offenders whether they be delinquents in doctrine or manners And although Christians by the Gospel are freed from the ceremoniall Law yet wee are not freed from the substance of it for he that said to the Israelites be ye holy as I am holy saith also to all Christians be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1. so that although the ceremony be abolished yet the substance remaineth still in force and although the rigor of the judiciall law be taken away and Christians are not tyed to that manner of administration of justice yet the equity of that law doth still continue and righteous judgements is every where amongst all Christians to be executed and satisfaction to be made to all such as have been unjustly damnified and although we are freed from the curse malediction and coaction of the morall law yet we are not freed from the obedience of it so that whatsoever was commanded in it to the Israelites or forbidden them the same is both commanded and forbidden to all Christians to the ends of the world and whatsoever was death by the law of God and nature then for ought I know ought to be punished with death now amongst Christians as blasphemors wizards witches idolaters and all such as despise Moses law under the mouth of two or three witnesses if they be people within the pale of the Church and make profession of the Christian Religion for Christians have nothing to do with those that are without to judge them except they offend against the civill and municipall laws of the Country and against the laws of nations and nature when they live amongst them for Christ came not to change the morall law but to ratifie it in all things And although the Sabbath be changed in respect of the day yet for the holinesse of the first day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and which is in place of it I am confident it ought most carefully to be observed and that the whole day ought in all sanctity and holinesse to be kept and besides the fourth Commandment for the sanctification of a seventh day we have the example of the Primitive Christians and blessed Apostles who alwayes had their meetings on the first day of the week and spent the whole day in the duties of piety and charity for in the 20 of the Acts we read that on the first day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread that was for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and for the exercising of all holy duties and that Paul preached there untill midnight and that when Eutichus was fallen downe with sleepe Paul restored him to life againe to all their comforts so that here we have one president that the whole Lords day wasspent by all those Christians in the workes of piety and charity Againe in the first of the Revelations Saint John saith that hee was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is the first day of the weeke called by Saint Iohn the Lords day and there the Angel preached unto him that day and commanded Saint Iohn to take so much of his Sermon by writing as God in his wisedome thought fit to reveale unto his Church and hee that shall diligently reade what is there written will gather that the whole day was taken up by Saint Iohn and spent in hearing and writing and meditating of what hee had heard for without doubt Saint Iohn made it his whole dayes worke to be spiritually imployed and as the holy Communion is called the Lords Supper and all the time of that action is holily to be imployed as being ordained by Christ himselfe to that end even so the Lords day being a day dedicated unro Christ and ordained by him for holy duties and for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and prayer the whole day ought both privately and publikely to bee taken up in the imployments and workes of piety and charity as hearing reading meditating prayer repetition of Sermons in their Families and catechizing and instructing their children and servants singing of Psalmes in visiting the sicke and them that are in prison relieving the poore and necessitated c. These examples of the Primitive Christians are for our imitation for so Saint Paul in the third of the Philippians in the 17. verse saith Brethren bee followers together of mee and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an example for our conversation is in Heaven And in the 4. chapter verse 8. hee saith Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any prayse thinke on these things Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seene in me doe and the God of peace shall bee with you By the which testimonies to omit many more we are tyed to follow the examples of the Apostles and to imitate them in all that is holy and good and of good report now it is prayse worthy and of good report to spend the whole Lords day in holy imployments and wee have the Apostles examples and the Primitive Christians for so doing and therefore wee ought to spend the whole Lords day in the workes of piety and charity and by this the sanctifying of the Christian Sabbath which is every seventh day is ratified the prophanation of the which in the reformed Churches and in many places through these three Kingdomes has beene one of the causes of all those heavie judgements the whole Christian world now groanes under and so much more would the Lord bee provoked by the toleration of all Religions amongst us which would give just occasion of violating of all the Commandements of God and of disobedience both to God and man for it is most sure that the Morall Law is not altered in any thing for substance and that God that by it injoyned but one Religion to the Israelites and commanded them to keepe that pure and undefiled and to punish all Idolaters Blasphemers and Seducers hath injoyned the same to all Christians and hath not suffered or permitted them to tolerate all Religions or any sects or heresies which by the Apostle in the fifth of the Galatians are called the workes of the devill who declareth there also that they that do them shall not enter into the Kingdom of God So that those that would bring in a toleration of all Religions have a desire to send men to the devill which is one of the greatest impieties and wickednesses that can bee perpetrated by the sonnes of men Truly if God had such a care for the preserving of the very natural life of man that charissimum animal as hee made a Law that it should be death in any to tolerate or suffer any beast to goe at liberty and range abroad if
was the generall fear of all the great men in Jerusalem and of all the Courtiers and Officers under Herod therefore it is said that Herod and all Ierusalem with him was troubled So that Tyrants and their complices never have any reall peace But in this sense also it cannot be understood that Ierusalem went out to John and was baptized it must therefore by a Senecdoche be taken for all the common people promiscuously or for a mighty multitude of all sorts and of all ranks of people and of all professions as Publicans Souldiers and the ordinary Inhabitants and in this sense the word Jerusalem must be taken for a mighty multitude of men in Jerusalem that were made Christians for otherwise the Evangelist would have said many went out of Ierusalem also as well as out of other places but in saying that all Iudea and all the Regions round about and Jerusalem went out this metaphoricall expression doth signifie That an infinite number of people in Ierusalem it selfe were made Christians and Members of the Church and that it is so to be understood the places following will evidently evince it for in Matth. 11. 12. our Saviour saith That from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist untill now the Kingdome of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force then the which there could nothing be spoke more emphatically to set forth the growth and increase of Beleevers and the multitude of Christians as Luke also in ch 16. v. 16. expresseth saying That the Law and the Prophets were untill Iohn since that time the kingdome of God is preached and every man presseth in to it that is the generality of the people became beleevers and were baptized as it is yet more evident from Luke 7. 29 30. by the very testimony of our Saviour who saith That all the people that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the Baptisme of Iohn but the P harisees and Lawyers rejected the councell of God against themselves being not baptized of him So that by the witnesse of our Saviour Christ except the Pharisees and the Priests all the people or the generality of the people in Ierusalem were baptized and became Christians and imbraced the Gospell and this was accounted among the miracles that was wrought in those dayes and as a thing of speciall observation and as a matter of wonder as we may see in the message our Saviour Christ sent unto Iohn the Baptist by his Disciples when he bad them relate unto their Master what they had seen and heard in the 22. Verse Tell him saith he That the blinde see the lame walke the Leapers are cleansed the deafe heare and the dead are raised and the poore receive the Gospel this I say was among the miracles that the generality of the poore imbrace the Gospel and were baptized and made Believers which must needs import a mighty multitude and a great increase or else it would not have been a thing of such wonder and have been sent unto Saint Iohn as a miraculous thing and a thing worthy to prove Christ himself to be the Messiah looked for for no meere man could have wrought such a work asto draw the hearts of the the people to imbrace the Gospel but the Messiah himself For Paul may plant and Apollo may water 1 Cor. 3. but God only the Messiah must give the increase he must move the heart to imbrace the Gospel and to believe for faith is the gift of God Ephes 2. and therefore this was the wonder that the generality of the people did believe and were baptized and this was the sole work and operation of Christ and therefore proved him to be the Prophet they looked for And it stands with all reason that there were infinites of people in Jerusalem that believed and that Iohn was greatly magnified of the people and publickly followed because for a time Herod himselfe countenanced Iohn Mark 6. 20 and feared him knowing that he was a just man and an holy and observed him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly And although we read not that he was baptized by Iohn yet he highly honoured him till Iohn reproved him and told him it was not lawfull for him to have his Brothers Wife And in this interim of his seeming favour we may conceive that the Courtiers also and the great men would do as their Master did for if we observe the manner of all Courts to this day what the King does the Courtiers also do if the King laugh though there be perhaps a cause of mourning they will all laugh and if he frownes though there be a cause of cheerfulnesse and smiling they will al frown and if the King commends any man they will all admire him and if he hears any Minister gladly they will all heare him willingly and if he when he is reproved be angry and displeased and will cut off his head whom he had so honoured but the day before then all the Courtiers they will helpe him and further the worke as we may see not only in the example of Iohn Baptist but in Haman as soon as the King frownd upon him the Courtiers they covered his face and up they trussed him be it right or wrong it is all one to Courtiers But in that interim I say that Iohn Baptist was in favour with the King without doubt it animated the people greatly to follow him and by hearing him many thousand Saints were converted and the multitudes of them were numerous as is manifest from Matth. 14. 5. for it is said That when he would have put him to death he feared the multitude because they counted him as a Prophet Here are two observables the one That he that feared not God was afraid of his servants The second that it was a mighty multitude of Believers that were in Ierusalem for a few could not have awed the King and kept him in feare and therefore he was forced to defer the cutting off of his head till he had got to him all the strength of Galilee all his Lords and high Captains and his chiefe Estates and Commanders Mark 6. 21. And when he thought himselfe strong enough then he exercised his tyranny Yea when Iohn was taken away yet the multitudes of the people continued stedfast in the faith as we may see in Luke 20. by the confession of the very enemies for when our Saviour asked them concerning the baptisme of Iohn Whether it was from Heaven or of Men And they reasoned among themselves saying if we shall say from Heaven he will say why then believed ye him not and if we say of Men all the people will stone us for they be perswaded that Iohn was a Prophet Here by the confession of the very enemies all the people or the generality of them were Believers and it must of necessity be a mighty multitude that kept all the Priests and all the Elders that had
owne Disciples who had the best and frequentest instruction not only hesitated that is doubted but were right downe scandalized at the Messiah The second is because others did under the forme of Iohns Baptisme fight against the true baptisme and the Baptizer the Lord Iesus These his reasons I affirme are nothing else but a meer calumny and a false accusation and to speake the truth are but his owne wicked and groundlesse surmises and if every man from his owne fictious and fond conceits and supposed premises may take the liberty thus to vent himselfe I know no truth in the whole word of God but may be called in question yea overthrown and I know no Christians nor Saints but may at any time be unsainted and unchristianed Our Saviour Christ in the 7. of Luke vers 32 33 34. compareth those of his time unto little children sitting in the market place and calling one to another and saying wee have piped unto you and you have not danced wee have mourned unto you and ye have not wept for Iohn the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine and ye say he hath a Devill The Sonne of man is come eating and drinking and ye say behold a gluttonous man and a wine Bibber afriend of Publicans and Sinners But wisedome is justified of all her children By which words of our Saviour wee see nothing could please the Gentlemen of his time Now if ever there were an age in the world or company of men in it that might be compared to these little children then this of ours and the people in it especially the Independents may be who are pleased with nothing and can least of all indure any Vniformity in the Church against which they professedly both write and preach and as those in our Saviours dayes did speake against the Ministry of Iohn the Baptist and against Christ himself so at this very day amongst us there are many that make nothing of the Ministry of Iohn professing they take no notice of those that were baptized by him or Christs disciples and I. S. peremptorily affirmeth that those that were baptized by him were no Christians and that his Ministry was imperfect and therefore I conceive all men will judge that the Independents may well be compared to those of Christs time who unchurch all but themselves But saith I. S. they were Iohns owne Disciples that both doubted and hesitated and were right downe scandalized at the true Messias and for proofe of this his saying hee produceth the 3. of Iohn vers 26. I will therefore set downe the words of the text with the forgoing verse which will give some light to the busines in hand verse 25. Then there arose saith the Evangelist a question betweene some of Iohns disciples and the Iewes about purifying and they came unto Iohn and said unto him Rabbi hee that was with thee beyond Iordan to whom thou barest witnesse behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him These are the words out of which I. S. grounds all his accusation against Iohns Disciples by which hee would prove them no Christians But if men would but duly weigh and examine the text they will easily perceive there is not so much as a very similitude of the illation and consequence I. S. inferres from thence For first the question there started was not betweene Iohns Disciples and Christs but betweene the Disciples of Iohn and the Jewes that is betweene the Scribes and Pharisees and Iohns Disciples who were enemies of Iohn the Baptist as well as of Christ and therefore questioned all they did ever and anon asking Iohn and Christ by what authority they preached and did those things they did And so here the Jewes they questioned with Iohns Disciples concerning his Ministry as by all conjecture it may be gathered about legall purifications of which they were very studious and great observers to which the Pharisees had added many of their ovvne as wee may see Matth the 15. and Marke the 7. and therefore they contended with Iohns Disciples about purifying supposing that there was no need of Iohns baptisme and washing seeing they had so much rinsing and purifying already amongst them So that it seemes the contention betweene the Jewes and Iohns Disciples arose upon this that Iohns Disciples much magnified the Baptisme of their Master and the Jewes and Pharisees they extolled as much their Purifications thinking them necessary to salvation which error of the Jewes notwithstanding had often by the Prophets beene confuted as in Isa 1. and many other places Now Iohn that hee might revoke all men from this error that they should not rest in corporall vvashings and in outvvard performances exhorts them to looke unto Christ vvho vvas the truth of which all those ceremonies were but the shadowes and were all fulfilled in him and therefore that they should by faith wholy rely upon him for salvation as the sequell of the chapter doth sufficiently shew Now in the heate of this dispute the Evangelist relateth in the 26. verse that they came unto Iohn and said unto him Rabbi hee that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou bearest witnesse behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him Out of which words I see no reason why I. S. should gather that Iohns Disciples not only hesitated but were right downe scandalized at the true Messias but I see very good ground why the contrary may be concluded if they were Iohns Disciples and that they dearely esteemed Christ and much honoured him rather then that they vvere offended with him But first it is not said that Iohns Disciples came unto him onely it is related that some came unto Iohn they came unto him saith the Scripture which they it is not specified for Iohns Disciples and the Jewes contended and the Jewes are put in the last place so that it may be gathered that they were the Jewes rather then Iohns Disciples that came unto him as being last spoken of mentioned and if they were the Jewes then they vvere the knovvn and profest enemies both of Iohn and of Christ and therefore were none of Iohns Disoiples as I. S. fondly perswadeth himself for they were continuall enemies and adversaries to them both so that if they came unto Iohn they came unto him by way of complaint and as being scandalized then they were not Iohns followers and schollers for they were better taught then to be scandalized at Christ But should I grant unto I. S. for disputation sake that they were Iohns owne Disciples which yet cannot clearly be proved It doth not follow from those words that they either doubted or were scandalized at the true Messiah as I. S. vainly and impiously concludes For if any should hear some one of the Independent ministers greatly magnifie one of his brethren and fellow ministers as to be a man sent from heaven and should say of him That he was the rarest preacher one of them in the
him up upon his throne but by this meanes they dis-throne him And therefore J. S. and all those of his fraternity that not onely unchristian and unchurch all those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Apostles before Christs death but at this day unchurch and unchristian all Christians and Churches but their own are guilty of high contumacy against the King of Saints and King of Kings and are most injurious to all their christian Brethren And truly there cannot be found scarse in the world such an example of temerity and unadvised rashnesse and want of charity and common wisdome as is every day to be observed amongst the Independents who are ever talking of a Church mould after the New Testament forme and excluding all from being true Churches that are not so moulded and yet never tell us what it is For in the holy Scripture we have never read of any other Church mould or of any New Testament forme but of publishing the Gospel and of preaching faith and repentance and of yeelding obedience unto it and of beleeving and repenting and being baptized which both John the Baptist and all Christs Disciples and the blessed Apostles and all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel had a commission to do and a command withall and a blessing annexed unto it that whosoever did repent beleeve and was baptized should not onely be admitted a visible member of the catholicke visible Church but should be saved The words of our Saviour Christ unto his Disciples Marke 16. ver 15 16. are these Go saith he into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Out of the which words and commission of our Saviour I evidently gather that when John the Baptist and Christs Disciples in their severall ministryes went according to their commission preaching from place to place and from city to city and publishing the glad tydings of the kingdom of the Messiah and baptizing such as beleeved they cast them into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and therefore made them all members not onely of the Catholique visible Church but of all those severall particular Churches and Synagogues through all the cities of Judaea and through the world where they preached the Gospel as well as at Ierusalem and that as many of Ierusalem as were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples were all members of that Church and as truly moulded into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and made as reall members and free denizons of Christs Kingdome as any of the new congregations at this day unlesse any will think and beleeve that John the Baptist and the blessed Apostles were ignorant how to gather Churches and nescient of the right mould and forme of the New Testament churches and had not learned their lesson so well as our Independent Ministers which were a piece of impiety and horrid wickednesse to affirme For then it would follow that those that were baptized by Iohn and by the Apostles and Christs seventy Disciples were never saved For I. S. denyes they were Christians and that they were cast into a church mould after the New Testament forme or members of the christian church and therefore by consequent they were in the state of damnation But if all this be wickednesse so much as to think then there is a way yet to Heaven and that a safe one which the Independents are ignorant of for they preach up their way as the narrow way to heaven proclaiming all those that are out of it to be enemies of Jesus Christ and his kingdome and in the state of perdition and yet Iohn the Baptist was ignorant of their way and cast not his Disciples into their mould and yet they went safely to the Kingdome of heaven yea they entred into it by violence as our Saviour speaketh And therefore by this that I have now said by way of answer all men may see the futility and impiety of I. S. and how groundlesse all his arguments are and may very well conclude That all those that were baptized by John the Baptist and by Christs Disciples before his death were members of Christs Church and true beleevers and that as many of them as came from Jerusalem were members of that church and they may also from the foregoing arguments gather That those that came out of Jerusalem to his baptism were in such multitudes for all Ierusalem went out unto him and were baptized as they could not all possibly meet in any one place or congregation or a few therfore I am confident that all those that shall read both what Mr Knollys and I. S. have fondly and impiously replyed to my arguments and what by way of answer I have here set down will adjudge that such unworthy wranglers and cavillers as these are ought by their severall Churches to be severely censur'd for this their ignorance and impiety And this shall serve to have replyed to these their exceptions against my first arguments concerning the multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist I shall answer to all their other severall cavills in their due places I will now therefore go on to shew the increase of beleevers that were made by the miracles and preaching both of Christ and his Apostles and from the severall places out of the holy Scripture frame my arguments as out of the former to prove the same conclusion John the 4. ver 1 2. Now when the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Iesus made and baptized more Disciples then Iohn though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples Here observe that where there was a mistake in the relation there the Evangelist forthwith shews it to rectifie mens understandings as where it was reported that Christ baptized he shewes it was a mistake for his Disciples onely baptized but where it is said that Iesus made more Disciples then Iohn that is taken pro confesso and it was true for Iohn himselfe in the 3. chapter ver 30. had said He must increase but I must decrease Christ therefore made many more Disciples and Beleevers then Iohn and added dayly to the church that was then in Jerusalem such as should be saved for he came to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel and he received all that came to him John the 6. 37. And as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve upon his name John 1. 12. And these were infinite multitudes as we shall see by and by In Iohn the 7. 31. it is said that many of the people of Ierusalem beleeved on him And verse the 40. they said of a truth this is that Prophet And in the same chapter when the high Preists sent the officers to apprehend Christ and returning without him and the high Priests demanding the reason why they had not brought him
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
scandalous so that if ever there were in any Churches a just cause of making a separation it was then and yet the Apostles bid not the Christians separate themselves from the communion and assemblies of the Saints and from the Ordinances for these mens causes but onely that they should looke unto themselves and examine their owne consciences that they may not offend and so make themselves unworthy of the holy things and gives them power to cast out the prophane but no way tolerates them to separate onely hee bids them not be familiar with such as walke disorderly that by this meanes they might learne to amend their lives and tels them of what judgements have alwayes happened to such as were wicked and bids them by their example to take heed how they provoke God by the like as it is at large set down in the tenth chapter and commands them to make no separation but from Idolaters and Infidels and so likewise in his Epistle to the Galatians he says for his own particular he could wish that they that troubled them were cut off yet he biddeth not the Galatians to separate themselvs into Independent congregations Nothing of all such things were taught before these dayes that true beleevers and the faithfull servants of God should separate from the Assemblies of their Brethren every way as dearly beloved of God as themselves and such as with the twelve Tribes of Israel serve their God night and day and would suffer any thing for the Gospell and that anv Christians I say should make separation from the fellowship of such or that such should be accounted as enâ—mies of Christ it was never heard of before our times by which their so dealing they have made the greatest schism in the Church that was ever yet made to the scandall of our holy profession I have been ever taught in Gods holy Word that those faithfull Ministers that preached Jesus Christ and him crucified and opened the eyes of the blind and turned them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ and taught the people that they should repent and turne to God and doe workes meet for repentance and that instructed all men that they being delivered out of the hands of their enemies they should serve God without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their life and teaching them that the grace of God bringing salvation hath appeared to all men for this very end that they should deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God of our Saviour Iesus Christ who gave himselfe for us that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes I say I have beene ever taught by Gods Holy Word to beleeve that those Ministers that instruct the people to doe all these things and where the people by faith imbrace and receive this doctrine are the true Ministers of Iesus Christ those congregations under them the church of Iesus Christ and of his sheepfold and that Christ in all such congregations is set up as King in his Throne as who rules in the hearts of his people and the which are swayed and guided by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit and deserve none of those contumelious languages the brethren asperse both Ministers and people with Of the Ministers they thus speak and print That they deny disclaim and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and Churches so that such a conversion as is wrought by them comes not home to whole Christ and such with their converters do deny Christs Kingly government or at least and best they are converted but in part and that main thing is wanting to wit Christs Kingly office and of all the people and Christian beleevers through the Kingdome that are not in their congregations and new gathered Assemblies they speak and print thus We say the brethren the Independent Ministers exhort them to set up Christ King in their hearts We exhort them to become and professe to be those Saints of whom Christ is King for he is King of Saints Revel 15. 3. but they will not beleeve us say they they will not depend upon Christ as the onely Law giver and King over their consciences Now what would you have us to do in this case say they baptize the Infants of such Parents as will not in this respect professe nor confesse Christ to be their King Why do you not know say they that no Infants have any title to Baptism that are not within the Covenant visibly and how are they within the Covenant visibly but by vertue of their Parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith is there in the Parents that refuse Christ for their onely King that are ashamed or afraid to professe to be in Covenant with Christ as their King if therefore the Parents professe not yea refuse thus to be in visible Covenant can the children be said to be in visible Covenant and so to have a right in Baptism the externall seal of the covenant here is an obex a barre put These are their own words which I have set down at large the summe of them briefly is this that all the Ministers of the church of England that are not of their fraternity do deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly Government over mens consciences and churches and that all the people under their Ministery are men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the main thing to wit 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 denyed Another of the Independents amongst many of the contumelious and disgracefull speeches hee uttereth out against the Ministers of the church of England calling them the blackcoats in the Synod who he is afraid will prove more cruell Taskmasters than their Fathers the Bishops who cowardly sit at home and in his apprehension for no other end but to breed faction and division amongst the well affected to the Parliament promoting their own interest which saith he is lazinesse pride covetousnesse and domination and amongst many such expressions as these hee proclaimes them the sworne enemies of Iesus Christ and desiring that the Parliament may be put in mind of their Covenant for he thinkes they have sworne to root out Popery he tels them they have established Tythes the very root and support of Popery which he doth humbly conceive is a contradiction to their Covenant and which will be a greater snare
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
once delivered to the Saints and against the wayes of Men and such as were brought into the Church by the cunning craftinesse of some and thrust upon the people as the Lawes and Ordinances and wayes of God when they are but their owne inventions and tend to no edification but to the trouble and disturbance of Church and State and such as already have brought a confusion upon us all and if the Lord do not speedily from Heaven send his helping hand we can expect nothing but desolation and all from these divisions that their new wayes have brought in and therefore it is high time for all good christians and such as love the peace of Sion more exactly to examine all these new wayes and to put them upon the proofe of them But that the Brethren should complaine of persecution amongst us and of evill usage it is against all reason and humanity and sheweth little gratitude in them to all the christians both thorow citie and countrey for if they remember when they came over though they had deserted the cause when they had most need of them they were more honoured then any of those famous and learned Ministers that had undergone the labour and heat of the day and they were preferred before them all and setled in the prime Lectures of the Kingdome and had more honourable maintenance then was usually given to any Lecturers before them and therefore they deale not brotherly in any of all their proceedings nor humanely so to asperse them as they ordinarily doe both publickly and privately I am confident there is not such a president in the world of humanity as that shewed here to them it is well knowne and their books practices declare it that they preach new ways new-born truths as they call them and set up new lights Now where was it ever heard of either in the Christian or Pagan world that it was ever permitted unto any Ministers or Preachers to have all the Pulpits in any nation to preach a diverse doctrine to that which is set up by authority and such as tends to make a faction and division amongst the people I doe most assuredly beleeve that there cannot the like president be produced Amongst the Heathen the Iewish Religion in many countries was tolerated but they were confined to their owne Synagogues they might not come in the Heathens Pulpits to preach up the Iewish worship amongst them or to set up another service contrary to the custome of the Nation It was an abomination to the Egyptians that the Iewes should sacrifice in their land they would not have suffered them then to have preached up their Religion in all their Pulpits In Turkey at this day Christians in many places have the liberty of their consciences amongst themselves and have their places for worship to assemble in but they are not so much as permitted to come into their Temples much lesse to preach up their Religion in their Pulpits In France the Protestants are permitted to preach but it is only in such places as are appointed for them they may not preach in Popish Pulpits thaâ— is not permitted unto them In the Low-Countries there is liberty of conscience which they so much plead for of which afterwards and yet the divers sects that are there are not suffered to preach out of those places assigned unto them or to preach publikely in any of their Pulpits against the Religion established by authority neither are they permitted to unchristian them or unchurch them and publikely and in print to proclame them enemies of Christs government and if any should dare attempt such a thing or go about to disgrace their Ministers and Church-government or in the least intrench upon the Magistrates authority they would be made slie like lightning before thunder And yet the bâ—ethren â—mong us have the liberty of all the Pulpits thâ—oâ—h the kingdome without controule and vent all their new wayes and their new borne truths and setup their new lights without any moâ—estation and have all respectfull usage and the onely esteeme of the peoâ—le and are more followed than all our learned godly and painfull orthodox Ministers and yet they cry out of persecution and unchurch and unchristian us all and proclame both Ministers and people all enemies of christ and his Kingdome and count of us little better than of Infidels and keep our children from Baptism and debarre us from Communion with them and exercise a kinde of absolute Lordship over all their brethren so as Diotrephes never did the like nor the Pope moâ—e and yet they cry out of persecution against the aints and lay odious aspeâ—â—ions upon their brethren and fellow Presbyters perswading the people that the Presbyterian way will be as bad or worse then thaâ— of the Prelates But if we as duly examine the manner of the Independent government and compare it with the Presbyterian as we have done the manner of their preaching with theirs we shall finde there is little reason why they should so vilipend the Presbyterian and magnifie their own and why they should make it so hatefull and odious to the people laying aside therefore all pâ—ejudice let us examine things with deliberation and then it will be soon evident that the Presbyterian government is not as bad or worse than that of the Prelates nor so lordly as that of the Independent government which is also Presbyterian and they as well Presbyters as their brethren It is well known that the Prelates assumed and arrogated unto themselves to be the onely Pastors of their Diocesses and ruled all the Ministers and people under them by their own authority and spoiled all both Ministers and people and the severall congregations under them of their liberty and made them all both Ministers and people their vassals and slaves and from whoseâ— ourts there was no appeal Whereas the Presbyterian manner of government is not as that of Lords and Masters oâ—er Subjects and Servants but social as between equalls between brethren friends and collegues who all judg are alâ— judged according to the Word of God where no congregation is above another congregation no Minister is above another Minister but only for order-sake where every Presbyter is left to enjoy the whole office of a Presbyter and each congregation to the freedome of a congregation and what belongs unto them and they able to performe it and the classes to corroborate and strengthen them And if any man be wronged by the Presbytery he may have the benefit of his Appeal and be cleared by more righteous Judges a course ever followed by the Churches and agreeable to the light of nature so that I say if men would without a prejudicate opinion weigh and consider all things and compare the government of the Prelates with that of the Presbyterian they would speedily be undeceived And again if they would compare the Presbyterian Government Dependent with the Presbyterian Government Independent they would have more honourable
I will first discover the ground of your fury against me and then goe on You preach and write that Independencie according to your practise is the onely way to advance Christ upon his Throne and that narrow path which all Christians are commanded to walk in but hitherto your confident saying so is the strongest Argument you bring to maintaine your Assertion Now in that I durst not take your bare word nor no mansliving have he never such fairepretences in Gods matters but with the Bereans searching the Scriptures whether those things were so or no and finding that way contrary to Gods Word and Apostoli call practise having by cleare Scripture and Arguments grounded thereupon discovered the errour of that way out of a Christian remorse and godly pitty to the soules of poore weake tender hearted Christians who are easie to be seduced and carried about with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4. 14. Exhorted Magistrates Parents Masters and all that feare the Lord in sincerity to put to their helping hand to keepe the people from wandering into by-paths and to see that they and their families together doe serve our God live in his feare and walke in the wayes of his commandements according to Scripture rule and the example of the faithfull holy servants of the Lord c. This forsooth is the ground of your quarrell which I thought fit to mention by the way of Preface and for this you accuse mee to be an Adversary of Christs Kingdome an open enemy and Persecutor of the Church and what not to which with a good conscience I answer you scandalize me for according to the Apostles exhortation 2 Tim. 2. 15. I have studied to shew my selfe approved unto God nay further I say I am ready if the will of God be so to lay downe my life for the Regality and Kingly office of Jesus Christ and for the peace of his Church but not in your notion having no warrant for it Brother give me leave to aske you the like question which Paul did the Galatians Gal. 4. 16. Am I therefore an adversary to Christs Kingdome a Persecutor become your enemy because I tell you the truth I appeale to the righteous Judge to judge betweene you and mee herein and passe to other particulars in your charge handling them together as they have neerest relation one to the other Now where you speake of mee as if I were an Hypocrite and boldly accuse me of walking scandalously to the shame of the very name of Christian Religion for these and all your other false calumnies God who is the just Judge of all men will one day call you to an account in the meane time let mee tell you though your accusations be founded as deepe as hell yet neither Satan who is the Accuser of the Brethren Revel 1â— 10. nor any Instrument that hee doth worke in or by can be ever able in the words of truth to prove your charge but it is an old stratagem of Satan when a man labours to walke uprightly to feare God and eschew evill thus to accuse him for when God himselfe had declared the integrity of his servant Job Iob. 1. 8. notwithstanding Satan durst accuse him to be an Hypocrite and say that if God but put forth his hand to touch all that hee had hee would curse God to his face Iob. 1. 9 10 11. and when God gave Satan power over all he had verse 12. and Job still blessed the name of the Lord hee sinned not nor charged God foolishly verse 21 22. yet Satan went on in accusing Job and ceased not untill God gave him power over his body Iob 2. 5. 6. yea his friends through Satans instigation spake against him and condemned him to be a man who had onely shewes of Religion or to use your words faire flourishes of holinesse Iob 4. 6 7 8. Iob 15. 2 3 4 5. Thus hath Satan dealt with mee God gave him power over all I had and over my body hee cast mee into prison that I might be tryed Revel 2. 10. and hee hath stirred up such as should have beene and seemed to bee my friends to accuse mee for an Hypocrite a scandalous Walker and what ever hee falsely suggests unto them yet still I have and will by the grace of God in mee retained mine Integrity and with holy Iob I answer you and all such Traducers My witnesse is in Heaven and my Record is on high My friends scorne me but mine eye poureth out teares unto God Iob 16. 19 20. Brother Burton it cannot be denied but that you and your party have brought the same accusation against me as Satan and Iobs friends brought against him yet as God reproved them accepted of Iob Iob. 42. 8. so my God whom I in truth and sincerity serve with the twelve Tribes of Israel day and night Act. 26. 7. hath approved and will accept of mee maugre all the power false accusations Revilings subtle Wiles and workings of Satan for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2. 11. I am not ignorant of his devises nay herein I have comfort because I know the faithfull servants of God in all ages have beene traduced and accused for Hypocrites and scandalous Walkers wee reade 2 Cor. 10. 2. that the false Apostles did thinke or reckon of Paul as one that walked according to the flesh but as the Apostle speaketh to them in the third verse of that Chapter so I say to you that though I walke in the flesh yet I doe not warre after the flesh c. For I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Act. 23. 1. But were all true you have said and that of your owne knowledge or could you by the testimony of honest sober and approved Christians prove mee such an one as you have decyphered me it had beene a brotherly part more Saint-like and would have brought lesse scandall to the Gospel if you had pleased to have made knowne betweene you and mee wherein you conceived or had been informed that I walked scandalously and if I could not have cleared my selfe from all such wicked aspertions and made it plainely appeare that it was a malicious evill report raysed causelessely then if you had reproved me sharpely you had done as a Christian ought to doe For to reprove sinne is warrantable and an Argument of brotherly Love Levit. 19. 17. but to receive a false report of me or slily raise it up and publish it in print before you had laboured to restore mee in the spirit of meeknesse according to the Apostles exhortation Gal. 6. 1. or told me my fault betweene you and mee and used all such other meanes to have gained a brother as Christ our King and Law-giver hath commanded Matth. 18. 15 16 17. is an open disobedience to his Royall Mandates and doth demonstrate that in all things you have not as you pretend obeyed Christ nor made his will revealed in Gods Word your rule to walke
to be regarded for all they of that fraternity are generally so given to tell untruths that for my part I never believe them neither when they say true nor when they ly for they wil ly by the day by the night But out of my brother Burtons and Hanserdoes words and that in the name of all their brethren I desire the Reader to observe what they both grant And first to consider my brother Burtons expressions for he in them accordeth to these three things viz. First That the Church of Ierusalem was but one particular Church Secondly He acknowledgeth that there were divers companies of Beleevers and that in severall private houses in that Church which did dayly communicate in Gods Ordinances severally Thirdly He asserteth that all those companies in those severall private houses were but so many branches in that one and the same particular Church Now in the second place I shall desire all men duly to weigh Saint Hanserdoes words in his reply to my second proposition and there he aaknowledgeth that the Church of Ierusalem was but one Church notwithstanding in the same page he granteth that that Church consisted of diverse Congregations for he acknowledgeth that they had a congregation in the Temple that is one place and he grants also they had an Assembly in Solomons Porch that is another place and he acknowledgeth moreover that they brake bread from house to house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domatim and thus they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quotidie day by day Here Hanserdo assigneth innumerable places more then the Temple and Solomons Porch wherein the beleevers at Ierusalem communicated and partaked in all acts of worship and that every day and those places were as he assignes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from house to house or in every house for so it is translated by all interpreters and confessed by Mr Knollys So that when Saint Hanserdo hath acknowledged that the beleevers in Ierusalem were in such multitudes that besides the Temple and Solomons Porch wherein they met every day to heare the word they brake bread and heard the word dayly also from house to house and in every house then he in this doth accord with my brother Burton that there were divers Congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem which Master Knollys neverthelesse denyeth affirming that the brethren have not acknowledged it nor the Doctor by Scripture proved it when Saint Hanserdo neverthelesse Vna fidelia duos parietes hath done both For first he acknowledgeth there were many Congregations there Secondly he proveth it by Scripture as out of the first 5 chapters of the Acts So that Master Knollys I hope will not hereafter say that the brethren have not acknowledged that there were many Congregations in Ierusalem But I do verily beleeve that Master Knollys and all the brethren of the Congregationall way when they shall duly and maturely consider what my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo have acknowledged will give them little thanks for their paines for their doctrine is not onely contrary to all the Independents principles but totally subverteth and overthroweth the tenent of the Congregationall way For all the Independent Ministers through the World preach up and publish in all their Pamphlets that in all the Primitive Churches there were no more beleevers in any one of them no not in the very Church of Ierusalem it selfe then could all meet together at one time and in one place to communicate in all Acts of Worship And this doctrine they have broached to all people wheresoever they come perswading them that this is Gods way and the Gospell way and the right way of gathering Churches and therefore they call it the Congregationall way affirming that all the Apostolicall Churches we read of in the holy Scriptures each of them in their severall Cityes and Precincts consisted but of as many as did all meet in one Congregation and this they call Gods Ordinance And many of the brethren both assembled and not assembled have been heard say and promise that if it could evidently be made appear unto them that there were many Congregations and diverse Assemblies of Beleevers either in the Church at Ierusalem or in any other of the Apostolicall Churches that then they would relinquish their opinion of Independency and acknowledge that the Congregationall way had not any warrant and footing in Gods word and that the opinion of the Presbyterians concerning the combining of many Congregations under one Presbytery and their Dependency upon it and their making of a subordination of many Assemblies under one Aristocracy to be governed by the Common Councell and joynt consent of many Elders was Gods Ordinance This I say all the Independents that I have ever talked with or or by relation heard of have promised and by protestation engaged themselves that if it could be made appear unto them by the word of God that there were many Congregations of Beleevers either in Ierusalem or in any of the Primtive churches that then the controversy amongst the brethren would be at an end Now although I have in the foregoing treatise sufficiently evinced and made it evident that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were all dependent upon that one Presbytery yet because it is the chief point of controversie between us and the which being sufficiently cleared is that that will put an end to the whole debate and because also Mr Knollys hath so peremptorily affirmed That the brethren have not acknowledged that there were divers Assemblies of Beleevers there for his farther satisfaction and for the satisfaction of all those of his party and for the satisfaction of all men and that at last the brethren may be the more fully convinced of the error of their wayes and that the simple people also may be undeceived I shall desire them all seriously to weigh and consider what both my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo are forced to confesse though I must needs say thus much of them both That they withhold much of the truth in unrighteousnesse as I shall by and by make appear but this I say I desire all men advisedly to weigh what they are both constrained to acknowledge First therefore I will again set down my brother Burtons words and in the second place I will repeat Saint Hanserdoes expressions For my brother Burton his words are these They were saith he constrained to sever themselves into diverse companies in severall private houses to communicate and which is more he granteth That those severall companies were but so many branches of that one and the same particular Church c. thus he Master Hanserdoes words are these All the beleevers saith he in the Church of Ierusalem met together with one accord in one place to wit the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house and that day by day these are Saint Hanserdoes own words Now I
shall desire all judicious Christians duly to consider both their expressions for all men know that branches either of a vine or tree as we see it in the fifteenth of S. Iohn and in the eleventh of the Romans they are all dependent upon the Vine and root as drawing life and sap from them for being severed and cut off they do forthwith dye and wither Now then if according to my brother Burtons opinion and learning and if his similie be good That there is the same relation between the severall companies in those severall private houses and the whole particular Church in Jerusalem that is between either the branches of the Vine or Tree which ever depend upon their stock or root for sap and life and for the compleating of them then I say by my brother Burtons own concession There were not onely many Congregations of beleevers in that Church but they all of them were dependent of that one particular Presbyterian Church and were all subordinate unto it and were to be regulated and governed Communi consilio Presbyterorum And the same may be concluded out of the words of Saint Hanserdo And whether this be not true or no I refer it to the judgement of all such Christians as have not either morgaged their reason and put it out of their own possession or absolutely sold the fee simple of their understanding and to all such I say as have not been prodigall in eyther of these kindes or have not forfeited all their wit and knowledge and so are to be begged for punies and fools I refer my selfe as most assured they will all say and affirme That my brother Burton with one stroke of this his Phocions hatchet hath cut in two the long thred of all the alribiadian fluent and luxuriant rhetorications to usurpe his own words of all his brethren of the Congregationall way by which they bound and tyed up their ill-shrouded Ill-dependency and by this hath given a fatall stroak to that their Hydra and indeed utterly overthrown their whole Congregationall Fabrick and the same they will conclude concerning Saint Hanserdo Yea I dare in this controversie between us make my brother Burtons and Mr Knollys their greatest friends and my greatest enemies arbiters and judges especially if they be not so wedded to their own resolves and opinions that be they never so adulterated they are yet resolved never to give them a bill of divorce except I say they be men desperately besotted and doting upon their filthy and deformed novelties were they I say much their friends and very much my enemies I dare leave the deciding of this businesse and difference between us unto their judgement and determination And I shall rest most assured and be ever confident if my brother Burtons and Hanserdoes words be true and to be credited and if they both stand to what they have said to wit That there were many companies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that in severall houses where they did communicate and that all these congregations were but so many branches of that one particular Church which brake bread from house to house or in every house as they both affirme that they will all accord judge and conclude That they both of them have overthrown the Doctrine of Independency and that of the Congregationall way and delucidately proved That the Church of Ierusalem was Dependent and Presbyterianly and Classically governed And withall by that I have now said I hope that Mr Knollys himselfe will in time be convinced of his errour and will not hereafter so boldly affirme That the brethren have not acknowledged it especially when he shall deliberately read what my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo that faithfull brother and witnesse hath written But as I accused my brother Burton and Mr Knollys before of jugling and of indirect dealing in this so serious and weighty a matter so here I will make it good for First They make all the beleevers of Ierusalem till the receiving of the gifts of the holy Ghost which we read of Act. 2. ver 1. to amount to no more then an hundred and twenty names and so would perswade the poor ignorant people that there were no more beleevers then in Ierusalem which I affirm is a great wickednesse in them both so to betray the truth and to give the spirit of God the lye when it is manifest out of all the Evangelists that there were infinite multitudes of beleevers then in Ierusalem all inhabitants there and when in expresse words in the second of the Acts it is said That there were devout men and true worshippers from out of all the Nations under heaven at that time in that City Secondly whereas it is related in the second chapter That there were three thousand souls at the first miracle and sermon of Peter converted besides many others that the Lord added dayly to the Church ver 47. And whereas it is recorded in the fourth chap. That there were five thousand men more converted by another miracle and Sermon and whereas it is storied in the 5 chap. upon the miraculous and fearfull death of Ananias and Saphira his wife and through the other signs and wonders the Apostles wrought that beleevers were more added unto the Lord multitudes both of men womē v. 14. mark I pray the expression it is said there were multitudes now multitudes among the Romans and in all nations is ever taken for turba or agmen a great company that is for a great Assembly or Congregation and here the word of God affirmes in the plurall number That by that miracle and by those other wonders of the Apostles multitudes both of men and women were added to the Lord that is to say many more great Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers then were before were added to that Church in Ierusalem all this I say is evident out of those words And whereas it is farther related in the sixt chapter ver 7. that the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith And whereas in divers other places of the Acts it is witnessed that there was increase upon increase of beleevers in that Church And whereas in the 21. of the Acts it is recorded that there were many ten thousand beleevers there all Inhabitants my Brother Burton and Mr Knollys in their enumeration of the Beleevers in Ierusalem at first and last make them but five thousand in all My brother Burtons words are these Growing saith he from an hundred and twenty Acts 1. 15. to three thousand more chap. 2. ver 41. and then in all five thousand chap. 4. ver 4. and all these but one Church Master Knollys his words are these Page 8 Those places in Matthew and Mark and Luke saith he tell us of very many who were baptized by John and by Christs Disciples but do not declare how many