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A77735 A brief ansvver to obiections of all sorts, against Presbyterian chvrches and their government. Bakewell, Thomas, b. 1618 or 19. 1650 (1650) Wing B528; Thomason E620_11; ESTC R206382 29,802 35

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A brief ANSWER TO OBIECTIONS Of all sorts against PRESBYTERIAN CHVRCHES and their GOVERNMENT 1 Pet. 3 15 16. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear Having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evill of you as of evill doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ London Printed by Francis Leach Anno Dom. 1650. An Answer to Obiections of all sorts against Presbyterial Churches their Government IN former times the Prelaticall party troubled our Church with a false Government but now in their stead is risen up an increase of sinfull men who will have no Government at all but combine together against all that are for it like Gebal Amon Amaleck and the Philistines with them of Tyre helping the Children of Lot to root out the name of Israel that it be no more had in remembrance Psalme 83. and all these take advantage upon the late Act of Parliament Intituled an Act for relief of Religious and peaceable people from the rigour of former Acts of Parliaments in matters of Religion by which all those penall Statutes are repeal'd that bound all sorts of People to frequent our publick Assemblies in the worship of God Objection But those former Acts of Parliament which are now repeal'd onely required our assembling at the time of Divine Service Ans It is true but then that which was Divine Service in shew and not in truth was abolished out of our Churches before this Act came forth together with the Service Book also and that which is truly Divine Service is still remaining which is preaching reading and expounding the word of God also catechising singing of Psalms prayer and Administration of both Sacraments now to the neglect of those duties the penalties of these Statutes did of right belong and these people being sensible of it desired freedome and that without danger of Law Objection But those duties are maintain'd in our select Congregations which are as true Churches as those particular Presbyterian Congregations Ans To acknowledge those Divine ordinances to be in our Churches and yet to separate from them shew plainly that their practise is sedition and their Assemblies to be but so many Conventicles against the true Churches of Iesus Christ 2. Independent Assemblies are not as branches of other fixed Churches because they are Independent for can that be a branch of the tree that was never fastened to it nor received any sap or moysture from it or can that be a member of the body that was never of it but altogether Independent 3. the Creatours and founders of those Assemblies we know yea any man that can but get to himself a company of followers he may soon create to himself such a Church although he steal to himself a flock out of the folds of other Shepherds as seducers use to do Acts 20.30.4 They deny Classes and Synods which would be as sinnews to the Body and as morter to the building to sement the Churches together and although they will ask counsell of other Churches they deny all power to determine any thing for particular Churches so that their meeting for counsell and advice can do them no more good than that head or body can do to the fingers and toes when the arms legs are cut off that should fasten them to the body 5. These Church gatherers are not like to the Apostles who gathered Disciples from without among heathens and not from the folds of other shepherds 2. They gathered them all into that one universall Church but these to themselves which would have been sedition in all nations 3. They took nothing for their pains but these take mony of the poorest servant and such as cannot contribute to them shall not be admitted 6. These Church-gatherers are not like those fixed Officers as Pastours and Elders placed by the Apostles in every Church Acts 14.25 for these are not contented with that flock nor with the maintenance thereof allotted to them as their Predecessors were before them but seek for members out of other Churches to make it up 2. These men for the most part have not those qualifications required for that office having not the gifts of tongues I mean those originall languages in which the Scripture was first written neither mediately taught them in Schools nor by immediate inspiration 3. These Church-gatherers have no lawfull Ordination by the hands of the Presbyterie as all the Ministers of the Gospell have 1 Tim. 4.14 therefore they are no true Churches But now Presbyterian Churches are rightly descended as branches and Members of the first fixed Churches and they also as members of the universall visible Church instituted by Iesus Christ I call this Church universall because it is not confined to any place onely it shall be built upon that rock Iesus Christ Mat. 16.18 who will be with his people in all ages and places Mat. 28.20 to him be glory in the Church throughout all ages world without end Ephes 3.21 Now this Church so promised to be built cannot be meant that part of it in heaven called the Church of the first born where the souls of the just are made perfect Heb. 12.23 for that was not then to build but was prepared from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 whose maker and builder is God Heb. 11.10 neither was that the invisible Church so loved and sanctified by Iesus Christ Eph. 5.25 because the Apostles are the builders of it for saith Paul I as a wise master builder have laid the foundation which is Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.9 10. and this foundation was to be laid in all nations Mat. 28.19 and in this Church were all the Ministers of the Gospel placed 1 Cor. 12.28 and unto this Church were all Christians when converted from heathens and Infidells admitted Acts 2 41 47. Now the builders of this universall visible Church being sent into all nations to build it where they saw the word of grace most effectuall there they tarried longest being first at Ierusalem and there multitudes were converted by the Apostles and the Seventy and others hereupon they were called the Church at Ierusalem Acts 22. now all the Apostles and extraordinary prophets so wrought together as a common Presbytery for the good of the whole multitude and none of them gathering to himself a Church but seeking all to enlarge that one Church now when all Ierusalem and all Iudea and round about Iordan were all baptised of Iohn Mat. 3.56 and so converted to the Christian faith then this Church branched it self out into Churches in Iudea and Galite and Samaria acts 9.31 1 Thes 2.2.14 and the Apostles ordained Elders being fixed officers and divided to every one his congregation ordaining Elders in every Church acts 14.23 and thus Paul left Tytus to ordain Elders fixed and confined to every City
once a moneth and oftner if any occasion be● this we call the Classicall Eldership And lastly in case any matter shall not here be decided they may appeal to the Provinciall or Nationall Synods and there it shall be determined But how will it appear that there is any such Churches so govern'd by Synods Ans For such names it is not materiall we contend not about names but the thing it selfe we shall find in Scripture First for Provinciall churches we find that every Church in Asia was made up of severall Churches in the second and third Chapters of the Revelations Now such a Church which comprehended many Churches in it could not be one single Congregation made up of one Pastor and his people neither could these be Nationall Churches because at Ephesus which was a City Acts 18 28.19 and at Thyatira a City Acts 16.14 the like may be said of Corinth there was many Congregations 1 Cor. 1.12.3.4 and all made up the Church at Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 also Corinth was a City Acts 18.8 10. these were provinciall Churches Secondly in Jerusalem were more Christians than could congregate together three thousand were added to that Church at one time Acts 2.41 47. and five thousand at another Acts 4.4 so that there were many th●●and Believers in Ierusalem Acts 21.20 yea it was said that all Ierusalem were baptized of Iohn in Iordan 3.5 6 and yet they are called the Church at Ierusalem Acts 11.21 which could be no other but a Provinciall Church Thirdly there was in Ierusalem many Ministers theer was the 12 Apostles and the 70 and others then what Church would this be having above a hundred Ministers in it this could not be a single Congregation neither could it be a Nationall Church because at Ierusalem the like may be said of the Church at Antioch there was many Prophets and some Apostles Acts 11.26 27. and yet the Church at Antioch Acts 13.4 Fourthly all that multitude of Christians yea I may say all those Churches in Ierusalem for they had Elders chosen which are fixed Officers placed in every single Congregation and there confin'd see Acts 14.23 yet all these Churches were govern'd by one common Presbytery which some times sate in Solomons porch Acts 5.12 13. and sometimes in other places for Paul came to Ierusalem and went in where the Elders were present Acts 21.18 and so was every Church in Asia containing Churches governed and they blamed for every thing that was amisse in any of those Churches comprehended in that Church under that Government Now a Nationall Church is that when God shall deal with any Nation as he did with the nation of the Iews to make them his people in Covenant and give his Statutes Sabbaths and Sacraments as he did to them Nehe. 9.13 14 15. Psal 147.19 20. then that is a Nationall Church as well as that of the Iews but God hath given England and Scotland the Book of the Covenant and Ministers after his own heart to shew us the meaning of it And he hath given the Sabbath day appointed for that end and the Sacraments whereby we have seal'd that Covenant and also the Lord hath sealed many of us with his spirit therefore our Church is a nationall Church 2. all our Congregations containing the whole Nation are fastened and semented together as Members of one body and as branches of one Vine by Classes and Synods as all the Congregations in Israel made one Congregation Psa 74.2 4. therefore it is a Nationall Church for it is not confin'd to a City or Province or one Assembly under one Shepherd but as that Vine brought out of Aegypt and planted in Canaan taking deep root spred her boughs to the Sea and her branches to the river and so filled the land Psal 80. and so we as well as they became a nationall Church 3. It is foretold that nations shall come into the Christian Church Isa 2.2.61.1 to 11.66.18 and this we see fulfilled for all the whole Nation are come in and have sealed the covenant of grace by Baptisme and all professe our selves members of this Church and there is as many living members in this Church as in that nationall Church of the Iewes 4. The Lord hath not as yet given us a Bill of Divorcement but owns us still for his Church continuing his Ministers and his Ordinances with us and his blessing upon them both to convert those that are not converted and to strengthen those that are We have seen thy goings O God in the Sanctuary Psa 68.24 Lastly these Churches have and do still own this title the Church of England and the Church of Scotland and all Christian Churches do so approve of our Church therefore it is a Nationall Church And the universall Church I prove thus first all the Churches of Christ have one foundation upon this rock will I build my Church Mat. 16.18 and yet the builders are sent into all Nations to build it Mat. 28.19 and that upon this foundation for other foundation can no man lay than what is laid which is Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.4 which shews that the Churches in all nations make up but this one Church 2. Paul persecuted the Christians at Ierusalem and at Damacus and in other strange Cities Acts 26.10.11 yet all these hee calls the Church of God Gal. 1.13 1 Cor. 15.9 which shews that the Church is universall 3. Iewes and Gentiles which comprehend all Nations make but one Church for saith Paul give no offence to Iewes nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 this cannot be meant a third sort of people because there was no more and this Church was made up of both because both are mentioned therefore it is universall 4. All the Churches of Christ make but one Church for saith Paul the Churches of Christ salute you yea the whole Church saluteth you Rom. 16.10.23 5. All Ministers are placed in one Church 1 Cor. 12.28 which shews it to be universall 6. All Churches have but one King and governed by one Law Iomes 4.12 therefore universall 7. All Churches are called one body one dove one Queen Ephes 44. 1 Cor. 12.12 Cant. 6.8 Lastly the doore of the Church is as wide as the Christian world for he that is admitted into one Church by Baptisme is admitted into all and he that is cut off as Iulian was is cut off from all Churches therefore it is univerfall But how do you prove the Appeals of Churches and of persons in the Church Ans First I will shew the appeals of persons in the church for a private trespasse If thy brother shall trespasse against thee saith Christ go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother But 2. if he will not hear thee take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be estabished but 3. If he neglect to hear them tell