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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