by them and therefore there is no just cause why any should so traduce the Presbytery of the Church of England as to think they will lord it over the people from whom they may ever expect farre better measure than ever they can from the Independent Presbytery which if it should once be established would tend to nothing else but to enslave the whole Kingdome and to bring in a confusion upon both Church and State But now it will not be amisse before the conclusion as we have compared the Presbyters of the Church of England with the Presbyters Independent both in regard of their doctrine and discipline so now likewise here to paragonate them together in their proceedings for the advancement of Christs Kingdome that all men may see in that regard also which of their endeavours tend most to the advancement of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ and which of them ought to be preferred before other and which of them doth more really and truly tend not onely to Gods glory but to the peace also of the Church and State For the Presbyters of the Church of England they 〈◊〉 and endeavour as there is but one body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father over over all who is above all and through all and one true Christian Religion Eph. 4. so that this onely may be established through the three Kingdomes and that all erroneous ways of worshipping and serving God and that tends to lead men to perdition and make disturbance in Church and State may not publikely be tolerated The Independents on the contrary both publikely and privately and in all their bitter railing and intolerable Pamphlets as that of the Compassionate Samaritan the Storming of Antichrist and that
dayes at her first comming to the Crown when there was a mighty Popish faction in the Court and through the whole Realm as all men know and when there was as great an indeavour for the bringing in of a toleration of that Religion as now there is for the setting up a Pantheon of all manner of Sects And such reasons there were then given for the establishing of the Catholique Religion as they called it as I beleeve if they should all be rehearsed there is few of those that now plead for a toleration of all can give the like but better I am most confident they cannon give For if multitudes of a contrary opinion armed with strength power also and they all furnished with malice and resolution to put them upon the imployment of their strength had been able to create danger to the Kingdome if the liberty of their consciences should have been denyed unto them then there was nothing wanting to terrifie a State to condescend to grant a toleration but all this could not then prevail nor all the art of perswasion they then used as that men of a contrary judgement were rather to be won with sweetnesse and lenity and loving perswasions and arguments and reasons then by any coercive way which often brought danger unto Kingdoms many arguments more with great worldly wisdom were then produced which with many that were reall Protestants and then in â—ouncel seemed of some weight but at that time there was a brave Nobleman present and a man of great understanding and as they usually call such a great Statesman but yet such an one as was never taken notice of to be any great zealot for Religion on either side Yet he demanding of the Councell that was then in debate about this businesse the greatest part of which seemed to make profession of the Protestant Religion and something incline to yeeld unto a toleration whether or no they thought the Protestant Religion was the true Religion and that way of serving God that he had appointed and the most of them replyed that they from their hearts and souls beleeved that it was Gods Religion and that which was taught in the holy Scriptures Then said this Nobleman my Lords set up and establish that Religion only and no other do you your duty and labour to authorize it and your life for mine God will help you to maintain his own honour and cause against what power and policy soever shall come against you for he can infatuate their counsell and enervate their strength and blast all their attempts in a moment who is all-sufficient and against whom no counsell nor understanding can prevail for he sitteth in Heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth for as there is no Lord or Master that can indure any servant that shall comply with his enemies give equall honour and service to his adversary that he doth to himself or connive at any so doing so God will never like of your service when you worship him if ye serve the devill also which you must do if you set up any other Religion or any other Religion or any other way of Church Government in the Kingdome then that you beleeve in your hearts God himselfe hath appointed for as two Religions so contrary one to another are incompitible with the glory and honour of God who hath said No man can serve two Masters so they will be destructive to the safety of the Kingdome And therefore my Lords saith he as we have but one God so I beseech your honours let us have but one Religion in the Kingdome and one kinde of Church Government amongst us and that ratified and established by authority for if their be a liberty left for every man or every faction to do what they please we shall speedily bring down the judgements of God upon the Kingdome and a confusion upon us all And many reasons more he gave to this purpose by which he so prevailed with the Councell that they agreed to give no toleration for Popery or allow of any faction in Religion but resolved with all speed to establish the Protestant Religion And truly the same argument may now be used for the establishing of one Religion and one kinde of Govrnment And as Elijah said to Baals Priests and to the people If God be God then follow him c. So if this way of worshipping God that is held forth in the Protestant Churches and hath for some generations been taught in the Church of England be that way then it will be for the honour and glory of God and the safety of the Kingdome that that onely be established which will bring peace to Church and State and take away all occasions of offence and jarrs amongst brethren For the examples of Poland Transsylvania and Holland they are no presidents to other Nations their politique proceedings are no examples for other Christian Countries and Kingdoms to follow for Christians are to live by the rule of GODS Word and Christ's their Kings laws and to follow the examples of his own people onely in their wel-doing and not in their failings and therefore we are to follow the example of Abraham Joshua Elias and the other Patriarchs Prophets and holy Apostles who never tolerated all Religions Yea we are commanded in Romans 12. Not to conform our selves to this world but that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what iâ— the good and the acceptable and perfect will of God This Will of God therefore must be the rule and square that we must ever set before our eyes and hearts in matters of our God and in points of Religion and worship and not the example ot Poland and Transsilvania Now let us heare what is the good will and pleasure of Christ our Law-giver concerning this point of toleration who challengeth and that of all due and right to be our Master saying Matth. 23. 8. Be not yee called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and againe verse 10. neither be ye called Masters saith he for one is your Master even Christ this reiterating of the same prohibition and challenge to be our Master shewes that wee are not to make either men or Angels or whole Kingdomes or Countries our Masters but onely Christ we must alwayes therefore in matters of Religion have recourse unto his good word and will and heare his voice and therefore let us heare what the will of Christ is concerning this busines of Toleration who in in the 8. of Mark 15. speaking there unto his Disciples and in them to all Christians for the Independent Masters hold that the Disciples represented the whole Christian Church he charged them saying take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leven of Herod here wee find a treble caveat a Charge and a Take-heed and a Beware as if the Lord had said I cannot use too many words to make them take heed
c. and of what even of a Toleration of any Religion but the true Religion and of that Religion Christ hath taught us by what authority soever it comes ratified unto us whether by Ecclesiasticall or civill yea though it bee imposed upon us by the command of Kings and Rulers themselves for saith Christ our Master I charge you all take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leven of Herod Now by leven our Saviour understands all traditions and doctrines of men and injoyns all his Disciples to beware of them and commands them to take heed of them and not to tolerate them amongst them and that this is his good will and pleasure he hath ratified it when hee was in heaven for writing unto the Church of Thyatira Revel 2. verse 20. I have saith hee a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants c. Here Christ hath declared his will and good pleasure and how much he displeased with that Church that shee suffered those false Teachers and Seducers amongst them and that they but connived at them and pronounces fearfull judgements against both that Church and the Church of Pergamos and that of Laodicea for tolerating the Doctrine of Baalam the Nicolaitans and for suffering those luke-warme Christians amongst them so that there is nothing that Christ abhorreth more then a toleration of all Religions but that wee may farther yet know what the good will and pleasure of God is concerning this point let us heare Paul who made knowne the whole counsell of God to his Church Act. 20. Now hee in the 17. of the Acts declareth the will of God touching this matter for after that hee had reproved the Athenians for their superstitions ver 22. and undertaken to teach them the knowledge of the true God who they ignorantly worshipped and the right way of worshipping and serving him and informing them that hee is not worshipped with mens hands that is with any of their inventions and with what way or in what manner they thinke fit God saith hee is not to bee worshipped after any traditions of men but according to his owne appointments and this hee challenges by right from all men as being the absolute Lord of them all for he made them they are saith the Apostle the off-spring of God and his Generation and they live in him and move in him and have their being in him and their breath and life from him yea saith the Apostle hee hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation Now God saith hee hath given you all these things that yee should seeke the Lord that is that ye should worship him as hee is your Lord and King and to whom all honour and service of right is due now then as wee are his off-spring we must not thinke of God after our fantasie and set up such a worship as pleaseth our selves or allow of any kind or way of worshipping God that men please to follow as you superstitiously doe at Athens no saith the Apostle God will be worshipped after his owne way and after his owne appointment and howsoever God winked at the times of this ignorance yet now hee commands all men every where to repent that is to set up the true Religion and to worship him after one way for saith hee all the nations are now to set up one way of worship and if they will not obey this Lord of the whole world and imbrace that one and onely true Religion that I teach and preach unto you then I tell you plainely that as God hath appointed a day wherein hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by Christ Iesus if you will not set up his true worship and the true Religion and the right way of serving him but will tolerate all manner of Religions amongst you still as formerly you have done and give liberty to every man to serve God after his owne will and pleasure and not according to this good will and pleasure of God you shall be eternally damned for this is the meaning of the Apostle so that the will of God must be our rule for worship and not Poland and Transsylvania the will of God saith the Apostle must be that wee must follow in worshipping and serving him Now when by the Word of God that acceptable and perfect will of his wee are taught that hee was displeased with his people the Jewes for tolerating of all religions amongst them and that he was highly offended with those christian Churches in Asia for tolerating the doctrines of Balaam and Iezabel we are sufficiently taught and instructed that Christians ought not to tolerate any other Religion but that which Christ the only King and Law-giver of his Church hath taught us and that whosoever should take that authority upon them to tolerate all Religions would bee found fighters against God and such as deservedly would bring downe his judgements upon the Land by it for if but conniving at evill and consenting to it be a thing displeasing unto God how would the tolerating of it by a Law be abominable unto his sacred and divine Majesty for this were to establish iniquity by a Law We are taught in the holy Scriptures that the consenting with a thiefe makes a man as guilty before God as the acting of thievery Psal 50 and that they that assented unto Jezabel in killing the Prophets made themselves all as guilty as Jezabel her selfe and that the Heathen Romans Rom. 1. verse 32. who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but consent with them that doe them made themselves as equally guilty as the Actors of them as Paul in his bill and information put up in the Court of Heaven against them sufficiently declareth the same did Elias in his bill of information against the people in his time accusing them all as equally guilty of the blood of the Prophets and destroying Religion as Jezabel and onely because they consented unto it They saith Elias have killed thy Prophets and have broken down thy Altars Which they all the people that assented unto her as well as the Officers and Executioners And so our Saviour in his time accuseth the people as well as Herod for slaying of Iohn the Baptist saying They have done to him whatsoever they pleased They which they all the Nobles that sate at Table with Herod that did not disswade Herod from that bloody and tyrannicall act and all the people that liked well of it the sinne of this Nation who assented unto the bloody Decrees and censures given in the High-commission-Court and in the Star-chamber and in all other unjust Courts the people that assented unto all their cruell censuâ—es against Gods people and liked well of it are as equally guilty who would ordinarily say that had they beene Judges
the great and deep Charge you have brought against me wounding truth thorow my sides upon the due deliberation thereof I plainly perceived without dishonouring God and being cruell to my self I could not be silent for that my taciturnity might cause truth the ways of God to be evil spoken of and give an occasion to censorious spirits to vote me guilty of those Malversations wherewith you so slily unjustly have accused me all which my soul hates and ever did utterly abhor therefore although I was forwarder to pity your passion and more desirous to pass by your miscarriages then to take notice of them or divulg the weaknesses and too too grosse failings of you my Brother yet your Charge being of a high nature and published in Print it necessitated me to reply lest I should seem to approve of the murthering of my good name So that meerly to preserve the life thereof you have extracted from me these lines that men may know it lies upon you to prove it for I stand upon my justification and protest against every one of your foul Calumnies as notorious untruths And likewise that all who fear the Lord may be fully assured however you have rendred me to the world as one who hath a name to live but am dead so that I may stink in the opinion of such as are holy yet I do live to my God who I doubt not will discover the bottome and mystery of this iniquity For herein you have dealt with me as the Papists did with Reverend and Learned Mr John Calvin raising and publishing untruths accusing him for a scandalous walker and as guilty of abominable sins making his very name odious And by their false reports they blinded the eyes of the people causing them stil to imbrace continue in Error and so hardned their hearts against him that they would not hearken unto nor beleeve those precious Gospel-truths which he maintained but as their wicked practices were discerned by all that with humble hearts received the truth in the love thereof that they might be saved so I am confident the Lord Jehovah will bring forth my righteousness as the light and my judgement as the noone day Psal 37. 6. And will cause mine adversaries to be clothed with shame and to cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle Psal 109. 29. that all the World may see and know your Charg hath no truth in it but is an Independent plot invented and spread abroad to defame me and cause the people to suspect slight and disregard those sound Scripture truths I hold forth and constantly maintain Thus far I have answered your false accusations And in the presence of God I solemnly protest this is a true answer Brother I would here gladly dismisse the Reader for willingly I over look many of your invectives without mentioning of them But I find two or three passages more to which you engage me to speak for the clearing the truth of what I have written in my Postscript Page 68. concerning Independents as also to answer a complaint you have made against me And lastly to resolve two quaeries which you have propounded unto me and in these I shall endeavour fully to satisfie you and all men But first as a Phisitian and a faithfull Friend avoyding all flattery I cannot but truly relate unto you the dangerous condition I find you in for I assure you I feel your pulse beates very high and I see you have a vein puft up with windy matter and I perceive you are swoln with pernicious and corrupt humors and that Choler exceedingly abounds in you insomuch as you breath forth â—â—rong revilings and defamings against those that never wronged you and make loud exclamations as if I were a man of no Religion Piety Wit or Learning because I have as for truths sake I was induty bound truly stated the Question of difference between the Presbyterians and Independents and made it appear that INDEPENDENCY is not GODS ORDINANCE nor grounded on the holy Scriptures and that the practice of Independents and the way they plead for will prove destructive to Church and State Now as I am grieved to see it so I wonder at the suddain distemper and great heat you are fallen into which makes you talk so much and that against me by name more then against others wherereas before I writ and since many have and one more especially in part discovered the sinfull practices of Independents the evill and unwarrantablenesse of their new way And how ever you are generally blamed for rushing out upon the Theatre to oppose him by name it being a work in the judgement of all wise men fitter for any other man to have undertaken then your selfe because of some more then ordinary tye of friendship between you and him yet you have bridled up your fury against his person although you say in your Appendix he ranks your words under the head of his first Section containing divers seditious scandalous libellous passages against the Authority and Jurisdiction of Parliaments Synods and temporall Magistrates in generall c. Now here is exceeding great wrong done unto you if your words are not of such a nature and might you be the sole Judge I am perswaded you would pronounce them not guilty notwithstanding you do not revile vilifie and falsly accuse the Author thereof But on me you have let loose your fury and have fallen upon me so passionately who was once a Fellow Sufferer with you that it hath sadded the spirits grieved the hearts and given great offence unto all that are truly godly who walk in that old way and the known paths of holinesse which Gods word doth plainly direct and lead them into and contrarywise you have opened the mouthes of the wicked and given cause of rejoycing to such as are without by your bitter expressions and false accusations brought against me one of your Quondam Fellow Sufferers But Pag. 26. you please to say that I have much exaggerated vilifications upon the Independents And notorious is that I say in my Postscript Pag 68. as by experience I know not any Indepâ—â—dent in England two onely excepted that do not as maliciously and implacably hate the the Presbyterians as the mortallest enemies they have in the world c. To this Brother I answer I vilifie none I have spoken the truth but because I see you take such great exceptions at these words I shall prove the truth of them from your own Tenents or make it appear you are not the only Saints for I have said nothing there but what the professed judgment of those Independents I know I still keep within the bounds of my own knowledg and their practise inciteth me to beleeve And if there be any Independents that differ from their judgement and practice I know them not two only excepted as I said before But for those Independents who being in the company of such as are truly godly yet
are mentioned and therefore if I in Gods quarrell and cause be a little more earnest and use a little more tartnesse which I shall ever wave in my owne it may with any good nature easily plead excuse But before I conclude my Epistle I shall desire you all to consider three passages omitting many I shall here set before your eyes the one out of Master Knollys his Answer the other out of I. S. his Flagellum the third out of my Brother Burtons Vindiciae that you may take notice of the vanity and futility of these men and how much they have wronged your cause before you reade the insuing Discourse Master Knollys thus speaks upon the Frontispice of his Booke A moderate Answer unto Doctor Bastwicks Booke wherein the manner how some Churches in this Citie were gathered and upon what termes their Members were admitted that so both the Doctor and the Reader may judge how neere some ` Beleevers who walke together in the Fellow-ship of the Gospel doe come in their practise to these Apostolicall rules which are propounded by the Doctor as Gods method in gathering Churches and admitting Members These are Master Knollys his own words and in the nineteenth and twentieth page he more fully there testifies his good liking of that method for gathering of Churches that I out of the Word of God propounded and would perswade the world that their Congregations were gathered after that method or manner or came very nigh unto it by all which his expressions and by that their practice he declares that in his judgement I have writ nothing but what is agreeable to Gods Word I appeale now therefore unto you all whether this man deserves not condigne punishment that will goe about undertake and endeavour to confute that Booke which he in his judgement alloweth of and according to which he pretendeth he practiseth andall this for the deluding and misleading of unstable soules to the trouble both of Church and State I am most assured that those that are rationall amongst you and not blinded with passion will say that Master Knollys is not only an unworthy trifler but that hee goeth contrary unto his owne Principles and ought deservedly to be severely punished for his thus wickedly mispending his pretious time and abusing the simple people For if I have writ nothing concerning the gathering of Churches but what he in his conscience beleeveth and practiseth then how unexcusable is that in this man that will speake against what his owne soule dictates unto him to be according to GODS holy Word By all which it is manifest that he is not onely a vain jangler but hath lost the day and wronged that your cause the defence of which notwithstanding he entred into the field to vindicate and maintain against all the Presbyterians And that which I have said of him may deservedly be spake of I. S. and my brother Burton For I. S. in the 13. Page of his Flagelli hath these words If it were granted saith he that many Churches did aggregate and unite in the beginning yet would not this example be bindingly presidential c. and seems there to prove it by arguments and my brother Burton in the 9. and 10. pages of his Pamphlet assenteth unto I. S. his doctrine as you may see at large if you look into it in which you shall find also that he acknowledgeth there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and at that time when according to his own reckoning there were but three thousand beleevers in that Church His words are these saying that though they wanted a convenient place so spacious as wherein to break bread or to receive the Lords Supper altogether so as they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in severall private houses to communicate c. So that by the learning of all these your great Champions you will in the sequell of this discourse evidently perceive that they have utterly overthrown your doctrine of Independency and of the Congregational way and that whiles they all came out to maintain it For Mr Knollys as I said even now he fights against the light of his own understanding and opposeth that truth which he in his judgement alloweth of And for I. S. and my brother Burton they have ignorantly murthered your cause For all the contention hitherto both in the Synod between the reverend Presbyters there and the Homothumadon dissenting brethren and between all the Independents and Presbyterians through the Kingdome hath been concerning the Church of Jerusalem and the number of beleevers in that Church which the dissenting brethren with all the Independents in England hold were never at first and last more then could all meet in one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and they assert moreover that that Church ought to be a patern for all Churches to the end of the world in respect of its government and do peremptorily affirme that the example of that Church is bindingly presidentiall to all succeeding ages for imitation which is the opinion not only of the Homothumadon dissenting brethren but of all the Sectaries that I know yea the orthodox Presbyterians do all beleeve that the Church of Ierusalem the Mother-Church is to be a pattern of Government to all Churches in all succeeding ages to the end of the World Now I. S. saith that the example of the Church of Ierusalem is not bindingly presidential wickedly comparing it to the confused chaos that indigested moles in the first creatiō so that he makes the church of Ierusalem an imperfect patern So that by his doctrine it is left arbitrary for any Church or State to set up what kind of Church government they please Now whether or no this opinion of his be not contrary to all divinity and the judgement of all orthodox Divines yea to the very tenent of all the Independents I leave it to the consideration of all those amongst you that can judge of things that differ So that you may see that this Champion also of yours hath absolutely overthrown your own principles when he came out to maintain and defend your cause My brother Burton also hath given a fatall blow to that cause he came out so desperately to maintain For all the Independents through the world that ever I heard of with all the Homothumadon brethren in the Assembly by all their arguments have hitherto laboured to evince that there were no more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in one place or Congregation to communicate in all ordinances acknowledging that if it could be proved there were more Assemblies and Congregations of beleevers in that Church that then they would yeeld the cause and they spake according to reason For if there were many Congregations of beleevers in Ierusalem and all those made up but one Church and were all under one Presbytery as they must of necessity be if they made all but one entire