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country_n	church_n	city_n	parish_n	1,800	5	9.9044	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78217	Ichnographia. Or A model of the primitive congregational way: wherein satisfaction is offered, by unfolding (according to the Scriptures) what the right order of the Gospel, and way of the saints in the visible worshipping of God is, in the dayes of the New Testament. And how the saints in these dayes may walk up to it, notwithstanding their present hindrances. Together with the maine points in controversie, touching the right visible church-state Christ hath instituted under the Gospel, with the extent of church-officers, and power of particular visible churches, and continuance of divine ordinances and institutions under the defection and apostasie of Antichrist. By W. Bartlet, Minister of the Gospel, at Wapping.	Bartlet, William, 1609 or 10-1682.	1647 (1647)	Wing B986; Thomason E381_17; ESTC R201418	140,788	175

Because in so doing they shall doe no more then what the Saints have done before them in the Primitive times for we find in those daies that Beleevers did not live loosely and casually or as we say at randome but were gathered and brought into distinct bodies or church-societies to live under that discipline and church order or government which Jesus Christ had commanded and left to his Apostles to settle For it is worth our observation that Jesus Christ did not onely send forth his Apostles and Disciples to convert sinners to him ☞ but he appointed an order of government to be established by them to which those that were converted should subject unto as we may see in many places 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.12 13. Rom. 12.6 7 8. and therefore we read so much of churches tha were planted and gathered into the order of the Gospell Act. 14.23 as Corinth Ephes Phil. Coloss and so the churches of Judea Galatia Asia Macedonia as we have noted before which were no other then so many distinct bodies or societyes of believers which the Apostles after they were converted to Christ did unite together in those Cities and Countryes So much is evident from the Epistles that the Apostle Paul wrote to those Churches For he doth not write to all in Corinth to all in Rome to all in Philippi but to the Saints in those Cities that were called and become a Church to Christ 't was not every Towne and City and Country that made a Church as t is now in England but so many as were called and united together now people become members of a church by vertue of being born in those Townes and places and parishes where they live but ab initio non fuit sic i. e. from the beginning it was not so 3. Because till the godly do fall upon this worke 3. Motive Necessity of yeelding obedience to Christs commands cals for it there are many holy and sacred dutyes that Jesus Christ hath laid down to them in his word which they will be found to live in the neglect and omission of viz. 1. That of Mat. 18.17 Tell the church but how can those tell the Church that are not joyned to a Church that is such a Church or Congregation of Saints as we have in the former Chapter set downe 2. That of 1 Cor. 5.4 5 13. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Sathan c. but how can they cast out of the Church such as are scandalous by that authority Christ hath given to it that are not joyned to any church 3. That of 1 Cor. 14.12 Seeke that ye may excell to the edifying of the Church but how can such seeke to excel in spirituall gifts for this end that they may edify the church when they are of no church 4. That of 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your women keep silence in your churches that is church-meetings as Beza and Piscator reade it Mulieres vestrae in conventibus sileant not that there were severall distinct particular churches standing under one common classicall government as the Presbyterians would have it but how can godly women keepe silence in the churches when they are members of no churches 5. That of Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves but how can they obey their Rulers if they have none to rule and watch over them in the Lord 6. That of Rom. 12.6 7 8. But how can believers keepe up the administ●ation and execution of those offices and ordinances in the churches of Christ so long as they are not in such churches where those offices are to be executed 7. That of Gal. 5.1 13. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free be not c. but how can believers stand fast in that liberty which Jesus Christ hath purchased for them and bequeathed unto them while they are not in any Church-state to which this liberty referres ● Motive Christ hath or●ained no other ●ondition for ●elievers to a●ide in here 4. Another reason is because there is no other state and condition that Jesus Christ hath appointed for his Saints in this life in relation to the enjoyment and performance of his publique worship then this to wit to b● joyned to a particular church and therefore as Head and King of Saints he ordained not only a word to call convert them but holy offices and officers holy lawes and ordinances to rule and govern them and build them up in grace to glory as Ephes 4.10 11 12. 1 Cor. 12.28 Mat. 16.19 compared with Mat. 18.18 but of this we spake sufficiently before upon the second argument ● Motive The Word and Spirit of Christ ●re more especially entailed ●o this church-state 5. Because the Lord Jesus Christ hath in a more especiall manner tyed his Word and Spirit and all his precious Promises to believers in such a church-state as Exod. 20.24 1 Kings 9.3 Esay 4.5 6. and 25.6 7 8. Esay 56.7 Psal 132.13 14 15. Mat. 6.33 Mat. 18.19 20. Here the Saints may in a more full and excellent manner expect the presence of Jesus Christ by way of assisting quickning comforting sanctifying and strengthening of them and therefore this should greatly prevaile with them to come into this church-state 6. Motive Christ takes most del●ght to be with the Saints in this church-state 6. Because the Lord Jesus Christ doth own such particular churches of Saints as the places of his greatest delight as appeares 1. In that he walkes in the middest of them as Revel 2.1 2 Cor. 6.16 2. In that he not only walkes in them but lodgeth and dwels in them they are his resting place where he takes sweet repose Psal 132.13 14. and 72.2 and 26.8 3. In that here he feedes Cant. 1.7 and 6.2 3. every particular church of Saints is as a Bed of Spices full of sweetnes pleasantnes to Jesus Christ here he eates his pleasant fruits Cant. 4.16 4. In that here he imparts his loves Cant. 7.12 Christ and the Saints do mutually impart their inward bosome delights to each other a man will not let out his heart to others as he will and doth to his wife nor the wife to any as to her husband Now Christ and the Saints in church-fellowship are as husband and wife 2. Cor. 11.2 5. In that here Jesus Christ doth more then ordinarily hold forth and manifest his glory as God did of old in the Tabernacle Psal 63.2 which was a type of particular churches now under the Gospell and Christs appearing in his glory to them by his word and Spirit Indeed it cannot be denyed but Jesus Christ doth hold forth the glory of his wisdome and power and goodnes and holines and truth in every place but no where as in the Assemblies of the Sainte here the Spirit reveales the glory of Christ in all these to and upon the hearts of the

them overseers should go to and fro speaking of matters that were carried from their own church to others 4. It occasions tyrannie and oppression to the free born Subjects of Christs Kingdome domineering over their consciences not suffering them to enjoy their liberty in Church or State unlesse they will subscribe to their dictates and be of their judgement as he that runnes may read in their late published and printed Petitions c. The right garbe and straine of Antichrist that man of sinne that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in Rev. 13.17 that will not suffer any man to buy or sell unlesse he have the marke or the name of the Beast or the number of his name and of that Gyant M. Burroughs speaks of in his Heart divisions p. 55. who laid upon a Bed all he tooke and those who were too long he cut them even with his Bed and such as were too short he stretched them out to the length of it and this verrily saith he is cruelty 5. It puts men upon inevitable temptations of wresting the Scriptures and applying them to another and cleane contrary sence then God appointed them for e. g. to make them speake out that there is a patterne of diverse single Congregations in one church and of a Presbyteriall government in common over these single Congregations That differences in matters of opinion are not to be suffered though in things not destructive to Church or State that men are to be driven from their errors Cogendo non persuadendo by compulsion c. when the Scriptures are directly against these things 6. It puts a stop in the way of knowledge stinting and straitning if not stifling mens gifts and abilities in searching out divine truths and the great mysterie which that Apostle cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●phes 3.10 that manifold wisdome of God having such variety in it as is able to exercise the strongest abilities even of Angels themselves to search into and make discoveries of Now saith this Classicall Government Thus far you must goe and no farther This is the judgement of the Church of England and the Assembly and Presbyterie in their severall Classes have subscribed to it touching the knowledge of God and the way of his Worship and Government in the Church and no man is to vary or differ from it nor call it into question without running the hazard of his precious liberty c. 7. It makes men to build their observation of and practicing obedience to the Divine Lawes Institutions and Ordinances of Christ upon the principles of humane wisdome and policie yea the meere wills and commandements of men For Ministers must not preach nor administer in the holy things of God to their people neither must the Saints beleeve or practice further then shall the Classis shall judge to be sound and orthodox and give their consent to and approbation of and are these things of God 8. Lastly it so genders to bondage and begets in the best men such a Diatrophes-like spirit 〈◊〉 Epist of ●oh 9 10. a spirit of pride and bitternesse against the Brethren like the Prelates chaire that infected the most pious soules and ablest Preachers that sate downe in it as we could instance in many Yea it so mingles with the world and introduceth such formality if not worse in the worship and service of God that I cannot but belevee and expect the Lord Jesus root it up as he did the Prelacy the difference between them being more in name then nature shew then substance ●he 4. Infe●nce from the ●●oposition 4. From what hath formerly been said touching the nature and priviledge of a particular society of Saints united together as the true and proper visible Church of Christ now under the Gospel The constitution of the Parish Churches in England must of necessity be found faulty and their originall to be from beneath and not from above from men and not from God and therefore not so much to be pleaded for and defended as true visible Churches of Christ as they are by the Presbyters in the Preface of their Jus Divinum Reg. eccles 1. For first of all how doe they answer to this Church we have spoken of in this chapter in respect of the efficient cause and institut●r of it scil Jesus Christ when their originall is from men Now that this is a truth is evident from the first founding of them which appeares to be from Dyonisius Bishop of Rome which first ordained Diocesan Churches as Platina observeth of him and in England by one Honorius Bishop of Cant. as Master Saltmarsh hath lately observed out of Master Selden De decimis So Polydor Virgil De invent rerum li. 4. c. 9. And t is no other then what M. * Reas for R●formation p 28 29. Jacob hath long since noted from M. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall Politie and Doctor Tooker both Prelaticall men who affirme the distinction of parishes to be a meere positive law and not jure divino i. e. by Divine right And I find the like in that famous learned man Master Paul Baynes his Dioc. Tryall p. 12. whose words are these A Parishionall Church may be considered 1. Materially and 2. Formally 1. Materially as it is a Church within such locall bounds the members of which dwell contiguously one bord●ring upon the other Now saith he this God instituted not for it is accidentall to the Church If a parishionall Church in London should dwell as the Dutch doe one far enough from the other while the same Beleevers were united with the same Governours the Church were not changed though the place were altered which is worth observation against such as cry out against the Independent Churches because the members of them dwell not contiguously one bordering upon the other though in point of convenience not of absoulte necessity we judge it fit that Members of Churches should dwell as neere together as their occasions and callings will give leave 2. Formally for a multitude which do in manner of a parish ordinarily congregate Now saith he such Churches and such onely we say God erected To this purpose M. Owen also in his Country Essay for Church-government answering this Objection By this means parishes will be unchurched saith 1. If by Churches you understand such entire societies of Christians as have all Church power both according to right and exercise in and among themselves as Independents speak of Congregations then they were never churched by any 2. If onely civill divisions of men that may conveniently be taught by one Pastor and ruled by Elders whereof some may be fit to partake of the Ordinances some not as the Presbyterians esteeme them then c. So that here is no other then an humane constitution allowed of to the parish Churches in England 2. How doe these Parish Churches in England answer to the former true visible Church of Christ under the Gospell in respect

so ●ully to this particular that I need not say any thing however bec●use something will be expect●d I shall referre all to these five he●ds which I desire may be candidly interpreted as seriously co●sid●●ed 1. T●●y are bound by diligent study in their own proper persons 〈◊〉 enquire after and acquaint themselv●s with what the eternall God by Iesus Christ hath already revealed in his word touching the right order of government in his Church and manner of his visible worship among the Saints which he hath given them in charge to observe and practise and not to take up these sacred things by custome or tradition or depend altogether upon the judgement and information of others as is evident from Deut. 17.19 20. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdome that he shall write him a coppy of this law in a booke out of that which is before the Priests the Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read them all the dayes of his life that he may learn to feare the Lord his God to keep all the words of this law and these Statutes to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his bretheren and that he turne not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left c. This indeed must be granted that the supream Magistrate may crave the helpe and assistance of counsels and Synods for information and counsell herein but not wholly depend and rest on them to neglect his own personall endeavours and the reason is because no Councels or Synods can now say that they are so immediately and infallibly guided and assisted from heaven as that we may build upon their determinations without further enquiry but are subject to errours in the matters of Religion as wel as others as Histories abundantly make manifest * Vid. Cranm● who suffered martyrdome for Jesus Ch●●●● in Qu. Mar● dayes in his Treatise called A Confutation of unwritten Verities against the Papists wh● he proves this abundantly from Euseb Greg. Naz. August Panormitan c So Doctor Whit● sometimes profess of Di. in Cambr. de Concil p. 12 concilia generalia posse errare et falsa●●piniones amplecti nam concilium Antiochenum veritatem damnavit et heresin apertam prop●navit Similiter Ariminense et Ephesinum secundum ex quo patet veritatem non esse metiend● ex numero Episcoporum And this he proves at large p. 248. ad finem from Scripture Reas● Examp. test of Fathers And though he spoke much in the commendations of right gathe● Councels yet in diverse places of the Treatise he delivers these ten things concerning them 1. That their calling together is quiddam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. et humanum inventum p. ● that is meerely humane 2. That they cannot frame Articles of faith to bind the conscien● p. 19. 3. That their end in comming together is not to feed as Pastors but to con● what is best for the Churches p. 85. 4. That they are not simply necessary p. 23. 5. That they do not give authority to the Scripture p. 242 243. 6. That their dec● are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is immediately inspired by the holy Ghost p 262 263. 7. T● the ultimate determination and judgement of a Generall Councell may be false p. 231. 8. That there is no judgement of a Councell properly in matters of faith p. id 9. T● the truth of things determined in Councels may afterwards be called into question and aga● disputed p. 283. 10. That the Churches of Christ h●ve been kept found in faith with them for the first three hundred yeares p. 23. And to this agrees M. Owen a mode● and learned Presbyterian in his Country Essay for Church government annexed to his Ser● preached before the honourable House of Commons p. 72. his words among others are these 〈◊〉 Iudge of heresy since the Apostles dayes but have been obnoxious to errour in that judgement ●d those that have been forwardest to assume a Iudicature and power of discerning between ●th and e● our so as to have others ●egulated the●eby have erred most foulely Of old it was ●erally con●eived to be in Councels Now I should acknowledge my selfe oblieged to any man ●t would direct me to Councell since that of Acts 15. which I may not be forced from the ●ord to assert that it in something or other went astray and he produceth testimonies to ●s purpose from Luthe● Beza Nazian c 〈◊〉 Luther he shewes did not feare to affirm of the very first and best of generall Synods ●t he understood not the holy Ghost to speake in them and that their Cannons were but plain ●y and S●ubble 〈◊〉 Beza that such was the folly ignorance ambition wickednes of many Bishops in the best ●es that you would have supposed the Devill to have been President in the●r Assemblies 〈◊〉 Nazianzene That he complained he never saw good end of any Councell and affirmed ●t he was re●olved n●ver to come at them more with much more that he hath in that place 〈◊〉 this purpose So that although Synods and Councels of learned and godly men are not wholly to be re●ted or despised yet they are not so to be depended upon as the Scriptures are which we ●e comm●nded by Christ to search Joh. 5.39 and which alone in themselves are the rule of ●th and Iudge of controversies as all Prot●stant Divines do grant 2. When God hath so blessed their endeavours as to reveale and make known his will unto them laid downe in the Scriptures they are bound to publish and declare the same to their Subjects and require them for the honour and glory of God to yeeld willing subjection and obedience thereunto according to the practise of religious Princes of old as Asa in 2 Chron. 14.4 who commandded Iudah to seeke the Lord God of their fathers and to do the law and the commandement and so Iehoshaphat after him 2 Chro. 17.7.8.9 and Hezekiah and Iosiah and so did David and Solomon before them 3. They are not to rest here but the better to encourage their Subjects th y are to go before them in exemplary practise requiring no more of them then they are forward and willing themselves to do according to the famous examples of Moses Ioshuah and Samuel And the rather because that hereby they shall not only publish to men and Angels that they acknowledge the supremacy and soveraignty of Iesus Christ over themselves though the greatest on earth but also engage him to the preserving ●nd prospering of them in all their undertakings as the Prophet told K●ng Asa 2 Chro. 15.1 4. They are bound to countenance and encourage all those that they find the Lord to make a willing people in the wayes of his worship by granting them their liberty though they be the fewest and meanest and never so much contemned and despised in and by the world and though they also differ and

grace and helps of faith and love and repentance and obedience to the truth of Church-fellowship is without controversie Eph. 4.12 13. but not of the former And the Apostle makes it cleere in Heb. 2.3 4. that the chief end of gifts of Miracles was to confirme the Gospel of Christ then sent forth to be preached which now needs not for as M. Thomas Goodwin lately in one of his Lectures on the Ephesians shewed common education serves so farre now as Miracles did of old which were not to begin a saving justifying faith for that was the office of the Word but to make men to attend the Word which now education doth and therefore there is no such need of a Ministery with Miracles 4. Doth not the Scripture abundantly shew us that working of Miracles may be in a false Ministery as Marke 13.22 2 Thes 2.9 10. Rev. 13.13 14 Rev. 16.14 and 19.20 and in such as Christ will not owne for his at the last day as Matth. 7.22 23. 5. Doth not such an opinion as this of requiring gifts of working Miracles in those that are called and sent to preach and administer ordinances bring a great disparagement on the truth it selfe for if it be not able to make it selfe evident without Miracles is it not a great Argument of its weaknes and insufficiency whereas it s farre otherwise with the truth as Ephes 5.13 6. Doth not this opinion directly crosse and contradict that of our Saviour Joh. 16.8 and derogate from the authority and power of the Spirit for there he tels us that its the office of the Spirit to convince the world of sinne of righteousnes and judgement now to say that this worke cannot be done unlesse there be Miracles wrought by men that are the Spirits instruments what is this but to derogate from the Spirit and to make the efficacy of the Ministery to depend more upon the externall working of Miracles then upon the internall working of the Spirit whereas the greatest Miracles that ever were wrought by the Apostles or others can never prevaile to gaine the hearts of wretched sinners to the embracing of the truth nor convince them of sin righteousnesse and judgement if the Spirits presence be wanting and therefore many times wee find amongst the Jewes that notwithstanding all the Miracles that Christ himselfe and his Apostles wrought before them they continued obstinate and hardned in their sinnes so that the efficacy of the meanes depends on the Spirit and if so then there is no such necessity for working of Miracles to convince men of the truth for be the externall meanes or instrument weake or strong it matters not so the Spirit employ it and commonly we find it to be true by experience that the weaker the secondary cause or meanes is the more glorious doth the power of the Spirit appeare according to 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. 7. Lastly what greater miracles can there be wrought by men to evince the truth of their calling then by casting out of the Devill from men and womens soules and consciences and the opening of the eyes of their understanding Act. 26.1 John 5. ● the raising of them from the death of sin the healing and sanctifying of their corrupt natures c. by the power of the Spirit All which are far greater Miracles then corporall dispossession healing of mens bodies opening of their bodily eyes c. and the power of Christ appeares far greater in working of these Miracles then in all other miracles whatsoever and of these kind of miracles I conceive that Scripture is to be understood Joh. 14 12. where Christ promiseth that his Disciples after he was ascended to the Father should by the power of the Spirit doe greater works then those himselfe wrought which I suppose he understands of those spirituall works of wonder that I have formerly mentioned in the raising poore soules out of the grave of sinne opening the eyes of their blind and dark understandings c. The truth of the Proposition being thus cleared I now come to some inferences 1. In the first place it will cleerly follow that those men are mightily mistaken and out of the way that stick not to affirme that the Church-state and order of Government thereunto correspondent which Jesus Christ hath instituted is mutable and ought to be suited according to the Lawes and Government of particular States and Kingdomes as if the Churches of Christ in the Primitive times had a mixt government and administration of the Ordinances according to the lawes and customes of the countryes As for example the Church of Christ in Asia had one way of government the Churches in Galatia another way of order and government and the Churches in Judea another Whereas the Scripture affirmes the cleane contrary scil that Jesus Christ hath left but one order of Church state and politie for all his Churches to observe and make use of which as I have shewed in the essentials of it is unchangeable and to be observed and kept to the appearing of Jesus Christ the author and instituter of it 1 Tim. 6.13 14. and therefore what the Apostle ordained in one Church he did in all as 1 Cor. 7.17 And this is the judgement of learned Whitaker against Duraeus and Cartwright against Whitgift who handles this point very largely in his second Reply his words are these Thus saith he to Whitgift where the Christian Magistrate is given of God to keep the order which God hath set in his Church you bring him in as a breaker and changer of the order which God hath appointed by his holy Apostles But the godly Christian Magistrates may understand that as neither our Saviour Christ nor any wise and well instructed Ministery under him will meddle with any order or forme of Common wealth lawfully instituted of them for the better government of their people but leave them as they find them So they ought to leave whole and untouched that order that Jesus Christ hath placed in his Church And as the Author saith truly in another place that Christ came not to overthrow civill governments even so he saith it is as true that God sendeth not Kings to overthrow Church Government planted by Christ and his Apostles Yea so much more absurd is this latter then the first by how much they ought to have more firmity which were set downe by the Lord himself then which were by men For what sonne of Adam shall presume to alter that order which the Lord himselfe from heaven hath set c. And therefore certainly Iesus Christ will give such men but little thanks another day for their endeavour to make his Institutions as a nose of waxe to be altered and changed to whatsoever forme and fashion men shall please in every Civill State and Kingdome on earth 2. But I shall passe from such Formalists and Time-servers to another sort of men who although they allow not of an alteration of Christs Institutions and Ordinances

Barnabas namely Judas sirnamed Barsabas and Silas chiefe men among the BRETHREN wrot letters by them after this manner The Apostles Elders BRETHREN send greeting to the Brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia that is the Churches that were gathered and planted in those Countryes Vid. Jus Divin reg eccl● Now this is far from the practise opinion also of the Presbyterians in these dayes that affirm the authoritative power of Synods and Classis is in themselves without the joynt consent approbation of particular bretheren in the churches and therefore this instance of theirs which they produce against the Congregationall way is altogether without warrant from the Scripture 7. Another impediment that stands in the godlies way to this Impediment 7 blessed worke is this that they cannot see it to have the Magistrates countenance and allowance whereas if this were once done they would not forbeare to enter on the practise of it For the removing of this impediment Let these few things be minded 1. That if by the Magistrates countenance allowance they mean an expresse Warrant and Ordinance for it as they have done for Presbytery t is granted there is no such yet thus much I can say and we have cause to blesse God for it that to this day the Lord hath so farre kept authority in Parliament that they have not made any expresse Law against it nor we trust in Christ will they ever doe 2. Who knowes but by that time the three yeares allowance of the other be fully expired the Lord may so farre reveale himselfe to Authority as that they shall not only countenance the Congregationall way but also make a Law for the establishing of it not only three yeares but as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians that shall never be altered or repealed Jehovah the Lord and God of truth peace hath done and can do as great things as these and why should we not believe it Seeing he hath made a promise that Kings and Queenes that is such as are in authority shall be nursing Fathers and Mothers to his People in the pure wayes of his worship as Esay 49.23 3. Suppose that this way of the Gospell should never have the expresse command and countenance of the civill Magistrate for it which for my part I cannot believe because of the former promise yet I hope it will be granted that what Jesus Christ the Head and King of his Church hath ordained and commanded for his people to walke up to the practise of as I take this order of the Gospell to be that hath been formerly laid downe is not to be left undone and the practise thereof neglected because it cannot obtaine the countenance of the creature the reason is because the practise of Gods will Quare in gra●m hominum ●il est agen●m con●●a de● sed quic●id deus prae●pit agendum 〈◊〉 etiam si ho●nes eo offen●ntur seque ●o a nobis ha●i putent ●d ipsis noli●us contra dei ●cceptum gra●ca i. Piscat ● Mat. 10.37 ●bser 28. and worship revealed in the Scriptures doth not depend on the will and pleasure of men but meerely on the command and injunction of God himselfe whom we ought to love and honour above all men * And therefore we find in the Primitive times that the Apostles and servants of Christ when they had no countenance at all from the civil Powers that were in those dayes but rather the contrary yet they went on in the practise of what Christ enjoyned them against all their opposition And its worthy our consideration that if the way of the Lord that now we pleade for the enjoyment of in peace and holines was lawfull in those dayes when civill Magistrates were no friends but professed enemies to Jesus Christ and his Churches Then doubtlesse its much more lawfull now in these dayes wherein civill Magistrates do openly professe themselves friends to Christ and hold forth to the world by manifold Protestations that they place their greatest ambition in being Servants to Christ otherwise it would follow that Christ and his Churches should be losers and in a worse condition by living under such Magistrates as we are bound to believe are reall in their Protestations and professions of and for Christ then under those that were Heathen which were absurd in any to affirme The reason is because such Magistrates know themselves to be ordained of God for the good of the Saints and not for their hurt for their encouragement and furtherance in the wayes of Godlinesse and not for their discouragement and hinderance Rom. 13.4 5. 4. Lastly what ground for comfort can those have to build on if the Magistrate should approve of it and countenance it as wee doubt not as we said before but in the Lords time he wil when they enter upon it for that very reason cause because its the command of the Magistrate and he approves of it I say for that very cause and reason and no other as many of late that would not part with the Ceremonies and Service-booke though never so Popish and Antichristian til they saw the same Power that set them up did pul them downe not touch with any other way of worship prescribed in Gods Word before they saw what the Civill Magistrate did authorize Now I say what comfort can these men have in what they do seeing that hereby 1. They make the order appointed by Christ for his service and worship to depend on the will and pleasure of man and 2. Their fear of God is taught by the Precepts of men Esay 29.13 And 3. Their honouring of the creature herein is a flat dishonouring of God for this kind of obedience to humane power diminisheth if not annihilates the right and true obedience that is due to divine power setting up the Minister and servant in the place and room of the Lord and Master And what comfort can men take in this doubtlesse there is a day comming when the eternall God will make men ashamed of it and it may cost them bitterly Obj. Then you will say by this doctrine Magistrates are not to be reverenced nor regarded Ans A meere non sequitur for cannot Cesar be obeyed unlesse he be set up in Gods roome but this is no other then a vile aspersi●n that malicious and envious spirits would cast on the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ whose reverence respect and just obedience to authority I make no doubt shall be found in due time to appeare in its beauty and excellency through the good hand of our God upon them when the rottennes of such base malicious selvish spirits shall be discovered to their everlasting ignominy and disgrace For God is faithfull that hath promised to plead the cause of his people cause their integrity and faithfulnes even in this point I doubt not to shine forth as the Sun at noon-day Psal 37.6 And