I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that commeth after me is mightier then I whose shooe I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Joh. 1. 33. He that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me upon whom thou shall sec the spirit descending and remaining the same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost Acts 1. 5. John indeed baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence Acts 11. 15. As I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning 16 Then remembred I the Word of the Lord how that he said John indeed baptized with water but yee shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit are we all baptized into one body Matth. 21. 25. The baptisme of John whence was it from heaven or of men Acts 1. 22. Beginning from the baptisme of John Acts 18. 25. Acts 19. 3. Mark 1. 4. John did baptize in the wildernesse and preached the baptisme of Repentance for remission of sinnes Luk. 3. 3. And he came into all the Country about Jordan preaching the baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes Acts 13. 24. Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And ye shall receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost For the promise is to as many as shall be called Acts 8. 14. 15 16 17. They sent unto them Peter and John who when they were come down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he was faln upon none of them onely they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost Acts 19. 5 6. When they heard this they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus And when Paul laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied Ephes 1. 13. After ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Matth. 28. 18 19. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Mark 16. 17. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And these signes shall follow them that believe c. 13 Quer. Whether from these Scriptures may not be collected That there were two severall baptismes appertaining to the true Ministery of the Gospell plainly distinguished in these four particulars 1 In their Authors the one JOHN the other CHRIST 2 In their matter the one Water the other the Holy Ghost 3 In their form the one In the Name of the Lord JESVS by dipping the subject into water The other In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost by laying their hands upon the subject 4 In their ends the one the Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes the other the baptisme or seal of the Spirit for an earnest of the everlasting inheritance Scripture Hebr. 6. 1 2 3 4. Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Christ Let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptismes and of laying on of hands and of resurrection from the dead and of eternall judgement and this will we do if God permit For it is impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made pertakers of the Holy Ghost c. if they shall fall away c. 14. Quer. Whether from these Scriptures may not be collected 1 That the Doctrine of the aforementioned Baptismes and of laying on of hands is part of the principles of the Doctrine of CHRIST 2 That the doctrine of these Baptismes and of laying on of hands was laid by the true Ministers of the Gospell as a part of the foundation upon which only the faith of all true Believers of the Gospell and Christian visible Churches were and ought to be built Objection All the learned and able of all sorts do agree in expounding Matth. 28. 19. To be the institution of the baptisme with water or at least that the baptisme with water is there only meant Whose authority you crosse in expounding it to be meant of the baptisme with the Holy Ghost As is intimated in the different formes of baptisme in your 13th Quere and 3d. Distinction Answer Authorities in this case ought not be measured by numbers or votes of men though never so learned and able but by Scripture and weight of sound reason And now that by this Text is meant the baptism with the Holy Ghost and not of that with water I shall prove by these following Arguments 1 From the institution it self Christ after his resurrection when he had declared to his Disciples that all power in heaven and in earth was given unto him commanded them saying Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Hence I argue That this being an institution of a Baptisme it is either the institution of the Baptisme with Water or of the Baptisme with the Holy Ghost but it is not of that with water because the baptisme with water was instituted and administred long before that time by John the Baptist who had authority from God so to do Joh. 1. 33. Christ himself Mark 1. 9. The Discip'es and many hundreds more being baptized by John with the Baptisme with water long before this institution of Christ or any administration thereupon And for one and the self same Baptisme to have two institutions and these severall and different and yet true is most unreasonable to imagine 2 It is not the institution of the Baptisme with water nor was the baptisme with water here meant because the baptisme with water would then have been tearmed Christs Baptisme as well as Johns But the baptisme with water was never tearmed Christs baptisme but alwayes tearmed Johns both before and after this institution of Christ Whereas on the other side the baptisme with the Holy Ghost was in like manner alwayes tearmed Christs 3 It is not the baptisme with water which was there meant because then the Disciples afterward would have so proposed and administred it to wit In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost according to the command but they did not afterward so propose nor so administer it but clean otherwise to wit In the Name of the Lord Jesus and for remission of sinnes Acts 2. 38. and 8. 16. Even
this kinde from any whosoever they are untill they can demonstrate the truth of their Ministry more then I have ever seen or heard any man yet to do The Premises considered I Quere Whether it be not transcendent wisdome and worthy highest praise in the Parliament and conducing much to the Peace and safety of the people to decline the putting power of judging Hereticks and Heresies erroneous opinions and doctrines concerning the Gospell of Christ into the hands of such persons who undoubtedly know not the Gospell of Christ themselves The Parliaments Proceedings herein justified by these Reasons 1. Because of the ill successe and sad experience our Ancestours have alwayes had in giving such power the effect whereof proving the destruction of many innocent persons 2. Because the Parliments giving such power tends not onely to make the people but themselves yea the best and greatest of them liable to be destroyed in their innocency As that right Noble Lord the Lord Cobham was Who being hanged in three iron chaines was burned to death for his witnessing against the Clergy in the dayes of Hen. the 4. 3 Because the freeing of the people from all kindes of oppression whereof this is the greatest and the procuring their mutuall tranquility in peace and love agreeable to the rules of justice vertue and honesty is the greatest if not the only work of Reformation entrusted into their hands according to the known Maxim The safety of the people is the supream Law And therefore it is exceeding weaknesse if not wickednesse for any to move or importune them to give any such power Objection But some may object and say That I do not well in comparing the former Clergy that destroyed the Lord Cobham with these of our times Answer These have and do drive on their own interests from the very same principles under the same specious pretences and false claims of being the true Ministers of the Gospell of being Orthodoxe Divines as the other did These publikely charge all that dissent from them in doctrine or practice to be Heteredox erronious persons Sectaries Schismaticks Blasphemers or Hereticks And would accordingly deal with them had they power and all in the name and for the peace and good of the Church as the others did These get to be publike Speakers and Masters of the Presse as the others did that none so charged and aspersed by them can without danger publikely vindicate themselves or undeceive the seduced people These term themselves the Tribe of Levi the Lords own Tribe and Heritage and the rest of the people Lay as the others did These inveigh and cry out against Lay-mens preaching terming them ignorant men not knowing the Originals illiterate Mechanicks and what not in comparison of themselves as the others did These exact Tythes Oblations Obventions from all both rich and poore within their Parishes or Precincts as the others did and as the true Ministers of the Gospell never did There being no difference between them in all these nor in any other respects save onely in termes For as the Pope falsly stiles himself the Vicar of Christ So these being ordained by a power but derived subordinately from the * If our Ecclesiasticall Ministers distinct from Civill received their power to be such subordinately from the Pope then the setting them up in a capacitie to exercise any jurisdiction or power in this Kingdome which they challenge meerly by being such Ecclesiasticall Ministers as aforesaid is the setting up of a forraign power in this Kingdom But the first is true therfore the 2d Whence I Quere 1 VVhether the practice of setting up any forraign power in this Kingdome be not high treason by the Law of the Land 2 VVhether the pretence of Divine Right the better to culler and effect the said practice be not an aggravation of the offence at least so farre as to deserve also the punishment of counterfeits of the highest degree Pope as falsly stile themselves the Ministers of Christ The former challenged to themselves to be jurae divino and expounded all Texts I had almost said framed all Copies and Translations accordingly to serve their own turnes to maintain their own doctrines and practises and to uphold their own power standing as our late episcopall Prelacie likewise did And do not out Pres byterian Prelacy come fairly on in this respect also give them but leave a while and you shall see them as like the Father as ever was Childe Rome was never built in one day And as the two former backt their authority with Majesteriall coērcive power without which they neither did nor could stand So these by all cunning contrivances and restlesse endeavours seek to get the like and in want thereof are inraged accounting themselves undone Why Brethren what 's the cause of all your grievous complaints out-cries and alarums from your Pulpits in this behalf against the Parliament whereby you have filled City and Country with such Lightnings Thunder and Earthquakes even to the disturbance of the State and all peaceable well-minded people Wherein hath the Parliament wronged you or by whom else are you wronged are you rob'd of any power which by Divine Right you brought with you or ever had Can it be Divine and from above and yet taken or detained from you by any mortals here below or can it be Divine Right and not bring Divine power also with it to evince and make way for it self but must petition frail man for its admission Surely there 's some great mistake in the businesse you want power that 's most certain yea your selves confesse it for why else complain you of the want of it and in that you do so want power out of question is a great fault but upon whom this fault is justly chargeable is the onely question Are ye indeed true Divines and Embassadours of Jesus Christ into whose hands all power in Heaven and earth is put by the Almighty God and yet want you power The fault surely then must be in the Master or Messenger either in the ones sending or in the others comming so hastily unprovided and without power sufficient for the necessary discharge of your Message what in this case can be imagined your selves being judges but that you have hastily run both without Message and before you were sent for God never sent Embassadours into the world at randome to seek their Messuage both matter and form out of Bookes and Libraries or to need the Magisteriall power to set them up or to support them in authority to publish and discharge their Embassie as you do much lesse to engage Nations and Kingdomes in blood to do it as your generation have alwayes done And as it is to be feared are yet still like to do unlesse People and Parliament be the wiser and look the better about them timely to prevent it Objection 1 Tim. 4. 14. and Acts 15. 2. 4. 6. Mention Elders and Presbyters who had Divine Right and power
THE IVS DIVINVM OF PRESBYTERIE OR A TREATISE Evidently proving by Scripture All true Ministers or Embassadours of the Gospell to be rightly called Divines OR JVRE DIVINO Hebr. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron PRINTED In the Year 1646. Certain probable Collections From Scripture proving the Divine right OF PRESBYTERIE By way of Quere proposed to the serious consideration of all ingenuous and free spirited men Scripture Ephes 3. 8 9. UNto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mistery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God Col. 1. 25 26. Whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given me for you to fulfill the Word of God The mistery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but is now made manifest to his Saints 1. Quer. Whether from these Scriptures may not be collected That the Gospell is that mistery which from the beginning of the world was hid in God untill the comming of CHRIST in the flesh and his declaring it to his Disciples Scripture Mark 16. 15. Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature Coloss 1. 15 16. Who is the image of the invisible GOD the first born of every creature All things were created by Him and for Him 20 And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in earth or things in heaven 23 And be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22. The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sonnes of GOD for the creature was made subject to vanitie not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope for the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of GOD for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth together untill now Acts 3. 21. Whom the heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things Rev. 21. 5. And he that sate upon the Throne said behold I make all things new 2 Pet. 3. 13. We according to His promise look for new heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse Esa 45. 17. Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end Psal 93. 1. The Lord reigneth the world also is established that it cannot be moved Joh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne John 6. 5. And the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world 1 Joh. 4. 14. We have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Sonne the SAVIOUR of the world 2. Quer. Whether from these Scriptures may not be collected 1 That God by Christ hath reconciled to himself all things in heaven and in earth 2 That the Gospell which Christ after his Resurrection commanded his Disciples to publish in all the world appertained to all the world viz. to every creature in heaven and in earth or under heaven 3 That God by CHRIST will restore all things viz. make new the heavens and the earth deliver the whole creation from corruption into a glorious and incorruptible state and so to make it abide for ever a world without end 4 That Gods loving the world reconciling the world Christ giving his flesh for the life of the world his being a Saviour of the world with many the like phrases are not to be understood of the world of the Elect nor of the world of believers as some fondly imagine no nor yet of the world of Mankinde as others more reasonable do deem but of the whole universall created world the heavens and the earth and all things therein Scripture Luk. 24. 49. Behold I send the promise of the Father unto you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem untill ye be indued with power from on High Acts 1. 4 5. And being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me for John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence 8 But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth 3. Quer. Whether from these Scriptures may not be collected That notwithstanding the former command of Christ to his Disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospell aforesaid yet they were not to attempt the doing thereof untill they were enabled thereto by the comming down of the Holy Ghost from Heaven upon them Scripture Acts 2. 2 3 4. And suddainly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty winde and it filled the house where they were sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Vers 43. And fear came upon every soul and many signes were done by the Apostles Acts 4. 29 30 31. And now Lord behold their threatnings and grant unto thy servants that with all boldnesse they may speak thy Word by stretching forth thy hand to heal and that signes and wonders may be done by the name of the Holy childe Jesus and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the Word of God with boldnesse Acts 5. 12. And by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders wrought among the people and they were all with one accord in Salomons Porch 15 Insomuch that they broughe forth the sick into the streets and layed them on beds and couches that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might over-shadow some of them 16 There came also a multitude out of the Cities round about unto Jerusalem bringing sick folks and them that were vexed with unclean spirits and they were healed every one Acts 8. 5 6 7. Then Philip went down to the City of Samaria and preached Christ unto them and the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which PHILIP spake hearing and seeing the Miracles which he did For unclean spirits crying with loud voyces came out of many that were possessed with them and many taken with Palsies and that were lame were healed Likewise Acts 9. 33 34 35. 41 42. Acts 11. 21. Acts 28. 8
as Johns baptisme was by him formerly proposed and administred Mark 1. 4. Luk. 3. 3. compared with Acts 19. 4 5. 4 It is not the baptisme with water which was here meant because the Disciples were unable to perform the ministry of the baptisme which was here meant untill they were indued with power from on High by the comming down of the Holy Ghost upon them and therefore they were commanded to stay at Jerusalem untill it came and when they were baptized with the Holy Ghost themselves Acts 2. Then and not till then they were able to baptize others with the Holy Ghost also and so were made able Ministers of the Spirit to others by their laying their hands upon them But they were made able Ministers and did perform the Ministery of the Baptisme with water long before this command of Christ John 4. 2. This may further be confirmed from Mark 16. Where the same Baptisme with the Holy Ghost is implyed and meant the words with the sense thereof being as followeth Vers 15. Go ye into all the world and preach publish or declare the Gospell which I have taught to you and which doth belong to every creature under heaven 16 He that believeth this Gospell and is baptized with the Holy Ghost shall be saved He that believeth not this Gospell so declared to him by my Messengers as I have commanded shall be damned 17 And these signes shall follow them that believe and are so baptized This I take to be the true sense and meaning of the palce For 1 If it be thus taken to wit That these signes shall follow them that meerly believe in this sence it is untrue For there were many that believed who had not any signes following upon their believing 2 If it be thus taken to wit That these signes shall follow them that believe and are baptized with water in this sence it is untrue likewise for there were many that believed and were baptized with water who yet had not these signes following upon their believing and being so baptized but as soon as they were baptized with the Holy Ghost signes and gifts of the Holy Ghost did immediately follow thereupon Whence I thus conclude this Point If this place in Mark 16. 17. be to be taken in neither of the two latter sences then it is to be taken in the first sence onely there being no fourth sence in reason to be given But it is to be taken in neither of the two latter sences for the reasons before mentioned Therefore it is to be taken in the first sence onely Objection 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are now given forth though not with any visible manifestation Answer Vers 7. The manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit was given to every one to profit withall as well as the gifts themselves 2 The meaning of the place cannot be that no man can barely say that Jesus is the Lord but by the gift of the Holy Ghost for many might and some did say so before the powring forth of these gifts of the Spirit whereof onely that place treateth and many thousand deboist wretches at this day can say it yea and a Parret may be taught to say the same without any such gift Wherefore I conceive the meaning of the place in other expressions more propably may be No man can so say or so testifie that Jesus is the Lord as thereby to give another sufficient ground to build his faith upon that his testimony without God also bear witnesse thereto by some signes and gifts of the Holy Ghost Like as 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. seems to import Objection St. Paul Rom. 8. 9. Writes if any one have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Wherefore either the spirit is now given to some or else none are Christs Answer St. Paul here writes to such who were of the true Church or body of ChrisT which being a spirituall state none were capable of true Membership therein but by being united thereto by having some gift or gifts of the spirit to profit the body withall and whereof every Member of that Body was partaker As these Texts do manifest 1 Corinth 12. 7. 12. 13. Ephes 2. 11. 22. and 4. 15 16. Wherefore none of his must be understood as I conceive no member of that his body For many were Christs in other respects before those gifts of the spirit were powred forth As in Joh. 7. 39. Acts 1. 5. 15. And many afterward also were Christs who yet had not received the spirit As Acts 8 12. 16 17. and 19. 1 2. 6. but we finde none were members of this his body without some gift or gifts of the spirit for they were all baptized in that one body not by one faith nor by one water but by one spirit 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. The Premises considered I Quere 1 Whether there are now extant amongst us any right Divines or Jurae Divino or true Ministers or Embassadours of the Gospell If yea then let them accordingly demonstrate themselves to be such and by such undoubted distinctions whereby we may evidently know them from all pretenders of all sorts whatsoever as we finde the true Ministers of the Gospell did And seeing Faith comes by such preaching as none can perform but such as are sent Rom. 10. 14 15. In the second place I Quere 2 Whether the undoubted and saving knowledge of the Gospell of Christ be attainable by any other ordinary meanes then by a true Ministry or Embassie Objection It seems you know the Gospell of your self having in the first and second collection declared it Answer 1 The first Collection declareth onely that the Gospell was that mystery which was hid but doth not declare what that mystery is which was hid 2 The second Collection declareth that the Gospell which CHRIST commanded his Disciples to publish in all the world appertained to all the world viz. to every creature in Heaven and in earth or under heaven which are the very words of the Text. But neither Collection nor these or any other Text declareth what that Gospell is in its fulnesse parts dimentions limitations and extentions Nor doth any Text or person from Text or otherwise declare any thing with any such demonstration as the true Ministers and Embassadors of the Gospel did and ought to declare the Gospell 3 Whatsoever is here declared is proposed probably onely to be considered and not infallibly to be believed upon pain of damnation as the true Ministers of the Gospell did and ought to declare and propose the Gospell 4 None therefore are at all bound in respect of any thing here said but are free and at liberty so that what they finde here probably true they may accordingly receive and what otherwise they may reject even as they see good For so and no otherwise will I receive any thing of