they allow of that doctrine proclaming themselves to be the only Saints the holy people and the godly party the generation of the just and separate from their brethren as impure creatures Therefore the Independents do not walk in that old way of righteousnesse the old Puritans of ENGLAND walked in who made no separation in the worst times from the publike Assemblies or ever refused to pray with their Christian brethren and therefore in this point they have not outstripped them nor overgrown them from which I boldly conclude that herein that Predicant did abuse the world in saying that there is no difference between the Independents and the old Puritants of ENGLAND For the old Puritans were humble self denying men and the Independents are pharisaicall boasters of their own holinesse and sanctity and therefore in this their way is not the way of righteousnesse but a great aberration from it Again the old Puritans of England though never so learned and never so sufficiently furnished with all accomplished abilities of divine knowledge which many of them by their indefatigable pains study and industry and by their prayers unto God night and day and by their continuall waiting upon the Ordinances and Gods blessing upon all their endeavours had attained unto so that they were taken notice of by all men both in the Universities and amongst all the learned to be incomparable men many of the which I could name yet not any one of them ever preached either in publike or private without great study and prayer yea and without a speciall call and they alwayes with Saint Paul exercised their Ministery in fear and much trembling 1 Cor. 2. ver 3. saying with him 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Those holy and godly Puritans though transcendently learned yet were always conversant in all holy duties especially in preaching and prayer with fear and trembling thinking themselves never sufficiently enough provided for for those duties And truly Saint Paul's example is worthy alwaies to be looked upon who though he were immediately inspired by God himselfe and had alwayes the assistance of his spirit and ten thousand times more learning then all the Independents put together yet he preached alwayes with fear and trembling and cryed out who is sufficient for these things Now if we compare the Independents and their Predicants with the old Puritans of England we shall find the old Puritans alwaies and in all things imitating the example of holy Paul and the other Apostles in their Ministery which they had a command to follow Phil. 3. ver 17. who intruded not themselves rashly upon the Ministery as the false Apostles and Seducers usually did and as all the Independents and Sectaries daily do they cryed out who is sufficient for these things and how can any preach except he be sent Rom. 10. saying No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as Aaron Hebr. 2. 4. Those old Puritans were all men of Saint Paul's spirit they durst do nothing without a call nothing without great study nothing without their parchments and books imitating Saint Paul in this who would alwaies have his parchments with him that is his books bring me my parchments saith he they preached not without fear and trembling this was the continuall practice of the old Puritans they could never be seen in a Pulpit before they had some dayes prepared themselves by prayer and study and yet after all this they would then cry out Who is sufficient for these things Whereas all the Independents and Sectaries assert that every man may preach and every man of them is sufficient and many also hold that women may preach yea and to manifest that they are all sufficient for these things and for the dispensing of the great mysteries of Heaven which the very Angels desired to pry into they run through Town and Country and wheresoever they come get up into the Pulpits and preach with such impudencie impiety and blasphemy as it is not lawfull to name their very doctrines being so destructive to all piety goodnesse and good manners and Ruffian like they go in their hair and apparrel and so insolent and proud they are that one would rather take them for Luciferians then Saints and such unbeseeming expressions they have in their prayers to God as would terrifie a truly consciencious and godly man to hear them as not long since one of them in London publickly speaking unto God in his prayer said Right Honorable Lord God which kind of expressions as they are blasphemous so ridiculous exposing Religion and the sacred Ordinances of God to ludibry and derision But yet this is the dayly practice of the Sectaries through the Kingdome far different from that of the old Puritans of England and therefore in this point of fear and reverence and of an holy awe of Gods divine Majestie and a reverend adoring of the ministery and mystery of the Gospell the way of the Independents is not that either of the holy Apostles or of the old Puritans there being as vast a difference between them as between light and darknesse and therefore the way of Independency in this particular also is not the way of righteousnesse but the way of rebellion and impudency Againe the old Puritans of England had all of them a reverend opinion of all in authority and did ever beleeve that there was no power but of God and that all powers were ordained of God Rom. 13. and they beleeved that every soule ought to be subject to the higher power and that whosoever resisted the power resisted the Ordinance of God and for that their Rebellion they should receive to themselves damnation and they ever believed that every soule ought to be subject unto authority not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake this was the Doctrine of the old Puritans of England and their practice in yeelding continuall obedience to them and praying for them is knowne to all men yea they did acknowledge that as all power was given unto Jesus Christ in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. Psal 2. so they did beleeve that all power in Church and State was derived from him as the head of all Principalitie and power who had said Prov. 8. 15. 16. By me Kings raigne and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles yea all the Iudges of the earth c. this doctrine the old Puritans of England had learned and taught and were obedient unto as having precept upon precept for it as from the words above quoted out of the thirteenth of the Romans so out of 1. Pet. chap. 2. verse 13 14. who said submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill Doers and for the prayse of them that doe well for so is the wâ—ll of God that with well doing yet may
thus trample all the Lawes of Christ under their polluted feet and yet pretend they onely set him up upon his Throne when notwithstanding it is apparently evident they practise the contrary and violate all his most holy Statutes and preferre their owne traditions before his commandements as this is one of judging their Brethren and not admitting of them into Christs Church and house without the consent of the whole Church when Christ neverthelesse hath enacted so many Lawes to the contrary And this shall suffice to have spake in way of answer to what I. S. had to say to my third querie the fourth followes concerning the covenant whether necessary to admission To which my brother Burton thus replyes page 14. Now saith hee the very name of a Covenant is become a bug-bear to many and tels us moreover what hee hath said concerning their covenant in his vindication that learned peece of stuffe such an other as his Truth shut of doores and his Protestation protested and then hee makes a briefe Description of their covenant to no purpose and then concludes that it is not the name of Covenant that is so terrible but the order of Church-communion and this is to those onely that having usod to walke without a yoake as the Scripture cals sonnes of Beliall love not to come under the yoake of Christ then which to a willing bearer nothing is more easie and sweet I expected from my Brother Burton especially who talkes so much of setting up Christ upon his Throne as hee counts all men enemies of Jesus Christ and Converts but in part when they come not up close to the rule of Reformation Gods Word for thus my brother speaks page 18. I say I expected from him that hee should have ratified their practice in admitting of their Members by a particular explicite covenant from the Word of God and from either some command or some example both which when this their practice wanteth it can not be of faith and therefore is sinfull But I desire the Reader to observe some particulars in my brother Burtons expressions not to shew the vanity sinne and uncharitablenesse of them all for that would require a tractate by it selfe But first I pray observe the very name saith hee of a covenant is become a Bug-beare to many that is to say a terrour againe a few lines after he saith that it is not the name of a covenant that is so terrible but the order of Church-communion Here I leave my Brother Burton to reconcile his owne contradiction the very name of a Covenant saith hee is a Bug-beare and it is not the name of a covenant that is so terrible Secondly hee acknowledges that this covenant is a yoake and so it is indeed but withall it is worthy of observation hee cals it Christs yoake and yet it was never imposed upon the people of God by Christs command nor was it appointed by him so that whatsoever they bring into the church upon their owne braines they impose it upon the people as one of Gods Ordinances which is an insufferable insolencie in these men Thirdly my Brother Burton accounteth of all such as will not submit it themselves to their government and goe in their church way to receive or take their covenant to be the sonnes of Belial and not under Christs yoake these are his words page 14. Thus charitably the Independents thinke of all the Presbyterians their Brethren because forsooth wee will not enter into their covenant which notwithstanding they can neither give us either Precept or President for ou◠of the whole Word of God they account us the sonnes of Belial Now wee are taught that whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and whatsoever is not grounded upon Gods Word all men know is not of faith which when their Church practiseth without it it is most apparent that they are in a sinfull way and therefore are rather the sonnes of Belial then wee But learned I. S. page 18. whiles hee goes about to defend the covenant sayes enough utterly to overthrow it The fourth querie saith hee of an explicite covenant whether necessary to admission Answ I know not saith hee why it should be more incovenient then a publicke nationall Covenant But necessary saith he wee hold it not all the world may see that I. S. is but a novice in the Independent Principles yea that hee is a very catechumenos For all those that are any thing acquainted in the Independents Principles hold this explicite covenant to be the forme of the church without the which the church cannot be a church nor without the taking of the which there can be no admittance into church-fellowship with them yea my Brother Burton cals it Christs yoake and proclaimes all those that will not weare it to be the sonnes of Belial So that these men do not agree amongst themselves the one party of them holding the particular covenant absolutely necessary the other saying but necessary wee hold it not So then by I. S. his owne confession who speakes in the name of all his party it is none of Gods Ordinances for all Gods Ordinances are necessary in their season and whosoever should contemne or slight the least of them sinneth greatly But whereas I. S. saith that hee knoweth not why a particular explicite covenant should bee more inconvenient then a publicke nationall covenant I affirme this is fondly spake of I. S. For wee have divers Presidents and examples in holy Scripture and precepts for entring into publicke covenants and wee have read of the benefit that hath from them redounded to the whole nation country by them for incouragement to all men upon just occasions to enter into some solemne covenant with our God but wee have neither precept nor example in all Gods Word of an explicite particular covenant taken in any church and therefore it must needs be inconvenient as not being of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is inconvenient yea very hurtfull to him that doth any thing in Gods matters without it for it is sinne to him and will bring downe punishment upon him for it But for I. S. I will say no more to him about this point who I finde to be a very catechumenos in the principles of Independency when notwithstanding he promised me he would teach and instruct me in the Independent way But I will now examine the Reason that the Author of the Book called Truth gloriously appearing from under the sad and sable Cloud of Obloquy giveth for this their covenant He Page 126 labors to prove their particular explicite covenant out of that place Acts the 9. verse 16. Where when Paul was come to Jerusalem he assayed to joyn himself with the Disciples Now saith he the word joyn in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to joyn by Covenant and intimates such a joyning of Paul to the Church as the joyning of a man to his wife For in Matthew saith he the
despise Dominion and speake evill of Dignities hee cals them raging waves of the Sea foming out their owne shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darkenesse for ever against whom he saith the Lord will execute judgement for all their ungodly deeds and for all their hard speeches stiling them Murmurers complayners whose mouths speak great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage desiring all men to remember the words of the Holy Apostles and of our Lord Jesus Christ who fore-told the people of God that there should be such Mockers in the last times who should walke after their ungodly lusts and that they might the better take notice of them and know who these men both Christ and the Apostles spake of he saith they were such as should separate themselves sensuall not having the spirit he describes them to be an unsanctified race of men whatsoever seeming holinesse they make a shew of and such as ought to be avoyded and shunned of all such as desire to please God and avoyd that condemnation that was denounced against all such as despised dignities and resisted authority and even as the Lord by his servants commanded the people to separate from the company of Corah Dathan and Abiram and to goe from their tents lest they were involved in the same miseries and calamities that were coming upon them for their rebellion against Moses so ought all the people that indeed do truly fear God decline the companies and societies of all such as now oppose authority and make themselves the soveraign Lords of the Kings and Rulers and Judges that God hath appointed over them for surely a greater unrighteousnesse cannot be perpetrated against God then thus superciliously to trample upon authority and to despise those that are over them which is the dayly practice of the Independents and Sectaries all which unrighteousnesse the old Puritans of England were not guilty of having been better taught and therefore in this part of duty the Independents are different from the old Puritans of England who walked not in this way of unrighteousnesse and therefore the Sactaries have not out-stripped them in this point of obedience to authority but they are indeed overgrown and are become monstrous in their rebellious practices Yea so far they are from reverencing those in authority as they are grown to that height of pride and unrighteousnesse as many of them will not so much as pray for the very Parliament or the Assembly either privately or publickly as can sufficiently be proved by such as are acquainted with them and their practices for not long since in a great Assembly and Congregation of Independents one of their Predicants being in prayer after he had put up many petitions and requests in behalfe of their fraternity thus expressed himself speaking unto God Now Lord saith he we should come to pray for the Parliament and Assembly but they are not worthy the prayers of the Saints and so with disdain he passed them by as unworthy of their prayers then the which what could be spake more wickedly and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England who in all their prayers and supplications private and publick ever with tears prayed for all in authority I affirme that this practice of the Independents is not onely one of the highest strains of all unrighteousnesse and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England but contrary to all the practice of all the Saints that ever yet lived in the world and contrary to all the commands of God both in the Old and New Testament For we have read how earnestly Moses prayed for the rebellious Israelites wishing himselfe rather to be blotted out of the book of life then that the Lord should destroy them and so did Paul wish for his Countrymen the Jews Samuel also when the people desired him to pray for them 1 Sam. 12. v. 23. God forbid saith he that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you c. So that the holy Prophet makes it a sin in either Ministers or people not to pray for their brethren and especially those in authority for this was the practice of all the Prophets the Lord told a heathen King that Abraham his servant should pray for him yea father Abraham prayed for the very Sodomites and the Kingdoms in which they dwelt Gen. 18. And the people of Israel when they were in captivity in Babylon had a command from God himselfe to pray for the welfare of very Babylon and the Princes of the same and we have read what supplications Daniel Ezra and Nehemiah put up in behalfe of those heathen Princes under which they lived as well as for their own Countrymen And Saint Paul gives it in charge to all Ministers and people 1 Tim. 2. to pray for all men ver 1 2. I exhort saith he that first of all supplications prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour So that here there is not onely an exhortation to all Christians in generall but in speciall to Ministers to pray for all men but primarily for those in authority and reasons grounds are also given by the Apostle of incouragement to this duty viz. because that it is a good and acceptable thing in the sight of God tending also for the peace quiet and tranquillity of them all and which is more to all godlinesse which is the glory of all peace and therefore that they ought to pray for those in authority And this exhortation of the Apostle all the old Puritans of England did ever most diligently observe and follow praying for them that were in authority night and day whereas the Sectaries were never in private heard pray for either King or Parliament or the Scots or Assembly How wicked a thing therefore is it in the Independents and Sectaries and what a part of unrighteousnesse is it in them dayly to omit this duty who will neither pray with their brethren nor for them but separate from all their societies as from a people unholy yea how impious and rebellious a thing is it in them against both God and all authority to say and that in a disdainfull manner even in their publike meeting places and congregations that neither the Parliament nor Assembly are worthy their prayers yea it is well known and can be proved that they pray against them and the King himselfe and that not onely privately but in their congregations publikely Surely if either the Parliament or Assembly or the Presbyterians were as bad as the Kings of Babylon or the persecuting Jews yet they ought to be prayed for For we have a command to pray for all men yea for our enemies and those that persecute us and
the most uncivilized people living they usually railing of me to my face and such of them as I know not nor never to my remembrance saw before their assaulting of me and they that carry themselves fairest towards me either puffe in my face as they passe by me thinking to provoke me or else make odd faces at me or stare on me as I passe by them like a hare in a forme and they have often professed unto many that they had as leive meet the devill as me and said that I was a devill and that I looked like the devill and like Cain and a thousand more such expressions they have upon all occasions in their mouthes concerning me besides whatsoever they have published in their Pamphlets and besides all their filthy and infamous language they dayly use to the defaming of me and mine But this is not my condition alone but so they deal with all those faithfull and godly Presbyterian Ministers all which confirms me in my opinion calling them ugly fellows and bland asses and Presbytyrants and loading them with all manner of reproaches so that they have made them all through the Kingdome so hatefull and infamous as they cannot dwell safely in their houses where there is any increase of them and all that I now write can sufficiently be proved by many witnesses which passages of theirs towards all corroborates me in my perswasion So that by these barbarous practices of all the Sectaries and by these their uncouth sounds they have so scared and terrified the people that now the name of a Presbyterian is formidable to many and it is enough to hinder any from preferment that they can but blast with the name of a Presbyterian and this also hath been generally observed that there is scarse a man found to have been familiar at any time with any of the Sectaries that if he once come to declare himself to stand for the Presbytery that ever they could endure after whatsoever love they seemed to shew towards him before that time yea it is farther observed that scarse ever any man of what rank or fashion soever he were that familiarly conversed amongst them that they have not afterwards betrayed or blasted their in honor and reputation yea I could tell many a sad story to the deterring of any Presbyterian for ever being familiar with any of that brood and I shall ever be able to prove that when some of them that were poor unlearned and obscure men yet for their seeming holiness have by great Parsonages been entertained in their families and whom they made their principall companions these most ungratefull and treacherous fellows have made use of this their noble courtesie and humanity but to find how they stood affected to Independency and when they perceived that they were not for their purpose though otherwise they were very moderate men yet they raised many infamous reports of them yea they so blasted them in their honours as they could never after recover their reputation So that it is a wonder to me that any cordiall reall and solid Presbyterian will familiarly converse with them when they have dayly so many sad presidents of their treachery before their eyes And for my part I wonder how any truly godly people dare come in their company much lesse hear them preach especially when they pray they may not be led into temptation and when they have a speciall command to take heed of all seducers and are so frequently in holy Scripture forewarned to decline all society with them which they according to Gods command ever ought to avoyd For Saint Paul speaking of false teachers in the fifth of the Galatians wishes that they were cut off and in the first chapter of the same Epistle v. 8. 9. he faith there that if an Angel from heaven should preach unto them otherwise then he had taught them that they should account him accursed therefore surely he would not have any of Christs Disciples and Scholers familiar with false teachers and such as teach the people otherwise then Paul had taught them which all the Sectaries do and much more ought all those that know the doctrines and practices of the Sectaries of our times how dangerous a generation of men they are in all respects and how many have bin utterly ruined undone in their souls and in their estates and reputations by their familiarity with them to shun them Surely it is a great provoking of God when they know his blessed Will who hath said Matth. 15. 7. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves that yet they will not take heed of them but run after their preachments for this is indeed to thrust themselves into temptation and put themselves upon needlesse danger to the ruining of their own souls and the souls of those that are commitâ—ed to their charg in their families whom they are by Gods command to bring up in the nurture and fear of the Lord and to instruct in the way of truth and righteousnesse which the Sectaries do not walk in as I have sufficiently proved both in my Epistle to the Reader and through my whole Book and therfore ought to be shunned and declined whatsoever seeming holinesse and sanctimony they pretend to the World Without doubt the deceivers in Pauls times were as seemingly holy as any of our Itinerary and Independent Praedicants for he saith of them that like the devill they transformed themselves into angels of light and appeared like the Ministers of righteousnesse and the Pharisees in Christs time seemed very glorious outwardly as our Saviour speaketh of them and yet he commanded all his followers to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod he would have none of his Disciples famâ—liar with them but injoyns them all to take heed of their doctrines And Saint Paul 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4. saith that the last times wil be perillous and dangerous times in regard of the false teachers that should then arise and after he had made a description of them that they might know them which in every thing agrees with the Sectaries of our times he saith of those seducers that they shal be lovers of themselvs covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without naturall affection covenant breakers false accusers that is in the Originall devils incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good treacherous heady high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Now after he hath deciphered them he gives all men a speciall command to avoyd their society saying from such turn away he injoynes all men not so much as to hear them And compares them to Jannes and Jambres those sorcerers who withstood Moses and says of those seducers that they also like them would resist the truth they being men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith
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
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
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
for in such termes they usually expresse themselves Now when the occasion of this scandall and offence is taken away by the care of the Ministers and all Superstition and Popish Ceremonies and all will worship is also rooted out and when the Gospell is truly and faithfully by them preached both in season and out of season and the Name of God truly invocated and the Sacraments duly and rightly administred what just cause have the Independents now either of separation or of traducing either Ministers or people of being enemies of Christ and his Kingdome when by all their indeavours they onely seek the advancement of him and his Kingdome amongst them I have so good an opinion of all moderate minded Christians that when they shall seriously weigh and consider what I have here writ and truly and faithfully set down that those of them that have formerly been alienated from them will again being now undeceived return every one of them to their own Pastors by whose Ministry they have been converted and that all other understanding men will not only have more charitable thoughts both of the Ministers and Beleevers of the Church of England but will likewise look more narrowly into and examine more diligently all those new wayes and by finding them out to be indeed but new will seek for the old way and walk in it And truly it stands all men now in hand that desire the welfare of the whole Kingdome yea the safety tranquillity and felicity of three Kingdomes and the peace of them all and the quiet of the Church and the prosperity of Zion and indeed the peace of their own families and a good accord harmony love and unity amongst brethren to seek for the old way which hath the promise of peace which can never be preserved where differences and diversities of opinions with a toleration of all Religions are allowed of for they tend to nothing but dis-union and to a violation of all bonds of true and cordiall affection for they can never love such as they have a command to shun nor never really affect such mens companies and acquaintance whom they are ever jealous of that they will seduce their wives children and families therefore I say that all people may not onely seek for but finde that old way of peace shall ever be his prayer that wisheth that all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth AN APPENDIX In the which all the reproaches and truth-gainsaying calumnies so injuriously and causelesly cast upon me by my Brother BURTON my Quondam Fellow-sufferer are all wiped away with the spunge of Innocency in this my true Answer unto him In the which also all such passages as hee so exceedingly exaggerates and cryes out against in my Preface and Postscript are cleared from his clamorous surmises and my Integrity vindicated from all his traducing Inferences and forced Conclusions Brother Burton IN the beginning of your Epistle to the Reader say you This answer was long agoe so conceived in the wombe as the slow birth may seeme to have out-gone his due time Truly it had beene good for you and farre more for your honour and for the honour and glory of God and for the honour of your holy profession that the wombe of this your Booke had beene its grave for it hath not onely given great scandall to many but sadded the hearts of multitudes of Gods people that formerly truly loved and honoured you But men that make more haste then good speed have cause at leisure often to repent as you one day must doe for this untimely birth of your deformed and monstrous brat To the matters of Argument concerning your opinion in answer to my Booke I have in the foregoing Treatise made my Reply in this Appendix I am to make my just defence against some false accusations and soule aspersions with which you have bespatterd mee through your whole discourse but should I summe up all the revilings scornings vilifying unsufferable and unchristian language which those of your Fraternity after I had declared my selfe to be none of your party before any of my Books came forth did and still doe provoke and salute mee with even in the open streets to the shame of their profession yet in the 27. page of your Booke approved of they would rise to a volume But I have learned with the Apostle Paul to passe through honour and dishonour through evill report and good report as a Deceiver and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. being therefore nothing moved with their raylings I spread them before the Lord and for brevitie sake will not here repeate them I shall onely take a note of some passing by many of the unbrotherly reproaches false accusations and bitter invectives poured out from your selfe whose Schollers it may be thought the others are and I will unfaynedly answer you in the words of truth and sobernesse and in the spirit of meeknesse and love But first give mee leave to say that from you of all men I least expected much lesse deserved such hard speeches I having beene not only a sufferer with you which ingageth a personall respect but alwayes ready and forward in the worst and most dangerous times to appeare in your defence to my owne great detriment and dammage and as a faithfull friend have stucke close and been serviceable unto you since as can sufficiently be proved when your protestation protested was questioned all which challenged a Christian circumspection even in reproving of humane frailties Now things being thus betweene you and mee how exceedingly doth it aggravate your offence in scandalizing my name as you have done For mine owne part when out of zeale to Gods Glory and my servent desire of Syons peace I write against that new way you walke in and justly blamed in generall naming no man the unwarrantable writings and censures published and laid upon all who in their judgements dissent from Independents though truly Godly affirming that they are but converts in part that they are enemies to Christs Kingly office and set up Christ as a pageant King that they neither professe nor confesse Christ but with the Iewes say wee will not have this man to raigne over us observing also in the Frontispices of their Bookes writ in defence of Independent errors these words Thinke not that I am come to send peace upon earth I came not to send peace but a sword c. Matth. 10. 34 35 36. and that in a time of so great distractions when your party have subtilly spread Schisme Faction and caused fraction and division through the Kingdome and considering withall how ready tumultuous and turbulent people are especially upon such advantages as these to misapply Christs words as all men may see and by their daily expressions plainly perceive they doe and from that text are easily perswaded to beleeve they have good ground and warrant to fight against their Christian brethren to maintaine errors and their owne whimsies I