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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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Titus 15. which is in Scripture-language every town or viilage the town of Bethlehem Iohn 7.42 being little Mich. 5.2 yet called the City of David Luke 2.4 the towns of Iair threescore Cities Ioshua 13 3● and Iudges 10.4 thirty Cities in the margent villages now if our Antagonists did but observe those things they would be content with those Churches which were so confin'd and so allotted to them and their Predecessours yea even by the Apostles themselves as all those Elders were which they placed in every Church The next mother Church was that at Antioch so called Acts 11.26 having some Apostles and many extraordinary prophets in it Acts 13.1 which came from Ierusalem Acts 11.27 and there they also tarried and many Christians were converted yea they were first called Christians at Autioch v. 16. Now this Church did as that at Ierusalem branch it self out into the Churches of Syria and Cilicia Acts 15.23.41 and those Churches were all governed by those Ministers at Antioch who came together as all concerned in the same businesse when seducers would have broached errors amongst them Acts 15.1 2. neither did they rest there in regard they could not there determin it but appealed to the Synod at Ierusalem made up of fixed Officers confined to their particular congregations yet those Elders with the Apostles came together about that question Acts 15.6 and so being determined by them all those Churches were established in the faith and increased in number daily not onely of Christians but of Churches Acts 16.5 and all as branches of that Church at Antioch depending still upon it and having recourse to it upon all weighty occasions And the next example are those Churches of Asia every Church there branching it self out into Churches and every Church there containing Churches was govern'd by one common Presbytery for the Angel of every Church is blamed for all things amiss in all those Churches contained in it now this Angel must either be an Arch-Bishop over all those Churches contained in it or else a Presbytery charged with those Churches but it was not an Arch-Bishop for saith Christ to his Ministers Kings of the Earth exercise Lordship over their brethren but it shall not be so among you Luk 22.25 26. Again all the Elders in Ephesus are charged to watch and feed that Flock conteining many Churches Acts 20.21 and they all as branches of that one Church so govern'd And thus it was of old the Lord brought a Vine out of Egypt called the Church in the Wildernesse Acts 7.38 This Vine the Lord planted in Canaan and it spred out her boughs to the Sea and her branches to the River and filled the Land Psal 80. And so that Congregation mentioned Psal 74.2 brancht it self out into Congregations ver 4. having Synagogues in every City where the Law of Moses was read every Sabbath day Acts 15.21 yea Christ and his Apostles did frequently preach in their Synagogues Luke 4.16 Acts 17.1 2. and also blame those that forsake this Assembling as the manner of some was Heb. 10.25 this is the true descent and dependency of Presbyterian Churches Obj. But your Churches are discended from Antichrist for Austin the Monk being sent into England by the Pope brought hither your religion and from him your Ministers had their ordination and shall be destroyed together Answ The Christian Religion came from Christ and not from Antichrist and also our Ministers ordination for Christ ordained 12. and sent them out to preach Mark 3.14 and they had power from him to ordain Elders in every Church Acts. 14.23 and they left the same power with other Ministers to ordain Elders in every City Titus 15. and thus they did successively to this day and although this Ordinance passed under Antichrist who sits in the Temple of God and received some defilement yet not so as to nullifie it but if this Monk or Popish Bishop shall renounce popery and all their usurpation and engagements to that strumpet and preach the word of God truly and to one flock I think they may be accounted still lawful Minsters and need no other ordination to admit them into the Ministry nor their people no other re-baptizing to admit them into our Church but secondly suppose the Pope and that Monk to be enemies to the true Church yet Christ sometimes makes use of his enemies to do service for his Church as the King of Assiria did though he thought not so Isa 10.7 saith Ioseph you thought evill but God meant it to good to save much people alive Gen. 50.20 The wrath of man shal praise him and the remainder he will restrain Psa 76.10 by the persecution at Ierusalem the Gospell was spred into all Nations Acts 11.19 yea the Devil himself by the treason of Iudas did accidentally forward our redemption by Christ who rules in the middest of his enemies Psal 110 2. Balaams prophesie nor the prophesie of Caiphes the High Priest must not be despised because they came from them nor what is of Christ in the hand of a Monk but 3dly I shall prove that the Christian Faith was in Britain before either Antichrist was in being or Austin the Monk came hither for saith Mr. Fox in his Epistle to the universall Church prefixed before his first volume to his Acts and Monuments the heathen Emperours of Rome sought to destroy the Church of Christ and their Persecution continued the space of 300 yeares Now mark in all this time God raised up in this Realm of Britain divers worthy Preachers and lest we should doubt the truth of it he sets down some of their names as Elnanus Medvinus Mettivianus Amphibolus Alba●us Aaron Iulius and others in which time the Doctrine of faith without mens traditions was sincerely preached even before the Man of sinne was revealed yea before the Empire which letted was taken away 2. Thes 2 3. to 9. and after their death and Martyrdome the Church having peace increased in Britain and was governed by Christian doctrine a long season by Fistidius Mujanus Parrynus Bcchia●us Dubxinus Congellus Kentigernus Helmodus David Daniel Samoson Ellnadogus Asaphus Gildus Hentanus Ellbodus Dinathus Samuel Novius and many more a long season although the Civil Governors were carelesse as Gildas sharply lays to their charge and so at length were subdued by the Saxons now all this while about the space of 400 years Religion remain'd in Britain uncorrupt and the word of Christ was truly preached till about the comming of Austin and his Companions from Rome or as Cambden saith from the Pope who was not then in being nor him that leteth taken away for the Bishop of Rome calls King Lucius the Prince of Bishops and Mr. Fox page 11. saith the word Pope signifying Father was frequently given to all Bishops as to Augustine Hierome Epiphanius Athanasius and Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage yea to mean Bishops for all were of equall authority till the Councell of Nice held in the Year 340. where they
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