of Rome shall we throw them away upon every Independent Congregation how unstable Rocks these Congregations are and how easily by small tentations shaken in pieces themselves may remember Secondly the Rock whereupon the Church is builded is Christ whom Peter did confesse we may not make any mans profession were it never so cleere and never so zealous the foundation of the Church in such a fashion that the ignorance or hypocrisie of any man may remove the foundation of any Church Thirdly shall no man be a member of a Church till the holy Ghost dictate unto him such a confession of Faith as he did unto Peter if none but the Elect and those who are filled with the holy Ghost may be members of Churches the Anabaptists have won the field However what here is alledged is not true of Peter himselfe who long before that confession was a member of the Church The second place mis-applied is the reproofe of the guest for his comming to the Lords Feast without the wedding-garment whereupon is inferrd the duty of the Church to hold out all who want the wedding-garment of true grace Answ This conclusion is not only beside but against the Text vers 9.10 the servants are commanded to invite as many as they could finde both good and bad they had no commission to hold out any for want of the wedding-garment for that garment was within upon the soule unperceptible by any but his eye who searches the heart and the reynes The Apostles in their search went not beyond a blamelesse profession and experience may teach our Brethren that themselves are able to reach no farther finding after all their triall so many in their purest Congregations whom time declares to want that garment The third place mis-applyed is the parable of the Tares as if the Tares came into the Church by the sleepinesse of the servants Answ This also is a bold addition to Scripture it is not said while the servants sleeped but while men sleeped noting no negligence in men who did sleep when it was seasonable and necessary for them to sleep but only the secret and dark time of the night or the secret dark and imperceptible way of Satan his working in hypocrites and corrupting the Church However this part of the parable is no wayes argumentative for Christ in his full application toucheth not at all upon this circumstance but the maine scope of the parable declareth to us the nature of the visible Church upon earth contrary to the argument in hand That Christ doth not intend to have upon earth any Church wherein the Tares shall not be mixed with the wheat for if he did not finde in his wisedome the expediency of this administration hee could in his power easily alter or prevent it Their fourth argument is drawn from the second to Timothy 3.5 who have a form of Godlinesse but deny the power of it from such we must turne away Ergo who are not found to have positive and satisfactory signes of regeneration ought not to be admitted members of any Church Answ The consequent is naught for the strength of it will lie in this proposition Every professor who bringeth not demonstrative signes of his regeneration and true grace is a man who hath the forme of godlinesse and denyeth the power thereof How false this is both the Text and our Brethrens practice will evidence The Text puts it out of doubt that the men whom the Apostle calls the denyers of the power of godlinesse are persons openly scandalous and flagitious as the verses both before and after doe demonstrate even such whom the Apostle describes Tit. 1. abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate Now it is cleare that many professors who are not able to bring out any convincing signes of their regeneration are notwithstanding free from all scandall and however many hypocrites can goe beyond them in making faire and satisfactory shewes to men yet sundry of them may be the elect children of God and really most gracious in his eyes how unable or unwilling soever they be to make this much appeare to the world Secondly the men whom the Apostle speaks of are to be cast out of the Church after their admission but our Brethren will not cast out all of whose regeneration they are not convinced after once they are admitted for if so Excommunication in every Church would become too frequent Their fifth argument is this No hypocrite none who at last will leave their first Love are to be admitted in the Church for all such will ruine the Church and procure the removing of the Candlestick but all that cannot prove their regeneration convincingly are such Answ This is a bold and rash argument laying a necessity to exclude all hypocrites from the Church and all such as may fall away from any degree of their first love We answer then that the minor is very false for many gracious persons farre from hypocrisie and free from all decay of their first love may be unable to satisfie themselves or others in the certaine truth of their regeneration But the major is more false against the practise of Christ and the Apostles who did alwayes receive divers hypocrites and our Brethren dare not deny that they do so also for their Churches consist not all of reall Saints However the very Text alledged proveth our Tenet for Ephesus to Christ there is a most true Church notwithstanding their fall from their first Love and his threatning of them with the removall of their Candlestick if they did not repent Unto this fifth they subjoyne as appendices two other arguments taken from the ancient types under the Law The first The stones in Solomons Temple were not laid rough in the building Ergo men irregenerate must not bee admitted members of a Christian Church Answ This is a wanton argument though the Temple might be a type of every Congregation and the stones of Temple of the members of a particular visible Church yet that the roughnesse of the stones should be a type of irregeneration and above all that the place of hewing these stones should be a type and that argumentative to inferre that the place of our vocation regeneration justification and sanctification must be without the Church and that it is necessary we be like a stone perfectly hewen before wee be laid in the Church building this is a kinde of Ratiocination which solid divinity will not admit The other typicall argument is this The porters excluded uncleane persons from the Temple therefore the Officers ought to keep the irregenerate from the Church Answ There is no argumenting from symbolick types except where the spirit of God in Scripture applies a type to such a signification and use Where did our Brethren learne to make the porters of the Temple types of the Church-officers Their people will not bee content to be cheated of the Keyes by such symbolizing If they will
of the Gentiles how much more their fullnesse Ans There is nothing here for the point in hand we grant willingly that the Nation of the Jewes shall be converted to the fayth of Christ and that the fullnesse of the Gentiles is to come in with them to the Christian Church also that the quickning of that dead and rotten member shall be a matter of exceeding joy to the whole Church But That the converted Jewes shall returne to Canaan to build Jerusalem That Christ shall come from the heaven to reigne among them for a thousand yeares there is no such thing intimated in the scriptures in hand Master Burrous fifth place is Acts 3.20 21. He shall send Iesus Christ whom the heavens must receive unto the times of the restitution of all things Ans That these words are to be understood of Christs comming to the last Judgement and not of his comming to any Temporall Kingdome on earth we did before prove His sixth place is 2 Pet. 3.10.13 But the day of the Lord will come as a Theife in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up neverthelesse we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Ans First it would be remembred that our Brethren do adde among many other things this also unto the Tenet of the old Chiliasts That before their golden age the earth and all things therein must be destroyed That the earth wherein they are to reigne that the Beasts Foules Fishes Trees and all other creatures they are to make use of in their thousand yeares are to be of new created all the old creatures in their whole kindes being burnt to ashes and destroyed We say secondly That this place is miserably misinterpreted for all that the Apostle is saying is in answer to the scoffers cavill verse 4. requiring in scorne the performance of the promise of Christs comming not unto this thousand yeares raigne but to the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men as the Apostle speaks expressely vers 7. Now all the Chiliasts confesse that this Judgement and that perdition is not till after the thousand yeares so the burning of necessity according to their owne grounds cannot precede but must follow them Thirdly the time whereof the Apostle speakes is called the day of the Lord the usuall discription of Christs comming to Judgement also the day that comes on the world as a theefe in the night which phrase oftentimes in scripture is attributed unto Christs comming unto Judgement but is not true of his comming to the Millenary reigne for the calculation of that time is so well knowne that it is preached and printed to be at such a yeare if not such a mounth or day Also this dissolving of the heavens and Elements with fire is a concomitant of Christ his comming to the last Judgement as is expressely intimated 2 Thes 1.8.9 As for the words whereupon alone they ground their argument the new Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse As if these words could not be true after the last Judgement no righteous man then dwelling upon the earth If they had looked upon the originall they would have seene the weakenesse of their collection for the words runne thus We in whom righteousnesse dwells looke for new Heavens and a new Earth The habitation of righteousnesse referring neither to the heavens not to the earth but to the godly and righteous persons who did waite for the performance of the promise of new heavens and a new earth as our late annotations doe observe And though you would reade them according to our English Translation yet that inhabitation needes not referre to the earth but to the heavens onely as Junius well observes For it is not in qua terra but in quibus coelis and our Brethren if they beleeve Mr. Archer must referre the Pronoune not to both the Substantives but onely to the one for he teaches That during the thousand yeares no righteous soule inhabites the heaven and thereafter that no righteous soule does inhabit either the earth or the heavens wherein now the soules of the godly are all these being turned into hell the habitation of unrighteous men and divells Mr. Burrows seventh place Isa 65.21 And they shall build houses and inhabit them and they shall plant Vinyeards and eate the fruit of them and ver 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth c. Hence concluding not onely a new heaven and a new earth for the Millenary reigne but a planting of Vinyeards a building of houses which cannot be after the day of Judgement Ans First Master Burrowes referres this place to the former passage of Peter if therefore Peters new heavens and new earth must be understood of the life to come Isaiahs new heavens and new earth must be understood of the same Secondly It s very new and harsh divinity to say that after the heavens have passed away with a noyse and the earth with all the workes thereof are burnt up that men shall plant Vineyards and build houses upon the new earth Therefore Master Burrows notwithstanding his argument and reference of Isaiah to Peter seemes in that same place to retract and acknowledge that the new heavens and the new earth must be expounded by a Metaphor and import no more then the doing of so glorious things by God for the Church in the latter days as shall manifest his glorious and creating power as if he did make new heavens and a new earth This is farre from the burning of the heavens and earth that now are It is no more then what the Apostle Peter brings from the Prophet Joel Acts. 2.19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fiâ—â— and vapour of smoake the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into bloud All which Peter makes to be performed upon the day of the Pentecost It is no more then that of Haggay 2.6 Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and all the dry land which the Apostle Heb. 12.26 27. makes to be performed at the first comming of Christ Thirdly That the matter of this 65. chap. of Isai v. 16. is to be referred to Christs first comming and the Apostles first prâ—â—ching unto the Gentiles is cleare by comparing the first verse of this chap. I am found of them that sought me not with the 20 verse of the tenth to the Romanes But Isaiah was very bold and sayth I was found c. Fourthly to expound the Prophets in this fashion were to stumble the Jewes and to give them too great an excuse for their long misbeliefe and too pregnant arguments for to delay their fayth while the Messias come to performe
alone 177 Seventhly the Apostles appointed none to preach but â—ders ibid. Eigthly the preaching of men out of office is a meanes of confusion and errour ibid. The contrary arguments which Mr Cotton in his Catechism and Answer to the 32 Questions borrowes from Robinson answered 178 Chap. 9. Whether the power of Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction belongs to the people or to the Presbytery What is meant by Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction 181 The state of the Question ibid. For the Negative that the people have no power of Iurisdiction we reason First The Officers alone are Governours and the people are to be governed p. 183 Secondly the people have not the Keyes of heaven to binde and loose p. 184 Thirdly the people are not the eyes and eares in Christs body for so all the body should be eyes and eares ibid. Fourthly the people have not any promise of gifts sufficient for government ibid. Fifthly the popular government brings in confusion making the feet above the head p. 185 Sixthly the people have not the power of Ordination p. 186 Seventhly this power in the people would disable them in their Callings p. 187 Eigthly this power of the people would bring in Morellius Democracy and Anarchy in the Church ibid. Ninthly this power of the people will draw upon them the power of the Word and Sacraments p. 188 Mr Cottons ten contrary arguments answered p. 189 Chap. 10. Independency is contrary to Gods Word God is the Authour of the union and dependency of particular Churches p. 196 Separation and Independency were the Anabaptists inventions ibid. From them Morellius and Grotius learned the Tenet p. 197 The state of the Question cleared ibid. That single Congregations are not independent is proved First from 1 Tim. 4.14 p. 199 The second argument from the Apostolick Churches which exercised full Iurisdiction the chiefe whereof if not all were Presbyteriall and not Parochiall p. 202 Our third argument from the subordination of the Church of Antioch to the Synod at Ierusalem Acts 15. p. 205 Our fourth argument from the subordination of fewer to more appointed by Christ Matth. 8. p. 209 Our fifth argument from the evill consequents which reason and experience demonstrate to follow Independency necessarily and naturally p. 212 Our last argument Independency is contrary to all the Discipline that ever was knowne in Christendome before the Anabaptists p. 215 The first objection or argument for Independency from Matth. 18. p. 216 The second objection is taken from the practise of the Corinthians excommunicating the incestuous man p. 218 The third objection from the example of the seven Churches of Asia p. 220 Their fourth objection from the practise of the Churchâ—s Thessalonica and Colosse ibid. The fifth sixth seventh and eigth objection p. 223 Chap. 11. The thousand yeares of Christ his visible Raigne upon Earth is against Scripture The Originall and progresse of Chiliasme ibid. The mind of the Indepâ—ndent Chiliasts ibid. Our first reason against the Chiliasts is that Christ from his Ascention to the last Iudgement abides in Heaven p. 225 Our second reason is built on Christs sitting at the right hand of God till the day of Iudgement p. 227 Our third reason is grounded on the Resurrection of the dead the Godly and ungodly doe all rise together at the last day p. 228 Our fourth reason is builded on Christs Kingdome which is spirituall and not earthly p. 229 Our fifth reason is taken from the nature of the Church p. 230 A sixth reason from the secrecy of the time of Christs comming p. 231 A seventh reason from the Heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs p. 232 An eigth reason the restoration of an Earthly Ierusalem brings backe the abolished figures of the Law p. 233 A ninth Antichrist is not abolisht till the day of Iudgement ibid. The Chiliasts first reason is from Revel 20. 4. p. 234 Our new Chiâ—iasts are Inventors of a new Heaven and of a new Hell p. 236 Twelve other reasons of the Chiliasts answered p. 237 The PREFACE WHile the fire of War continues to scorch every one of these miserable Dominions it is the duty of all compassionate Countrey-men to contribute the uttermost of their best endeavours for the extinguishing of these unhappie Flames before the remainder of all our Churches and States be burnt down to ashes Too much Oil already hath dropped from many unhallowed Pens the times now do passionately call for Waters and them the more cold and clear the better for quenching the thirst of this devouring Beast Vinegar and Gall though in the largest measures whole rivers of Blood will not allay but augment the heat of a Civil War The most hopeful Peace-makers from whose intermedling the greatest successe is to be expected are they whose vessels are filled most plentifully with tears to be poured out before the Throne of God The fire which this day prevails against us which burns up not the flesh onely but the very bones of our Kingdoms is from above it is the Lord who burns against Iacob like a flaming fire which devours round about When the scorching heat of the Sun dries up the moisture from the grasse and corn there is no remedy for the languishing fields till the vapours ascend from below and thicken in a cloud then incontinent the burning beams are intercepted the showres descend from above to refresh and renew the withered face of the parched ground The most seasonable exercise of al who love the peace of Ierusalem is to fill the air with the exhalations of their Spirits with the perfumes arising from the kindled Incense of their Prayers much of these holy vapours will hardly make up one cloud wherefore many hearts would daily be breathing up together some store of that heavenly smoke However for a time all our endeavours may seem to be quite evanished and when we have gone out to behold much ofter then seven times there may appear to our eye not so much as the smallest beginning of the least cloud yet when the period of Gods appointed season is come when the three yeers and six moneths are past over and gone there will certainly arise a cloud which however at first very small and no broader then a hand yet will quickly become so big as to fill the heavens with voices and send down to the wearied earth such plenty of rain as could be wished But to the end the waters of our Prayers may be the more acceptable in the sight of our Prince of Peace who alone dispenses at his pleasure to persons and Nations that very desirable and much longed-for blessing of quietnesse we must cleanse our hands of those crimes which have drawn down from the Throne of Justice that plague of War which so much this day doth vex and well-neer undo us If once our ways did please the Lord he would quickly make our enemies to be at peace with us If Israel did walk in his ways their enemies should soon
shall propound matters as they come to hand Concerning the Constitution of the Church consider their judgement first what they think of others then what of themselves All other Churches they condemn so far as to professe and practise a Separation from them The edge of their Arguments is usually directed against the Church of England alone but when their Doctrine or Practise is looked upon a little more neer it appears they shoot their Bolts at all other Churches in the world which refuse their Way For the Church of England they say it ought not to be called a Church or at best that it is a false and Antichristian Church out of the which every one though not persecuted must flee as they would avoid damnation A Sometimes in their calm mood they will give better words and acknowledge it to be a true Church That the Doctrine and Sacraments thereof are true That many thousands of its members are gracious and elect people B But their ordinary language is of another strain to wit That the Church of England is a meer Harlot divorced from Christ C That the Worship thereof is grosse Idolatry and the Service of the devil D That all the members thereof are unclean beasts and the limbs of Antichrist E That her best Preachers that preach most for Reformation are but Pharisees and Deceivers F That the Faith Grace and Comfort which by their Ministery they seem to bring to the hearts of the hearers is but meer delusion G That their Sacraments are Seals not of Grace but of the wrath of God H That all Communion with her even in the Word and Prayer is to be forsaken I The Unconformists did always zealously plead against the Corruptions of that Church but never against the truth of her being or the comfort of her Communion When by the force of persecution they were driven out then they did flee Of their own accord they did never separate but were ever most glad to live and die in her bosome willing to partake of her Worship and Sacraments whenever they were permitted to dissent in Doctrine and to abstain in practice from those things which they conceived to be corruptions K Concerning other Reformed Churches though free both of Liturgies and Bishops and many other of the English stumbling-blocks notwithstanding all their Reformation yet they pronounce their Worship to be idolatrous L their Government tyrannous and Antichristian M yea their very Constitution both in matter and form to be so vitious N that with a good conscience they cannot communicate with any of them O that the reformed Presbyteries and Synods are no better then the English Episcopacy P yea to Episcopacy they are so favourable that they professe their willingnesse to acknowledge all their Civil Power and much of their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Q 1. that the Presbyterian Divines have ever been as evil as Episcopal Q 2. that the vitious constitution and government of the most reformed Churches in Europe hath flowed from the ignorance and obstinacy of unhappie Calvin R 1. We must not be deceived with their pleasant words when they make fair professions of their hearty agreement in so many things with the other Reformed Churches and of their willingnesse to communicate with them both in Word and Sacraments R 2. These flatteries are contradictory both to their Doctrine and Practice for when they had left England they were so far from joyning with any of the Reformed that they ever erected new Churches after their own way and made it an open and avowed cause of Excommunication for any of their Members to communicate with the Churches of Holland among whom they did live R 3 also the crimes of the Church of Holland which they cry out upon are such which none of the Reformed Divines do condemn S On the other side the Nonconformists whom the Episcopal persecution did banish out of England were ever well content without erecting of a new Church to joyn themselves as Members to any of the forrain Churches Scottish Dutch or French according as they understood their Language or had occasion of abode among them Thus they do judge of others As for the form of that Tabernacle which they professe to build for themselves thus we may conceive it The matter or members of that Church they avow to be Saints but the Members of other Churches they pronounce them for the most part to be wicked and flagitious T The Nonconformists with all the reformed are willing to admit of no others to the Lords Table but these who are Saints by calling in whom they require three qualifications First That they have a good measure of knowledge and professe to beleeve the truth Secondly That in their life and conversation they be without scandal Thirdly That they be submissive to the Discipline of the Church But the Brownists presse a fourth qualification Were a mans profession never so fair and his knowledge never so great In all parts of Doctrine let him be most Orthodox and in his Conversation most harmlesse and inoffensive were he never so willing to joyn in all the Ordinances of God and to be governed according to the strictest Discipline of Christ notwithstanding all this they count him not qualified to be a Church Member except he declare publikely in the face of the Congregation such clear and certain signes of his real Sanctification and true Regeneration as gives full satisfaction not onely to the Minister and Elders and many of the people but to all and every one or at least the major part of the Church V If any prophane person should be admitted he should quickly so far pollute the whole Church that every Member thereof must needs become partaker of his sins X And if upon admonition they did not excommunicate him they themselves ought to be separated from as an infected and leprous Society Y They tell us yet more that not onely the profanenesse of one person doth pollute the whole Church but any one sin or errour of any one Member though godly and regenerate if after admonition he continue therein and be not excommunicate doth so defile the whole that it must be separated from Z To distinguish here betwixt sins greater and lesser to make some errours Fundamental and some preter-Fundamental it is to them a following of the Papists in their absurd distinction of mortal and venial sins the least Errour joyned with obstinacie to them is an Heresie and a just cause of Separation AA They acknowledge it is the fancy of the Anabaptists to separate for every fault and errour but that which alone displeaseth them in this fancy is a fault whereof the Anabaptists seem not to be guilty the not advertising of the Church of the fault and errour of the Member they complain of before they separate If this neglect be helped the rest of the fancy they seem to approve BB Thus much for the matter of their Church the
these corruptions had been removed so farre as I have read in any of their writings they would no more have Separated But the Independents having no such stumbling blocks in their way Bishops and Books being abolished and a barre set up in every Congregation to keep off from the Sacrament every scandalous and ignorant person notwithstanding they will yet Separate The more unjust and lesse cause they have so to doe their separation must bee so much the worse the grosser and more inexcusable Schisme What they say for the avoyding of this challenge will not hold water while they tell us that they are not Separatists because they avow the Church of England to be a true and gracious Church That the Ministry of it is true and saving They should consider that the Brownists when the fit of charity commeth upon them say large as much as all this as before from their own words we have shown k also that some of the Independent Party have gone as farre as that which they confesse makes the Brownists to be justly called Schismaticks l but however suppose their allegation were true it doth not excuse and diminish but much encrease the fault of their separation For it is a greater sinne to depart from a Church which I professe to bee true and whose Ministry I acknowledge to be saving then from a Church which I conceive to be false and whose Ministers I take to have no calling from God nor any blessing from his hand Neither are they cleared from the blot of Schisme by their countenancing the English Assemblies by their preaching and praying therein for beside that they doe no more in this then Mr Robinson hath taught them m They should remember they teach their Schollars that Preaching Prayer Psalmes and all things they doe in the English Congregation are no acts of Church Fellowship n that none of them doth import any Church Membership nor any Ecclesiastick Communion but are such which without scruple they can dispence to very Pagans But we would intreat them to declare if they would be willing to receive any Sacrament in the English Congregations or if they will be content to bee under any part of their Discipline if they will be either Members or Officers in any of our Churches I see indeed the Apologists professe their participation of Baptisme in our Congregations but besides that the Brownists will professe so much of themselves o yet how this is consistent with the constant practice and Doctrine of the Independents I confesse my understanding is too blunt to conceive For however in New-England they give the right hand of Fellowship to the Brownists Congregations p and at London they are said to goe to the Brownists Sacraments q and we did never heare that either in England or Holland they refused any to be a Member for their beliefe of rigid separation or Anabaptisme nor censured any of their Members for falling into these errours yet in formall termes they doe deny the most gracious of their Brethren to live beside them in New-England in the Presbyteriall way of the old Non-conformists r yea in Print they avow that whoever refuseth their Tenet of Independency were they otherwise never so Orthodox and pious they ought not to be admitted to the Sacraments nor enjoy any Church Priviledge s as people who cannot be wholly but at most are in part only converted Yea as such who must be taken for Anti-christian spirits for enemies to Christ and his Kingdome t Neither have I heard that any of them now for many yeares have either celebrated to others or received themselves the Sacraments in any English Church And when it was propounded that they might take charge in some of the best Reformed Congregations of England with a full assurance of a personall dispensation to them for their whole life if they would leave but that one intollerable Tenet of Separation to this day they have disregarded that kind and brotherly Accommodation shewing expresly that in this point of separate Congregations they would be tolerated or nothing else would satisfie their consciences beyond this their best friends were not able by their long and earnest endeavours for divers weeks together to draw them one haires-breadth w if this be not a more cleare and a more inexcusable Separation then was ever yet laid to the charge of any Brownists I professe my utter mistake of the nature of Schisme and desire to be rectified The next singularity of the Brownists their Doctrine of the constitution of the Church in matter and forme the Independents have borrowed to the full and not only enlarged it but when all other grounds faile upon this alone they build the necessity of their separation Concerning the matter of the Church the Independents have learned all their unjust scrupulosity from the other as the Brownists require every Church member to be a Saint really regenerate and justified who at their admission have publikely satisfied the whole Congregation by convincing signes of their true holinesse the other requires the same x. What ever indulgence here the Independents professe to give either to weak ones in whom they finde the least of Christ or to women whom they remit from the Congregation to speak more privately in the Eldership y â— this is no other then the present practise of the Brownists at Amsterdam Only we observe that the Independents here go farther from the Reformed Churches both in the strictnesse and in the loosnesse of their satisfactions The Brownists are satisfied with the signes of personall grace but the Independents require more they proceed to a triall by a long conversation of the sociable and complying disposition of the person to be admitted with the spirits of the whole Church whereof he is to be a member z without this sutablenesse of spirit they will reject them whom otherwise they finde to be Saints aa But their chiefe excesse here is in loosnesse The Brownists will not dispence with known errours and sinnes in the members they will not admit of Anabaptists of proud luxurious contentious people If they finde any such to have crept in among them they professe their judgement is for their casting out by censures But the Independents will here be more wise for the encrease of their party and however they will have nothing to do with Presbyterians bb nor with such people who can live in their confused Congregations yet they make it their rule to hold out none for any errour that is not fundamentall nor for any sinne that is not continued in against conscience cc walking according to this rule they swallow down without trouble the small gnats of Anabaptism and all other Sects who erre not fundamentally and obstinately and against conscience how many Sectaries are thus farre guilty who can determine The little spot of luxury in apparell in diet and many fleshly delights of strife of disdainfull railing and such other faults as are too
minor and conclusion are vitious First the conclusion commeth not neare the question for were it granted it concludes no more but a duty of the Church-officers and members to try and be satisfied about the state of these who are to bee received into the Church but it hath no word of an other duty which is the point in question It speaks nothing of a necessity to separate from a Church upon the neglect of the former duty this alone is the state of the present controversie which neither is expressed nor by any consequence doth follow from any thing that is expressed in this conclusion for suppose it were a duty laid by God upon every Church-Officer and member to enquire accurately after the Faith and Sanctification of all to be received among them and to expect satisfaction in their tryall yet I hope that every neglect of duty in the Church-Officers much lesse in every Church-member and least of all the want of successe of a duty truly performed will not be found a just and necessary cause for every one to separate from a Church if all this be not expersly concluded this arrow misseth the marke Secondly That which is expressed in the conclusion pitcheth only upon one particular case which the Reformed Churches neither do nor may acknowledge for it speaks only of admission of members upon their confession of sins This fits well the practice of the Brownists who suppose a necessity to dissolve the Reformed Churches that now are as vitiously constituted from their first beginning They may seeme to have reason in their gathering of new Churches to put their members to tryall before admission but the Reformed Churches who take themselves to be so farre true that they need no dissolution or new erection are not concerned in this case of admission for their members were borne in the Church and had the Covenant sealed to them in Baptisme what tryall they take of their children when they admit them to the Lords Table is no wayes for their admission to be members for this practice is a maine pillar of Anabaptisme and our brethrens engagement therein is the ground of all their sympathy and symbolising with that Sect So then the conclusion commeth short of the question and toucheth not the Reformed Churches but is builded on the pillars of rigid Separation and Anabaptisme taking that for granted which no Reformed Church may admit but upon hard termes no milder then the nullity and dissolution of all their Churches that out of the rubbish a new building may bee erected after the Separatists patterne The major also is vitious for suppose the antecedent of it were true yet there is no force therein to inferre the consequent be it so that every Church-member ought to be so holy as you will yet can this inferre the peoples power to try that holinesse which is the one halfe of the consequent Such a power in the people would make every one of them a Church-Governour which none of the Reformed Churches nor the halfe of the Separatists themselves will admit and they who doe plead for it set it upon other pillars but no man I know deduceth it from any thing in the antecedent now in hand For the rest of the consequent the Officers satisfaction in the true and sincere grace of the members at their first admission if it have any truth yet it commeth too short of reason and runnes also farre beyond the most rigid Separatists If a tryall must be made of Church-members why at their first admission alone and never after Is it not an ordinary case in all Churches and as much among the Brownists and Independents as any other that many who at first have been taken for truly regenerate have thereafter fallen to such errours in judgement and such practices in life as have given just ground to conclude the irregeneration of some and to doubt the regeneration of others Now if the uncertainty of regeneration be a just cause to hold a man out of all Churches is it not as just a cause to cast a man out of a Church when by doctrine or life this uncertainty appears which at first was covered yet none of our Brethren affirm that the uncertainty of regeneration nor the certainty of irregeneration is a just ground to cast any man out of the Church who once is come in The consequent also runs wide of the rigid Separatists for the holinesse they require is expresly externall which may stand with the internall wickednesse of hypocrites but the consequent speaks of inward sincerity contradistinguished from all outward professions The Minor is the part of the Argument which they labour to fortifie knowing the greatest weight to lie upon it We do deny it as a very dangerous errour every member of a visible Church is not in truth and sincerity a Believer and Saint This is against Scripture and all experience in every visible Church all who are called are not chosen In the field of God there are tares among the wheat in his fold goats amongst the sheep in his net bad fishes among the good in his house vessels for dishonour not for honour only In the best Churches of the Scripture we have too many bad members Iudas Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus Hymeneus and Philetus Demas and the like They dare not deny but some gracelesse hypocrites are in their best Congregations and if they should deny it the frequent out-breaking of their enormities to the eyes of the world would extort their confession The proofes they bring come not up to the Question that in the first of the Corinthians first and second sanctified in Christ and called to bee Saints if yee understand it of an outward calling alone it is not pertinent if of an inward efficacious call it is true not of every member but of some onely and is attributed to the whole Church of Corinth indefinitely because of these some who truly were elected justified and sanctified but that this was not true of all and every one of that Church is cleare by the Apostles complaint of many among them of some for Incest of others for injurious defrauding of their neighbours of some for carnall Schismes of others for prophane drunkennesse at the Lords Table it selfe of others for fundamentall errours The first of the Gal. 2 v hath nothing sounding toward the present question but the fourth verse is brought by the Brownists to something neare it that Christ had dyed for the Galatians sinnes and separated them from this present evill world if this import any true grace yet it may not bee applyed to every member of that Church for in the words following the Apostle beareth witnesse that sundry of them were removed to another Gospel that they were foolish and bewitched to rebell against the truth The relation of the Church to the persons of the Trinity that it is the body and Spouse of Christ the Temple of the holy
Ghost the sonnes and daughters of the Father must be understood as many such priviledges of the universall and invisible Church or when any of them are to be applyed to a particular visible Church they must be understood of that Church not according to every one but only the living and gracious members thereof That such priviledges of the Catholicke invisible Church when they are applyed to a particular visible Congregation are to be understood according to this distinction of members Robinson him selfe while yet in his rigid separation grants it expresly The places thus expounded prove not the point for grant to every Congregation so high priviledges as you will yet if they must be verified of that Congregation only according to some members and not according to all if they be to be understood only of the Elect in that Congregation who have the sanctifying Spirit of Christ not of many others who are dead in nature and yet are such members who have right from God according to our Brethrens own Tenet to perform Church acts such as are the preaching of the Gospel the celebration of the Sacraments the admission of members the execution of censures with such authority from Christ as makes all these acts truly valid for the comfort and salvation of the Elect they prove not the true grace of every person whom we must acknowledge to be a true member of a Church If you will extend these places to every singular member of particular visible Churches as indeed the Argument if it have any strength doth import the absurdity will be great for so it will carry to the Pelagianisme of Arminius in the extent of the true grace of God beyond the Elect to all the members of a visible Church also to the totall and finall Apostacy of many who are the Temples of the holy Ghost the members of Christ the faithfull and sanctified children of God For the Argument maketh every member of any visible Church to be such daily experience proves that many members of every visible Church are castawayes Yea the Argument drives further then any of the Arminians will follow for however they extend the true and saving grace of God beyond the Elect members of a Church yet none of them ever said that this sanctifying and saving grace must be in every person before they can bee admitted members of any Church For this is that grosse errour which the Independents have learned not so much from Arminius as Socinus to put all men unconverted without the Church that in this condition they may be converted by the preaching of private men and if by Pastors yet by their Preaching not as Pastors but as private men dealing with these who are none of their Flock but without the Church Neither doe the Socinians so farre as I know extend their Tenet thus farre as to require all before they be members of the Church to be truly regenerate as if the only instrument of regeneration and conversion were the preaching of private men without the Church and the preaching of Pastors within the Church did serve only for the continuing of the sence of justification and the encrease of sanctification as being performed of purpose only unto these persons who at their first entrance into the Church while yet they were without and but comming in have demonstrate the certainty of their enjoying these graces The second Argument God receives none to be members of the visible Church but those who shall be saved but the Stewards of Gods house may receive none but whom God doth receive Ergo the Stewards of Gods house may receive none to bee members of a visible Church but those who shall be saved Answer The Conclusion is subject to the most of the faults observed upon the conclusion of the former Argument which I doe not repeat only consider that this conclusion beareth expresly that none may be members of a visible Church but these who shall be saved and so who are truly Elect. We would not be deceived with their distinctions of inward and outward holinesse of seeming and reall grace of charitable and veritable discerning for this and the other Argument inferres flatly that no other must be received as members in a visible Church but such as first are tryed and found to bee really holy and who shall be saved We Answer therefore to the Minor That it is evidently false for the Reasons which we brought upon the Minor of the former Argument The place of the Acts brought for the proofe of it is detorted such as were to be saved were added to the Church is this indefinite proposition to be understood universally that all who were to be saved were added to the Church the former Argument maketh this no necessary truth for if men must be justified sanctified and put in the way of salvation before they be added to the Church then though they were never added to the Church they may well bee saved They would doe well here to remember their own ordinary practice contrary to that which here they professe to be the way of God Why doe they not adde to their Church all that are to be saved why exclude they many whom they grant to be truly gracious and Elect upon this ground alone that they cannot approve of their Independency or Covenant Or suppose the proposition to be universall yet must it be reciprocall and convertible Be it so that all who were to be saved were added to the Church yet must all who are added to the Church be saved This is an evident untruth Will they that all the members of their Church must be saved or doe they think that all the persons of their Churches who shall not be saved were never true members of their visible Church Iudas was made a member of the Apostolick society by Christ and many men were brought into the visible Church by the Prophets and Apostles who shall not be saved Shall damnation and want of true grace cast them all out of the true Church and take from them their power and right to do the actions of a Church-member The third Argument If it be put in any forme will readily fall under the exceptions of the first but since the Author puts no forme upon it I shall only consider its matter It consists of the misapplication of three Scriptures first of Peters Confession Matâ—h 8. they alledge that such a profession of Faith as the Father reveales to particular persons is the ground of a visible Church and so who ever is a member of that Church must both professe Faith and have the Spirit to indite that profession Answer This is a strange Argument For first we may not admit that the Church founded upon the Rock is every particular visible Church The priviledges of the Catholike and visible Church which the Iesuites by all their wrestlings have never been able to extort from us for their Idoll
make the Temple a type not only of Christs body and the Church universall but of every Congregation yet by what Scripture will they make legall uncleannesse typifie the estate of irregeneration And above all how will they make the exclusion from the Temple for legall uncleanesse a type of rejection from Church-membership for irregeneration Nothing more common then legall cleanesse in a person irregenerate and legall uncleanesse in a person regenerate Legall uncleanesse did never hinder any from Church-membership under the old Testament albeit for a time it might impede their fellowship in some services but irregeneration did never hinder communion in any service It is a question whether very scandalous sins did keep men ceremonially clean from the Temple and Sacrifices but out of all doubt irregeneration alone was never a bar to keep any from the most holy and most solemn services whether of the Tabernacle or Temple There are two other arguments couched in the conclusion of the debate First from the 3 of Matth. Iohn the Baptist excluded the Scribes and Pharisees and the profane people from his Baptism Ergo the officers and body of the people should not admit irregenerate people to be members of the Church Ans The consequence is not good from Iohn the Baptist to all the officers and body of the people nor from Baptism or any Sacrament to Church-membership nor from the Scribes Pharisees and profane people to every irregenerate person what loosnesse is in such reasoning But the worst is that the antecedent is clearly against the places of Scripture alledged Iohn the Baptist did not exclude either the Scribes or the Pharisees or the common people from his baptism but received all that came both the Scribes and Pharisees and Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the region about Iordan requiring no other condition for their admission to his Sacrament then the confession of sinne and promising of new obedience acts very feasable to irregenerate people His last argument is from Acts 8. Philip admitted none to his baptism but upon profession of Faith Ergo none should be admitted members of a Church without an evidence of their regeneration For shortnesse I mark but one fault in the consequence yet a very grosse one That profession of faith is made a certain argument of true grace and sanctification Will any of our Brethren be content to admit their members upon so slender tearms as Philip or any of the Apostles did require of their new converts Will the profession that Iesus is the Christ or such a confession of faith as Simon Magus and all the people of Samaria men and women after a little labour of Philip among them could make be an evident and convincing signe of regeneration Thus we have considered all Mr Cottons arguments let any man according to his conscience pronounce what strength he findes in any of them whether or not in them all together there be such firmnesse as to sustaine the unspeakable weight that is in the conclusion builded upon them I mean a necessity of separation from all the Reformed Churches except these of the Indepent way I may adde from them also and all else that ever have been in the world from the beginning to this houre for in none of them these hard conditions of satisfactory evidences of regeneration before persons can be admitted members were ever so much as required and among the Independents where these conditions have been required they were never found nor possibly can be found as they doe require them CHAP. VIII Concerning the right of Prophecying THe second question I propounded concerneth the dogmatick power so to call it of their Church-members They teach that the power of prophesie or publike preaching both within and without the Congregation belongeth to every man in their Church who hath ability to speak in publike to edification The Reformed Churches give this power only to Pastors and Doctors who are called by God and the Church to labour in the Word They do not deny to every Christian all true liberty in private as God gives them occasion in an orderly way to edifie one another nor do they deny to the sons of the Prophets who are fitting themselves for the pastorall charge to exercise their gifts in publike for their preparation and triall but publike preaching they do not permit to any who are not either actually in the Ministry or in the way unto it The Socinians and Arminians the better to advance their design of everting the publike Ministry do put it in the hand of any able man to preach the Word and celebrate the Sacraments The Brownists upon the mistake of some Scriptures give liberty to any of their members whom their Church thinks able to preach Mr Cotton and his Brethren in New-England did follow for a long time the Brownists in this practise yet of late feeling as it would seem the great inconveniency of this liberty of prophecying they are either gone or going from it for in their two last books The way of their Churches and the Keyes they not only passe this popular Prophesying in silence but also do evert the chiefe grounds whereupon before they did build it our Brethren here of Holland and London seem not yet to be accorded about it these of Arnhem did to the last day of their Churches standing maintaine it their gentlemen preaching ordinarily in the absence of their Ministers but at Roterdam Mr Bridge would never permit it yet Mr Simpson thought it so necessary an ordinance that the neglect of it was the cheife cause of his secession from Mr Bridge and erecting a new Church neither ever could these two Churches be united till after both Mr Bridges and Mr Simpsons removall their Successor did find a temper in this question permitting the exercise of prophesie not in the meeting place of the Congregation but in a private place on a week day our Brethren at London are for this exercise not only upon the former grounds but especially to hold a doore open for themselves to preach in the Parish-Churches where they neither are nor ever intend to be Pastors only they preach as gifted men and Prophets for the conversion of these who are to be made members of their new Congregations The reasons we bring for our tenet are these First Who ever have power to preach the word ordinarily have also power to baptise But only Ministers have power to baptise Ergo only Ministers have power to preach the Word ordinarily The Minor how ever the Arminians and some few of the late Brownists deny yet all the Independents grant it but they deny the Major which we prove by two Scripturall reasons first Christ conjoyns the power of baptism with the power of preaching Ergo who have the power of preaching have also the power of baptising which Christ hath anexed to it Matth. 28.19 Go and teach all Nations baptising them Their Reply that Christ speaks
Thus farre the most of their reasons doe carry if they have any force at all Secondly the Antecedent may well be denyed all that the Apostle speaks to the Collossians indefinitely must not be expounded of every one of the people This precept of speaking to Archippus could not be better performed then by the Presbytery whereof Archippus was a Member Thirdly the consequence is invalid They might admonish therefore excommunicate Every admonition is not in order to censure it is a morall duty incumbent to every one to admonish lovingly and zealously his Brother when there is cause it is a sinne and disobedience to God if we let sinne lye upon any whom we by our counsell and admonition can helpe but to conclude that we have power to Excommunicate every man whom in duty wee ought to admonish is an absurdity which none of the Separatists will well digest Fifthly From Revel 2.14.20 The whole Churches of Pergamus and Tâ—yatira are rebuked for suffering wicked Hereticks to live among them uncensured Ergo it was the duty of all the Church to censure them Answer First the conclusion is for a power to the people to censure which our Brethren now deny Secondly The Antecedent may be denied for the fault of that impious Toleration is not laid upon the whole Church but expresly upon the Angell Thirdly the consequence is not good The whole Church might be reproved for a neglect of their duty in not inciting and incouraging their Officers to censure these Hereticks but a reproofe for this neglect inferreth not that it was the peoples duty to execute these censures Thus much our Brethren will not avow Sixthly They reason from Revel 4.4 The foure and twenty Elders sate on Thrones in white Robes with Crownes on their heads Ergo Every one of the Church hath a power of judging as Kings with Crownes sitting on their Thrones Answer First the conclusion ever inferres the full Tenet of the Separatists Secondly the consequence is very weake except many things be supposed which will not be granted without strong proofes first that this Type is argumentative for the matter in hand secondly that this place is relative to the Church on earth rather then to that in heaven thirdly that these Elders doe typifie the people rather then the Officers fourthly that the Thrones and Crownes import a Kingly Office in every Christian to be exercised in Church censures upon their brethren more then the white robes doe inferre the Priestly Office of every Christian to be exercised in Preaching the Word and celebrating the Sacraments Seventhly They reason from Galatian 5.1.13 the Galatians were called unto Liberty whereto they behoved to stand fast as to a priviledge purchased by Christ his blood Ergo Every one of them had a power to cut off their Officers Answer This is the Scripture whereupon our Brethren have lately fallen and make more of it then of any other I confesse their reasoning from it seemes to me the most unreasonable throwing of the holy Scripture that I have readily seene in any Disputant The whole scope of the place carrying evidentty a liberty from the burthen and servitude of the Law Their fathering upon it a new and unheard of sense to wit a priviledge of Church censures without any authority or proper power therein is very strange they cannot produce any Scripture where the word Liberty hath any such sense and though they could yet to give the word that sense in this place where so clearely it is referred to a quite diverse matter it seemeth extremely unreasonable Eightly Thus they reason The whole Congregation of Israel had power to punish Malefactors as in the case of Gibea in the message of Israel to the two Tribes halfe also the people had power to rescue from the hands of the Magistrates as in the case of Jonathan from Saul Answer The consequence is null for the practise of the Israelites in their civill state is no sufficient rule for the proceedings of the Church of the New Testament Our Brethren would beware of such Arguments least by them they entertaine the jealousie which some professe they have of their way fearing it be builded upon such principles as will set up the common people not onely above their Officers in the Church but also above their Magistrate in the State That it draw in a popular government and Ochlocracie both in Church and State alike Ninthly They thus reason Who ever doe elect the Officers they have power to ordaine them and upon just cause to depose and excommunicate them But the people do elect their Officers Ergo. Answer The major is denied for first election is no act of power suppose it to be a priviledge yet there is no Jurisdiction in it at all but Ordination is an act of Jurisdiction it is an authoritative mission and putting of a man into a spirituall Office The people though they have the right and possession by Scripturall practise of the one yet they never had either the right or the possession of the other Secondly suppose the Maxime were true whereof yet I much doubt unlesse it be well limited Ejus est destituere cuius instituere that they who give authority have power to take it backe againe yet we deny that the people who elect give any authority or office at all their election is at most but an Antecedent Sine quo non it is the Presbytery onely who by their Ordination doe conferre the Office upon the elect person Finally They argue No act of Jurisdiction is vâ—lid without the peoples consent Ergo to every act of Jurisdiction the peoples presence and concurrence is necessary Answer The antecedent in many cases is false a gracious Orthodoxe Minister may be ordained a Pastor to a Hereticall people against their consent an Hereticall Pastor who hath seduced all his flocke may be removed from them against their passionate desires to keepe him but the Consequent is more vitious where ever consent is requisite their presence much lesse authoritative concurrence is not necessary all the souldiers are not present at the Counsell of War and yet the decrees of that Counsell of War can not be executed without the consent and action of the Souldiers every member of the Church of Antioch was not present at the Synod of Jerusalem diverse members of the Independent Congregations are absent from many Church determinations to the which upon their first knowledge they doe agree CHAP. X. Independencie is contrary to the Word of God THe Divine Wisedome which found it expedient for man before the Fall not to live alone hath made it much more needfull for man to live in Society after his weakning by sinne Woe to him that is alone for if he fall who shall raise him up The best wits of themselves are prone to errors and miscarriages and left alone are inclined to run on in any evill way they have once begunne But engagement in
full exercise of all Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction that all such were Presbyteriall and not Congregationall We prove it thus A Church which cannot all convene in one house for the publicke Service of God a Church which hath more Pastours then one is Presbyteriall not Congregationall according to the grounds of our Adversaryes But all the Churches we reade of in the New Testament to have had the full exercise of all Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction did meete in more places for divine worshippe and had more Pastors then one This we demonstrate of the cheife the Church at Jerusalem Samaria Rome Corinth Ephesus Antioch neither can a reason be given why the rest of the Scripturall Churches should not be of the same kind Beginne with the Mother-Church of Jerusalem A company consisting of many thousand persons and wanting a publicke house of meeting could not convene into one place for worshippe for this very day when Christians have gotten most stately and spacious Palaces for Churches hardly one thousand can commodiously be together for solemne worshippe and if we looke to the practise of the Adversaries a few scores of men will be a large Church As for the State of the Church at Jerusalem First It is granted that for many yeares after the Apostles neither it nor any other company of Christians in any part of the world had a publicke place of meeting Secondly That this Church did consist of many thousand people the following places prove Acts. 2.41 The same day were added unto them about three thousand Also chap. 4.5 The number of the men were five thousand And where there were so many men if yee looke to the ordinary proportion there were of women and children twice or thrice so many Neither did that Church stand at the named thousands for Acts. 5.14 more multitudes both of men and women were added to the Church and the number of the Disciples was yet more multiplyed chap 6.1 Also that which we reade chap. 2.47 The Lord added to the Church daily seemeth to have continued for a long time To that which is replyed by some that a great part of the named multitudes were strangers and not Inhabitants at Jerusalem and so no Members of that Church We answer that this is said without warrant That of the three thousand mentioned in the third chapter some part were strangers we will not deny to be likely but that the most part were so or that of all the thousands named in the fourth fifth and sixt any one was a stranger it cannot be proved from the Text. As for that which they bring from the 2 chap. 44. All who beleeved were together as if the whole Church had alwayes come to one place for the publicke worshippe We say that it was simply impossible for three thousand people not to speake of twenty thousand and above to meete in one private house for they had none publicke neither did they in the streetes celebrate their Sacraments So we are necessitated to take the Churches being together one of three wayes either for the conjunction of their minds as the following words doe import they continued with one accordin the Temple or else their meeting together must be understood distributively in divers places not collectively in one as the words in hand will also beare where the celebration of the Lords Supper and breaking of bread is said to be not in any one house onely but from house to house The Church meete thin a third way together when not all the members but the Officers with a part of the people convene in a Presbytery as appeareth from the 15 and 21 chapters The case is no lesse cleare of the Church of Samaria Acts 8.6.10.12.14 verses the People of that City with one accord from the least to the greatest both men and women did beleeve in such a number that the cheife of the Apostles Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to assist Philip in their instruction Could this whole City which was amongst the greatest of Canaan convene all to Gods worshippe in one private roome or be served with one Pastor who required for a time the attendance not onely of Philip but further of two prime Apostles Come to the rest The Roman Church was one Body Rom. 12.6 yet so great that it could not meet in one private roome For in the 16. chap. beside the Church which met in the house of Aquila v. 5. there are a number of houses set downe in which besides divers Saints named there were many others also unnamed which worshipped with them v. 14 15. So great were the multitudes of Christians then at Rome that their fame was spread over all the world chap. 1.8 and chap. 16.19 In the City of Rome were many hundred thousand men the halfe of which according to Tertullian were Christians the age after the Apostles and a little after Cornelius recordeth that more then forty preachers did attend the instruction of that people who yet had no publick place of meeting The same was the case of the Church at Corinth at its very beginning Acts. 18.8 It did consist of a multitude both Iewes and Gentiles beside all which God had much people in that City v. 10. which by the continuall labours of Paul for 18 monthes were converted v. 11 for whose instruction beside Paul Apollos Timotheus a great number of other Doctors attended 1 Cor 4.15 not to speake of a multitude of false Teachers they had also a number of idle and vaine Teachers who kept the foundation but builded upon it hay stubble and timber Could all these meete together in one private place unlesse yee would understand their meetings distributively or for the convention of their Officers with a part of the people for discipline Also at Ephesus was but one Church For Acts. 20.17 Paul called to him the Elders of that Church in the singular yet that in Ephesus there was so great a number of Christians as could not commodiously serve God in one private roome it seemes most cleare for in that most noble Mart Town Paul did preach whole two yeares Acts 19.10 yea he ceased not day nor night for full three yeares cha 20.31 The feare of God fell on all that people both Jews and Gentiles and the name of Jesus was magnified cha 19.19 So great a multitude even of Scholars was converted that the Professors of curious arts alone did make a fire of Bookes to the value of 50000 peeces of silver so mightily grew the word of God there v. 20. Further in the Church of Ephesus were many Pastors for Acts. 20.17 Paul called for the Elders not one onely That divers of these if not all were Pastors and Doctors it appeareth from v. 28. where they are appointed by the Holy Ghost to be feeders of the flocke and get a Commission to oppose false Doctors about the which they went faithfully as the Lord beareth them witnesse Revel 2.2 Now the charge
offended by a brother as well without as within the same Congregation and as well by many brethren as by one yea as well may we be offended by a whole Church as by one member thereof Now if after the minde of our adverse party the subordination of fewer to moe might not be extended without the bounds of one Congregation the Lords medecine were not meete to cure very many ordinary and daily scandals for what if a man be scandalized by the neighbour Church To whom shall he complaine When the Church offending is both the Judge and party it is likely she will misregard the complaints that are made to her of her selfe What if a man be scandalized by his owne Church or by the most or by the strongest part of it What if that Church to whom he complaineth take part against Justice and reason with him upon whom he complaines It will be impossible to remedy innumerable offences which daily fall out among brethren unlesse appeales be granted and the subordination established by Christ be extended not onely without the bounds of one Parish but as farre and wide as the utmost limits of the Church universall for upon this place is rightly grounded by the Ancients the Authority of Synods even Oecumenick of all the Churches Thirdly the subordination established by Christ Matth. 18. is so farre to be extended in the Christian Church as it was extended in the Church of the Jewes for Christ there alludeth to the Jewish practise But so it is that in the Iewish Church there was ever a subordination of fewer to moe not onely within the same Synagogue but within the whole Nation and so within the whole Church Universall for all Synagogues everywhere in the world were under the great Councell at Ierusalem No doubt of the Minor the Major is builded upon this ground that what ever Christ hath translated from the Synagogue to the Church especially if it be of naturall equity hath as great force now amongst Christians as of old among the Iewes Now that the subordination of Synagogues to the great Councell is of naturall equity it appeareth thus A Synagogue was the lowest Ecclesiasticke Court the Councell was the highest but the subordination of the lowest Court to the highest is of naturall right for Nature hath ever dictated to all Nations as well in things civill as religious a subordination of the lowest to the highest Our fifth Argument That which taketh away all possibility of any effectuall remedy against Heresie Idolatry Schisme Tyranny or any other mischiefe that wracks either one or moe Churches is not of God for God is the Author and conserver of truth purity union order liberty and of all vertue God of his goodnesse and wisedome hath provided for all and every one of his Churches meanes and remedies which if carefully made use of are sufficient to hinder the first arising of Heresie Schisme or any other evill and when they are risen to beate them downe and abolish them so that what ever cherisheth these mischiefes and is a powerfull instrument to preserve them safe that none with any power with any authority for any purpose may get them touched that must be much opposite to the Spirit of God and good of the Church But such is Independencie as both reason and experience will prove Behold first severall Churches Suppose which too oft hath falne out that the Pastor become a pernicious Hereticke let him beginne with the venome of his Doctrine to poyson the hearts of his people what shall be the remedie Independency bindes the hands of Presbyteries and Synods Pastors of Neighbouring Congregations have no power to binde or expell that ravenous wolfe in the destroyed flock there is no Pastor but the wolfe himselfe Be it so that the people in their judgement of discretion perceive well enough the wickednesse of the false doctrin whereby they are corrupted yet the office charge and authority to cure their Pastors disease lyeth not on them The Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets the Pastor is not to be proceeded against with censure by the people of his flocke for so the order which God hath established in his Church should be inverted if they whom hee hath commanded to obey should rule and they whom he hath set above and over the flocke should be under it Further Suppose the Pastor to be most gracious what if the flocke or the greater part of the flocke become so wicked as to abuse their Pastor or to abuse the most godly of the Congregation What if a wicked spirit of Heresie Schisme or Tyranny set the most part of the flocke against God against their gracious Pastor and the godly of the flocke what shall be done in this pitifull and very possible yea oft contingent case Indâ—pendency closeth the doore of the troubled Congregation that no man may goe out to cry for any powerfull helpe to neighbours though their kindled house should burne them all to death within there is no remedy for all most goe there by the number of voyces and the most part oppresseth the best the most wicked go on against the Councells the intreaties the prayers of the rest and cease not till they have either corrupted or cast out their Pastor Elders and all of their fellow-members who are constant in goodnesse that so their wickednesse without controle may domineere in the whole subdued Congregation So long as Independency standeth no effectuall authoratative or powerfull helpe can possibly be found for the preservation of any single Congregation against ruine and totall subversion Further Independency hazards the being of all Churches as well as of every one For who shall hinder any member of a corrupted Congregation to infect all the neighbour Churches with the poyson of his doctrine and manners If a ramping Lyon a viperous Serpent a crafty Fox should goe and devour all the Lambs of the neighbour flocks Independency doth hinder any order to be taken with that limbe of Sathan no sword of censure can be drawne against him he must be referred absolutely to his owne Congregation other Churches may intreate advise and pray him not to make havoke of them but should he trouble infect and destroy twenty an hundred a thousand neighbour Congregations no Ecclesiastick censure may passe upon him but by his owne Church and when complaints of him come to his owne Church his misdeedes there are excused defended commended his Heresies are proclamed sound doctrine his devouring of soules is declared to be zeale and painfulnesse to win soules to CHRIST Our Argument is backed by experience as well as by reason The first Independent Church we reade of was that company which Mr. Browne brought over from England to Middleborough how long did it stand before it was destroyed by Independency when once Anabaptistick novelties and other mischiefes fell among them there was no remedy to prevent the companies dissolution When Mr. Barrow and his fellowes assaied at London to
Body But every single Congregation is the Kingdome of God c. Answ Passing by the Minor The Major is false and Anabaptisticke for by the same reason the Anabaptists exempt from all authority both Ecclesiasticke and Civill not onely every Congregation but every single person who are the members of Christ and his Spouse and in whom the Kingdome of God doth dwell The high and excellent stiles of honour which the Scripture gives not onely to whole Churches but to every particular Saint exempts neither the one nor the other because of their immediate subjection to God and Christ from the bonds and yoake of any authority either Ecclesiasticke or Civill which the Lord hath appointed in holy Scripture Christs internall government of soules by his Spirit albeit never so immediate taketh not away the externall administration of men either in the Church or Common wealth Who please to see much more upon this Question let them consult with Mr. Rutherfoord his Peaceable Plea with Appolonius and Spanheim with the Author of Vindiciae Clavium especially with the Divines of the Assembly their Answers to the Reasons of the dissenting brethren of purpose I have abstained from making use of any of these Writings at this time waiting for the Independents last Reply for their Reasons and the Modell of their positive Doctrin which they have made the world to waite for too too long a time CHAP. XI The thousand yeares of Christ his visible Raigne upon earth is against Scripture AMong all the Sparckles of new light wherewith our Brethren doe intertaine their owne and the peoples fancie there is none more pleasant then that of the thousand yeares a conceit of the most Ancient and grosse Hereticke Cerinthus a little purged by Papias and by him transmitted to some of the Greeke and Latine Fathers but quickly declared both by the Greek and Latine Church to be a great error if not an heresie Since the dayes of Augustine unto our time it went under no other notion and was imbraced by no Christian we heare of till some of the Anabaptists did draw it out of its grave for a long time after its resurrection it was by all Protestants contemned onely Alstedius after his long abode in Transilvania began in his last times to fall into likeing with some parts thereof pretending some passages of Piscator for his incouragement Alstedius Heterodox Writings were not long abroad when Mr. Meade at Cambridge was gained to follow him yet both these Divines were farre from dreaming of any personall raigne of Christ upon earth onely Mr. Archer and his Colleague T. G. at Arnheim were bold to set up the whole Fabricke of Chiliasme which Mr. Burrowes in his London Lectures upon Hosea doth presse as a necessary and most comfortabe ground of Christian Religion to be infused into the hearts of all children by the care of every parent at the Catechising of their family Our Brethrens mind in this point as I conceive they have Printed is this That in the yeare 1650. or at furthest 1695. Christ in his humane nature and present glory is to come from heaven unto Jerusalem where he was crucified at that time the heaven and earth and all the workes therein are to be burnt and purged by that fire of conflagration mentioned by Peter 2 Epist Chap. 3. At the same time all the Martys and many of the Saints both of the Old and New Testament are to rise in their bodies The Jewes from all the places where now they are scattered shall returne to Canaan and build Jerusalem in that City Christ is to raigne for a full thousand yeares from thence he is to goe out in person to subdue with great bloodshed by his owne hand all the disobedient Nations when all are conquered except some few lurking in corners then the Church of Jewes and Gentiles shall live without any disturbance from any enemy either without or within all Christians then shall live without sinne without the Word and Sacraments or any Ordinance they shall passe these thousand yeares in great worldly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and injoying all the lawfull pleasures which all the creatures then redeemed from their ancient slavery can afford In this Earthly happinesse shall the Church continue till the end of the thousand yeares when the relicks of the Turkish and Heathenish Nations shall besiege the new Jerusalem and Christ with fire from heaven shall destroy them afterwards followeth the second resurrection of all the dead good and bad for the last judgement Thus farre the Independent Preach and Print further Cerinthus himselfe went not if you will except the Polygamy and sacrifices of the old Israelits What truth may be in these things let the arguments which are usually brought either pro or contra declare Against the mentioned Tenet I reason first He that remaines in the heaven unto the last Judgement comes not downe to the earth a thousand yeare before the last Judgement But Christ remaines in the heaven unto the last Judgement Ergo. The Maior is unquestionable the Minor is proved from the Article of our Creede From that place he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead importing that Christ from the time of his ascention doth abide in the heaven at the right hand of the Father and commeth not downe from that place to the earth till he descend in the last day to judge the quicke and the dead I know they are not moved with the authority of any humane Creed yet they would doe well to speake out their minde of this Article as they doe of some others Surely to say that Christ shall come from heaven in his humane nature to abide a thousand yeares on the earth and then to returne againe to the heaven that he may discend the third time from the heaven in the last day to judge the quicke and the dead is so evident a perverting of that Article that Mr. Mead their great Doctor and leader in this Tenet to eschew it falleth into a very strange and singular conceit wherein I doubt whether any of the Independents will be pleased to follow him with all other Orthodox Divines he makes but two commings of Christ from the heaven to the earth the first at the Incarnation the second at the day of Judgement but this day of Judgement he extends to a round thousand yeares and this day to him is the onely time of the Millenary raigne We neede not refute this fancie for the best arguments which are brought for it are some testimonies from the Talmudicke Rabbins and these as I conceive understood against the true sence of the Authors The streame of Scripture and Reason runne more against this conceit then any other part of Chiliasme as the most of the Chiliasts themselves will confesse However what I brought from the Apostolick Creed of Christ his aboade in the heaven till the last day I prove it from Scripture Acts. 3 21. Whom
these promises upon earth till their Ierusalem were againe builded and they put in possession of the holy land to build their houses and plant their Uineyeards therein till they saw themselves put in possession of their present carnall legall hopes Yea T. G. his literall exposition of this and the like places goes beyond the most of the Iewish apprehensions For that any of the Talmudists do dreame that at the comming of the Messias the Lyon shall eate straw that the Leoparde and the Lambe the Serpent and the sucking childe shall be brought to such a sympathy of natures as not to have the least disposition to doe harme the one to the other That the life of men shall be so much at that time prolonged as one of an hundred yeares must be taken but for an Infant and a childe that the most fabulous of the Rabbins have gone thus farre in a litterall beleefe I doe not know His eight place is Heb. 2.5 8. For unto the Angells he hath not put in subjection the world to come but now we see not yet all things put under him whence he inferres that Christ in the world to come is to reigne and to have all things put under his feet which is not now performed the Apostle saying expressely that now all things are not put under him neither is this true in the life to come for then the Kingdome of Christ is rendred up to the Father Ans The world to come is not that imaginary world of the 1000 yeares whereof the Scripture speaks no thing but the dayes of the Gospell of which the Apostle is there speaking and shewing that the Gospell was administred not by Angells as the Law had beene upon Mount Sinai but by the Sonne of God himselfe This new world under the Gospell did differ more from the old world under the Law then the earth in the dayes of Noah and the Patriarchs after the floud from the earth in the dayes of Noah before the floud This new world of the Gospell began with Christs first comming in the flesh it was demonstrated in his Resurrection When all power in heaven and in earth was given to him Math. 28.18 When all the Angells of God did worshippe him Heb. 1 6. When he was set farre above all Principalities and Powers Ephes 1.21 The accomplishment of this world is not till the Last day when Death Hell and Satan which yet are not made Christs footstoole shall fully be conquered These things cannot be verified of the thousand yeares For according to Mr. Burrowes grounds before they begin many things are annihilated and so not made subject The heavens and elements are melted with fervent heate The earth and the workes thereof are burnt up with fire Also during these thousand yeares Christs chiefe enemies are not fully subdued death still hath dominion over men the devill is onely bound but yet alive and not cast into the lake His ninth place is Ier. 3.16.17 They shall say no more the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord neither shall it come to minde neither shall they remember it at that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it neither shall they walke any more after the imagination of their evill heart Hence he inferres A state of the Church in the Last dayes so glorious that all things by-past shall be forgot That Judah and Israel shall returne from their captivity to Jerusalem That all Nations shall joyne with them That they shall no more walke after their old sinnes That Jerusalem which before times was at best but the footstoole of God shall then become a throne of glory Answer There is no word here of Christs abode upon earth for a thousand yeares Secondly the old things that are to be forgotten are expressed to be the Ceremonies of the Law but no Ordinance of the Gospell The Prophet names the Arke and the Temple which by Christs first comming were removed Thirdly The walking of Iudah and Israel together and the Nations joyning with them Imports no more but the calling of Iewes and Gentiles by the Gospell to the Christian Church the heavenly Ierusalem The same which the Prophet Esay hath in his second Chap. vers 5. The establishing in the Last dayes of the House of God on the top of the mountaines the flowing of all Nations thereto for out of Sion shall goe forth a Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem These Last dayes were the dayes of the Apostles when they from Sion and Ierusalem did blow the Trumpet of the Gospell to all the Nations These were the times whereof Ieremy in the 15 verse of the Chapter in hand doth speake I will give you Pastors according to my heart which shall feede you with knowledge and understanding The Pastors there promised were Christ and his Apostles better Pastors then these God never sent neither ever shall send to his Church Fourthly Walking after Gods owne heart doth not import a freedome from all sinne but onely a state of grace wherein according to the new Covenant God gives his people a newheart and writes his Lawes upon the same Fifthly That whereupon the greatest weight of the argument is laid seemes to be a very groundlesse conceit That Ierusalem when it is a throne of glory must be the old Ierusalem builded againe as if Ierusalem under the Law and Ierusalem in the dayes of the Gospell the Church in the new Testament the mother of us all were but the footestoole of God This is a doctrine expresly against Scripture for in divers places Ierusalem Sion and the Arke even in the old Testament are called not onely the footstoole but the throne of God Ier. 14.21 Doe not abhorre us for thy names sake doe not disgrace the throne of thy glory Also Chap. 17.12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary The Lord did as it were sit upon the Mercy Seate as upon a chaire of State under the Canopy of the wings of the Cherubins within the Sanctuary the chamber of his most Majestuous presence Ierusalem under the new Testament is called not onely the throne of God but his footstoole Esay 40.13 To beautifie the place of my Sanctuary and I will make the place of my feete glorious This place our Brethren expound of the Sanctuary during the time of the thousand yeares However it is cleare it must be expounded of the Church in the same times whereof Ieremiah speakes in his third Chapter whence the Argument in hand is brought The tenth place is Dan. 2 44. And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and it shall stand for ever Whence is inferred an everlasting Kingdome of Christ a joy of Ierusalem unchangeable to any sorrow Answer Christs Everlasting Kingdome is meerely spirituall and heavenly That dominion which
to separate from a Church wherein wee get no satisfaction of the true grace of every Member at their first admission For the Negative we reason first from the practice of Moses the Prophets who did never offer to separate for any such reason The causes of a just separation were smaller under the Law nor under the Gospel The weaknesse of their Reply Our second reason is from the example of Christ and his Apostles who did not separate for any such causes The third reason it is impossible to find true grace in every member of any visible Church that ever was or shall be in the world The fourth this satisfaction in the true grace of all to be admitted is builded on foure errours first that the power of Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction is in the hand of every one of the people Secondly that one man may attaine to the certain knowledge of the true grace in the heart of another Thirdly that it is a duty of every member of a Church to seek and finde satisfaction in the true grace of all his fellow-members Fourthly that all the Reformed Churches must once bee dissolved and unchurched that they may bee reformed according to the new mould of the Independents The fifth argument Their Tenet is followed with divers absurdities As first it is necessary to separate from all Churches that are this day in the world except it be from these of the Independents Secondly it was necessary to separate from all Churches that ever have been Thirdly there can be no rest for any till they turne seekers and leave all societies that are called Churches Cottons reasons to the contrary are answered His first reason put in form All the parts of it are vitious the conclusion proves not the question It stands upon a chief ground of Anabaptism and presupposes the nullity of all the Reformed Churches The major is many wayes vitious But the minor is the most faulty part of the Argument The proofes of the minor are answered The first The second The third and maine proof of the minor This driveth to universall grace and Apostacy of the Saints Yea to Socinianisme and further His second Argument The Conclusion is faulty The minor is false It s proofe is unsufficient His third Argument Pâ—eters Confession much mis-applyed The guest without the wedding-garment more mis-applâ—ed The parable of the Tares is thrown against its principall scope His fourth argument that all who cannot demonstrate the truth of their regeneration deny the power of godlinesse is not true His fifth that no hypocrite is to be admitted a member of a Church is a very rash argument His sixth from the roughnesse of the stones of Solomons Temple is a wanton reason His seventh from the porters exclusion of uncleane persons from the Temple has no strength His eight that Iohn the Baptâ—st excluded the Pharisees and people from his Baptism is expresly against the Text. His ninth that Philip required the Eunuchs confession before baptisme infers not the conclusion All his nine or twelve reasons pâ—t in one will be too weak to beare up the weight of his most heavy conclusion The state of the question The first authors of this question The Independents difference among themselves here anent That none but Ministers may ordinarily prophecy wee prove it first by Christs joyning together the power of baptism and the power of preaching Secondly these that preach must be sent to that work Thirdly every ordinary preacher laboâ—rs in the Word and Doctrine Fourthly none out of office have the gift of preaching for all who have that giâ—t are either Apostlâ—s Evangelâ—sts Prophets Pastors or Doctors and all these are officers Fifthly no man out of office might sacrifice Sixthly all who have from God the gift of preaching are obliged to lay aside all other occupations and attend that work alone Seventhly the Apostles appointed none to preach but Elders Eighthly the preaching of men out of office is a means of confusion and errour The contrary Arguments which Mr Cotton in his Catechism and Answer to the 32 Questions borrows from Robinson are First in the Church of Corinth men out of office did Prophecie Ans these men were officers or their preaching was extraordinary Secondly Iehoshaphat and his Princes did preach Answ The Kings exhorting of the Levites to doe their duty and the Princes câ—untenancing of them therein was not properly preaching Thirdly wâ—e must not despise prophecy Ans The Apostle speaks of the preaching of men in office Fourthly the sons of the Prophets did preach Answ Their designation to be Prophets gave them right to initiall and preparatory exercises towards that office Fifthly Moses wished all the people to bee Prophets Ans But not without Gods calling to that offiâ—e Sixthly the Apostles before the Resurrection did preach Ans At that time they were true Apostles and did baptise Seventhly Paul and Barnabas were invited to exhort Ans they were men in office Eighthly the Scribes and Pharisees did preach Answ They were officers and sate in Moses chaire What is meant by Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction The state of the Question wont to be cleare the Reformed Churches putting the power and exercise of Jurisdiction in the hand of the Presbytery alone the Brownists Independents in the hand of the people onely but Mr. Cotton his followers the other yeare have perplexed the Question with their many Schole distinctions If they put the power of Jurisdiction onely in a Church organized and Presbyterated they fall from much of the Brownists and their own both doctrine and practise Their last and best beloved invention of the power of Authority and power of Liberty is for no purpose but to involve the Authors in new difficulties As they wont to make their smallest Congregations Independent uncensurable for any crime so now by this distinction they divide all their Congregations in two parts and make every one of these parts Independent also and uncensurable for any imaginable sinne For the negative that the people have no power of Jurisdiction we reason First the Officers alone are Governors and the people are to be governed 2. The people have not the Keys of Heaven to bind and loose 3. The people are not the eyes eares in in Christs Body for so all the body should be eyes and eares 4. The people have not any promise of gifts sufficient for government 5. The popular government bringeth in confusion making the feete above the head 6. The people have not the power of Ordination They have no Commission to send Pastours to themselves to impose hands to examine their Pastours to pray publickly and exhort 7. This power in the people would disable them in their callings 8. This power of the people would bring in Morellius democracy and anarchy in the Church 9. This power of the people will draw upon them the power of the word and Sacrament Mr Cottons contrary arguments answered First Christ gave to Peter the Keys of Hâ—aven as
to a beleever Ans not so but as to an Apostle and Elder of the Church 2. Till the Church replies that the people have power of Excommunication Anser The Church here to be told is the Presbytery and not the people according to our Brethrens own grounds 3. The people of Corinth did Judge and Excommunicate the incestuous man Answer Tbe Text will prove no such matter 4. The people of Colosse might censure Archippus their Minister Answer there is no Word in this Text of the peoples censure 5. The whole Church of Pergamus is rebuked for not censuring the Hereticks Answer The power of Censure was in the Angells but the whole Church might be faulty in not incouraging the Angels to doe their duty 6. The twenty foure Elders sit on Thrones with Crownes on their heads Answer This will not prove a regall power of judging in every one of the people 7. The Galatians must stand fast to their Liberty Anser By Liberty hereinothing lesse is understood then a power of presence and concurrence in judgement without all power of Authority 8. The whole Congregation of Israel had power to punish malefactors Answer What the people under the Law did in the State is not a warrant for the people under the Gospell to doe the same in the Church 9. The people elects their Officers Ergo. they may depose and Excommunicate them Answer Election is no act of power or of Jurisdiction 10. The people must be present and consent to every act of Judgement Answer It is not so and if it were yet it inferres not their power of Jurisdiction God is the Author of the union and dependencie of particular Churches From them Morellius and Grotius learned the Tenet Laying aside all prejudice we will reason the matter The state of the Question cleared That single Congregations are not Independent is proved first from the 1 Tim 4.14 because they have not the right of Ordination Ordination belongs to the Presbytery No Congregation is a Presbytery No Congretion hath within it selfe necessarily a Presbytery No single Congregation ought to have within it selfe Pauls Presbytery Onely Pastors lay hands on Pastors The second Argument from the Apostolicke Churches which exercised full jurisdiction the chiefe whereof if not all were Presbyteriall and not Parochiall Such was the Church at Jerusalem How the Church commeth together The Church of Samaria also was Presbyteriall So that of Rome And of Corinth And of Ephesus Also of Antioch and the rest Our third argument from the subordination of the Church of Antioch to the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. Answer to the Replies The meeting of Jerusalem was a true Synod It doth not onely advise but command The Decrees of that Synod at their first making had onely Ecclesiastick authority Our fourth argument from the subordination of fewer to moe appointed by Christ Matth. 18. Christs subordination is to be extended to the utmost bounds of the Church universall Our fifth argument from the evill consequents which reason and experience demonstrate to follow Independency necessarily and naturally Neither the duties of charity nor the authority of the Magistrate can remedy these evills Our last Argument Independency is contrary to all the discipline that ever was knowne in Christendome before the Anabapâ—ists The first Objection or Argument for Independency from Matth. 18. The second Objection is taken from the practise of the Corinthians excommunicating the incestuous man The third Objection from the example of the seven Churches of Asia Their fourth Objection from the practise of the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse Their fifth objection from the Episcopall tyranny of the Presbyterie Their sixt Objection from the Congregations right to elect their Pastor Their seventh Objection from pluralitie of cures cast upon one Pastor Their eight Objection from Christs immediate government of his Church The Originall and progresse of Chiliasme The minde of the Independent Chiliasts Our first reason against the Chiliasts is that Christ from his ascention to the last judgement abides in the heaven Our second reason is builded on Christs sitting at the right hand of God till the day of judgement Our third reason is grounded on the resurrection of the dead the godly and ungodly doe all rise together at the last day Our fourth reason is builded on Christs Kingdome which is Spirituall and not earthly Our fift reason is taken from the nature of the Church Which ever on earth is mixt of good and evill And subject to crosses Having neede of Ordinances Because of her sinfull infirmities A Sixt reason from the secresie of the time of Christs comming A Seventh from the heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs An eight reason the restoration of an earthly Jerusalem brings backe the abolisht figures of the Lgw. A ninth Antichrist is not abolisht till the day of Judgement The Chiliasts first reason is from Reâ—â—l 20.4 Answer Our new Chiliasts are inventors of a new heaven and of a new hâ—ll Their second reason from Daniel 12. We Answer Their third argument Answer Their fourth place Answer Their fifth place Answer Their sixth place Answer Their seventh place Answer Their eight place Answer The ninth place Answer Their tenth place Answer Their eleventh place Answer The twelfth place Answer Their last place Answer