into the true Religion and forces them by stripes and corporall punishments to imbrace it which is recorded to his immortall praise and for all Christian Magistrates imitation so that he abhorred the toleration of all Rel gions and as David would not suffer a Lyar in his house so good Nehemiah would not suffer any of a contrary Religion to be under his government hee had learned this Lesson from God himselfe Deut. 4. and Deut. 6 and Deut. 11. Deut. 13. c. This renowned Governour and Magistrate was not affraid to constraine them to doe that which was for the glory of God and according to his will and for the good of their owne soules and for the good of the whole Land and the safety and peace of them all and yet I beleeve Nehemiah knew as well what belonged unto tender consciences as any Independents now living and hee understanding that the heart of man was deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17. v. 9. that conscience being but a branch springing from that deceitfull and desperately wicked root knew also that there could be nothing in it but evill that continually and therefore tooke that liberty upon him to constraine their wicked consciences to conforme to the commandements of God and to submit themselves to his most holy Lawes and Statutes and to that way of worship God had injoyned his people which is the duty of all Parents and Magistrates who by Gods command and this example of good Nehemiah's may at any time use the rod of correction and by it make rebellious and stubborne children and people conforme themselves to the commandements of the Lord and to his true worship and this duty they are bound unto by the Law of God if they urge them to nothing but what God hath declared to be his will in his blessed Word And truly it is not to be passed over without serious taking notice of it how zealous this good Nehemiah was against all sinne and false worship and how adverse hee was to a toleration of all religions under his government for hearing them speake but the language of Ashdod hee by and by reviled them and fell about their eares and forthwith constrained them and that by stripes to embrace the true worship of God But if this good Nehemiah were now living here amongst us and should heare not onely the language of Ashdod but the language of hell out of every mouth and see the abominable practises of the Sectaries of our times and should heare their hellish and blasphemous and hereticall doctrines of denying the Trinity and the Deity of Christ and slighting the holy Scriptures and many such desperate doctrines how may wee thinke would his righteous soule be troubled with it and how would hee bestirre him in cudgelling these fellowes into the true Religion and making of them serve God according to his own appointment and not after their own fantasies as they all now doe without all controversie good Nehemiah would baste them to the purpose and all such as should side with them and especially hee would belabour all such well as should write bookes in defence of such and should call them Saints and their damnable blasphemies the infirmities of the Saints I say I am most confident that were good Nehemiah in our times and had hee that authority hee had then in Ierusalem hee would baste them all to some purpose and make and force them by cudgelling of them to be conformable to wholesome words and I am most assured he would pull off Cretensis his blew beard qui ne pilum boni viri habet and knock him soundly about his hairy scalp And St. Quarter-man also he would have some good slaps as he deservs over his great pate all the rest of these hereticall dangerous Sectaries would by him be constrained with beatings to yeeld obedience to the authority of Gods word and hee would make them know themselves and this indeed is the duty and place of all Magistrates and Parents and Masters of Families neither to suffer or tolerate such fellows in their houses nor Countries for this would but bring judgements upon the land much more ought every man to detest all such as should labour to bring in a toleration of all Religions when we see what misery came upon all Israel by Solomons toleration of them there But the Independents say there is no presidents of any corporall punishment layd upon any under the New Testament for matter of Religion that Magistrates should follow but I conceive the example of our Saviour may suffice for their imitation Who Joh. 2. whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple for merchandizing there and therefore laid corporall punishments upon them And truly if the Magistrates now should whip all the buyers and sellers of their new and blasphemous doctrines out of their severall new Temples and Churches I am confident it would be very pleasing unto God and Christs example would justifie and hold them out in this their so doing for who can they better imitate then the King of his Church Yea we see corporall punishment threatned against the Church of Pergamos and Thyatira c. and afterwards inflicted upon them by God himself for suffering those false Prophets and Teachers amongst them Yea we see Act. 13. that Bariesus for but labouring to hinder the Proconsull from hearing the Gospell was by Paul strucken with blindnesse for it by God himselfe to teach all Magistrates that those deserve punishment that hinder the preaching of the faith but much more those that corrupt it ought to be punished And we have another example of corporall punishment for when there was no Magistrate to punish those exorcists those sonns of Sceva the Lord suffered the devill which could not enter into a swine without his permission to be his executioner and to lay corporall punishment upon them for abusing his name and his authority All which may teach all men how much God is displeased with all such as corrupt his worship and service and would bring in a toleratiou of all Religions and may serve to instruct all Magistrates in their duty for the punishing of all false and herericall Teachers and Seducers And truly if ever there were a time that called for an establishment of one Religion and a setled Government with Uniformity in a Church and State and a Suppression of all Heresies Sects and Factions from the Magistrates hand and a punishing of all false Teachers now it is when by the sad effects already of divisions and variety of opinions we may well perceive what ruine will come upon the three Kingdomes if there be a toleration of all Religions granted for divisions and factions especially in Religion have been fatall to Kingdomes and Commonwealth in all ages as the holy Scriptures and all Histories relate The consideration of which makes me take the liberty to recite a story I heard of a great Nobleman in Queen Elizabeths
Presbyters together upon which all the Congregations and severall Assemblies under it are to depend and to which in all weighty businesses they are to appeal for any injury or conceived wrong or scandall or for redresse of any abuses in Doctrine or manners and for the exercising of Church-Discipline upon incorrigable and scandalous offenders as admonition for giving offence suspension from the Ordinances till amendment and reformation or if obstinate Excommunion Or whether every one of those particular Congregations or Assemblies be they never so small severally or considered a part and by themselves be Independent that is to say have full and plenary authority within themselves without reference to this or any other great Councell or Presbytery for transacting or determining all differences about faith or manners amongst themselves or for the redressing of any grievances or abuses or the exercising of the power of Discipline or jurisdiction and from the which there is no appeal for relief though the parties offended conceive they have never so much injury or wrong done them In a word whether two Presbyters with a slender Congregation have an absolute kinde of Spirituall Soveraignty among themselves in their own Congregation and as ample authority as was given to the whole Colledge of the Apostles Mat. 18. and to the whole Presbytery in the Church of Ierusalem And this is the first Question Which that it may the better be understood I will propound it in a simile and that in a matter well known unto all men The government of this famous City of London and of many other great Cities through the Kingdome are called Corporations that is to say majestracies and have in them a Secular or Civill Signory or Presbytry who are invested with Anthority to exercise all acts of Government amongst themselves as if they were an absolute Principality and this Government by which all Citizens and inhabitants within their Precincts and liberties are to be ruled and ordered as occasion and necessity shall require is committed to the Lord Mayors Aldermen and Common-Councell who onely by such other Officers as they shall elect and choose are to manage and exercise this government so that all particular Citizens and all the Companies of severall Tradesmen are in their particular Wards Precincts and Fellowships by their constitutions and Charter to depend upon the determination of that Counsell and are to make their addresses unto them upon any urgent occasion or conceived wrong or when it concerns the common good and for the time to stand unto their arbitrement Now then the question between us and our Brethren is as if there should arise a controversie in these severall Corporations Whether the Companies in each City where they all have their severall Halls and their severall assemblies and meetings upon all occasions and have all their Officers and exercise also a power of ruling and jurisdiction among themselves be independent that is to say have plenary authority within themselves without reference to the Lord Mayor or Aldermen or Common-counsell to determine of all things among their severall Companies and from the which there is no appeale for reliefe though one be never so much injured and damnified by any unjust act and whether these severall Companies and severall Assemblies be each of them a severall Corporation or Magistracy or all of them put together make but one Corporation under one civill Presbytery consisting of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-counsell This I thought fit to propound that every one may the better understand the question Now as this kingdome of England hath its severall Porporations through all Pounties and the which Porporations although they have their severall Pompanies in them yet are all dependent upon a civill Presbytery and Common-counsell and every Company in them makes not a severall Porporation or Magistracy or a severall City but are all dependent upon the Common-counsell or Presbytery for the better ordering and governing of them in all their common affaires and for the redressing of abuses and taking away and removing of common grievances and have their severall appeals to the Common-counsell the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and if they finde no justice there nor satisfaction have their redresse and appeal to some generall Court or some supreame judicature as to the Parliament of the Kingdome who redresse and determine all things according to the lawes and constitutions of the whole Kingdome So in the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ which is his Church all these severall Churches which we reade of in the holy Scrupture of the New Testament are so many severall Corporations and Associations all the severall congregations and assemblies as so many severall Companies in them depending upon a Presbytery or Common-counsell and Colledge of Pastors and Rulers all making up but one Church in every one of their jurisdictions and severall Precincts though they be consistent of never so many severall Assemblies according to the greatnesse of the Cities or Townes wherein they are or according to the severall Hundreds or Divisions assigned to each Presbytery and all these severall associations to be groverned by their severall Presbyteries for the better ordering and preserving of the same to the which every particular man as well as any Assembly or Congregation may have their appeal for the redresse of any abuses or enormities and if they finde themselves wronged there then they have appeals to some other higher Presbytery or Counsell of Divines for relief and justice and both they and all other of the severall Corporations to be governed and regulated by the Laws and Statutes given by Christ himself the onely Head and King of his Church according onely to whose laws they are to be governed and ruled for the common good and preservation of the whole Church divided into those severall Jurisdictions Corporations or Precincts in imitation as neer now as may be of the Churches of Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth and Galatia c. and whose lawes alone must be the rule for the ordering of all their government doctrine and manners I have premised this I have now said that all men may the better understand the state of the Question and controversie in hand Now then if it shall be made appear out of the holy Scripture That all the severall Churches we have mention of in the New Testament were all particular corporations or associations and governed by a Common-Councell of Presbyters or by a Presbyteriall government in each of them and that there were many assemblies and congregations in those severall Churches and all of them had their distinct Officers amongst themselves in the which likewise they had all the Acts of Worship amongst themselves and did partake in all ordinances of Church-fellowship especially in the preaching of the Word Prayer in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and yet made but one Church and were all governed by a common-counsell of Presbyters or by a common Presbyterie within their Precincts then it must
they allow of that doctrine proclaming themselves to be the only Saints the holy people and the godly party the generation of the just and separate from their brethren as impure creatures Therefore the Independents do not walk in that old way of righteousnesse the old Puritans of ENGLAND walked in who made no separation in the worst times from the publike Assemblies or ever refused to pray with their Christian brethren and therefore in this point they have not outstripped them nor overgrown them from which I boldly conclude that herein that Predicant did abuse the world in saying that there is no difference between the Independents and the old Puritants of ENGLAND For the old Puritans were humble self denying men and the Independents are pharisaicall boasters of their own holinesse and sanctity and therefore in this their way is not the way of righteousnesse but a great aberration from it Again the old Puritans of England though never so learned and never so sufficiently furnished with all accomplished abilities of divine knowledge which many of them by their indefatigable pains study and industry and by their prayers unto God night and day and by their continuall waiting upon the Ordinances and Gods blessing upon all their endeavours had attained unto so that they were taken notice of by all men both in the Universities and amongst all the learned to be incomparable men many of the which I could name yet not any one of them ever preached either in publike or private without great study and prayer yea and without a speciall call and they alwayes with Saint Paul exercised their Ministery in fear and much trembling 1 Cor. 2. ver 3. saying with him 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Those holy and godly Puritans though transcendently learned yet were always conversant in all holy duties especially in preaching and prayer with fear and trembling thinking themselves never sufficiently enough provided for for those duties And truly Saint Paul's example is worthy alwaies to be looked upon who though he were immediately inspired by God himselfe and had alwayes the assistance of his spirit and ten thousand times more learning then all the Independents put together yet he preached alwayes with fear and trembling and cryed out who is sufficient for these things Now if we compare the Independents and their Predicants with the old Puritans of England we shall find the old Puritans alwaies and in all things imitating the example of holy Paul and the other Apostles in their Ministery which they had a command to follow Phil. 3. ver 17. who intruded not themselves rashly upon the Ministery as the false Apostles and Seducers usually did and as all the Independents and Sectaries daily do they cryed out who is sufficient for these things and how can any preach except he be sent Rom. 10. saying No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as Aaron Hebr. 2. 4. Those old Puritans were all men of Saint Paul's spirit they durst do nothing without a call nothing without great study nothing without their parchments and books imitating Saint Paul in this who would alwaies have his parchments with him that is his books bring me my parchments saith he they preached not without fear and trembling this was the continuall practice of the old Puritans they could never be seen in a Pulpit before they had some dayes prepared themselves by prayer and study and yet after all this they would then cry out Who is sufficient for these things Whereas all the Independents and Sectaries assert that every man may preach and every man of them is sufficient and many also hold that women may preach yea and to manifest that they are all sufficient for these things and for the dispensing of the great mysteries of Heaven which the very Angels desired to pry into they run through Town and Country and wheresoever they come get up into the Pulpits and preach with such impudencie impiety and blasphemy as it is not lawfull to name their very doctrines being so destructive to all piety goodnesse and good manners and Ruffian like they go in their hair and apparrel and so insolent and proud they are that one would rather take them for Luciferians then Saints and such unbeseeming expressions they have in their prayers to God as would terrifie a truly consciencious and godly man to hear them as not long since one of them in London publickly speaking unto God in his prayer said Right Honorable Lord God which kind of expressions as they are blasphemous so ridiculous exposing Religion and the sacred Ordinances of God to ludibry and derision But yet this is the dayly practice of the Sectaries through the Kingdome far different from that of the old Puritans of England and therefore in this point of fear and reverence and of an holy awe of Gods divine Majestie and a reverend adoring of the ministery and mystery of the Gospell the way of the Independents is not that either of the holy Apostles or of the old Puritans there being as vast a difference between them as between light and darknesse and therefore the way of Independency in this particular also is not the way of righteousnesse but the way of rebellion and impudency Againe the old Puritans of England had all of them a reverend opinion of all in authority and did ever beleeve that there was no power but of God and that all powers were ordained of God Rom. 13. and they beleeved that every soule ought to be subject to the higher power and that whosoever resisted the power resisted the Ordinance of God and for that their Rebellion they should receive to themselves damnation and they ever believed that every soule ought to be subject unto authority not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake this was the Doctrine of the old Puritans of England and their practice in yeelding continuall obedience to them and praying for them is knowne to all men yea they did acknowledge that as all power was given unto Jesus Christ in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. Psal 2. so they did beleeve that all power in Church and State was derived from him as the head of all Principalitie and power who had said Prov. 8. 15. 16. By me Kings raigne and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles yea all the Iudges of the earth c. this doctrine the old Puritans of England had learned and taught and were obedient unto as having precept upon precept for it as from the words above quoted out of the thirteenth of the Romans so out of 1. Pet. chap. 2. verse 13 14. who said submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill Doers and for the prayse of them that doe well for so is the wâ—ll of God that with well doing yet may
despise Dominion and speake evill of Dignities hee cals them raging waves of the Sea foming out their owne shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darkenesse for ever against whom he saith the Lord will execute judgement for all their ungodly deeds and for all their hard speeches stiling them Murmurers complayners whose mouths speak great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage desiring all men to remember the words of the Holy Apostles and of our Lord Jesus Christ who fore-told the people of God that there should be such Mockers in the last times who should walke after their ungodly lusts and that they might the better take notice of them and know who these men both Christ and the Apostles spake of he saith they were such as should separate themselves sensuall not having the spirit he describes them to be an unsanctified race of men whatsoever seeming holinesse they make a shew of and such as ought to be avoyded and shunned of all such as desire to please God and avoyd that condemnation that was denounced against all such as despised dignities and resisted authority and even as the Lord by his servants commanded the people to separate from the company of Corah Dathan and Abiram and to goe from their tents lest they were involved in the same miseries and calamities that were coming upon them for their rebellion against Moses so ought all the people that indeed do truly fear God decline the companies and societies of all such as now oppose authority and make themselves the soveraign Lords of the Kings and Rulers and Judges that God hath appointed over them for surely a greater unrighteousnesse cannot be perpetrated against God then thus superciliously to trample upon authority and to despise those that are over them which is the dayly practice of the Independents and Sectaries all which unrighteousnesse the old Puritans of England were not guilty of having been better taught and therefore in this part of duty the Independents are different from the old Puritans of England who walked not in this way of unrighteousnesse and therefore the Sactaries have not out-stripped them in this point of obedience to authority but they are indeed overgrown and are become monstrous in their rebellious practices Yea so far they are from reverencing those in authority as they are grown to that height of pride and unrighteousnesse as many of them will not so much as pray for the very Parliament or the Assembly either privately or publickly as can sufficiently be proved by such as are acquainted with them and their practices for not long since in a great Assembly and Congregation of Independents one of their Predicants being in prayer after he had put up many petitions and requests in behalfe of their fraternity thus expressed himself speaking unto God Now Lord saith he we should come to pray for the Parliament and Assembly but they are not worthy the prayers of the Saints and so with disdain he passed them by as unworthy of their prayers then the which what could be spake more wickedly and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England who in all their prayers and supplications private and publick ever with tears prayed for all in authority I affirme that this practice of the Independents is not onely one of the highest strains of all unrighteousnesse and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England but contrary to all the practice of all the Saints that ever yet lived in the world and contrary to all the commands of God both in the Old and New Testament For we have read how earnestly Moses prayed for the rebellious Israelites wishing himselfe rather to be blotted out of the book of life then that the Lord should destroy them and so did Paul wish for his Countrymen the Jews Samuel also when the people desired him to pray for them 1 Sam. 12. v. 23. God forbid saith he that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you c. So that the holy Prophet makes it a sin in either Ministers or people not to pray for their brethren and especially those in authority for this was the practice of all the Prophets the Lord told a heathen King that Abraham his servant should pray for him yea father Abraham prayed for the very Sodomites and the Kingdoms in which they dwelt Gen. 18. And the people of Israel when they were in captivity in Babylon had a command from God himselfe to pray for the welfare of very Babylon and the Princes of the same and we have read what supplications Daniel Ezra and Nehemiah put up in behalfe of those heathen Princes under which they lived as well as for their own Countrymen And Saint Paul gives it in charge to all Ministers and people 1 Tim. 2. to pray for all men ver 1 2. I exhort saith he that first of all supplications prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour So that here there is not onely an exhortation to all Christians in generall but in speciall to Ministers to pray for all men but primarily for those in authority and reasons grounds are also given by the Apostle of incouragement to this duty viz. because that it is a good and acceptable thing in the sight of God tending also for the peace quiet and tranquillity of them all and which is more to all godlinesse which is the glory of all peace and therefore that they ought to pray for those in authority And this exhortation of the Apostle all the old Puritans of England did ever most diligently observe and follow praying for them that were in authority night and day whereas the Sectaries were never in private heard pray for either King or Parliament or the Scots or Assembly How wicked a thing therefore is it in the Independents and Sectaries and what a part of unrighteousnesse is it in them dayly to omit this duty who will neither pray with their brethren nor for them but separate from all their societies as from a people unholy yea how impious and rebellious a thing is it in them against both God and all authority to say and that in a disdainfull manner even in their publike meeting places and congregations that neither the Parliament nor Assembly are worthy their prayers yea it is well known and can be proved that they pray against them and the King himselfe and that not onely privately but in their congregations publikely Surely if either the Parliament or Assembly or the Presbyterians were as bad as the Kings of Babylon or the persecuting Jews yet they ought to be prayed for For we have a command to pray for all men yea for our enemies and those that persecute us and
hopes are frustrate now they labor for a toleration of all Religions which both God noble Nehemiah and Ioshua all the Holy Prophets Christ and his blessed Apostles continually were displeased with and denounced judgements against all which holy Lawes now they desire may be dispensed with to gratifie them with a ful toleration of all religions or at least with an indulgence for their new-fangled Independency which by all their indeavours they make way apace for and howsoever it was thought a thing worthy of death in Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury that they but laboured to alter the Lawes of the Land and the Religion that was established by publick authority and for the which they both suffered the very Sectaries and Independents themselves being the principall Agents to bring them both to their end who by their tumultuous and disorderly running up daily to Westminster were never satisfied in craving justice at the Parliament against them saying that as resolution was the life of action so execution was the life of the Law and justice and would never be contented and appeased till they had obtained their desires against them and only for this very cause as they pretended that they indeavoured to alter the Lawes of the Land and the Religion established by publick authority and many of our Fugitives were as eager in that busines as any of the rest some of them standing upon the Scaffold to see the execution of them and rejoycing at the justice done upon them and yet behold the very same men are all of them guilty of the very same crime that they dyed for yea of a farre greater for the Prelate and the Earle of Strafford were adjudged for but indeavouring to alter the Religion and Lawes established in the Kingdome but all the Sectaries and Independents they have really altered Religion and have set up many new Religions and that without any authority yea they have altered both Law and Gospel rejecting all the Holy Scriptures and making nothing of the glorious Word of God as can be proved and they have not only established by their sole authority divers Religions amongst us that were never knowne before but they proclame all the Presbyterians enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sons of Belial and esteeme of them as so many Infidels in no wise to be communicated with in holy things And for the fundamentall Lawes of the Land they not only speake against them as a yoake of tyrannie and bondage unsupportable to be borne but they write whole bookes against them desiring they may be altered notwithstanding all men injoy their lives and estates by them yea they write not only in general against all the laws of the land but against the very Ordinances of Parliament daily publishing Pamphlets against all their proceedings and especially they have taken great paines to dismount the Ordinance of Tythes established both by Law and a particular Ordinance of Parliament they would faine starve the Presbyterians preaching and practising hourely against the Covenant and many knowne Ordinances for whereas it was by Ordinances injoyned that none should preach publickly but such as were authorised and thought fit for the soundnesse of their Doctrine and for the sufficiency of their parts and abilities and that nothing should be printed but by authority notwithstanding these Ordinances the Sectaries and Independents both preach print whatsoever they please to the seducing of the people and for the perverting and corrupting of religion and disturbance both of Church and State and whereas by an Ordinance of Parliament the manner of government consisting of the three States King Peers and Commons hath been againe and againe confirmed established with the sitting of the Reverend Assembly of Divines and the ratifying of the Directory and for the establishing of the Presbyterian government neverthelesse they write against them all especially the King Peers and Assembly making nothing of them no nor of the â—ouse of Commons it selfe if at any time they displease them but they dash them all a peeces subverting the whole government at once proclaming the people the soveraigne Lords of them all and some of them have beene so temerarious as they have abused the whole Parliament to their faces first the King then the House of Commons and then the House of Lords slighting their authority and power affirming that they could not so much as commit any freeborne subject to prison which every Justice of peace or Constable may doe yea it is well knowne that in insolency they have exceeded all Delinquents that ever appeared before the great Councell of the Kingdome so that it may be spake to the honour both of Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury that they both of them behaved themselves with far greater modesty and reverence towards both Houses then many of the Sectaries have done for they ever yeelded due honour and reverenciall respect unto them all both with bowed knees and gracefull and seeming language which those paultry Fellowes out of an insulting impudency denied them despising Dignities and Dominions and these creatures have had their complices to applaud them in these their Rebelliouspractises yea some of them have beene so bold as to petition the Parliament in their behalfe though they could not be ignorant how unchristianly unreverently and undutifully they behaved themselves before them which was the greatest affront that was ever offered to any Parliament and the greatest breach of the priviledge of Parliament that hath beene knowne in any nation and yet all these things have beene perpetrated by the Independents and Sectaries all which gracelesse proceedings the old Puritans of England abhorred as the way of unrighteousnesse This also can be proved that many of their Independent itinerary preachers run from place to place preaching against the Nobility and Gentry against the Citie and against the Reverend Assembly against the Directory against Tythes against the Presbytery yea against all that is called authority and against all our gallant renowned and valiant presbyterian souldiers saying in their Sermons come out yee old base drunken whoremasterly rogues shew what you have done for the safety of the Kingdome ascribing all the glory of those noble victories to their owne party Truly if I should make but a repetition of the very contents of their prayers Sermons and diabolicall practises and set downe but the very heads of them it would fill a mightie volume by all which it would evidently appeare that they are greater Delinquents against the Religion and Lawes established by publicke authority then ever Strafford and the Prelate were and greater Malignants to the State then ever the Cavaliers were yea greater enemies to all Reformation in Religion then ever appeared in the world before they were hatcht and which is not the least thing of admiration and wonder in all these creatures they are fledge in wickednesse as soone as they are disclosed Truly these their practises manifest unto the whole world that they are
Antitode to it in the same place and for farther answer to your meager and slender detractions take notice that I value not what you or any Adversaries can say concerning my tautologies if handling the same thing often be thought a tautologie with you for this is my resolution that wheresoever and as often as I find an adversary hath a tongue to speake against the truth or a pen to write against it were it an hundred times in the same place or in the same page I will God assisting me answer them upon the place I find them and that instant I will never refer the Reader to what I have said before in any other place concerning that point for I for my part think it a kind of lazinesse to spare any paines in so weighty businesses and things of so high concernment as these are yea I think there is but little zeale in that man that shall hear the truth either often blasphemed or spake against that will not as often stand up in defence of it and contend for it according to command Iud. 3. to his uttermost ability yea it would be a means to perswade unstable men that there were some strength in the Arguments of the enemies or that they are more diligent to sow errors tares then I should be diligent to root them out oppose them if I should not as often reply as they cavil and object therfore for my particular it never troubles me what any of youcan say to me about my tautologies which are not vaine repetitions to any that love often to heare the same truth well confirmed for allthis will but witnesse and declare to all men that I am a carefull man to uphold the truth and to resist gain-sayers besides any man may sooner reade a reply many times then turne to an other place where it was formerly spake of and answered to withall there will in a severall answer to the same objection in an other place be found some variety both for argument and language which many times begets other excellent notions which more and more confirmes men in any truth Besides this hath ever beene Gods owne method which they that are taught of him Iohn 6. ought to imitate often to repeate one and the same Law as what he taught his people in Exodus he often reiterates in the same Booke and not in that only but in Leviticus and Numbers and repeats the whole Law againe in Deuteronomy and that often to the end they might remember it the same may be saidof al the holy Prophets through the whole Bible who often reiterate repeat the same things that the people may not pretend ignorance and this I say is Gods own method and therfore worthy of our imitation yea and Christ himself used this method in his preaching and dictating unto his Apostles by his Holy Spirit who writ foure Evangels of what he hath both done and suffered for us often repeating the same thing yea all the holy Apostles and pen men of holy Writ used the same method as is to be seen through the Acts all their holy Epistles repeating the same things according to their several occasions as when either the same errors sprang up in other places or began to increase where they were so wen and started up yea Paul professeth of himselfe Phil. 3. verse 1. that to him it is not grievous but for them safe to write the same things The same method did Saint Peter use as yee may see in his second Epistle and therefore it is no error in me often to repeate the same things and to inculcate and reinforce the same Arguments especially if it be occasioned by your selves that by this meanes the truth for which I contend may be the more confirmed and errors may be the more confuted and overthrown But withall let mee say thus much unto you by the way that although I am constrained through your vaine tautologies often to handle the same truths yet it is with such variety and in so diverse a way manner and stile as it will not bee grievous or tedious to all those that shall reade it with honest hearts where they will well perceive that what I have answered more briefly in one place I have more fully handled in an other that if it be possible I might give full satisfaction to all docible and ingenuous men that will be satisfyed either with Scripture or reasons Now if in this dispute there be any expressions that may displease any of you you of all men may well excuse them knowing how great your provocations of me have beene especially if you consider that all this contention is for the defence of the truth of God which yee all have sought to corrupt and adulterate with your traditions in whose quarrell and for the maintenance of whose honour it becomes every man to be more zealous and fuller of animosity then for his owne and therefore if I take liberty to speake more freely in shewing the vanity impiety and wickednesse of the Deceivers and Impostors of these times in which we live it is but to use the same method the holy Prophets and blessed Apostles have used against the false teachers of their times who have expressed themselves in language equivalent to whatsoever they shall find in any part of my Booke Yea you your selves if you but looke upon my Brother Burtons Vindication or upon any of his Pamphlets or indeed upon any of your own scriblers in maintenance of your owne vaine errors and novelties or upon Iohn Goodwyn your famous Cretensis or the last Vindication that came out against Reverend Master Edwards you shall find them as full of unsavoury expressions as ever people writ against any men withall writing also with such elated spirits and with so course language as is possible for any men to vent themselves withall they ordinarily beginning and continuing their Pamphlets with pride and ending them with cursing as in that late Vindication appeareth where the Author page the first saith I thought it might not be amisse speaking of learned Master Edwards to spend an houre or two upon this vaine man Here wee find the height of pride insolency and disdaine and in the 30. page he hath these words concerning the same man The Lord rebuke turbulent and violent spirits here he ends with cursing causelessely whereas there is no more turbulent and violent spirits now upon the earth then this of that Author and all those of your fraternity as all their practices and noysome fruitlesse and vilipending scriblings can witnesse who daily write against their Christian Brethren for their zeale to the truth with a greater spirit of pride insolency and elation and with more contempt and disdaine and that out of selfe conceitednesse then ever the Prelates did continually slighting under-valuing and contemning those men they are not worthy for any merit or true learning to be compared with or named the same day they
are mentioned and therefore if I in Gods quarrell and cause be a little more earnest and use a little more tartnesse which I shall ever wave in my owne it may with any good nature easily plead excuse But before I conclude my Epistle I shall desire you all to consider three passages omitting many I shall here set before your eyes the one out of Master Knollys his Answer the other out of I. S. his Flagellum the third out of my Brother Burtons Vindiciae that you may take notice of the vanity and futility of these men and how much they have wronged your cause before you reade the insuing Discourse Master Knollys thus speaks upon the Frontispice of his Booke A moderate Answer unto Doctor Bastwicks Booke wherein the manner how some Churches in this Citie were gathered and upon what termes their Members were admitted that so both the Doctor and the Reader may judge how neere some ` Beleevers who walke together in the Fellow-ship of the Gospel doe come in their practise to these Apostolicall rules which are propounded by the Doctor as Gods method in gathering Churches and admitting Members These are Master Knollys his own words and in the nineteenth and twentieth page he more fully there testifies his good liking of that method for gathering of Churches that I out of the Word of God propounded and would perswade the world that their Congregations were gathered after that method or manner or came very nigh unto it by all which his expressions and by that their practice he declares that in his judgement I have writ nothing but what is agreeable to Gods Word I appeale now therefore unto you all whether this man deserves not condigne punishment that will goe about undertake and endeavour to confute that Booke which he in his judgement alloweth of and according to which he pretendeth he practiseth andall this for the deluding and misleading of unstable soules to the trouble both of Church and State I am most assured that those that are rationall amongst you and not blinded with passion will say that Master Knollys is not only an unworthy trifler but that hee goeth contrary unto his owne Principles and ought deservedly to be severely punished for his thus wickedly mispending his pretious time and abusing the simple people For if I have writ nothing concerning the gathering of Churches but what he in his conscience beleeveth and practiseth then how unexcusable is that in this man that will speake against what his owne soule dictates unto him to be according to GODS holy Word By all which it is manifest that he is not onely a vain jangler but hath lost the day and wronged that your cause the defence of which notwithstanding he entred into the field to vindicate and maintain against all the Presbyterians And that which I have said of him may deservedly be spake of I. S. and my brother Burton For I. S. in the 13. Page of his Flagelli hath these words If it were granted saith he that many Churches did aggregate and unite in the beginning yet would not this example be bindingly presidential c. and seems there to prove it by arguments and my brother Burton in the 9. and 10. pages of his Pamphlet assenteth unto I. S. his doctrine as you may see at large if you look into it in which you shall find also that he acknowledgeth there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and at that time when according to his own reckoning there were but three thousand beleevers in that Church His words are these saying that though they wanted a convenient place so spacious as wherein to break bread or to receive the Lords Supper altogether so as they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in severall private houses to communicate c. So that by the learning of all these your great Champions you will in the sequell of this discourse evidently perceive that they have utterly overthrown your doctrine of Independency and of the Congregational way and that whiles they all came out to maintain it For Mr Knollys as I said even now he fights against the light of his own understanding and opposeth that truth which he in his judgement alloweth of And for I. S. and my brother Burton they have ignorantly murthered your cause For all the contention hitherto both in the Synod between the reverend Presbyters there and the Homothumadon dissenting brethren and between all the Independents and Presbyterians through the Kingdome hath been concerning the Church of Jerusalem and the number of beleevers in that Church which the dissenting brethren with all the Independents in England hold were never at first and last more then could all meet in one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and they assert moreover that that Church ought to be a patern for all Churches to the end of the world in respect of its government and do peremptorily affirme that the example of that Church is bindingly presidentiall to all succeeding ages for imitation which is the opinion not only of the Homothumadon dissenting brethren but of all the Sectaries that I know yea the orthodox Presbyterians do all beleeve that the Church of Ierusalem the Mother-Church is to be a pattern of Government to all Churches in all succeeding ages to the end of the World Now I. S. saith that the example of the Church of Ierusalem is not bindingly presidential wickedly comparing it to the confused chaos that indigested moles in the first creatiō so that he makes the church of Ierusalem an imperfect patern So that by his doctrine it is left arbitrary for any Church or State to set up what kind of Church government they please Now whether or no this opinion of his be not contrary to all divinity and the judgement of all orthodox Divines yea to the very tenent of all the Independents I leave it to the consideration of all those amongst you that can judge of things that differ So that you may see that this Champion also of yours hath absolutely overthrown your own principles when he came out to maintain and defend your cause My brother Burton also hath given a fatall blow to that cause he came out so desperately to maintain For all the Independents through the world that ever I heard of with all the Homothumadon brethren in the Assembly by all their arguments have hitherto laboured to evince that there were no more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in one place or Congregation to communicate in all ordinances acknowledging that if it could be proved there were more Assemblies and Congregations of beleevers in that Church that then they would yeeld the cause and they spake according to reason For if there were many Congregations of beleevers in Ierusalem and all those made up but one Church and were all under one Presbytery as they must of necessity be if they made all but one entire
and the way have lost them both and are now turned Seekers to the dishonour of God and their eternall shame and misery too if they speedily repent not For God in the 30. of Deut. ver 11. saith there This commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far of it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldst say who shall goe over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it See saith the Lord I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evill Now if in the dayes of Moses the truth was so near unto them that the Lord says there unto his people that he had set it before their eyes yea that it was in their hearts so that they had then no need to run from land to sea and from sea to land to finde it how much more obvious is it now may every rationall man conclude when it is so gloriously set forth and that through the whole Scripture of the New Testament And how inexcusable will all such be found that complain the truth is not yet clear unto them So that it may be an astonishment to all men to hear any that have read the holy Word of God say that they are yet in the dark the truth doth not appear unto them And yet such men there are who declare unto the world and professe it that they are expectants and seekers and many have often said unto me when I have been in familiar discourse with them That as yet the truth was not made out unto them concerning the Presbyterian way and therefore they could neither communicate with our Assemblies nor yet joyn with those of the new gathered churches Now that all those who have wandred and strayed from the old way and those that are at a losse and seek it may find it and the truth which they have a command from God to buy and purchase and that they may all clearly perceive that they are in the by-path of error that are still Scepticks and doubting about the way I shall at this time endeavor to be their guide nothing doubting but by the grace of God and his speciall assistance if they will bring docible hearts and willing minds to follow the thred of his Word and be directed by that unerring line of the same they may speedily be led and come into the right way and find the truth and with it peace and comfort to their own souls in life and death I will first therefore dissipate and scatter those mists that have been cast before their eyes by which the truth hath been clouded and remove all those stumbling blocks that have been put before them and then I doubt not howsoever it be thought a difficult work yea an unpossible thing but to make the truth evidently appear unto them and bring them into the right way from which some have wandred and strayed and others yet doubt of And I hope so to clear up the light of the truth that the way of it shall not only be plain to them but to every man and woman that have not lost the eye-sight of their reason or have not sacrificed themselves to error and vanity And therefore that the truth concerning the Presbyterian way may the more elucidately appear to every intelligible man I will here briesly state the question which is fully handled in the following discourse and shew What hath been the principall cause of putting so many out of the way and keeping and deterring others from it and withall I will set down the ground and rise of the Independent tenent shew upon what as a foundation they lay the whole Fabrick of this their new Babell which I hope to make evident to be nothing but a meer chimera and phansie in their own brain and that there is not the least warrant for it in the whole book of God And all that I now say I am confident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discover to all those whom the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the clear sunshine of the Gospell of Truth Those that call themselves by the name of Independents and have separated themselves from our Congregations and Assemblies counting us such Saints as Job would not set with the doggs of his flocke calling us the sons of Belial proclaming us to be the enemies the Lord Iesus Christ and his Kingdome for this is their language concerning us all those I say pretend that they have both the Word of God and the example of the Primitive Churches especially that of Jerusalem for the maintenance of their Independency and for these their unbrotherly proceedings whose opinion and doctrine is this That the Church of Ierusalem that Mother Church consisted of of no more beleevers at any time then did ordinarily meet altogether in one place and Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and they teach withall that this Church consisting of no more had an absolute soveraignty within it selfe Independent without reference to any other Church and from the which there might be no appeal for the redresse of any conceived wrong and they moreover affirm that the constitution of this conceited forme of government is the true Gospel forme of Church government and is for ever to be a patern to all Churches in all succeeding ages to doe the same and to exercise the same authority within themselves severally that they imagine this Church did though they consist but of twenty or thirty Members apeece yea fewer This is the opinion of all the Independents saving my Brother Burton who in this differeth from all his brethren beleeving yea acknowledging that there were many Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem by which he hath overthrowne their opinion whiles notwithstanding hee labours with all his might to maintaine it as will appeare in its due place whereas all the other Independents as I said before confidently assert that there were no more Beleevers in that Church at first and last then could all meet in one Congregation to communicate in all the Ordinances Now the Presbyterians on the other side and that upon very good grounds as will in the sequell of this discourse appeare hold and beleeve that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that all those severall Congregations made but one Church within its pracincts and were all under one Presbyterie and that the government of this Church consisting of many Congregations combined together under the government of a Colledge of Presbyters is a paterne of government to all Churches in succeeding ages to the â—nd
Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord upon that viz. occasion or designe For this is as much as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do signifie being taken both adjectively and relatively in that place and therefore under reformation be it spoken it is not rightly translated in our bibles for unlesse we do consider the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with reference to some substantive or some thing going before there can no sense be made of them nor no man mortall can tell the meaning of them no more then any man can divine or judge what one that commeth abruptly into his company and having interchanged no discourse with him doth mean and understand if he should barely say upon this or upon that Now all the contestation is about these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we all agree it signifieth with one accord Now the Independents by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand in one place which epì tò autò never signified in the world for if we will stand upon the words they have a far other meaning then the Homothumadon brethren give of them as will by and by appear for as for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking it not as a preposition in the Greek tongue as all the learned in that language know it often signifies time and of this I could produce many examples as if one speaking or writing Greek should say such a thing happened in my time or in my dayes he would expresse it by epì and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tempore meo or mea aetate it was done in my time So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may with far better ground and by far far greater reason be interpreted for time in that text then for place in regard there was no mention made of place before but of time for it is in terminis said When the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all together with one accord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. at that instant of time or upon that very day this interpretation I say doth farre better come up to the sense and meaning of that text then the other in one place for both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that text are relatively and adjectively taken as I said before having reference to something going before for otherwise they cannot possibly be understood So that there being mention of time before they are to be interpreted rather of time then place but that is not the true meaning of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that text for the true interpretation therefore of them we must have recourse to other places of holy Scripture and primarily to that portion of Scripture from whence these words are taken and that is out of the Septuagints translation upon the second Psalm ver 2. which Saint Luke follows which in the Greek runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred by the latin interpreters thus astiterunt reges terrae principes convenerunt in unum adversus dominum adversum Christum ejus In our bibles the words are thus translated The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his anoynted So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place must necessarily be taken for an evill designe purpose counsell machination or resolution and indeed if we duly consider the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheresoever we meet with them they do for the most part signifie some designe purpose or resolution whether it be taken in a good sense or a bad as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Psalm is taken for a conspiracy and an evill design of the Kings and Rulers but in the second chapter of the Acts ver 1. it is taken for a good design in the Disciples for when the day of Pentecost was fully come saith the Scripture they were with one accord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. upon this occasion they were met together with this design purpose and resolution to consecrate the day to Gods service and to celebrate the feast to his name and this is the true and genuine meaning of the place viz. that the disciples were all met together upon the day of Pentecost upon this designe with full purpose and with an unanimous consent and resolution to keep that day and celebrate the feast unto the glory of God and this was a good design and purpose in them which is signified by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are not to be understood in one place as the Independents would have it and as it is translated and that it may yet be more evident that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is signified a design and not in one place very reason and common understanding will make it out and clear to every man if we will compare Scripture with Scripture and in the first place duly consider the words in the 2 Psa where it is said that the Kings of the earth set themselvs and the Rulers took counsel together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words there do not imply a convention or meeting together of the persons of all the Kings and Princes in the world in any one place for that they never did nor could do there being an impossibility of it both in respect of time and place no place being able to contain them all so that I say by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is onely signified a wicked design and purpose or a deliberate counsell and resolution agreed upon and consented unto in all their wicked and rebellious hearts to shake off the sweet yoke of Christ and of casting away from themselves those bands of love and of breaking those cords of his affection towards them For whereas God the father had appointed Christ to be King over the Nations to govern them by the Scepter of his Spirit and by the Rod of his Word they all conspired with one accord to resist his spirituall government over their souls and would not have him to rule over them And therefore the holy Ghost expresses this their conspiracy wicked design and evil purpose by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intimate as much as if the spirit of God had said this was the design resolution and the determinate counsell of all those wicked Kings and Rulers to reject the government of Christ over them not meaning or understanding there by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they in all their persons ever either came together or could meet in any one place So that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is meant a design onely and not a meeting of all the persons of all Rulers and Kings in one place The same expression we find Acts 4. ver 26 27. where it is said That Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which expression is borrowed out of the second Psalme the
Church at one time without all controversie it was impossible that they could all then meet together in any one place and for farther confirmation of this truth and for the putting of this controversie for ever out of doubt the Holy Ghost saith in the fifth chapter verse 14. And Beleevers were more added unto the Church multitudes both of men and women Marke I pray the expression multitudes Now by multitude all men know is to be understood and that in all Languages a very great Assembly or congregation or company whereupon the Scripture saith follow not a multitude to doe evill so that by multitude is ever understood some vast Assembly or Congregation of people and here the Scripture saith speaking in the plurall number that multitudes and that both of men and women were added to the Lord that is to say many great Congregations and Assemblies were added to the Church yea the expression doth as it were intimate that they came in so fast that they could not now any longer be counted as it were by retayle or enumerate companies as when they came in by small numbers as three thousand and five thousand at a time which might easily be told and reckoned but that now they came into the Church in such great bodies as they were forced to set them downe by whole sale and therefore the Holy Ghost saith that Beleevers were added unto the Lord multitudes both of men and women that is to say many great Congregations of Beleevers of both sexes yea and that there might yet be no mistake in this busines the Scripture saith in the last verse of this chapter for the great multitudes of them that the Apostles daily in the Temple and in every house ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ So that here by the testimony of the Holy Ghost wee are ascertained there were divers and severall Congregations of Beleevers at that time in the Church of Ierusalem for they had their meetings not onely in the Temple but in every house or from house to house which is all one that is to say they had many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers at that time in severall private houses as well as in the Temple so that this truth being confirmed unto us not onely by reason but by the mouth of so many infallible witnesses as that out of the second chapter where it is said they brake bread daily from house to house and two more witnesses also in this fifth chapter where it is recorded verse 14. that multitudes both of men and women that is to say many great Congregations of Beleevers of both sexes were added to the Lord and in the last verse that there might be yet no scruple made of the busines the places of their meetings are also expressed viz. in the Temple and in every house so that all good Christians are bound to beleeve that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers at that time in the Church of Jerusalem and therefore more then could all possibly meet in any one place or congregation So that if I should say no more the truth concerning this point is so evidently apparent to all judicious and understanding men that they cannot doubt of it except they will deny the Scripture it selfe yet that the truth concerning this controversie may yet more fully be cleared I shall for the farther coroborrating of it and for confirmation of the same produce a few testimonies more In the sixth chapter verse 7. The word of the Lord increased saith the Holy Ghost and the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith Here wee find multiplication upon multiplication of Beleevers and more additions of them and that in Ierusalem and amongst these multitudes there was a great company of Priests that is a great company of their Ministers and learned Rabbies were converted and all these severall admissions of Beleevers into this Church of Jerusalem were without any of the conditions those of the congregationall way require now of their new Members for it is not said that they demanded of them that they should walke some time with them before their admission or that they should make any publicke confession of their faith or bring in the evidences of their conversion or enter into any particular explicite Covenant or come in by the consent of the people before their admission nothing of all these things were required at their hands in this Mother-church and therefore all the practise of this kind of admission in our new Congregations is without any president or example and therefore those of the congregationall way doe most wickedly to pretend they have the Church of Jerusalem for an example for their practise of admitting of Members But I say the thing chiefly to be observed here is the multiplication and the increase of many more Disciples to the former adding withall that amongst those Disciples and Converts that were added to the Lord there was a great company of the Priests now what an increase of Beleevers may any man suppose there must then needs follow when so many of their Ministers were converted without doubt when the people saw their Priests turne Christians and heard them also in their preachings give in their reasons for their imbracing of the Gospel and saw withall the daily miracles of the Apostles for the confirmation of this their doctrine they did infinitly multiply so that if there had beene no conversion of men before spak of yet the conversion of these very Priests in a short time would have procured the conversion of many more then could have met in any one place or a few and this all reason will perswade for wee find it by hourly experience how many hundreds are daily mislead and seduced by the error of a few temporising unstable Presbyters who are turned Independents and what a deale of mischiefe they have done here amongst us so that not a few places can containe their Proselytes and all this without the helpe of any miracles and we see daily if but any rich and crased Gentlewoman or any confounded Lady turne Independent or if but any unstable man of any eminency revolt from the Presbyterian way what a noyse there is by and by made at it and how many giddy headed men and women especially are seduced by it and that without any prodigies Now I say all reason will perswade any intelligible man that truth should much more prevaile then error and that in the hands of so great a multitude and of such learned Rabbies and those also in so great honour and esteeme amongst the people having withall the helpe of Miracles amongst them and that to the speedy conversion of many thousands yea the Scripture saith that the Word of God increased that is to say converted many and that the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly not in a small manner and that a great company of the
in the Church of Jerusalem and yet all these as the Holy Scripture asserteth in many places made all but one Church and the Independents themselves acknowledge there was but one Church in Jerusalem Now how in any ordinary mans understanding can many congregations be one politicall ministeriall Church except only because they are united and associated under one Presbyteriall government that is to say under the government of a whole colledg of Presbyters which the Church of Ierusalem was for there was many Presbyters there as this 21. ch testifieth and the 15. chap. and many other places of holy writ all which had the government over that Church committed to them in common So that it may be a wonder to all rationall men that there should any appear in the world notwithstanding the abundant evidence out of the holy Word of God that should yet assert there were no more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in one Congregation which assertion of theirs besides the Scripture very common reason overthrows for if we consider Jerusalem it is said to be the city of the great King in which there were never lesse then seven or eight hundred thousand inhabitants who dayly expected the Messiah who it is well known when he came had twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples at his command to go and come at pleasure whose powerfull preaching was such that it is related that Satan was seen fall down like iightning from heaven that is to say whose Kingdome was overthrown by their ministery and by all whose efficacious preaching and miracles we have this testimony that at one of their Miracles and Sermons there were three thousand converted at one time besides dayly additions added unto that Church by the Lord and five thousand men besides women at another and multitudes of beleevers both of men and women at another and that there was dayly increase of beleevers upon increase with a multitude of Priests besides a whole colledge of Presbyters settled Ministers amongst them and that all these should yet prevail to convert no more in future time then could all meet in one Congregation it seems a thing very incredible and truly for any to persevere in this error against all reason and against the evident testimonies of holy Scripture where we have it recorded there were many ten thousands of very weak beleevers in that one Church besides the strong it is an open and wilfull fighting against God and a resisting of his spirit which is a fearfull sin for all these are convincing arguments to prove the numberlesse multitudes and congregations of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem And all thâ—s brigade of arguments militate against the whole Army of the Homothumadon Sectaries and shall I hope for ever serve to vanquish them all and to make good this field of truth That there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and yet they were not every one a Church or Churches severally considered by themselves exercising an absolute soveraignty Independent within themselves respectively as all our new gathered Churches do now here in London but all those congregations in Jerusalem were all subordinate and being combined together made all of them but one Church and were all under a common Counsell or Colledg of Presbyters within that Precinct the example of which Mother-Church is left upon record to all posterity for imitation and therefore that tenent of the Homothumadon Independents concerning the congregationall way hath no ground for it in the whole Word of God but is a meer whimsy of their own brain and hath its foundation only in the aire and will soon vanish or be speedily blown away by the blast and breath of truth Now my other companies drawn out of the Apostles quarters after Christs death and ascension they militate against all the Burtonian Independents who acknowledge that there were many Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem but deny they were Churches properly so called now though by their grant they have lost the day as in the following skirmishes will appear yet that all men may see that this sconse of error to which they have betaken themselves cannot defend their cause I shall with one company at this time beat them out of that hold and fully vanquish them in the pitcht field It is recorded Act. 2. v. 42. of all those new converts which were in many assemblies in many houses that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers This very troop alone serves for the beating of them all out of what bulwark soever they can betake themselves to for shelter for if all these congregations and Assemblies of believers were equall in all priviledges and immunities with any Churches that ever were on earth and had in them severally whatsoever did make the whole Church of Ierusalem the first formed Church then they were all and every one of them Churches properly so called But the antecedent is true Ergo the consequent so that to any rationall man this question is also out of controversie for let any man but duly examine what it was in the whole church of Jerusalem that made it the first formed church and a church properly so called and he shall find the same in every one of those particular congregations and assemblies for the making of them churches properly so called so that thâ—y each of them severally may as truly challenge the name of Church as the whole Church can they communicating in whatsoever is essentiall for the making of any church a compleat church or a church properly so called if partaking in all Ordinances by lawfull Ministers can make any assembly or congregation a church properly so called So that by this one company and by this very argument all the whibling reserves of all the Burtonian Independents are dissipated and scattered and that place of truth maintained against them all viz. that every one of those Assemblies in Jerusalem were churches properly so called and yet all of them made up but one intire Church and they were not every of them severally considered by themselves and apart Independent and exercising an absolute soveraignty within themselves And therefore this truth shall for ever stand good against all sorts of Independents That many congregations combined together and subordinate to some one colledg of Presbyters make all of them within their precincts but one entire Church and that this is Gods Ordinance and not that tenent of the congregationall way which hath neither precept or president for it in all Gods holy Word So that by all these encounters and frequent skirmishes and by the mighty power and assistance of the great Lord of Hostes the Generall of all the Armies of heaven and earth I have vanquished all the forces both of the Homothumadon Independents and all the Burtonian Sectaries and maintained and kept not onely the field of truth but these
Truly if ever the Scripture were fulfilled in any age of the world it is now fulfilled in these our times there being not any part in this whole description of those dangerous seducers that doth not in every branch of it agree with the Seducers and Sectaries of ours the most dangerous times in that regard that ever were in the world And therefore it concerns all men that desire the peace of Zion and the welfare of their own souls to take heed of them all least they be found fighters against God for we have precept upon precept to this very end given by all his holy Prophets Christ and his blessed Apostles to shun them and Saint John in his second Epistle v. 10 11. saith there speaking to all Christians If there come any unto you that bring not the doctrine of Christ entertain him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds Now we know the Sectaries of our times teach such doctrines as were never taught by Christ nor any of his blessed Apostles how then dare any that have the name of Christians be familiar with such and entertain them in their houses especially when Saint Paul saith 2 Tim. chapter 2. verse 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity or evill And what greater iniquity and evil can there be then to live in the open violation of Gods Commands for in the very same chapter hee exhorted them ver 16. 17. to shun prophane and vaine bablings which is the practice of the Sectaries saying they would increase to more ungodlinesse and that their words will eate as doth a canker of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the truth have erred saying that the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some he nameth some of the Sectaries there Now here also we are commanded againe to avoid all evill whether it be the evill of Doctrine or manners or evill company and especially to avoid and shun all false Teachers whose doctrines eat as a Gangrene such as are the new Doctrines of our times which are inferior to none for evill impiety and wickednesse that were ever yet taught in the world as yee may see in Learned Master Edward's Gangrena and therefore it concernes all to shun the evill of all Sectaries company and fellowship and in the 6 chapter of his 1. Epistle to Tim. verse 3. as if hee could never have given caution enough hee saith there If any man teach otherwise then he and Christ had instructed Timothy to teach and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to Godlinesse from such with draw thy selfe If Timothy which was a well grounded Christian an Evangelist by his place if he were againe and again by the Holy Apostle commanded to shun and decline the company and familiarity of all false Teachers and Seducers how much more ought all other Christians that are so much inferiour to Timothy in all respects to take heed of all Sectaries especially when we by our daily experience find how many they have misled and seduced Truly it hath been the great Rebellion of both Ministers and people in these our times contrary to the command of God to follow them and to lend them not only their eares but their Pulpits and Churches to preach in and doubtlesse whatsoever they may thinke they have both of them much to answer for before God as being the principall causes of the ruine and misleading of so many soules and if the State doe not speedily take order for the suppressing of all those wicked Deceivers the times will grow more dangerous and perilous not only in regard of the precious soules of many but in respect also of the peace and quiet of the Land for all things will speedily run to confusion and the Sectaries will bring downe Gods judgements upon the Land by their damnable and desperate Doctrines and ruine upon the very Parliament and the States of the Kingdome and there will one Iack Straw or other or one Wat Tylâ—r or some worshipfull Knipper or other be raysed up to be a deliverer of their Soveraigne Lord the people out of the hands of all Prerogative and King-creatures and out of the hands of their owne creature the Parliament The Lord awaken the Parliament the Lords and Peeres of the Kingdome and all the Governours through the same to stand now all upon their Guards they having had so many Warning-Peeces both in the Army and in the Citie both in Pulpits and Pamphlets what the Independents and Sectaries intend to doe Were there no other Books but Iohn Lilburns who knows the mind of his brethren and the great concourse of people that follow him and countenance him in his wicked practices it were enough to awaken the whole Kingdom But when wee daily heare and reade what Peters Salt-marsh Dell c. those worthy Saints both preach and print and what gallant Fellowes they have now with the sword in their hands and what priviledges they clayme unto themselves it is a matter of wonder and astonishment to me that they are not all of them timely looked unto and it stranges me most of all that there should be any of those Sectaries permitted through the Kingdome to beare any office of charge committed unto them or to have any other weapon offensive or defensive in their hands then a bodkin or a thimble which were the only iron many of them wore before these times for it is well known that all the Sectaries in the Kingdome within these six years were as much afraid of the Artillery Guarden and of the Military Yard as they were afraid of a Cathedrall Church and the roaring of the Ordnance and Canons and the noyse of a volley of shot the sound of a Trumpet and the beating of a Drum were as formidable Musick in their eares as the noyse of a paire of Organs or Sackbuts or the singing of the Choristers in Pauls Westminster-Abbâ—y or in the Kings Chappell and yet now they can begin to talke of the sword in their hands It is not good that such children as these are should be suffered to have such dangerous weapons in their fingers It was not thought fit by our Fore-fathers who were commended for their wisdome that any Papists should sit in the Parliament and our ever to be honoured Worthies now sitting in that great Conncell did not thinke it for the Kingdoms safety that any Papist should bee of the Kings Councell and at the first sitting of the Parliament no Monopolists or Gatherers of Ship-money or Pattentees or any such creatures though they were lawfully chosen by the people were suffered to sit in Parliament but were thrust out as being suspected they would prove bad instruments to the State and therfore I say notwithstanding the peoples election they were immediatly dismissed the great
of necessity follow that as the Mother-churches were first govern'd all the Daughter-churches to the end of the world must be so govern'd and according to that rule that is set down in the Word of God So then the question in hand between us and our Brethren is Whether there were many Congregations and Assemblies in any of those primitive Churches as in that of Ierusalem the Mother Church and many Elders or Presbyters in that Church and all other Officers and whether all those Congregations and Assemblies were one Church and those Presbyters and Officers all of them Elders and Officers of that one Church and whether all those Congregations and Assemblies were under one Presbytery Which is the opinion of the Presbyterians and the contrary that of the Independents This I say is the question between us and our Brethren Now then if it can be proved that there were more Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in one place or in one congregation for all acts of worship and if it can be evidently elucidated that there were severall assemblies and congregations in the Church of Jerusalem yet so as they made but one church for government then our Brethren must of necessity acknowledge that the church of Jerusalem was govern'd by a common-councell of Presbyters or was presbyterially governed Neither did our Brethren ever yet undertake to prove that in case there were many Assemblies in Jerusalem they had severall and independent presbyteries neither it they should go about to prove could they do it And therfore we may conclude and that with very good reason and warrantable authority that as the Mother-church the church of Jerusalem in her greatest glory was govern'd so all other Churches must likewise be regulated to the end of the world For out of Zion shal go forth the Law the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isay 2. v. 3. We must have both our Law from thence and our paterne of government And out Brethren do make the Church of Jerusalem the patern of their proceedings Now that all things may be handled in good order and in a methodicall way I will reduce the whole Disputation concerning the first Question into these foure Propositions and prove them in order The first That there were many Congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem in the which they enjoyed all acts of worship and all the Ordinances amongst themselves and did partake of all acts of Church-fellowship especially of preaching and in the administration of the Sacraments and Prayer and that before the Persecution we reade of Acts 8. v. 1. The second That all these Congregations and severall Assemblies made but one Church The third That the Apostles and Elders governed ordered and ruled this Church joyntly and by a Common-counsell and Presbytery The fourth That this Church of Ierusalem and the government of the same is to be a pattern for all severall congregations and assemblies in any City or vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers of those congregations to governe that Church joyntly in a Colledge or Presbyterie But before I come to the proof of these particulars it will not be amisse in generall to take notice that all the Churches we read of in the New Testament were Aristocratically and Presbyterially governed and were all dependent upon their severall Presbyteries and that the ordering and managing of that government lay onely upon the Presbyterie and was their peculiar who had the power of the Keyes Now Christ gave the Keyes to the Apostles and Presbyters only and whatsoever the Apostles did in ordering and setling the government of the Church they did by Christs command and that order and constitution they set down in the Church was to be perpetuated and continued to the end of the world And the violating of this order and divine constitution was the occasion of the rise and growth of Antichrist and the very cause of all those confusions that the Christian world hath for these many generations been wearied and annoyed with and the occasion of all those Schismes Sects and Heresies the world hath ever swarmed with and the re-establishing and reducing of it to its pristine constitution will be a means not only of removing all scandall and taking away of all division amongst Brethren and be a singular means also of establishing a flourishing government in Church State and for the procuring of the blessings of God upon the three Kingdoms but a way also of ruining that Man of Sinne and of making an absolute Reformation through the whole world Let us therefore first take notice what government was established by God in all the Primitive Churches Acts 14. 23. And when they had ordained them Presbyters for so it is in the originall in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they beleeved Here are two things observable The first that the government of the Church was committed to the Presbyters The second that the Presbyteriall government was that government that was established in every Church for so saith the Holy Ghost when they had ordained them Presbyters in every Church This was Gods ordinance Acts 20. 17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the Presbyters of the Church Here we see there were many Presbyters in one Church And Verse 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves saith the Apostle and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Here as we may observe that in Gods Dialect Presbyters and Bishops were all one so likewise is evident that the Church was committed to their government this Church therefore of Ephesus was under a Presbytery and was to be regulated joyntly by them by a common-councell of Presbyters And Paul to Titus chap. 1. vers 5. For this cause saith he life I thee in Creet that thou shouldest put in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Presbyters in every City as I appointed thee If any man be blamelesse c. for a Bishop must be blamelesse as the Steward of God c. From this place likewise we may take notice of the parity between Presbyter and Bishop and that the Presbyterian government was that way of ruling that God appointed not in one City onely but in every City and that these Presbyters were the Stewards in Gods house which is his Church 1 Tim. 3. and had the government of those Churches in every City laid upon them which they were joyntly to governe and order by the common-counsell of Presbyters And Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy chap. 5. v. 17. Let the Presbyters saith he that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in word and doctrine Still we ever observe that the rule and government of the Church was in the Presbyters hands And the Author to the
that would have received them yea and cast them out ver 10. of the Church to wit excommunicated them but doth it hereby appear saith he that Diotrephes would have his congregation independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it selfe Nâ— saith he but Diotrephes would lord it over the Church and have the Preeminency above his brethren whether fellow Elders or fellow Saints By the way take notice that in Master Knollys his opinion Diotrephes was a Saint Saint Diotrephes therfore let him be even such another Saint as himselfe and his brethren are Diotrephes saith he loving the primacy amongst them would be the Primate and Metropolitan of the Church and have the preeminency of all the Presbyters in it and brethren of it And why therefore should the Doctor marvell that his brethren should now urge this place against the Court of Preshyters Thus Master Knollys while he seemes to answer most maliciously and wickedly calumniates his brethren and labours to perswade the world that the presbyters of our times are like Diotrephes in affecting Supremacy over their fellow Presbyters and over the churches and all this to inrage the people against them when it is they themselves that would bring all men under their slavery and have an absolute authority and jurisdiction Independent in their severall congregations within themselves which was the sinne of Diotrephes But out of Master Knollys his words it appeareth that Diotrephes had a particular congregation For Church and congregation are Synonimaes in his Dialect which is yet more clearely evident from his words page the 7. which are these Therefore saith he the Apostle writs to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a member and an Elder who he knew had power to judge him These are Master Knollys formall expressions out of all which it doth now evidently appeare that there were many Presbyters and many congregations in that Church Saint Iohn writeth unto and that Diotrophes had his particular congregation amongst them for so Master Knollys doth in expresse termes acknowledge and in so speaking contradicts himselfe and vindicates me from the error he accused me of who affirmed I was much mistaken in my commentary exposition and application of that place saying there was no mention made of any particular congregation Diotrephes had And yet here he asserteth that Saint Iohn writ to the church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a member and an Elder so that he hath done my worke for me once and again and made himselfe guiltie of that fault he charged me with page 6 and page 7. By which all men may see not only the contentiousnesse and restlesnesse of the creatures spirit and the folly of the man who contradicteth himselfe at every hand but may also gather that that Church consisted of many congregations all the which made but one Church within its precinct and was to be governed by the joynt consent and common counsell of the Presbyterie and that Diotrephes aspiring to the primacy amongst them and seeking to stand singular by himselfe with his congregation and to be Independent and to have no relation or reference to the Presbyters of that Church became an offender by it and was therefore severely reproved by Saint Iohn for his so doing in opposing his brethren in taking in and casting out of what members he pleased by his sole and absolute authority all which Mr Knollys accordeth to whether therefore this were not to make his congregation Independent and whether Diotrephes was not the first that opposed the Presbyterian government and affronted a Court and common councell of Presbyters seeing we read of none that did these things before him and whether those that now seek to establish an absolute jurisdiction in every congregation within themselves Independent be not rather like Diotrephes than those godly Ministers that desire the government in common according to Gods holy word I leave it to the judgement of the learned to consider and whether or no Mr Knollys doth not palpably contradict himselfe in all this his discourse for he acknowledgeth that Diotrephes had his particular congregation and opposed the Presbyters in it and that he did evill in usurping authority over the church and those brethren he cast out and yet notwithstanding he said it was more then he knew or I could prove Whether this therefore be not to contradict himself and to say and unsay and meerly to trifle I leave to the judgement of all intelligible men I conceive that all men that are but of ordinary capacity when they shall well consider my argument and Mr Knollys his reply unto it will say that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe which belonged to the Colledge and councell of Presbyters for if he had not bin a transgressour and an offender against Saint Iohn and the other Presbyters the Apostle would never have said Wherefore if I come I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious wordes c. so that by us there must necessarily be understood Saint John himselfe and the other Presbyters for he includes himselfe in the number of those that Diotrephes prated against and opposed Now Saint John was an Elder for so he calleth himselfe and Mr Knollys acknowledgeth it and confesseth also that there were many more Elders in that Church and against all those did Diotrephes prate with malicious words in opposition to their authority which Mr Knollys doth not gain-say yea he affirmrth it that Diotrephes would lord it over the Church and have the preeminency above his brethren whether fellow-Elders or fellow-Saints he would be Primate saith he and Metropolitan of the Church and have the preeminency of all the Presbyters in it and Brethren of it Doth it not then sufficiently appear from Mr Knollys his own words that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe that belonged to the Colledge and councell of Presbyters and that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian government and that affronted the common-councell of Presbyters without speaking of malicious words against them lording it over the Church and taking in and casting out of members and ruling after an arbitrary way and with a sole power and authority within himselfe in his congregation and violating that order of government God had established in that Church be not in Mr Knollys and those of his parties judgement to assume that authority to himselfe that belonged unto the councell of Presbyters and openly to oppose the Presbyterian government and to affront all the Presbyters which were ridiculous in any man to affirme I am confident all intelligible Christians will say there was never any opposition of any court or councell of Presbyters if this were not and yet Mr Knollys saith it is more then he knoweth or I can prove that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe that belonged unto the Colledge of Presbyters or that he opposed the Presbyterian government and yet acknowledgeth the thing in formall words whether
cleere to me in all the holy Scripture Yea the very word and name of a Presbytery signifieth a Magistracy or Aristocracy or Signory or Court that is a Company or Senate or Councell of grave wise and understanding men invested with authority and power of ruling ordering and commanding and in whose hands the government is put And as the word is taken in the civill polity and Government so in the Ecclesiasticall By a Presbytery we understand a Religious Grave Solid Learned and wise councell of Divines and Ministers or men of inveterate experience and such as know how to Rule and Govern those that are under their command with wisdome and moderation and according to the Word of God and the which men likewise are invested with Authority and Power for to exercise a jurisdiction over others and are hereunto called by such as are able to judge and discerne of the sufficiency of their gifts and abilities for this worke which the ordinary and common people cannot do And as in the civill State the Presbyters and Elders of the people were those that had the rule over them for the common good of them all and for their bodily preservation So the Presbyters and Elders in the Church are those that have the rule and government over the Churches for the spirituall good of their souls And as Kings and Rulers are by a Metaphoricall and borrowed speech called Pastors and Sheepherds of the people and are said to feed the flocks committed to their charge by which word is understoode the exercise of all lawfull and moderate authority agreeable to the Law of God over them so the Presbyters and Ministers are called the Pastors and Sheepherds yea and Stewards over the flocks committed to their charges and they are commanded to feed them by which metaphor they are invested with the authority and power both of preaching and ruling and have the Government over those flocks put into their hands which they must alwayes exercise according to Gods Word they must feed them and rule them in the Lord and not after their own wills and pleasures they may not have dominion over our faith as Paul saith in the 2. of the Corinthians chap. 1. verse 24. But that they should be helpers of our joy that is they may not usurpe an absolute Soveraignty or power over the consciences of the people as if the spirituall state and welfare of their flocks depended on them which is onely grounded upon their faith in Jesus Christ but as they are the Stewards of God and Ministers and servants of the Church so they should comfort them and rejoyce their hearts in the Lord and establish them in the faith and use all the care and diligence that is possible like good Shepheards to preserve the flockes committed to their charge that they straggle and stray not from Christs fold and run not into the by-wayes and thickets of sinne and errour and be corrupted with noysome food and false Doctrine And if they have any among them that are unruly that they bring and reduce them into order or if they have any sicke feeble poor or weak that they cure releeve comfort and restore such and if they have any that are infected or scabby that they remove such from the sound till they be recovered or if they have any broken or wounded that they heal and recover them with all lenity and humanity and that they should by common councell govern and order their flocks and take speciall care that the particular Pastors and Ministers of the severall Congregations and Assemblies under their Presbytery and charge assume not any sole and soveraign Authority to themselves over the flock to do any thing of publike concernment without the joynt consent of that Presbytery or spirituall Corporation under whose commands they are And it stands with all reason that a Common councell of godly grave learned and experienced ministers should ever be more able to manage and order a government then two or three unexperienced men or two or three hundred young people of which most Congregations consist in whom the sap of youth is not yet dryed up or if many of them should be of riper years yet they know little what belongs to government and therefore they can never be so well able to govern as men both of known learning ancient experience and honesty and approved judgement and integrity as a whole Colledge or an Assembly of learned Presbyters commonly are who by God himself have the dispensation of the Word and the ordering and ruling of the Church committed unto them and who in the Preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments and in all ordinary acts of worship and in governing and ruling the flocks committed to their severall charges are the successors of the holy Apostles But by the way an objection is here to be answered unto made by some of the Independents after this manner The Elders and Presbyters of the Apostles times say they by the imposition of their hands gave the gift of tongues and prophesie Acts 19. 1 2 3 4 5. and the 8. 18 and 1 Tim. 4. 14. and healed the sick Iames 5. 14 15. according to our Saviours promise Mark 16. 18. Let say they the Presbyters of our time let them impose their hands upon the sick and heale them let them by imposing hands upon their disciples inable them on a sudden to speake with strange tongues and foretell things to come and then we will acknowledge them for a true Presbytery then will they be a right assembly of Elders and the Apostles successors but if they cannot give to others nor yet have for themselves in store any of the true Apostles any of the right Presbyters gifts and characters we may not we dare not acknowledge them as such These are their formall words in print Before I come to my answer I desire there may be speciall notice taken of this Objection and such like for for ought that I know if any man will argue afthis manner all Christian religion may be called in question and no man will have any Creed or Belief except he may make his own Articles as Thomas did who said Vnlesse I put my hands into his side and my fingers into the print of the nailes I will not believe And as the Iews said unto our blessed Saviour Thou that savedst others now save thy self come down from the Crosse and then we will believe in thee do this miracle and then thou wilt perswade us Here we see they would make their own Articles or else they would have no Creed The Jewes had learned this method of disputing from the Devill who at his meeting of our Saviour Christ and at his first assault thus disputed If thou be the Sonne of God saith he and wouldest have the world so believe and me too on thee then command these stones to be made bread do this miracle first but thou canst not do it Ergo. So in like
world as they do mightily extoll one another and upon the praises and commendations of this man many thousands of people should by and by flock after him wheresoever they should hear he preacheth and some one or more of his followers should come unto this minister that so praysed him and say Sir such a man who you so commended in such a place behold he now preacheth and all men come to him and follow his ministry would such a relation I pray as this made unto him that had formerly praised that minister infer that those that told him of such concourses of people as ran after him not only hesitated but wer right down scandalized at him I am confident that upon mature deliberation no rationall creature would make such an inference Neither can I see any ground why either I. S. or any of his associats or any other should so conclude For the Scripture relateth every where that there was fairer agreement and much love and amity between Johns Disciples and Christs and that they knew one another very well and desired to imitate one another so that they did not envy one anothers masters prosperity nor doubted not of one anothers masters ministry nor were scandalized one at anothers masters happinesse And there is very good reason for it For they all knew that John had so honourable an esteem of Christ as he thought himself not worthy to carry his shooes Mat. 3. 11. they knew also how highly Christ had often magnified Iohn proclaiming him to be the greatest prophet that ever was borne of women and how that Christ had commanded John to baptize himselfe so much he honoured his ministry They by their experience likewise knew that their was great correspondency continued amity between their masters and that they justified each others ministry and that before all the people John teaching the people That he was the Messiah and the Lambe of God that was to take away the sins of the world and Christ upon all occasions making mention of John with great praises saying That his ministry was from heaven and that he was his messenger to prepare his way before him So that I say in all these respects and many more that might be specified it followeth that Iohns Disciples neither hesitated nor were scandalized at the true Messiah as I. S. grollishly and wickedly inferreth Besides they knew that at Christs Baptisme Mat. 3. The Holy Ghost discending like a dove lighted upon him and a voice came from Heaven saying this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased So that Iohns Disciples that were dayly with their master and waited upon his ministry which onely preached up the Kingdome of Christ could not doubt much lesse be scandalized at the true Messiah Jesus Christ Again in the 1. of Iohn it is related there that Iohn openly among all the people proclaimed Christ to be the Lambe of God and sayeth that hee knew him so to be by the discending of the spirit from Heaven upon him because that God that sent him to baptize with water said unto him upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit discending and remaining on him the same is hee which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and I saw saith hee and bare record that this is the Sonne of God And all this was spoke in the hearing of Johns Disciples so that they could not doubt now of the Messias or be scandalized at him for then they should have beene very untaught Schollers which the words following verse 33. shevves they vvere not for two of Iohns Disciples at that time hearing their Master speake these vvords beleeved and follovved Iesus and inquired vvhere he dvvelt vvho inviting them to come and see went with him to his aboad and tarried with him that night and the story and discourse follovving shevves that they vvere so confirmed in their faith and were so far from doubting and being scandalized at the Messiah as they likewise preached him and gained Disciples to him And the same we may say of all Iohns other Disciples that they honoured Christ very much and predicated his fame unto their master upon all occasions as in the 7. of Luke when the rumour of Christ miracles was spred abroad Iohns Disciples were alwayes wont to relate it unto their master Whereupon Iohn at one time calling unto him two of his Disciples sent them unto Jesus saying art thou he that shall come or looke we for another which message was not sent by S. Iohn that either he or his Disciples doubted or hesitated or were scandalized at the true Messiah but that they all also might be as well eye witnesses of his miracles as others and might say another day that they had not onely heard of his fame but that they themselves had seen his wondrous works For John desired by all manner of wayes hee could to publish the Kingdome of the Messias and knew that the more witnesses Christ had and them of knowledge of reputation the more their report and preaching of him would be credited especially when they themselves could say that they had seene him working miracles and that Christ bade them goe and tell Iohn what things they had seene and heard how that the blind see and the lame walke and the Lepers are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised and the poor receive the Gospel and for this very end did Iohn send two of his Disciples to Christ not that either he or they doubted whether he was the Messias or no but that they might be eye witnesses and relate these things with the more confidence both unto the people and to those that should be pen men of the Holy Scriptures as St. Luke in the 1 chapter v. 2. Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye witnesses and Ministers of the Word according to that of Saint Peter Acts the 1. verse 21. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Iesus went in and out amongst us beginning from the baptisme of Iohn unto the same day hee was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of his resurrection So that it may well be gathered that Iohn the Baptist had a speciall eye to the future and desired not only in his owne person to preach up Christs Kingdome but that his Disciples after him might relate to their Auditors and to the holy pen-men what they had both heard with their owne eares and seene with their own eyes and so might the better witnesse unto Christ neither will any man deny but that Iohns Disciples might also be much strengthned in their faith in beholding those wonderful miracles of Christ though they no way doubted or hesitated or were scandalized at the Messiasbefore no more then the people in Samaria doubted concerning him Iohn 4. after the woman had said to the men of that Citie Come see a man which told me all things that ever
I did is not this the Christ then it is said they went out and came unto him and many of them beleeved for the saying of the woman which testified hee told mee all that ever J did but many more beleeved because of his owne word and said unto the woman now wee beleeve not because of thy saying but because wee have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world The Scripture saith they beleeved before upon the womans relation but wee now coroborated in their faith and so it was with Iohns Disciples and followers But shall there be any therefore from that bee so stupid as to thinke that any of Iohns Disciples that had the best and frequentest instruction concerning the Messias could either doubt or be scandalized at him because the people followed Christ and John sent his Disciples to him No surely none would so conclude but I. S. and his Fraternity Much lesse would they say that others did under the forme of Iohns Baptisme fight against the true Baptisme and Baptizer the Lord Iesus which is I. S. his second reason or rather folly and madnesse and upon this their wicked conceit and groundlesse opinion inferre that they were no Christians as I. S. doth For there is not any one word in all the Holy Scripture that does relate that any that were baptized by Iohn did under the forme of that Baptisme fight against the true Baptisme and Baptizer the Lord Jesus what a wicked and abominable Fellow then is this I. S. that dares thus at pleasure traduce the generation of the just and falsely accuse all Iohns owne Disciples and all those that were baptized by him to be enemies of Jesus Christ the Messias and upon this bare opinion of his to unchristian them all it may now be no wonder to any good Christian that the whole rout of the Independents unchurch us and make no Christians of us and asperse and speak all manner of evill of us at pleasure calling us the profest enemies of Jesus Christ his Kingdom seeing upon all occasions they doe the same to all those that were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples all which I. S. proclaims to be no Christians as his words doe sufficiently speak But from the testimony that he produceth to prove that Iohns Disciples were scandalized at Christ I gather the contrary for the reasons above specified and conclude with al that there were innumerable multitudes daily converted by Christs and Iohns Ministry were all made good Christians for it is said in the chapter quoted by him that all men came to him Iohn and they were all baptized so that not a few congregations could contain all them that came from Ierusalem for all Jerusalem came out to John and our Saviour sent this message unto Iohn in the 7. of Luke as one of the miracles he wrought that the poor received the Gospel that is not onely the poore in spirit but the multitudes of people that were poore and indigent in respect of these outward things and wanted those riches that others abounded with and he affirmes of these that they received the Gospell and imbraced the free grace and favour of God and that they were the Pharisees and Lawyers only that reiected the counsell of God against themselves but for all the poore saith he and all others that heard Iohn they imbraced the Gospel and were Gospel Christians and such as believed aright and as they ought to beleeve and therefore if the testimony of Christ may be credited they were cast into a Church mould according to the New Testament forme and were very good Christians and that in mighty multitudes for all Jerusalem and the poore received the Gospel and therefore they could not meet in one and a few congregations together at any one time But because I S. so peremptorily affirmes that were it granted that all the people received Iohns Baptisme yet it would stand me in little stead to prove the conclusion viz that they were made Christians These are his words adding with all much lesse that they were cast into a Church mould according to the New Testament forme and lest of all that they were all members of one Christian Church at Ierusalem which is one of their chiefe Arguments by which I. S. they of his fraternity uphold their opinion of Independency and by which they unchurch all other churches but their own at this day I say in all these regards I will spend the more time about this argument the which howsoever it be brought in by I. S. but as as a corallary yet it may stand for his sixth Argument and the best in the bunch to maintaine and uphold there with their way of Independency therefore I will first put his words into a Syllogisticall frame then consider the waight of the reasons contained in them All such as were not cast into a Church mould according to the New testament forme and lest of all were members of one Christian church in Ierusalem they were not made Christians but all they of Ierusalem that went out to Iohns baptisme and were baptized by him were such as were not cast into a Church mould according to the New testament forme least of all were they members of one Christian Church in Ierusalem ergo they were not made Christians This is I. S. his Argument which he sets downe by way of a corallary the Minor of which I deny affirming they were cast into a church mould as the sequell wlil shew But because by this Argument the Independents do not only unchurch and unchristian all those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist but indeed unchurch and unchristian all the Protestant Churches through the world and all other churches but their owne I shall be something the larger in examining it with the severall termes and expressions of the same and then shew and discover the futility and vanity of it by which I am confident the errors of their wayes will the better appeare for by that it will be manifest that the Independent doctrine is but an old peece of Popery in new clothes though varnished over with fine colours that it may come forth into the world more lovely and lesse suspected and it is as little prevalent to maintaine their cause as the Papists is to uphold their Babell The Papists and the Independents here agree in these two things First They both deny that those beleevers that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist into Christ to come were formed into a Christian church or churches for we have I. S. his formall words in this his answer in the name of all the Independents confidently denying that they were made Christians and my brother Burton in expresse termes page 9. of his booke accordeth unto him saying in the name of all his brethren we take no notice of them as formed into a church or churches and pag. 16. of his booke he produceth the Papists
be credited all that the holy Scripture hath related unto us concerning the conversion of these men is a meere fable for the Scripture saith they believed and he affirmeth the contrary and sayth they were only called men and not converts not believers Whether this fellow therefore ought not to be cast out of the seven Churches and out of all the Churches of the world for this his wickednesse and temerity I leave it to the judgement of all the learned either dependents or independents and so I will passe to his other good stuffe which in its due place you shall meete with But in the meane time out of all the above quoted places of Scripture I thus farther argue Where there was almost an hundred preachers and Ministers besides the twelve Apostles and all these continually taken up in prayer and preaching and could not leave their Ministry to serve tables and where there was such a company of believers and people as did imploy them all there of necessity they must be distributed into diveâ—se congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and avoyd confusion and partake in all ordinances But in the Church of Jerusalem there was almost an hundred preachers and Ministers besides the twelve Apostles and all these were continually taken up in prayer and preaching and could not leave their ministry to serve tables and where there was such a company of believers and people as did employ them all there of necessity they must be distributed into diverse congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and avoyd confusion and partake in all Ordinances For the major very reason and the common light of understanding without any reluctation will assent unto it And for the Minor it is manifest from Chapter the 1. ver 21. 22. and from chapter the sixt ver the 2 and 4. and chapter the 8. ver 1. So that the conclusion is undenyable But out of all the former places I thus farther argue Where there were people of al nations under the heavens and them in some multitudes and most of them believers and devout men and women which waited upon the Ordinances and had a desire daily to heare the Word there of necessity they must be distributed into divers and sundry congregations and assemblies and have such to preach unto them severally in their owne language or else they could not partake in all acts of worship to edification But in the Church of Jerusalem there were people of all Nations under the Heavens and them in some multitudes and most of them Believers and devout Men and Women that waited upon the Ordinances and had a desire dayly to heare the Word Ergo of necessity they must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies and have such to preach unto them severally in their owne language or else they could not partake in all acts of worship to edification For the Major no reason can gainsay it for the Apostles and the other Ministers imployed all those gifts of the Holy Ghost and those divers languages which they had received for the edification of the Church to the utmost and did improve all opportunities for the converting of the people committed unto their charge and for the further building of them up in their holy faith which was their calling and imployment and this they could not have done unlesse they taught those Nations in their severall Languages and that they could not do without confusion unlesse they were distributed in severall assemblies where they might distinctly heare their own Languages For otherwise as Saint Paul saith in the 1 Cor. 14. 23. if men should speak to the people with unknown tongues if the unlearned saith he come in and unbelievers will they not say that they are all mad And therefore Tongues are given for a signe not to them that believe but to them that believe not Now they were devout Men in Ierusalem and Believers and therefore the Apostles and Ministers were to speake to them severally in their own languages and for that purpose God gave them those Tongues and that diversity of languages that those that were Believers might be more edified and that the unbelievers and unlearned such as belonged unto Gods election might be convinced and judged of all and that the secrets of their hearts might be manifested that so falling down upon their face they might worship God and report that God was in them of a truth as the Apostle there saith So that I say for the Major no reasonable creature will call it in question And for the Major it is manifest out of the Chap. 2. Vers 5. c. and in Chap. 6. Vers 1. and Vers 2. 4. And for the conclusion that from the Premises doth also ensue Againe I thus further argue out of the former Chapters That which the holy Scripture in expresse words and in diverse places hath declared unto us that every Christian is bound to believe but the Scripture in expresse words and in diverse places hath declared unto us that there were diverse assemblies and congregations of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem and that the Apostles and all the Believers in Jerusalem did continue daily with one accord in the Temple and that they brake bread from house to house and that daily in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ Ergo there was diverse congregations and severall assemblies of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem where they did daily partake in all the Ordinances and enjoyed all acts of worship For the Major no Christian can deny it For the Minor it is manifest from 46 Verse of the 2 Chapter and Chap. 5. vers 12. and vers 42. and Chap. 3. vers 12 13. and many more places that might be produced And in those places it is not onely said they preached in every house but that they brake bread from house to house by which expression all Writers interpret the holy Communion and partaking of the Lords Supper and if it should not so be understood we never can reade that any Christians in Ierusalem besides the Apostles ever enjoyed all acts of worship especially those that are peculiar to Church Communion It is related often that they preached the Word daily in the Temple which was common to Iewes and Christians though no Jewish worship as all men acknowledge And by evident Arguments it may be proved that they never administred the Sacraments in the Temple those discriminating and distinguishing Ordinances of the Christian Church as all the most Orthodox Interpreters gather from the ensuing words where it is said They continued daily with one accord in the Temple but when they speake of the Administration of the Lords Supper it is expressed in these words and breaking of bread from house to house which is interpreted by all Divines of Sacramentall bread which phrase and manner of speaking is usually so expounded by all the Learned upon Acts the
and that their were more precious Churches in that street then in all England besides and he did confidently believe it And I was no sooner passed from him but turning on the right hand I saw many of the Independents going into the Nags-head a Taverne a little above Coleman-streete there they call their Parliament and make Committees and Chayre-men for preparing of businesses for the great Councell and for the advising of them what to do and there they order how they will deale with the Presbyterians and this is one of their meeting houses also whither the Saints resort upon all occasions to consult together about the affairs of the Church State and that is the holy drinking Schoole of the Saints for they say they are all Saints and to the pure all things are pure and therefore they must have a pure drinking Schoole But passing from Toleration-streete and leaving their drinking schoole and they together Let us consider their practices and what Master Knollys saith who tells us that some godly and learned men of approved gifts came to Sojourne in this City and preached the Word of God both publickly and from house to house and daily in the Temples and in every house they cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ I demande of any of the Independents now whether or no wheresoever any of those gifted men preach they have not a congregation to preach to and whether or no wheresoever any of them hath a gatherd Church as they call it he hath not there â—n his meeting house a Congregation and assembly and whether or no wheresoever they have preaching of the Word and breaking of bread amongst them they have not a Church or Congregation there I am confident they will none of them deny it Yea they will acknowledge that in as many places as the Word of God is preached amongst them and the Sacraments administred that in all those they have a severall Church congregation and assembly this very reason will dictate unto any man And therefore if in this City there be many Congregations and assemblies in all those places where they preach publikely and from house to house and in every house not onely because Mr Knollys saith it but because every mans reason will convince him of it after the same manner every man will conclude That in the Church of Ierusalem there was many Congregations and Assemblies for the Scripture relates That the word of God was preached publikely in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and that the Saints brake bread from house to house and that the Apostles ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ in every house and therefore all Christians are bound to beleeve this because the mouth of the Lord hath spoke it yea and it is acknowledged by Master Knollys from all which it doth now evidently appear to all the world that there were many Congregations and Assemblyes of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem which Mr Knollys notwithstanding doth wickedly deny affirming there were no more beleevers in Ierusalem then could all meet in any one place and so he not onely contradicts himselfe and fights against the very light of reason but which is more he gives the spirit of God the lye and therefore he ought by all those of the seven Churches to be severely dealt with as a wicked impostor and deceiver and ought indeeed to be thrown out of all their Congregations as a jugler and a false prophet Having thus evidently proved that there were many Congregations in the church of Jerusalem before the persecution I will by Gods assistance make good that there were also many Assemblyes under the persecution and after the persecution and this I do the rather undertake because some of the brethren have said that howsoever it could be proved that before the persecution there were many severall Assemblies yet by reason of the dispersion of the beleevers the Church of Ierusalem was so wasted and scattered that there were no more left then could all meet in one Congregation And were it so that after the scattering of the Beleevers and Christians in Ierusalem it could never be evinced and made good that there were more then could meet together in one place yet all this were nothing for the enervating of the argument for we must ever look upon the first constitution and government of the Church and what it was originally and by divine constitution and not what it was accidentally and through persecution and oppression and by the violence of men for governments of Churches are often changed from their Primordiall State through many casualties as it happened often in the Church of the Jewes and therefore in all reformations things are to be reduced to the first rule and originall pattern and we are not to look upon them as by occasion they vary and change through the injury of the times And therefore if we look into the Church of Ierusalem as she was in her youth and in her most flourishing age we shall finde her consisting of divers Congregations and many Assemblies and all them governed by a Common Councell and joynt consent of a Presbytery which must be the patterne of all Church Government to the end of the world if wee will in our Reformation conforme our selves to Gods Ordinance and to the first constitution But because I say they think it so difficult a thing to prove many Congregations in Jerusalem after the persecution I will now God willing make it evident and not onely after the persecution but even in and under the persecution and I will do it first out of that very place our brethren bring against us and by which they labour to evince the contrary the place is in the 8. of the Acts verse 1 2 4. In these words And at that time there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem and they were all scattered abroad through the Regions of Iudea and Samaria except the Apostles verse 3. As for Saul he made havock of the Church entring into every house and haling men and women committed them to prison Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word From whence the brethren gather that there were no more beleevers left than could meet in one Congregation Before I come to prove my Assertion I must give some Reasons to evince and make good that this dispersion and scattering of the Beleevers here spoken of was not so generall and universall and so great as that there might not yet remain more Congregations in Jerusalem and more people then could possibly meete in any one place or two for persecution is the bellowes of the Gospell which blowes every spark into a flame so that this their division proved their multiplication at home and abroad as wee shall see after I have set down my Arguments and Reasons so that it was no cause why we should conceive that there were fewer assemblies in the Church of
for we see what a tumult a few zealots of the Law by stirring up the people against Paul made in the Temple Now if all the Beleevers in Jerusalem besides women and children had met together and some of Pauls enemies had beene there also and suggested to the people that hee was an enemy of the Law of Moses what a confusion may all men conceive would there then have beene Besides there was no one place could have contained them all and therefore Master Knollis his prattle is not only against all reason and the very opinion of all orthodox Interpreters but indeed against the judgement of the learnedst of his owne party who by multitude in this as in many other places understand the more eminent and chiefest of beleevers and men of gravity and wisedome to manage a busines and not a confused company as this man saith so that what I have replyed in way of answer I perswade my selfe it sufficiently satisfieth all well grounded Christians of the truth of my first Position to wit that ther were more beleevers in Ierusalem then could all meet in any one place or a few to communicate in all acts of worship Yet before I passe on to shew the confusednesse and senselessenesse of this Master Knollys his following discourse I thinke it fit out of his owne Interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to frame an Argument for the corroborating of the truth His words are these Although the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe sometime signifie ten thousand yet not alwayes but for some great number which cannot suddainly be told I will not quarrell his English and the manner of his expression though it is none of the best as in many other places lest I should seeme to be like him and his abbertors to trifle about words But thus I argue out of his words Where there was not only some great number of beleevers that could not suddainly be told but many such great somes there they could not all meet together in one place or Congregation to communicate in all acts of worship But in the Church of Jerusalem there was not onely some great number of beleevers which could not suddainly be told but many such great somes Ergo they could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all the acts of worship for the Major it is evident yea so apparent by the very light of reason that no judicious Christian can deny it for all men know that ten thousand may suddainly be told if five thousand may suddainly be sed and they likewise know that ten thousand cannot meet together in any one place or roome or in any one Congregation to communicate in all the Ordinances this I say all men know by the very light of naturall understanding and as by daily experience they are taught much more by the same reason they will be convinced that many such great numbers cannot meet together in one Congregation to communicate in all Ordinances all this the very light of reason suggests to any man and therefore cannot be denyed so that the Major of my Syllogisme is undeniable and for the Minor besides the holy Scripture that asserts there were many ten thousands wee have Master Knollys his concession that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime signifieth ten thousand but alwayes is taken for some great number that cannot suddainly be told and the word of God saith there were many Myriads that is many such great numbers therefore by Master Knollys his owne interpretation of the word it followeth that there were more Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in any one place or a few to partake in all acts of worship And now I will briefly examine his following discourse though it be little to the purpose the vanity of the which having been so often againe and againe discovered in the forgoing treatice And then I will come to my brother Burtons answer Master Knollys his words are these Neither can the Doctor make good from those Scriptures he produceth pag. 62. to wit Acts the 1. vers 21. 22. Chapter 6. ver 2. 4. and chapter the 8. 1. that there were almost an hundred Preachers and Ministes besides the twelve Apostles in the Church of Ierusalem c. for answer in a few words I boldly affirme what the Scripture teacheth me viz that before the persecution we read of in the 8. chap. v. 1. and before the dispersion and scattering of the believers besides the Apostles there were in the Church of Ierusalem almost an hundred Preachers and Ministers And for this the Word of God is cleare and evident as in Acts the 1. verse 21. 22. Wherefore saith Saint Peter of these men which have companyed with us all the time the Lord Iesus went in and out amongst us beginning from the baptisme of Iohn unto that same day that he was taken up from us must one be ordayned to be a witnesse with us of the resurrection and they appointed two Ioseph called Barsabas and Matthias Out of the which words these insuing truths doe necessarily follow first that they that were assembled here with Peter and the other Apostles were ancient Disciples for saith the text they were such as had companyed with the Apostles all the time the Lord Iesus went in and out amongst them beginning from the Baptisme of Iohn c. and therefore must needs be such as had been diligent Schollers all that time in Christs Schoole and such as were well instructed in all Christian principles as is easily gathered out of the very words for any one of them were thought fit in the Apostles judgement to succeede Iudas in his place and to be an Apostle in regard that they had heard and seene all things Christ both spake and did till his death and ascension for otherwise they could not have been witnesses of all things to his resurrection All this I say in the first place doth necessarily follow Secondly this truth also doth insue out of the forgoing words that either all those men were Ministers or the most of them for in expresse termes it is related that they had accompanied the Apostles the time the Lord Iesus went in and out amongst them beginning from the Baptisme of Iohn untill Christs ascension Now amongst those that conversed with the Apostles besids Iohn schollers Christ had seventy Disciples all Ministers which he sent out two by two into all Cities to preach and to worke wonders who came back again to him rejoycing that the Divells were subject unto them and they stil wayted upon Christs Ministry we reade also of many of Iohns Disciples that came unto Christ all which were Ministers likewise and such as preached and baptized and all these were with Peter and the rest of the Apostles at this time continued with them till the persecution for we reade of no departure of them or separation till then and all these were men
of singular gifts and graces and such as by the Apostles were thought fit to succeed Iudas in his Apostleship and therefore were all Preachers and Ministers by Office and were such as had been formerly sent out by Christ or Iohn the Baptist to preach and baptize and to worke Miracles and therefore I affirme were all Ministers and Preachers by their place and Office and not only gifted brethren and the Scripture is so cleere in it as nothing can be more apparent for it saith Wherefore of these men which have companyed with us all the time the Lord Iesus went in and out amongst us beginning from the baptisme of Iohn unto the same day he was taken up from us must one be ordained c. Wherefore of necessity they must needs be ancient and inveterate Disciples and Ministers by Office or otherwise the Apostles would not have judged them fit for an Apostleship And all these continued with the Apostles in Ierusalem for ought any thing related to the contrary till their persecution and were of the Presbytery in that Church and then it is said they were all scattred saving the Apostles therefore those that went abroad Preaching the Word after their dispersion and publishing the Gospell were Ministers and Preachers by Office which taught by the way of Sermons in all places where they came and not out of charity as gifted brethren as I have formerly sufficiently proved upon that place whether I referre the Reader and therefore shall not feare here to conclude that of necessity there must be an innumerable company of believers in the Church of Ierusalem that had imployed so many faithfull Ministers and diligent Preachers almost an hundred so long a time and the which in this their hottest persecution tooke up and imployed twelve of the most painfull and laborious Ministers in the world who spent all their time in Praying and Preaching amongst them and for the performance of each of their duties all intelligible Christians will also gather that they must necessarily have severall Congregations and Assemblies for all of them could not preach together at one time and in one place or roome and therefore there were many Assemblies and Congregations even under the persecution in the Church of Jerusalem the which afterward were exceedingly multitplyed and increased when the Churches had rest as the Scripture recordeth the which amounted to many ten thousands all the which could not then possibly meete in one Congregation or a few And this shall suffice to have answered to what ever Master Knollys and I. S. had vainely and impiously to Cavill against such of my Arguments as they thought themselves best able by their learning to deale with for the seducing of unstable and ungrounded people And now I come to what my brother Burton hath to say against all my foregoing Arguments Whose words are these But I come briefly to your Arguments whereby you would prove your Classicall Presbyterian government and so upward The paterne hereof you take from the Christian Church at Jerusalem Hereof many Arguments or rather words and tautologies you multiply and toile your selfe and vexe your Reader withall which you might have reduced to one It is in summe this In Jerusalem were many Christian Congregations and all these made but one Church and so were governed by one Presbytery But the Church of Jerusalem being the prime Apostolicke Church is a paterne for all succeeding Churches Ergo all Church government ought to be regulated by that and consequently by a Presbytery over many Congregations As for your indefinite enumeration of those multitudes baptized by Iohn Baptist and by Christs Disciples we take no notice of them unlesse formed into a Church or Churches but following the expresse Scripture the first formed Church we finde is in Acts the 2. which though consisting of five thousand yet it was one intire particular Church and not Churches and they continued daily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accorde in one place together vers 1. and in the Temple ver 44. 46. growing from an hundred and twenty Acts 1. vers 15. to three thousand more Chap. 2. 41. and then in all to five thousand chap. 4. 4. and all these but one Church which assembled together to heare the Word in the Temple and although they wanted a convenient place so spacious as whereinto break bread or receive the Lords Supper altogether so as they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in severall private houses to communicate yet this severing was not a dividing of the church into so many distinct formall Churches or Church bodyes being but so many branches of one and the same particular Church which though you call so many Congregations yet properly so many Churches they were not And therefore you never reade the Churches at or in Ierusalem but the Church of Jerusalem And this no nationall Church neither witnesse those Churches in Iudea Gal. 1. 22. Whereupon I answer to your Argument and first to your proposition I deny that those congregations you name are so many Churches properly so called having their distinct Officers and Members united into one Church body respectively This I put you to prove And without proving it your 11. or 12. sheets spent about that argument prove to be meer waste paper And for your assumption that the Church at Jerusalem as being a prime Apostolick Church is therefore a pattern for all succeeding Churches and therefore for a Classicall Presbytery over many Churches You must first prove your proposition as before that there were many Churches in Ierusalem constituted in their distinct formes and bodyes Secondly it being no more then one entire particular Church and not any Diocesan or Provinciall Church or the Presbytery thereof classicall as you would beare us in hand it is a paterne for all particular Churches in succeeding ages and yet by your favour not so perfect a paterne as no Apostolick Church besides it should also come in to make up the paterne compleat For wee are necessarily to take all the Churches in the New Testament together to make up one entire and perfect Church paterne For in the Church at Jerusalem wee find election of Officers but wee find not expressed that part of discipline for casting out of corrupt Members as in the Church of Corinth and so in the rest For the Churches were not brought forth to full perfection in one day Their very constitution had a graduall growth The Church at Jerusalem had not at first Deacons till there was a necessity and the largenesse of the Church required seven Deacons which is no patterne for every Church to have seven Deacons The summe is to make up a compleat paterne not onely the Church at Jerusalem but that of Corinth of Ephesus those of Galatia that of Philippi and the rest are to be conferred together that each may cast in its shot to make up the full reckoning that so what is not exprest in one may be supplyed
assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven given them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the end of the world and that whatsoever they loosed on earth should be loosed in Heaven and whatsoever they bound on earth should be bound in Heaven and that his spirit also should leade them into all truth the which Ministers likewise taught them whatsoever Christ had commanded them and that dayly in the Temple and in every house Ergo all and every one of those Assemblies and Congregations respectively and severally taken were true and compleat churches properly so called For the Major no well grounded Christian will deny it especially the Independents cannot gain say it for if two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name make a true visible church as those of the congregationall way hold and teach then much more where two or three hundreds are met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and in the which also they partaked in all the saving and sealing Ordinances as in the preaching of the Word and Prayer and in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that by lawfull Ministers and Officers appointed and sent by God himselfe I say by far better reason such a congregation is a true and visible and compleate church properly so called as all rationall and intelligible men will easily conclude and therefore this cannot be denied by the Independents especially when as I noted before it is their owne Doctrine taught in all their writings and Preached by every one of the congregationall way and confirmed by their own daily practice And to passe by many books writ of late by the Ministers of New-England and some of the Independent Ministers here amongst us I will only at this time pitch upon one who hath in my opinion dealt more candidly then any of his brethren for he kepes no reserves Donec ad triarios redierit res but sets downe plainly what they hold I will make bold therefore with his new blasing lights lately set up upon that learned Beaken called Truth gloriously appearing from under the sad and sable cloude of obloquy In the which treatise pag. 22. and 23. the author in the name of all the Independents declares their judgement concering this businesse whose words I will set down at large desiring to deliver their minde in their own expressions rather then in mine that they may not hereafter accuse me to have pickt and chose what made most for me and against them and left the rest His words are these Object It may possibly here be objected how will it appeare that so small a number as two or three joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell do constitute a visible Church Answ It will appeare evident by this insuing argument Christ hath given his power and promised his presence to two or three ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell therefore two or three so joyned together do constitute a visible church The Antecedent is proved from the Words of Christ Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it if he refuse to heare thee take two or three if he heare not them tell it to the church if he neglect to heare the church let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican I say unto you whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven Loe Here 's their power given them by Christ The presence of Christ is promised by them vers 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them The consequent cannot be denied for what people in the world may be called a church if they may not to whom Christ hath given his power and promised his presence If the gifts of Christ be of any force if the power of Christ be of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Neither is this destitute of learned men who have given their suffrage to it Humfred de religione vera conservanda pag. 24. Ecclesiam cum dico non unum aut alterum sacerdotem aut ministrum sed legitimum ac Christianum catum nomino et innuo Besides the definition of a visible church will prove the consequent A visible church is a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the members be Saints called out of the world united together into one congregation by an holy covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances This definition though it properly looke upon a compleate church it is appliable to two or three that are joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospell 2 Object But is it like that two or three there is taken for the church mentioned vers 17. to which Christ hath given his power Answ I do not say that it is alwaies so taken for because the church doth frequently consist of many but this I say that it may be so taken as the very coherence of the words shews Beside it will further appeare thus if two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power and honoured with Christs presence then two or three may be the church mentioned vers 17. but two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power for they meet in his name as the text speakes 1. e. clothed with his power for name signifieth power in severall Scriptures Prov. the 18. 10. Philip. 2. 10. and honoured with his presence and therefore two or three may be the church there mentioned 3. Object But such a company being destitute of Officers can be no church Answ If it had been said they could have been no compleate church I would have consented But to say that they are not a compleat church therefore they are no church is a Non sequitur A man that wants a hand or foot or both is notwithstanding a man though a maimed man Officers do not concurr to the esse or being of a church but to the bene esse or well being of a church for otherwise put case the Officers of a church dye then must the church be unchurched and so Toties quoties as such a thing happens which in times of mortality may be often Againe a company of believers ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell hath the matter and forme of a church even before it hath any Officers and therefore is a Church without them it hath the matter of a Church a company believing 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 1. and it hath the forme of a Church viz. a combining and uniting of themselves together into one body by the bond of an holy Covenant I have spoke some thing the more in this particular to strengthen
wanted that part of Discipline I beeleeve they would exercise some more of their authority to teach such an one better manners or more wit Even so it was in the Church at Ierusalem they had discipline in that Church though wee reade not of the putting of it in execution as we do in the Church of Corinth and Ephesus neither wil any rationall man conclude that all the other Primitive Churches wanted that part of discipline because I say wee reade onely of the execution of it in the church of Corinth and that of Ephesus which is commended for it and some of the other seven churches are blamed for not casting out their corrupt Members and because they had not at that time exercised their authority neither reade wee of it in the churches of Galatia Colosse nor amongst the Thessalonians nor in the church of Rome nor Antioch nor in Samaria will any man therefore say that all these churches wanted that part of Discipline because wee reade nothing of it in them I am confident they will not be so fanaticall as to make such a conclusion from so brainsick a premise much lesse will any intelligible christian argue as my Brother Burton does saying wee reade not of that part of Discipline in the church at Ierusalem of casting out corrupt Members Ergo it had it not this would indeed prove a non sequitur and such a consequenct or conclusion could least of all have been made from the Church at Ierusalem upon such an Antecedent then from any of the other churches because the church at Ierusalem had not only the power of the Keyes within it selfe but a legislative power also who gave Lawes to all other churches both for the ordering and ruling of them and for the exercising of their Discipline in every particular and that by Gods appointment for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law saith the Prophet Isa 23. and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem So that the Church at Ierusalem the Mother church gave power to all the daughter churches and that both the power of Order and Jurisdiction the power was radically in it and in that church was the fountain of all authority the streames of the which flowed to all the other churches of the world For out of Zion shal go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And can any rationall man thinke it gave away all its power and did not keepe a reserve donec ad triarios redierit res I beleeve that all the Independents will much blame my brother Burton for this his rashnesse in affirming the church at Ierusalem wanted that part of Discipline for casting out corrupt Members when the Apostles themselves had all power in their hands bequeathed unto them by Christ himselfe who said Mat. 28. verse 18. 19. All power is given to mee in Heaven and Earth goe yee therefore and teach all Nations c. and Iohn the 20. verse 21 22 23. as my Father hath sent mee even so send I you and when hee had said this hee breathed on them and saith unto them receive yee the Holy Ghost whose soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins yee retaine they are retained Loe here was plenary authority given unto all the Apostles who as they had the Keyes promised them in the sixteenth of Matthew here they now received them and therefore they had the power in their hands both of order and jurisdiction which the Keyes imported as all the learned know and the very Independents doe not deny now this power was not onely given unto them but unto all faithfull Ministers their successors to whom Christ made a promise as well as to the Apostles Matth. 28. that hee would be with them to the end of the world neither doe wee ever reade that the Apostles and Ministers in the church of Ierusalem did ever relinquish their power and therefore they wanted not that part of Discipline as my Brother Burton grollishly affirmeth who begins now to doubt when hee begins to dote but if there had been any just occasion without all controversie they would have put it in execution but that church consisting of visible Saints and having no scandalous persons amongst them had no occasion of the exercise of that part of Discipline which they wanted not though they exercised it not for it is to be believed that the Apostles would have discharged their duty in punishing offendors if there had beene any And I believe that the Independents would blame any of their Schollers and Members if they should say their new congregated churches wanted that part of Discipline of casting out of corrupt Members though they have not as yet in some of them put it in execution for they have learned to distinguish between the power of a Church and the execution of that power in a church for as it doth not argue that a Court of Justice hath not power of life and death when notwithstanding it is invested with the Authority of hanging and drawing though perhaps after it is erected they either have no occasion of executing that authority that is given or them out of Clemency will for a time shew mercy and use lenity towards offendors not taking the extremity of the Law the more with humanity and kindnesse to reclaime them even so in all well constituted Churches the not executing of the power given them by Christ or the not having just occasion of putting that power in execution doth not prove a want of that power and if any of the Members of the new congregations should so argue against their new church Officers I believe they would soone make use of their Keyes to shut such a Member out of their Church doores as my brother Burton falsly complaines that Truth was lately shut out of Aldermanbury Church doores And truly if one of their whibbling congregations have no want of that part of Discipline though they execute it not shall any man be so temerarious and unadvised as to thinke that the power of the church in Ierusalem was evacuated or enervated or that they had not that part of Discipline when there was greater power in it then in any church in the world all who had all the Apostles amongst them and as Christs and Iohn Disciples all of them armed with the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and when the Magazine and treasury of all power resided continually in that church and therefore that part of Discipline when all other churches derived their power authority and jurisdiction from that as the mother church And to this I now say I am most assured all judicious men will easily consent and agree And therefore my brother Burton affirming that the church at Ierusalem wanted that part of discipline of casting out of corrupt Members saying That neither the Church at Ierusalem was a perfect patterne nor none of the Primitive churches were compleat within themselves but that they must
is mention made in that Epistle of churches in the plurall number 1 Cor. 14. verse 34. Let the women saith the Apostle keepe silence in the Churches by which it followeth that in Gods dialect congregation and church are synonima's and not that onely but that there were many churches in this church of Corinth and that they were all but one church as being so many branches and depending all upon that stocke and therefore were all classically governed and subordinate to one Presbyterie The same may be concluded of the Church of Philippi where verse the 1. Paul and Timothy salutes all the Bishops and Deacons so that in the first entrance of that Epistle wee meet with a colledge of Bishops and Presbyters for they were all one and wee meete also with many Deacons all which proves to any understanding man that there were many congregations and churches for one Deacon would have served for one congrgeation or assembly and yet they all made but one church as being subordinate to one Presbyterie and governed by their joynt consent and common Counsell and that there were multitudes of Beleevers there it is evident from the variety of Teachers besides their good and godly Bishops for Paul saith there were dogs amongst them evill workers and those of the concision and he bids the Philippians to beware of those Chap. 3. verse 2. and there were many other of their Teachers which were worldly men that minded earthly things whom hee proclames enemies of the Crosse of Christ who made their belly their God as too many of the Independent Ministers now adayes doe chapter 4. verse 18 19. and gives them in command to shun their example and only to follow his and such as walked as hee did whose conversation was in Heaven and many such Teachers there were in the Church of Philippi and such as taught the Gospel out of good will and sincerely all which sufficiently prove there were many congregations of Beleevers in this Church and that it was yet but one Church and governed by a classis and colledge of Bishops and Presbyters And the same may be said of the church of Galatia where Paul complaines that there were many false teachers amongst them which hee wisht were rooted out and cut off or destroyed so that it followeth that in that church also there were many congregations and they were all governed by the joynt consent common counsel of a Presbyterie there for there were Presbyters ordained in every church and in every Citie And now I come to the seven churches of Asia and that by name my brother Burton speaks of viz. the church of Ephesus with which I will conclude and this was but one church in the singular number Revel the 2. of the which Paul called the Elders to him Acts the 20. verse 17. In the which church there were such infinites of Beleevers as they could not all possibly meet in any one place or a few yea Paul himselfe declareth as much in expresse words in the 20. chap. verse 20. where hee saith that hee taught them publickly and from house to house which in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by Master Knollys his learning signifies per singulas domos and therefore by him acknowledged to be many congregations as in the forgoing discourse is sufficâ—ently proved and all reason indeed will perswade it had it not in words beene specified For Ephesus was a famous citie and a place of great trafficke where Paul preached two whole yeares by whose hands God wrought no small Miracles so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Iesus both Iews and Gentiles and through other wonders that were wrought in that city it is related that the word of God grew mightily and prevailed as it is at large ch 19. set down so that great multitudes of the very Schollers and such as studied curious Arts were also converted and burnt their Bookes the price of which amounted to fifty thousand peeces of silver in so much that feare came upon all the Greekes and Iewes that dwelt in Ephesus and the name of the Lord Iesus was magnified And can any man conceive or beleeve that all the Jewes and Greekes in Ephesus a mighty citie and a mart Towne could all meet in any one place together to communicate in all acts of worship yea were it not a madnesse to thinke so if the very diversitie of their languages and tongues of the people did not disswade it for if they would all be edified they must understand their Ministers preaching unto them which so many people of severall Languages and dialects could never do by any one for it was then a Miracle to have the gift of tongues which for the most part were conferred upon the Ministers and Publishers of the Gospel and upon such as were to be sent from place to place and from Citie to Citie to convert the Nations such as were the Apostles Evangelists and Prophets all extraordinary men and very seldome had the ordinary people the gifts of the Holy Ghost conferred upon them but it was chiefly upon some select and chosen ones not upon all promiscuously buâ— upon such as the Apostles laid their hands for if it had beene upon all then Simon Magus needed not have offered money to the Apostles for the purchasing of the gifts of the Holy Ghost if those graces had been promiscuously given but without all doubt it was but to some sortsof men for the most part that the gift of tongues was distributed such as the Apostles made speciall choyce of for so it appeares 1 Cor. 12. ver 10. 11. And therefore when the common people had not the understanding of all languages they if they would be edified must have such to preach to them as they could understand and therefore all the Jewes and Greeks in Ephesus must necessarily have divers places to meet in if the multitudes of them otherwise had not been so great but that they might have assembled themselves together and onely that they might be edified Besides the great multitudes that we read of at the first plantationof this church the Scripture saith Acts the 20. That for three whole years together Paul taught them night and day as an extraordinary Minister they had also Timothy sometime amongst them and other extraordinary teachers and a whole colledge of Bishops and Elders ver 28. who all had the care of the flock committed to them with a charge that they should feede that church which Christ had redeemed with his blood They had a commission likewise given them to oppose all false Teachers which they faithfully performed as the Lord beareth them witnesse Revel the 2. ver 2. saying I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not beare them which are evill and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars By which we learne that the Government of
wavering for hee is faithfull that promised and let us consider one an other to provoke unto love and good workes not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one an other and so much the more as you see the day approaching It seemes the Jewes presuming of their owne holinesse and that they were the peculiar people of God thought basely of the Gentiles and began to separate in that regard from their publike assemblies as too many now adayes of the Ildependents doe from their brethren thinking themselves more holy then they the Apostle therefore writing to his countrey men the Jewes blames them for this and in them reproveth all that doe the like and forbids them so to doe and Saint Iohn speaking of such as made schismes in the Church saith that if they had beene of us they would not have gone out and departed from amongst us but in that they separated from amongst them it was manifest that they were not of them so that hee maketh it a marke and note of Apostates to make rents and schismes in any Church from the publike assemblies in all these regards therefore wee ought to take heed of separation and ought in this to make the church of Ierusalem and the other Primitive Churches our paterne and example and not to separate from the churches and assemblies of the Saints though indeed there should be many faylings in them which when the churches of the congregationall way daily doe they are highly to be blamed as offenders against precepts and presidents both of Christ and the blessed Apostles and against the example of all the Primitive churches who never did it all the which notwithstanding my brother Burton saith ought to be conferred together for the making up of a perfect paterne for our imitation they therefore not following their paterne but making rents have in their so doing much to answer for Lastly as the church at Ierusalem and all the other churches my brother Burton enumerates are to be a paterne to all churches in succeeding ages in their well doing and in what was prayse worthy so likewise wherein either the whole churches or any officers or members in them were fayling in their duty and for it either reproved threatned or punished for their owne disobedience or but for their indulgence at others in their sinnes as old Ely I Sam. 3. in that hee did not correct and chastise his wicked sons and the seven churches of Asia for their particular faylings especially those of Pergamos Thyatira and Laodicea for suffering the doctrinc of Balaam Jezebel and of the Nicolaitans though it was not with approbation of the same but onely in that they connived at them and did not exercise their power in casting out those offenders and punishing those luke-warme Laodiceans who were indifferent what religion was set up or imbraced amongst them I say in all these respects both these churches and people and all other churches for their faylings and punishments are examples to us to teach and forwarne us not to offend in the like manner lest partaking with them in their sinnes wee partake with them also in their severall plagues and punishments for whatsoever was written was pend for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10. verse 11. and therefore if wee will tolerate all religions among us and shall not be zealous for the honour of our God and labour by all our might to establish his true worship and for the extirpating of all heresies and scandals the Lord will have a controversie against us as hee had against them and if wee repent not will remove his Candlesticke from us and leave us in darkenesse and in the shadow of death as hee hath done those churches in Asia who are all now under the Mahumetan superstition For wee must take notice that as every command of God is both preceptive and prohibitive so there is something in the practise and manners of all the Saints and churches of God as that in the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. and in the above mentioned churches that have some things in them to be shunned and avoyded as their speciall sinnes and faylings and some things in them likewise to bee imitated as their zeale piety vertues and godly examples and holy courage which as they are all praise worthy and for which they ought ever to be honoured so they are set downe for our learning and imitation that wee should doe the same yea this their example is as a command to us that wee should follow them in this their well doing and where they did evill and fayled in their duty in this there is a prohibition to all christians and to all churches in succeeding ages to the end of the world to take heed left they doe the like and so fall into the same condemnation as Paul speakes 1. Tim. 3. verse 6. where prohibiting the Evangelist to ordaine a novice for a Minister he saith lest being lifted up with pride hee fall into the condemnation of the Devill for by his pride hee was cast out of heaven that saith the Apostle hee was condemned for therefore lay thou no hands upon a novice lest hee be lifted up with pride and fall into the same condemnation So that in all the former respects both the church at Ierusalem and all other churches and the people of Israel are a paterne to us upon whom the ends of the world are come that wee should alwayes set them before our eyes if wee desire to injoy those mercies and blessings they partaked in for their well doing or to shun and avoid those punishments were inflicted upon them for their sins negligences and rebellions And this I thought good to say in way of answer to my brother Burton concerning the Church at Jerusalem and the other Churches enumerated by him all the which hee asserteth are to bee conferred together for the making up of a compleate paterne and plat forme of Church government and yet grollishly denieth that they can be a paterne in all things which to speake the truth is a peece of non-sense and a contradiction But before I conclude with him and shut up this discourse I shall desire the Reader a little to ponder and weigh my brother Burtous expressions in the very entrance of this his answer and reply to his own argument For your indefinite enumeration saith he of those multitudes baptized by John the Baptist and Christs disciples wee take no notice of them unlesse formed into a Church or Churches but following the expresse Scripture the first formed church wee find is in Acts the second These words deserve due consideration Amongst those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist Christ himselfe was one the Lord of life who sanctified that ordinance in his owne person and that in a speciall manner as being done by his speciall command and that for the fulfilling of all righteousnesse both in himselfe
himselfe his good Friend his Lord and Master the King of Saints and King of Kings the mighty Potentate the sole and only head and Lawgiver and Governour of his Church I say if he had not been in very great haste indeed and giddy withall in his brain or in some distraction He would have taken notice of Christ and have thought him and his blessed Apostles and seventy Disciples and those likewise that were baptized by John with Christs Mother Brethren and Sisters worthy to be esteemed a formed Church or Churches yet he and his brethren passe by them all saying we take no notice of them as formed into a Church or churches so that it is no wonder they at this day take no notice of our Churches and that they absolutely deny them to be formed into a church or churches after the New Testament forme when they do the same to all the beleevers in Christs time Surely that Subject that should passe by his King and Soveraign and all his retinue and Courtiers and take no notice of him and them and should yeild him no reverence would be thought crased in his brain especially if he should in a slighting manner say He tooke no notice of them And all men that should hear such an expression from him would not onely judge such an one a very unbred man and an uncivill fellow but that deservedly he ought to be taught better manners And without doubt a King that should understand of such a Subject if he at any time had need of his favour would reply unto him Sir you woud take no notice of me and my servants go now to those for help that you think worthy to be taken notice of As the Lord said unto the Israelites who when they were oppressed by their cruell enemies and came then flying unto him for his assistance Go saith he to your gods that in your prosperity yee served and seek help from them And truly if the businesse be seriously considered this my brother Burtons and his associates dealing with Christ and his Disciples and Followers is not altogether unlike the dealing of the Israelites with the Lord at least in words For in plain termes they say we take no notice of them as formed into a church or churches so that Christ and his Disciples are very little beholding to those of the congregationall way Certainly the man was in very great haste when he uttered these words or exceedingly distemperd in his brain for otherwise Christ had been worthy to have been taken notice of if his followers had not Our Saviour speaks of some that at the last day shall say unto him Lord Lord have we not preached in thy Name and in thy Name have we not done wondrous works Mat. 7. ver 22 23. To whom Christ saith he will reply Depart from me I know you not And doubtlesse if my brother Burton and his complices deeply repent not of these their words and of all their evill dealing in seducing and mis-leading of the poor people and of making rents and schismes in Church and State but shall still persevere in the errour of their wayes and will not yet take notice of those multitudes baptized by John the Baptist and Christs Disciples and of Christ himselfe and his Followers nor of their brethren at this day through all the Reformed churches as formed into a Church or Churches it is to be feared that whatsoever both he and those of his party shall pretend As that they have preached in his name and done wondrous works in gathering of new churches and preaching up the congregationall way and publishing of new truths and setting up of new lights and placing Christ upon his Throne I say whatsoever they shall in this kinde pretend Except they all repent of this their wickednesse and uncharitable dealing towards all their Christian Brethren it is to be feared that Christ will say to them as he professeth he will say to the others I know ye not depart from me ye that worke iniquity and they all likewise perish For what can any man that hath not resigned his understanding think lesse of this so weighty a businesse but that Christ may say unto them at that day You have taught it in your congregations and printed in your bookes set forth by authority by all your consents and that upon deliberation that you take no notice of all those multitudes that were baptized by John and my Disciples to be formed into a Church or Churches These will he say are your owne words and that in capitall letters nay you deny them to be Christians for so J. S. speaketh page 8 and 9. in the name of all the brethren giving many reasons there to the contrary asserting that by the baptisme of John they were not made Christians much lesse cast into a church mould according to the New Testament forme and least of all that they were all Members of one Christian church at Jerusalem These are his expressions For which he hath been much applauded by all of that fraternity who usually say of him when he rideth through the streets there goeth he that beat up Doctor Bastwicks quarters approving of this good worke of his in unchristianing all those that beleeved in mee and were baptized by the Ministry of my servant John the greatest Prophet that ever was borne of woman and sent by me and my father to baptize them And of Mr. Burton they never speak but in high praises blessing God that he hath answered Bastwicks Book which he writ in defence and maintenace of my honour and for the reputation of all that beleeved in me and were baptized in my name So that all those books that were set forth by those of the congregationall way to my dishonour and the disrepute of my followers are approved of by you all and in them you say you take no notice of those multitudes that were baptized by John as formed into a church or churches Now amongst those that were baptized by John I was one and my Disciples and my Mother and my Brethren c. So that you slight us all and take no notice of us as formed into a Church or churches that is in plain words you are ashamed of us and deny us Now those that are ashamed of me and deny me before men and take no notice of me and my Disciples and of my Brethren and Sisters and Mother and of those that beleeved in me and followed me whiles I was upon the earth to be formed into a church or churches I will be ashamed of them and deny them and take no notice of them before my Father in Heaven to be formed into a church or churches For he that despiseth my Disciples and my Followers despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Yea whosoever shall despise one of these little ones that beleeve in me it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into
is apparent to any that will not wilfully put out their eyes In the time of the Prelates raign every ceremony they brought in was excepted against as a human tradition and that worthily and every invention and tradition of man was rejected as Popery and will-worship was abhorred as Antichristian and to serve God by the precepts of men and by a service established onely by humane authority was rejected as a thing displeasing unto God and thought unsufferable and to have Prelates set over them to Lord it over Gods heritage was thought the highest point of tyranny and for the removall of them root and branch with all their trumpery and appertinances all the Independents themselves with the whole city and the greatest part of the Kingdome petitioned the great Councell of the Kingdome and not onely so but many of them have ventured their lives in the just defence of their Christian libertie and have offered their estates and exposed themselves and theirs to greatest dangers in this good quarrell which will ever be to the immortall honour of them all to all succeeding ages and they will be an example to other Nations to do the like Yet behold every one of these things revived now and brought in amongst the ignorant people and contended for with all severity and eagernesse as for the Oracles of God notwithstanding ding they are but the inventions of men there being neither precept nor president for them in the whole Word of God nor any practise of them in any of the Apostolicall and Primitive Churches and therefore it doth necessarily follow That their whole service and Discipline with all their concomitants are but their own appointments for which there is no warrant or pattern in the whole Word of truth and as for their Ministers and Pastors both in New England in their new Congregations here they Lord it over the poor people in as high a manner as can be proved as ever the lordly Prelates did in respect of their supercilious behaviour and yet the people swallow all these things as Gods Ordinances and bind themselves by their unholy Covenant to observe them which in any understanding mans judgement that knows what his Christian lâ—berty is and in the which he is commanded to stand fast in Gal. 5. ver 1. is the most intolerable yoak of bondage which the world yet ever saw And thus having briefly discovered some of the errors of their definition and shewed the absurdities of it and the inconveniences of such a Church as they would have and evinced also that according to that there has never yet bin a true formed Church on earth and that all the congregationall Churches if they will be included within the compasse of that discription they must necessarily be Dependent I will now come to my last and main conclusion which is to prove that none of the Churches of the Congregationall way are true Churches as not consisting of all visible Saints and therefore not to be communicated with in holy things which I shall do from their own argument For thus they dispute against us Those Assemblies say they or Churches in which the Members are not visible Saints called out of the world and united together into their severall Congregations by an holy Covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances they are no true formed Churches according to the New Testament forme and ought not to be communicated with in holy things but are to be separated from unlesse they will be made companions with such kinde of Saints as Job would not set with the doggs of his flocke being tagg ragg with whom godly soules can no more converse then with heathens But the Parochiall Congregations through the whole Kingdome are such Ergo they are not true formed Churches after the New Testament forme and ought not to be communicated with unlesse c. This is the Il-dependents doctrine they teach their Disciples concerning our Churches as appeareth in all their Pamphlets as in that of I. S. and my brother Burtons especially and this is one of the capital arguments which they use to maintain their separation from us and upon which they ground the gathering of their new Congregations the futility and vanity of the which every one that shall but vouchsafe to read this book shall finde in many places discovered I will therefore in this place make use of the same against themselvs to prove that their Churches and new gathered congregations are not true formed Churches after the New Testament forme as not consisting of all visible Saints and therefore not to be communicated with in holy things as the severall insuing arguments will declare which I desire the Independents themselves would without any prejudice seriously consider and ponder that they may the better discern into the errors of their wayes and in time repent of all their unrighteous and uncharitable dealing towards their brethren I thus argue Those Churches and Congregations the Members of the which are not visible Saints called out of the world and united together into their severall Assemblies by an holy Covenant to serve the Lord in all his holy Ordinances but are joyned together in a wicked conspiracy and combination against the people of God and his Ordinances and to hinder the reformation of the Church they are no true formed Churches after the New Testament forme and the Members of them are not true visible Saints and therefore ought not to be communicated with in holy things but to be separated from But all the Churches of the Congregationall way are such Ergo they are not true formed Churches after the New Testament forme and therefore by their own doctrine not to be communicated with in holy things but to be separate from and that for the same reasons the Il-dependents falsly pretend they sever themselves from our publique Assemblies The Major of this Syllogisme is their own and therefore they cannot gainsay it the Minor therefore being proved the conclusion will necessarily insue And as for the Minor I thus evince it Those Churches and Congregations whose Members are raylors révilers slanderers covenant-breakers with God and man ordinary lyars notorious calumniators and false accusers such as in holy Scripture are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devils heretiques open seducers and causers of division and offences contrary unto the doctrine of Christ such as all Christians have a special command to take heed of and to shun and are prohibited to receive into their houses or bid God speed or so much as to eat with they are no visible Saints nor good Damons and therefore no true formed Churches nor to be communicated with in holy things But the churches of the congregationall way consist of such Members Ergo they are not visible Saints and therefore no true formed churches nor to be communicated with in holy things For the Major of this Syllogism it is grounded upon Godsown word and has its warrant for
it as the insuing places sufficiently prove Rom. 16. ver 17 and 18. Now I beseech you brethren saith the Apostle marke them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoyde them 1 Cor. chap. the 5. ver 11. But now I have writ unto you saith Saint Paul not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a raylor or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eat 1 Tim. chap. the 6. ver the 3. and 5. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse from such withdraw thy selfe and 2 Tim. chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5. In the last dayes saith the Apostle shall perilous times come For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents without naturall affection covenant or truce-breakers false accusers or make-bates incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good trayterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such tâ—rne away for of this sort are they which creep into widdowes houses and lead captive silly women laden with sinnes c. Tit. 3. ver 10. A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject saith the Apostle 2. John ver 10. If there come any unto you saith Saint John and bring not the doctrine of Christ receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds And Gal 1. ver 8 9. If we or an Angell from Heaven saith the Apostle preach otherwise then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed as I said before so I say now againe if any man preach unto you any other Gospell then that you have received let him be occursed Out of all the which places and many more that might be produced we are taught to shun and decline the society and fellowship of all such Christians as are corrupt in their doctrine or manners and such as either preach or practise otherwise then they have precept or example for in the holy word of God especially we are to have no communion with them when they not only preach another way to Heaven then that which Christ and the holy Prophets and blessed Apostles have chalked out unto us and delivered unto the Church but have joyned themselves in a wicked and unwarrantable Covenant to persist and continue in this practice for they are no Saints But such are those of the Congregationall way whose Teachers and Members are combined together to persevere in their wicked practices and courses and therefore by expresse command from Heaven we are to have no communion with such unlesse we will be found fighters against God and partake in their punishments And these places of holy Scripture with these reasons shall suffice for the proofe of the Major proposition For the Minor that the churches and assemblies of those of the congregationall way consist of Raylers Revilers Slanderers and covenant-breakers c. it is evident and well knowne to all such as are acquainted with the practise of the Independents and are verst in their doctrine and have read their Pamphlets which consist chiefly of errors untruths and right-downe raylings as amongst others those of my brother Burton and Iohn Lilburne not to mention the Pamphlets of all the other Independents the very names of which would make a booke in all the which there is little other but rayling and dangerous novelties Some of my brother Burtons and Iohn Lilburnes expressions with an other or two more which write in the name of all the Independents I will produce that by the mouth of two or three of their witnesses the truth of their proceedings in their Raylings Errors and Lyes and bad practises may be yet more evident My brother Burton in his Vindication hath these insuing words against all the Presbyterians both Ministers and people and first against the Ministers of whom hee saith that they deny disclaime and preach against Christs kingly Government over mens consciences and churches so that such a conversion as is wrought by them comes not home to whole Christ and such with their converters doe deny Christs kingly Government or at least and best they are converted but in part and that maine thing is wanting to wit Christs kingly Office And in his Vindiciae veritatis hee accuseth mee pag. 21. for taking Christs name in vaine because in my Booke I asserted that the Ministers of the church of England set up Christ upon his Throne which for mee to affirme hee saith it is to take the name of Christ in vaine his words are these And here saith he I challenge our brother for taking Christs name in vaine when insteed of finding Christ set upon his Throne in their congregations we find there no more but an Image such as Michal had made up insteed of King David or as those that in mockery made of Christ a Pageant King stripping him and putting on him a scarlet Robe and on his head a Crowne of Thornes and in his hand a reed saluting him with Haile King of the Iewes with which title over his head they crucified him therefore saith he those passages quoted out of my Booke will stand good against their opposers These are his words against all the Ministers of the Church of England Now of all the people that are not of the congregationall way and of their new Assemblies my brother Burton in his Vindication hath these words Wee exhort them saith he to set up Christ King in their hearts Wee exhort them to become and professe to be those Saints of whom Christ is King for hee is King of Saints Revel 15. 3. but they will not beleeve us saith hee they will not depend upon Christ as the only Law-giver and King over their consciences Now what would you have us to doe in this case saith hee baptize the Infants of such parents as will not in this respect professe or confesse Christ to be their King why doe you not know saith hee that no Infants have any title to Baptisme that are not within the Covenant visibly and how are they within the Covenant visibly but by vertue of their parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith is there in their parents that refuse Christ for their onely King that are ashamed or afraid to professe to be in covenant with Christ as their King if therefore the parents professe not yea refuse thus to be in visible covenant can the children be said to be in visible covenant and so to have a right in Baptisme the externall Seale of the Covenant here is an obex a barre put These are my brother Burtons owne
words which I have set downe at large omitting many other such expressions the summe of them briefly is this that all the Ministers of the Church of England that are not in their combination doe deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly Government over mens consciences and churches and are no better then the persecuting Jewes that made a mocke scorne and ludibry of Christ and that all the people under their Ministry are men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the maine thing to wit Christs kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church communion may and ought to be denyed Now I referre my selfe to the judgement of all learned and impartiall Christians whether there can be uttered with the tongue or pen of men any more injurious unjust raâ—lings and revilings or more untrue and false accusations against their brethren For all those godly Christians through the thrâ—e Kâ—ngdomes can witâ—esse the contrary who by the pâ—eaching of the Word and Gospel have beene converted by the Ministry of the chuâ—ch of England Yea the Independents themselves and my brother Burton if they will no belye the truth must acknowledge next under God their conversion to the Ministers of the church of England for none but converts and beleevers are to be admitted into their new congregations and I never yet heard that the Independent Ministers converted any and therefore when my brother Burton accuseth all the Ministers and beleeving people of the church of England to be enemies of the Lord Jesus when they all indeavour to set him up upon his Throne as King it is a most horrid wickednesse in him and those of his party to beare false witnesse against their Neighbours and so to calumniate and revile the true servants of the Lord by which they come to take the Devils office upon themselves and become all of them false Accuâ—ers of the brethren Raylers and Persecutors and Seducers and therefore no Saints Yea it is ordinary with my brother Burton as can be proved both to speake and print untruths and notorious falsehoods but passing many of them by in some of his last bookes as Truth shut out of doores and in this his Booke called Vindiciae veritatis which may bee more properly stiled Vindiciae mendacii in the 24. page speaking there most maliciously against learned Master Edwards and my selfe hee saith that hee by his pen and preaching and that I by my pen labour to take an order that the Independents shall have no Pulpits to preach in at all Witnesse saith he that late mis-rule at your towne of Colchester upon your bookes and T. E. his preaching by which words of his hee would make the deluded people beleeve that there was some great Persecution stirred up at Colchester against some Independent Ministers there to hinder them from preaching in their Pulpits which is a most notorious falshood the contrary of which is true for the Independents made a mis-rule in the very Church against Master Edwards and openly reviled him in the congregation using many rayling speeches against him and that against all the Laws of Christianitie and civilitie and had almost by their barborous carriage against him raysed a tumult in the Towne to the disturbance of them all had it not timely by the wisedome of some beene prevented So that it may easily be perceived what the Independents would doe against the Presbyterian Ministers if the authority were once wholly in their hands when they so timely begin where their faction is any thing powerfull yet such is the boldnesse or rather impudencie of these men that when they are the only Persecutors of others and the Raysers up of tumults and commotions against the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel they falsely spread it abroad that they are persecuted by us and not suffered to come in our Pulpits as my brother Burton doth here accuse the good people of Colchester and those of Alderman-bury as if they also had shut truth out of doors when notwithstanding it can by a cloud of witnesses from Colchester bee proved that the Independents made the mis-rule and that my brother Burton shut himselfe out of doores at Aldermanbury and yet hee untruly accuseth them of that crime of persecution and this is the generall practise of all the Independents falsely to accuse and calumniate their brethren and my brother Burton and Iohn Lilburne are Masters in this art and therfore surely they can be no Saints without Devils be Saints for so the holy Scripture calleth such I have cited some of my brother Burtons expressions I shall now set downe some of Iohn Lilburnes language concerning both the Ministers and beleevers of the church of England In his Letter to my brother Prynne to omit many of his rayling and violent calumnies there against the Ministers hee saith that they are the sworne enemies of Iesus Christ yea the profest enemies of their anoynted Christ and in his one of his Pamphlets which he made in prison which he lately againe set forth upon more mature deliberation hee hath many most unchristian bitter and unsavery expressions and so apparently untrue that every child can say hee is a notorious calumniator and Lyer Some of them I will here set downe amongst other things hee speaketh of the church of England and of the faithfull hee thus uttereth himselfe affirming That the Church of England is a true whorish Mother and that they that are of her were base begotten and bastardly children and that shee neither is nor never was truly married joyned or united unto Jesus Christ in that espousall band which his true churches are and ought to be bnt is one of Antichrists nationall whorish Churches and Cities spoken of Revel 16. 19. c. That the Church of England is false and Antichristian and as shee is a false and Antichristian church shee can never make true Officers and Ministers of Iesus Christ and absolutely denies that conversion and confirmation and building up in the wayes of God are wrought by the Ministry of the church of England for how saith he can they build them up in that which they themselves are ignorant of and enemies unto for as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so doe these men also resist the truth c. and further asserteth that as hee hath taken paines by the word of God and demonstrable arguments grounded thereupon to prove the church of England antichristian so hee promiseth to all the world that hee will in the strength of the Lord of Hosts for ever separate from Church Ministry and Worship of England and all and every one of them as Antichristian and false And concludes that all the Ministers of the church of England are not true Ministers of Christ but false and Antichristian Ministers and that our
seriously and without partiality weigh all things And for the evincing of that I will begin with Abraham the Father of all the faithfull who saith Gen. 18. ver 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to speake unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Here we see Abraham had no high thoughâ—s of himselfe nor of his own righteousnesse which example of his was left to all his children in succeeding ages to teach them to esteeme meanly of themselves and not pharisaically to boast of their owne holinesse Jacob likewise in 32. of Genesis ver 9 10. speaking unto the Lord saith O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac c. I am not worthy of any the least of the mercyes and of the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant c. Here likewise we see what a low esteem he had of himselfe The same we finde in Ezra the 9. ver 6. who in the name of all the people said O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our heads and our trespasse or guiltinesse is grown up to the heavens c. And so in the ninth of Nehemiah ver 1. c. The children of Israel were assembled with fasting and with sackclothes and with earth upon them they were all in a posture of humility as the whole Chapter declareth Job also that righteous and upright man in the 42. chapter ver 6. saith Wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes He had no bigg thoughts of himselfe and his own holinesse The same we see in Isaiah that great and holy Prophet who in the 64. chapter ver 6. in the name of all the people of God in his age he saith But we are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesses as filthy raggs and we all do â—ade as a leafe and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away c. They had no proud conceipts of their own righteousnesse nor vaunted not of their holinesse and sanctity Neither was Daniel in any other posture though a man greatly beloved of the Lord chapter 10. ver 11. Yet he in the 9. chapter in the name of all the people humbly prostrated himself Seeking unto the Lord by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes Saying O Lord the great and dreadfull God c. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled ver 3 4 5 c. And so we might run through all the Old Testament and finde all the Prophets and holy men of God ever confessing their own vilenesse and never boasting of their own righteousness The Publican also and the Prodigall had learned this lesson the one of which said Luke 15. ver 19. I am not worthy to be called thy sonne the other standing afar of Luke 18. ver 13. would not so much as lift up his eyes unto Heaven but smote upon his brest saying God be mercyfull unto me a sinner All the faithful and truly holy people and godly party both under the Old and New Covenant had learned this lesson of self-denyall and Paul acknowledged himselfe the greatest of all sinners crying out of himselfe Rom. 7 O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death They had no overtowring conceipts or thoughts of their own holinesse and righteousnesse nor never boasted themselves that they were the onely holy people and the generation of the Just That was the practice of the Justiciaries yea of the hypocrites and wicked under the Law and of the Pharisees in the time of Christ as we may see in Isaiah 65. ver 5. who said Stand by thy self come not neer to me for I am holier then thou c. The Pharisee also stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice a week and I give tythes of all that I possesse c. By which it may evidently appear that those that boast themselves of their own righteousnesse and holinesse treade not in the steps of father Abraham and all the truly holy Prophets and people of God in all ages but in this their so doing they deviate from â—heir example and imitate the example of the wicked Pharisees and old Justiciaries and therefore are justly to be blamed and found fault with as transgressors against both the precept of God and example of Christ who said Learn of me for I am humble and meek Mat. 11. against the President of all the faithful w ch is the second part of my Minor which is to prove That God did ever condemn such as justified themselves and boasted of their own righteousnesse as is manifest from that place in Isaiah above quoted in the 65. chap. ver 5. where the Lord saith that such as gloryed they were more holy then others were as smoke in his nose and fire that burneth all the day And in the 16 of Luke ver 15. He said unto the Pharisees Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knowes your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God And in the 18. of Luke the place above cited ver 9. He in a Parable reproved certain which trusted in themselves as being righteous and despised others And told them plainly ver 14. That the Publican that meanly esteemed of himselfe went down to his house justified rather then the other For every one saith Christ that exalteth himselfe shall be abased and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Yea it is the command of Christ Matth. 16 to all such as will be his Disciples ver 24. That they should deny themselves and take up their Crosse dayly and follow him Now self-denyall and boasting of their own holinesse cannot stand together for Saint Peter in his first Epistle chap. 5. commands all Christians to be subject one to another and to be clothed with humâ—lity saying That God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble Humble your selves therefore saith he under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time The same lesson doth Saint James teach us chap. 4. v. 6. And if we look through the whole Scriptures we shal find That God looketh unto those onely that are of a poor and contrite spirit and that tremble at his word Isaiah 66. ver 2. The same also the Lord saith Isaiah the 57. v. 15. Thus saith the Lord the high and holy One that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is holy I will dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones David had learned this lesson also who in the 51. P salme saith A broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt
wee might never looke for happy dayes nay it can be proved that some of the Independent Ministers have made it part of their imployment to run from one place to an other to preach their errors and in their Sermons to bring the Gentry and Nobility into the hatred of the people accusing them as the cause of all our calamities publickly declaming against them as the basest Gentry and Nobility in the world saying in expresse words that howsoever Noble-mens Mothers were knowne yet their Fathers were Grooms or some base fellows that they were nothing but drosse dresse drosse and this they have spake in great and crowded Assemblies all the which speeches if they tend not to make the Nobility hatefull to the people and so by consequence to the ruine and overthrow of them in time I know not what can and whether all this bee not to doe evill to their neighbours I leave it to the judgement of others and how many of the Independents have vilified the great Councell let their bookes be examined and they will say I wrong them not in any thing when I affirm they labour to bring in a confusion of all things yea their words daily at the very Parliament dore can witnesse that howsoever they pretend to honour the Parliament yet they do accuse them of arbitrary and tyrannicall Government and assert that the Lawyers in the Parliament have betrayed the Liberties of the subject and this is their daily language and that it may bee the better knowne it is all extant in their printed Books by all which they do evill to their neighbours Now then if I in my just defence made use of their owne expressions to set downe the wickednesse of their wayes and to discover their bad intentions there was no just cause why any rationall man should condemne mee for it for ridentem dicere verum quid vetat Now that the Independents have so severely censured mee causelessely for this they shew they are altogether partiall and very unjust Judges and whiles they doe the greatest evill unto men that can possibly by the malice of men be done unto them which no true Saints doe for they doe no evill to their neighbours as the Spirit of God saith yet they will condemne others for but making use truly of such expressions as they themselves have falsely and causelessely used against others for I in discribing of them and their proceedings exprest my selfe but in their owne dialect and yet they fill the whole Kingdom with clamours against mee for being but their scholler The time was when I writ my Letany for to make my self and my fellow Prisoners merry in our bands that when many grave men liked it in private yet disswaded mee from making of it publick that those that are now the great Sticklers of the Independent party against all the counsell of my grave friends perswaded me to print it protesting that they thought it would doe the Prelates more mischiefe then any booke that was seriously penned against them and therefore intreated mee by all meanes that I would publish it yea they offered mee to set it forth upon their owne charges and costs and through their importunity they prevayled with mee to give them the copie and it was printed and liked so wel of by that party as they commended mee with all the prayses men could extoll and magnifie a man with as can be proved and they have often profest unto mee that they thought it was the best way of dealing with any enemies of the Church and therefore I conceive that Martin useth so much of this method in his books But indeed there have bin many and grave Divines that have writ many merry and pleasant books against the Prelates in all ages nations which have discovered their vanities more then any thing that was seriously writ by which meanes many personages of eminent quality as well as those of low degree have come to the knowledge of the wickednesse of the Papall Hierarchy which had they beene seriously penned no man would have regarded yea the holy Prophets and divine Pen-men have made themselves merry with the vanity of the false Prophets and great men of their time many presidents of the which might be produced out of sacred writ so that there is no sinne in writing pleasantly against any such as goe about to seduce and mislead the people and alienate them from their duty towards God and their obedience to those that are in authority and from their duty and love to their brethren all which are capitall evils and which no true Saints will perpetrate Now I say in this that the Independents did so well like of my Letany and the merry passages in that booke and are so highly offended at my mirth in my just defence against them that are equally guilty with those they most mortally hate and in that they so harshly accuse those expressions in my booke which I have but borrowed from them saying that none that useth such can have a dramme of grace in them in all this they are very partiall and unjust Judges and give unrighteous judgement against their neighbour which is to doe evill to their neighbour which all true Saints will not doe and they may remember that the Lord in the 29. of of Isaiah condemned such as made a man an offender for a word But of all these things in their due place When I upon an other occasion shall answer to the moderate checks wherin I shall make it appeare had those expressions beene mine owne there had beene no blasphemy in them without it be esteemed blasphemy with them to compare a company of rude and rebellious wicked people to a good creature of God when as the Holy Ghost compareth such to a Dog returning to his vomit and to a Sow wallowing in the mire withall I shall then make it evident that the conspiracy of Corah Dathan and Abiram was not greater against Moses and Aaron then this confederacy of the Ill-dependents at that time against some of the honourable Members of the Parliament But letting passe their partiality in many other things towards their owne party in whom they can see no sinne I will goe on to the other characters of true Saints indeed as they are set downe by the Spirit of God the third of which in this verse is that they receive not a reproach against their neighbors The true Saints saith the Holy Ghost take not up a reproach against their neighbours they will neither heare much lesse entertain or receive an evill reproach or calumny against their neighbours for they have learned better things out of Gods holy word as in Exodus 23. verse 1. where the Lord speaking to his owne people and all true Saints saith Thou shalt not receive or rayse a false report put not thou thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witnesse Neither is there any thing more forbidden through the whole Scripture then whispering
Characters are evidently visible and apparent and those that either countenance vile persons and honour not such as fear the Lord or break their vows promises and covenants with either God or men they in Gods repute are not Saints indeed pretend they what they will but are wicked and ungodly men and such as bring down the wrath of God upon the place where they live For as Solomon saith By the blessing of the righteous the city is saved so by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown Prov. 11. ver 11. Wicked and ungodly men are the cause of the ruine of Cities and Countryes according to that of Saint Paul the second of Timothy chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5. This know also saith he that in the last dayes perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection covenant-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traiterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turne away For of this sort are they which creep into widdows houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts c. In the which words briefly we may take notice that the Apostle setting down the reason of the perilousnesse and danger of the latter times saith not that either in respect of wars or pestilences or famines or earth-quakes or inundations or murthers slaughters and robberies or for any such calamities the lastdayes and times shall be perillous but they shall be perillous times saith he for that men shall be lovers of themselves covenant-breakers false accusers covetous c. So that selfe-love covetousness false accusations of their brethren and covenant-breaking c. are the cause that makes times perillous and brings down the judgements of God upon any city and places where the Inhabitants are practicers of these sinnes And therefore the Apostle after he had forewarned all such as fear God of the cause of all the evills that are comming upon the world commands all the true Saints indeed to take heed of such men and in expresse words sayes from such turne away have nothing to do with such for all covenant-breakers and false accusers and such as countenance vile persons and honour not them that fear the Lord and such as keep not their word and promise with neither God nor men are the cause of the perils and miseryes that shall come upon the world and therefore all such are not Saints indeed but ought to be abhorred and avoyded according to that of Solomon Prov. 4. ver 14 15. Enter not saith he into the path of the wicked and go not into the way of evill men Avoyd it passe not by it turne from it and passe away Here we see the wise man as if he could never have given caution enough to all his schollers by many reduplications of his words gives all the people of God a strict charge not so much as to company with such men and that for the many reasons set down in the following verses but this reason specified by Saint Paul may suffice who saith That all covenant-breakers and false accusers and self-seekers are the causes of perillous times and so are all such in whose eyes a vile person is not contemned and who honour not such as fear the Lord and who keep not their covenant and promise For all such are no Saints in Gods esteem and therefore a wicked generation of men and such as make the times wherein they live perillous and dangerous and therefore ought by all the true Saints and godly to be shunned and avoyded Now if it can be proved that the Independents be such as in whose eyes a vile person is not contemned and such as honour not those that fear the Lord and such as keep not their word and promise neither with God nor man but are notorious covenant-breakers or assenters to all such persons then it will follow that they are not Saints indeed For the Characters of the true Saints are to contemn a vile person to honour those that fear the Lord and to keep their vowes and promises both with God and men for not onely the Psalmist thus describeth the true Saints but Saint John also saith By this men are known to be Saints if they love the brethren by this saith Christ ye shall be known to be my Disciples that is Saints indeed if ye love one another I shall therefore demand of any well grounded Christian Whether they beleeve that those that run from place to place and joyn with any wicked and ungodly men and seeke their advancement that to places of the greatest trust in the Kingdome and prefer them before such as they dayly acknowledg to be godly and truly religious and will run from Committee to Committee to do the most wicked and vile men and known Malignants any courtesie and will both in word countenance and deeds favour and honour them I demand I say whether they think that in such mens eyes as will do all these offices to wicked persons and that in opposition to any of their godly brethren and that will at any time joyn with any such against either the godly and painfull Ministers or their Presbyterian brethren to defame them or do them any mischiefe or to remove them from their places and livelyhoods or for the hindring of their preferments yea and which is more for the hindring of the work of Reformation in the Church I demand I say of any truly godly Christian whether they think that in any such mens eyes as do all these offices and courtesies to wicked and ungodly men a vile person is contemned when he dayly seeth the contrary that they honour them and prefer them before such as fear the Lord I am most assured he will conclude and affirme That in their eyes a vile person is not contemned Now that this is the dayly practice of the Independents I undertake upon my life to prove it by a cloud of witnesses and that there is not the vilest person nor the wickedest wretch that they will not joyn with to do any of their Presbyterian brethren a mischief that they will not give credit to in falsly belying their brethren yea it can be proved that when the Independents have been demanded by some godly and orthodox Ministers why they have left the publick Assemblies seeing there was now no ceremonies nor any thing in their doctrine that they could finde fault with and they have replyed That it was in regard that their Congregations were mixt that tagg ragg and all sorts of men were admitted to the Sacrament with whom they could not joyne Whereupon the Ministers that they might remove this scandall and offence laboured by all means to perswade the people so to behave themselves as they might manifest unto
all men they were worthy communicants otherwise professing unto them that they durst not administer the communion unto them and therefore for some moneths abstained from the publick administration of the Sacrament and used all their best endeavour in that interim by their faithfull and painfull preaching and exhortations to fit all men for the better receiving of the Sacrament and that by this means they might gratifie their tender consciences I say in this interim of time it shall be proved that these Independents who those godly Ministers had such a desire to please went unto these wicked and ungodly men that the Ministers excepted against for their conversation as ungodly and prophane and joyned with them against their Ministers saying unto them What will you give tythes and maintenance to such Ministers as shall thus deal with you as to deny you the Sacrament of the Lords supper surely were I in your condition were I a Member of your Congregations I would never own such a man for my Minister nor never give any allowance to any such as would not administer the Sacrament unto me By which practices of theirs they have made those painful Ministers so odious to the people by joyning with those wicked varlots as they have not only deprived them of their livelyhoods and maintenance but so persecuted them with all manner of reproaches and evill language as they have forced them to leave their places and to wander about the world to get themselves a poor living for the supportation of themselves and their distressed families by all which proceedings if the Independents do not declare themselves to be such as countenance a vile person and to be enemies of those that fear the Lord I know not what ever any men did to deserve those Characters by all which they proclaim themselves to be no true Saints if the Lord himself knoweth how to describe Saints indeed This that I have here related I shall by Gods assistance be able to prove by such witnesses as against whom there can be brought no just exception And that all the Independents are notorious covenant-breakers or assenters unto such as violate their oathes and promises both to God and men all the Kingdome can witnesse for me especially those Ministers of the Reverend Assembly with whom the dissenting brethren have brake all promises and solemne agreements not once but many times so that it would be a needlesse work to expatiate any further in proving them to be no Saints indeed when they manifest by all their practices that they neither walk uprightly nor work righteousnesse nor speak the truth in their heart and when they backbite their neighbours with their tongue and do evill unto them and receive a reproach against their neighbours and countenance vile persons and honour not such as fear the Lord and keep not their promises either with God or men by all which they declare unto the world that they are not Saints indeed when all these Characters are the badges onely of wicked men to do contrary to that description of true Saints Now when all the Churches of the Congregationall way consist of such Members as these are it followes that they are mixt Assemblies as not consisting of visible Saints therefore ought justly to be separated from and not to be communicated with in holy things and that from their own principles For they pretend they separate from our assemblies onely because they are mixt of tagg ragg and such Saints as Job would not set with the dogs of his flock Many other Arguments also might I here bring against both the Ministers and people of the congregational way to prove them no visible Saints and that not from any private information or clandestine practices but for open delinquency and scandalous walking and that in the veiw of all men and such as can be proved by such personages as against whom there can be no just exceptions But before I conclude this businesse let me say that which a learned man once uttered reading Christs Sermon upon the mount and the holy Evangelists either this is not the Gospel saith he of Jesus Christ or if it be the men now living are no Christians After the same manner I may truly say of those of the Congregational way that either this discription of the true Saints is not the word of God or if it be those of the Independent Assemblies are no Saints for there is no agreement between them and the description of those Saints there specified as all their practices sufficiently and apparently declare And now the fourth and last part of my Minor Proposition remaineth only to be proved viz. That the Independents and all those of the Congregationall way despise their Christian Brethren and separate from them as being more holy then they which is so apparently true as besides their words and Pamphlets in all which they protest against us as enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ his Kingdome and as an Antichristian brood their dayly practice declareth it who have moulded themselves into innumerable sucking Congregations which they terme the onely true Churches and have separated from our Aslemblies as from so many Synagogues of Sathan for this is their language So that it may be thought a needlesse spending of time to use any Arguments to evince that which is in the view of all men which the Independents themselvs avouch Having therefore thus proved all the parts and branches of my minor proposition the major being undeniable the conclusion will necessarily follow That the Churches of the Congregationall way are not true Churches after the New Testament forme as not consisting of all visible Saints but are mixt Congregations and therefore by truly godly people ought not to be communicated with in holy things and that from their own principles So that now it is apparently evident to the judicious Reader from that I have formerly spake from my brother Burtons words and from their own definition of a Church That neither the Church of Ierusalem nor any of the Primitive and Apostolical Churches were true formed Churches after the New Testament form if my brother Burtons and I. S. his words and their definition of a Church be true and that the very Churches of the Congregationall way as not coming within the bounds of that definition are no right constituted Churches as not consisting of all visible Saints coÌ„municating in all Ordinances and which is more That if they will be right formed churches they must al be dependent All this I say is sufficiently proved fâ—oÌ„ all the foregoing discourse to any intelligible impartiall Reader in the which I have been the more large that if it be possible I might undeceive the poor deluded people and perswade them to take no notice of them as the Independents do not of those multitudes baptized by Iohn Christs disciples as formed into a church or Churches after the New Testament form for the first formed
true Saint Psal 15. verse 4. saith of such an one that hee sweareth to his owne hurt and changeth not Now if hee bee in the number of those Saints and will keepe his promise hee will abandon his tenent of the congregationall way But because Master Knollys so peremptorily asserts that the brethren have not acknowledged that there were many congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem I shall desirehim and all those of his fellowship to hear my brother Burton who esteems of himselfe as none of the weakest brethren but accounteth himselfe a Champion and therefore cometh out to dare all the world of Presbyterians and yet hee in the name of all that Fraternity acknowledgeth that there were many assemblies of Beleevers and Saints in the Church of Jerusalem and this his book is allowed of and highly approved of by many of them And if I have not been mis-informed it was licensed by their Batcheler of the black-art of Il-dependency that shotten hering in divinity who alloweth of all their other Pamphlets and sets his Imprimatur to them So that what he licenseth is approved of by them all Now I desire Mr Knollys and I. S. and all those of his society to listen unto their great Rabbi old Harry my courteous and learned brother whose words are these in the ninth Page of his Answer The first formed Church saith he we finde is in the second of the Acts which though consisting of five thousand yet it was one entire particular Church and not Churches and they continued dayly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in one place together v 1. and in the Temple ver 44. 46. growing from an hundred and twenty Acts 1. 15. to three thousand more chap. 2. 41. and then in all five thousand ch 4. 4. and all these but one Church which assembled together to hear the word in the Temple and though they wanted a convenient place so spacious as wherein to break bread or to receive the Lords Supper all together so as they were constrained to sever themselves into diverse companies in severall private houses to communicate yet this severing was not a dividing of this Church into so many distinct formall Churches or Church bodies being but so many branches of one and the same particular Church c. These are my brother Burtons words in the name of all his brethren and therefore they may abundantly satisfie Mr Knollys and all men that the brethren have acknowledged there were many Congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem But for the farther confirmation of this truth that the brethren have acknowledged there were severall assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem I will unto the testimony of my brother Burton add the testimony likewise of another faithfull brother against whom I presume Mr Knollys can have no just exception so that this truth being confirmed by the mouth of two approved and seraphicall witnesses the brethren can never doubt of it any more and this witnesse is one Saint Hanserdo one of Saint Georges for England his Chaplaines a man worthy of esteeme who usually preacheth on horseback to the Country Courtiers all the the truth as he said of the Gospel And therefore I know Mr Knollys will give great heed to Saint Hanserdo's testimony concerning this matter and he touching this point in the tenth page of his learned book saith that the Apostles and all the Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem met together with one accord in one place to wit the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house domatim and thus they did quotidie day by day c. From the which two testimonies the one of my brother Burton the other of Saint Hanserdo all intelligible men may easily gather that there is very little credit at any time to be given to what Mr Knollys or those of his party shall affirme either concerning the judgment of their brethren or what they shall relate concerning other men For he in the name of them all asserteth these two things The first touching themselves viz. that the brethren meaning all the Illdependents have not acknowledged that there were many congregations in that one Church at Ierusalem The second concerning my selfe of whom he saith that the Doctor hath not by Scripture proved that there were severall assemblies of Beleevers in that one Church Now for the latter of his assertions I have not only from Scripture proved it but from my brother Burton and Master Hanserdos their owne concessions made it good viz. that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem And therefore I do to all the world accuse Master Knollys of calumny and dishonesty And for the first of his assertions viz. That the brethren have not acknowledged it for the conviction of him of an apparent untruth in this my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdoes testimonies do it for me for in their above mentioned words and that in the name of all the Independents and that in books approved of by many of that way in those I say my brother Burton conceptis verbis saith that though it was but one entire Church yet for want of a convenient place so spacious as where to break bread they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in several private houses to communicate And Saint Hanserdos his testimony is as full as my brother Burtons for he saith the Apostles and beleevers met day by day in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house that is they did communicate from house to house or in every house So that Saint Hanserdos witnesse to prove many assemblies is most evident So that both these brethren in the name of all their fraternity acknowledge there were may Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that in severall private houses and my brother Burton saith moreover that they were so many branches of one and the same particular Church Now I refer my selfe to all the world whether there be any regard at any time to be given either to Master Knollys or any of his faction when he and they at pleasure dare publish such notorious untruths as these for he in the name of all the Independents affirmeth that the brethren have not acknowledged that there were many congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem when my brother Burton notwithstanding and Saint Hanserdo have in expresse words and that in the name of all their fraternity asserted That when there were but five thousand yea but three thousand beleevers for the largnesse of the Church at that time and for want of so spacious a room as could contain them all to injoy all acts of worship they were then forced to sever themselves into divers companies and that in several private houses and to break bread from house to house So that for Mr Knollys and those of his way they are not
shall desire all judicious Christians duly to consider both their expressions for all men know that branches either of a vine or tree as we see it in the fifteenth of S. Iohn and in the eleventh of the Romans they are all dependent upon the Vine and root as drawing life and sap from them for being severed and cut off they do forthwith dye and wither Now then if according to my brother Burtons opinion and learning and if his similie be good That there is the same relation between the severall companies in those severall private houses and the whole particular Church in Jerusalem that is between either the branches of the Vine or Tree which ever depend upon their stock or root for sap and life and for the compleating of them then I say by my brother Burtons own concession There were not onely many Congregations of beleevers in that Church but they all of them were dependent of that one particular Presbyterian Church and were all subordinate unto it and were to be regulated and governed Communi consilio Presbyterorum And the same may be concluded out of the words of Saint Hanserdo And whether this be not true or no I refer it to the judgement of all such Christians as have not either morgaged their reason and put it out of their own possession or absolutely sold the fee simple of their understanding and to all such I say as have not been prodigall in eyther of these kindes or have not forfeited all their wit and knowledge and so are to be begged for punies and fools I refer my selfe as most assured they will all say and affirme That my brother Burton with one stroke of this his Phocions hatchet hath cut in two the long thred of all the alribiadian fluent and luxuriant rhetorications to usurpe his own words of all his brethren of the Congregationall way by which they bound and tyed up their ill-shrouded Ill-dependency and by this hath given a fatall stroak to that their Hydra and indeed utterly overthrown their whole Congregationall Fabrick and the same they will conclude concerning Saint Hanserdo Yea I dare in this controversie between us make my brother Burtons and Mr Knollys their greatest friends and my greatest enemies arbiters and judges especially if they be not so wedded to their own resolves and opinions that be they never so adulterated they are yet resolved never to give them a bill of divorce except I say they be men desperately besotted and doting upon their filthy and deformed novelties were they I say much their friends and very much my enemies I dare leave the deciding of this businesse and difference between us unto their judgement and determination And I shall rest most assured and be ever confident if my brother Burtons and Hanserdoes words be true and to be credited and if they both stand to what they have said to wit That there were many companies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that in severall houses where they did communicate and that all these congregations were but so many branches of that one particular Church which brake bread from house to house or in every house as they both affirme that they will all accord judge and conclude That they both of them have overthrown the Doctrine of Independency and that of the Congregationall way and delucidately proved That the Church of Ierusalem was Dependent and Presbyterianly and Classically governed And withall by that I have now said I hope that Mr Knollys himselfe will in time be convinced of his errour and will not hereafter so boldly affirme That the brethren have not acknowledged it especially when he shall deliberately read what my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo that faithfull brother and witnesse hath written But as I accused my brother Burton and Mr Knollys before of jugling and of indirect dealing in this so serious and weighty a matter so here I will make it good for First They make all the beleevers of Ierusalem till the receiving of the gifts of the holy Ghost which we read of Act. 2. ver 1. to amount to no more then an hundred and twenty names and so would perswade the poor ignorant people that there were no more beleevers then in Ierusalem which I affirm is a great wickednesse in them both so to betray the truth and to give the spirit of God the lye when it is manifest out of all the Evangelists that there were infinite multitudes of beleevers then in Ierusalem all inhabitants there and when in expresse words in the second of the Acts it is said That there were devout men and true worshippers from out of all the Nations under heaven at that time in that City Secondly whereas it is related in the second chapter That there were three thousand souls at the first miracle and sermon of Peter converted besides many others that the Lord added dayly to the Church ver 47. And whereas it is recorded in the fourth chap. That there were five thousand men more converted by another miracle and Sermon and whereas it is storied in the 5 chap. upon the miraculous and fearfull death of Ananias and Saphira his wife and through the other signs and wonders the Apostles wrought that beleevers were more added unto the Lord multitudes both of men womē v. 14. mark I pray the expression it is said there were multitudes now multitudes among the Romans and in all nations is ever taken for turba or agmen a great company that is for a great Assembly or Congregation and here the word of God affirmes in the plurall number That by that miracle and by those other wonders of the Apostles multitudes both of men and women were added to the Lord that is to say many more great Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers then were before were added to that Church in Ierusalem all this I say is evident out of those words And whereas it is farther related in the sixt chapter ver 7. that the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith And whereas in divers other places of the Acts it is witnessed that there was increase upon increase of beleevers in that Church And whereas in the 21. of the Acts it is recorded that there were many ten thousand beleevers there all Inhabitants my Brother Burton and Mr Knollys in their enumeration of the Beleevers in Ierusalem at first and last make them but five thousand in all My brother Burtons words are these Growing saith he from an hundred and twenty Acts 1. 15. to three thousand more chap. 2. ver 41. and then in all five thousand chap. 4. ver 4. and all these but one Church Master Knollys his words are these Page 8 Those places in Matthew and Mark and Luke saith he tell us of very many who were baptized by John and by Christs Disciples but do not declare how many
persons The third Essentiall part of soveraigne power in any state is this to make warre and peace at pleasure either forraigne or domesticall upon any just occasions and to have the managing of the Militia c. so that those only in whose hands this authority lyeth they are reputed and indeed are the supreme Rulers in that state The fourth Essentiall property of superlative power and authority in any government or state is this to have a Court of ultimate resort to the which all men may fly for reliefe and to the which all Appeales by all persons from all parts within their jurisdictions and from all inferiour Courts are made upon any unjustice done them there or upon any pressures or grievances by any one in authority and in whose power it is to end and determine all controversies and differences or to redresse all abuses and to relieve the oppressed so that in whose hands soever this authority resides they onely are said to exercise the soveraigne power and to bee the sole Governours and Moderators in that state The fifth and last paâ—t of supreme authority in any state consists in this that they have the power of pressing and stamping monies and coynes and setting the valution upon them or any other monies that are currant in their countries or have the disposing of the treasurie of those states in which they live and have the Exchequer in their hands and all the revenues of them and to whom all the tributes subsidies assessements customes benevolences and collections of the people that are gathered for the common reliefe and preservation of the whole countrey or state are sent and who have the disposing of them according to their wisedome in those mens hands I say that this power â—esideth of disposing the treasury or revenues they and they onely are the supreme Magistrates and Rulers in that state as at this day it resides with all the former essentiall properties in the hands of King and Parliament that great Councell of the Kingdome by all which it sufficiently appeareth that all soveraigne power resides in them onely and is soly exercised and managed by them so that if Master Knollys should say that it doth not prove that the government lyeth now in the hands of King and Parliament that great Court because the contributions collections and excises from all parts of the Kingdome are sent unto them and are now at their disposing I beleeve the great Councell would teach him a little more wit and all those his brethren that should joyne with him in this his argumentation a little better manners Now if wee will compare things together wee shall find that whatsoever can prove the soveraigne power in all secular governments to be in those mens hands which exercise it the same may be said concerning the Ecclesiasticall Government in the Church at Ierusalem and of the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church who were the chiefe Officers and men in authority in it that the government and soveraigne power in that Church lay in their hands onely So that it will then undeniably follow that my argument will for ever stand good against Master Knolly's fond cavils for the proving of these two truths viz. that the Presbyters in the Church at Ierusalem and in all other churches were the onely Governours in those churches and that from this reason because the almes were sent unto them and because they had the disposing of the treasury of the Church This I say will in the first place necessarily follow The second truth that will result out of the words is this that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled that Church by a common-councell and Presbyterie both which Master Knollys vainely denyeth will follow from my Argument But for the farther elucidation of this truth and that it may the better appeare unto all men I will briefly run over the essentiall properties and parts of supreme and soveraigne power that were exercised in that church and shew that they resided onely and solely in the Apostles and Presbyters hands who were the Governours of that church and that the people had nothing to doe with them and for the first to wit the legislative power it was in the church of Ierusalem and committed onely into the hands of the Apostles and Presbytery of that church as who had received the Keyes Matth. 16. and Matth. 18. For so saith the Prophet Isaiah chapter the 2. verse 2. out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and Acts the 1. vers 2. 3. it is said that Christ for the time that hee remained upon the earth after his Resurrection through the Holy Ghost gave commandements unto the Apostles whom hee had chosen speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God and commanded them that they should not depart from Ierusalem but waite for the promise of the Father which was that hee would send them the Holy Ghost the comforter which should teach them all things and bring all things unto their remembrance whatsoever Christ had said unto them and that hee should abide with them for ever Iohn 14. verse 26. and leade them into all truth and in the fifteenth Chapter hee cals his Apostles his friends telling them that hee had made knowne unto them all things that hee had heard from his Father verse 15. and hee promised that the Holy Ghost should bring all those things to their memories and in the same Chapter in the 26. verse Christ saith when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father hee shall testifie of me From all which places and from the 28. of Matth. verse 18 19 20. Mark the 16. verse 15 16 17 18. and Iohn the 20. verse 21 22 23. and many more that might be alleaged it is apparently evident that the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Ierusalem were invested with a legislative power so that whatsoever they preached or writ that wee find recorded in the Holy Word of God they are all the Statutes and Lawes of the King of his Church Christ Jesus and by the which all Christs subjects to the end of the world are to be regulated and governed The Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Ierusalem had power also to abrogate old Lawes and to enact and establish new ones as wee may see Act. 15. and Act. 16. yea they had power of life and death of which wee have one example in Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. yea they raysed the dead cured the lame and healed the sicke with their very shadowes and all this power was given unto them for the ratifying of their authority and to shew they were sent of God withall they had the power of erecting new offices and creating new Officers not onely in Ierusalem but in all the Churches as that office of Deacons in the sixth of the Acts and the
office of Elders or Presbyters in the 14. chapter where it is said that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every Church and therefore they appointed them first in the Mother-church Jerusalem for out of Zion saith the Prophet shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem yea they gave those Officers their names and invested them all with power to execute their severall Offices as is manifest Acts the 6. and in the 20. of the same booke and in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus They also had the power of making warre and peace with the Nations and all the Inhabitants of the earth for they preached and published the glad tydings of peace to all such as received the Gospel and denounced warre and death with all manner of judgements to those that obeyed not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 1. verse 8. and to the Apostles and Presbyters in Ierusalem likewise as to their ultimate and extreme refuge and reliefe and helpe all appeales were made as we may see in the fifteenth of the Acts and in the 6. and in the 9. and in the 15. of the same booke as to the supreme Tribunall upon earth in Gods matters in whose hands all the highest power and soveraigne authority for Ecclesiasticall matters then resided and whose place it was not only to hear the controversies and differences of greatest concernment in Christs Kingdome his Church but also to decide and determine them and put a finall period unto them the which example of theirs was left as a presiâ—ent of imitation to all succeeding ages for Ministers to doe the like upon the like occasions as in that controversie that arose among the Christians at Antioch through false Teachers by whom that heresie was broched viz. that it was necessary to salvation that the ceremoniall Law should be observed and that Beleevers could not be saved without it by which great scandall was given to the weak lewes who by this meanes were alienated from the beleeving Gentiles because they did neglect those Ceremonies whereupon there arose a great schisme and rent amongst the brethren to the disturbance of the Church of God Now for the deciding and determining of this controversie the Christians of Antioch appeale to the Apostles and Presbyters at Ierusalem as knowing that all power was given unto them both Dogmaticall Diatacticall and Criticall yea authoritative and commanding who entring into a Councell and Synod and there debating the busines by Reason Arguments and Disputation and finding by disquisition of the whole matter what was the good will and pleasure of God what hee had revealed concerning the Gentiles and the New Covenant under the Gospel they determined the whole matter according to the written Word of God not pretending any new Revelation or new light or any extraordinary or superlative assistance in the deciding that debate but only exercised that ordinary soveraigne power in the church of God which God had invested them with and given unto them in his holy Word the rule and square of all Doctrines and not onely unto them but to all his faithfull Ministers his servants to the end of the world and in the deciding of this controversie they first shewed and put forth their dogmaticall power confuting and convincing the heresie and vindicating the truth Secondly they declared their diatacticall authority making a practicall Canon or Law for avoyding of scandall and abstaining from such things as gave occasion of it Thirdly they exercised their criticall power and judiciary authority verse 24. condemning and branding those Teachers with that infamous and blacke marke of Lyers subverters of soules and troublers of the Church Fourth and lastly they sufficiently manifested their imparative and authoritative power in sending those Decrees unto the Churches of the Gentiles with doe this and live v. 29. for so much the words imports all which are acts of soveraigne power and authority in all governments whatsoever as the learned know which when they resided in the Apostles and Presbyters of the Church at Ierusalem and were exercised by them there it is sufficiently manifest that all the power of government likewise remained and resided wholly and solely in the Apostles and Presbyters hands and that they exercised it by joynt consent and the Common-councell of them all for all acts of government ever run in the name of all the Apostles or in the name of the Apostles and Presbyters Lastly they had the disposing of the treasury of that Church in their hands as all the Presbyters of all the other Churches had for they brought the monies alwayes to the Apostles and laid them downe at their feet as it appeareth Act. 4. and afterwards all the monies and almes were sent to the Presbyters through all Churches as in whose hands the soveraigne authority lay which they never gave out of their hands or relinquished but upon all occasions gave directions to their severall Deacons how to distribute them for the good of the church and for the common emolument of the poore Saints for otherwise to what end should the almes and benevolences of the Gentiles be sent unto the Presbyters in the churches in Iudaea if they had not beene the men in authority in those churches and to whom the government of them belonged and who only and wholly had the disposing of them Now then when the contribution and releefe was sent unto the Presbyters of the church in Ierusalem as wel as the other churches it followeth that they and they only had the power and authority in that church which they ever exercised by the joynt consent and common councell and agreement of them all for it was sent unto all the Presbyters in every church and therefore they were in common to dispose of them Now before this reliefe was sent thither and long after that as the story of the Acts declareth most of the Apostles resided there and all the Apostles were Presbyters as the Independents themselves doe acknowledge and the same Scripture that relateth that the almes and reliefe were sent speaking in the plurall number saith they were sent unto the Presbyters now they were all Presbyters and therefore they were sent unto them in common and if wee observe the Dialect of holy writ through the whole story of the Acts wee shall find for the most part if there be any mention made of any act of government that either all the Apostles or some more of them are ever made mention of to be the chiefe Moderators and prime Agents in the busines which was never carried by any one of them or by the multitude or people and it it is credibly beleeved that most of the Apostles resided in Ierusalem or in Judaea till after the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. and for the Apostle Saint Iames it is the opinion of most of the Ecclesiasticall Writers that hee continued President of the Presbytery in Ierusalem his whole life time
name of the King or Emperour and for any Magistrate or any Court to issue out any writ warrant mandate or summons in their owne name and by their owne authority makes them fall into a Praemunire and makes them guilty laesae majestatis so that all warrants run in the name of the King or Emperour and whosoever fayleth in this kind as not to command in the Kings or Emperours name doth make himselfe a Delinquent and this if I am not mistaken was one of the charges against the Prelate of Canterbury that hee issued out writs and summons in his owne name or in the name of his Court. Now Christ is the eternall King of his Church that immortall and mighty Potentate in whose name all the Prophets of old â—ssued out all their warrants and mandates speaking ever to the people in the name of the Lord saying thus saith the Lord nothing was done in the name of the Church or in the name of any creature in those dayes and God never changed the stile of issuing out his warrants neither did Christ resigne his regall dignity or put it into the hands of the Church but is still their King and he keepes the same tenure still all through the New Testament as well as through the old commanding that all should be done in the name of God saying Matth. 28 19. Goe ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you all even to the end of the world amen By the way take notice the very Apostles themselves were limited what to preach they might not exceed their bounds they must teach nothing but what Christ the King of his â—hurch commanded them but Christ never taught his Apostles or any of his true Ministers to issue out any thing in their owne name for that was the custome of all false Teachers neither did hee ever teach them to issue out any thing in the Churches name or say unto them at at any time what you doe in all Administrations let it be done in the Churches name Christ I say taught nothing of all this that is but the new blasphemous stile of our new gathered churches and of our new church officers who J. S. sayes must exercise their authority Iurisdiction in the name of the church whereas Christ our King and Law-giver as in the place above quoted so in Mark 16. v. 17. In my name saith he they shall cast out Devils c. all in the church was to bee done by all the faithfull Ministers and people of God in Christs name the King of his church And so S. Peter accoring to his Masters command in his Sermon in the 2. of the Acts preaching unto all the people and new converts sayes nothing to them in the name of the Church but in the 38. verse saith Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ c. Hâ—e was a faithfull officer and did nothing in the churches name hee was not acquainted with our new Divinity and in the 3. chapter when hee cured the Creeple verse the 6. In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth saith hee rise and walke and so Saint Paul had learned his Lesson well who when hee cast out the spirit of Divination out of the Damosell in the 16. of the Acts verse 18. saith unto it I command thee in the name of Iesus Christ to come out of her and hee came out at the same houre Nothing was done in those dayes in the Churches name but in the name of their King Iesus Christ to omit many other places we have a speciall command in the 3. of the Coloss verse 17. whatsoever you doe saith the Apostle in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thankes to God and the Father by him all Christians are bound to doe all in Christ their Kings name Yea the Apostle in the 1 of the Corinth the fifth chapter verse the 3. and 4. teaching the Corinthians and in them all Christians in whose name all acts of Church governemt should be managed and exercised saith I verely as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already that hee that hath done this doed in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord Iesus Here the Apostle teacheth all Ministers of all Churches that as all beleevers are to be received into the Church in the name of the Lord Iesus their King so when any for their disorderly walking are to be cast out they are to exercise all those acts of government and to cast them out in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ their King hee knew nothing of this new stile that our Independents and learned I. S. publish to the world who in terminis saith that that Authority and Iurisdiction that is proper to the officers is to be exercised in the name of the Church these are his words in the name of all his brethren saying the Officers ordaine and they pronounce excommunication they leade and direct in al government disputes have the executive power but the people have a power and interest too that is in his learning the officers must yet exercise their power and Iurisdiction in the name of the Church so that the Ministers are but the churches servants at pleasure and their executioners This is our American Divinity so that whereas wee are taught by Christ himselfe and all his blessed Apostles to doe all in the Church in the name of Christ our King these our confiding brethren and our Itinerary Ill-dependent Predicants have brought in a new stile of exercising all acts of church government and that not in Christ the Kings name but in the name of the Church and whereas the Church of Jesus Christ is the most absolute Monarchy in the world in the which all things should be done and acted according to his command and in his name they have changed this Monarchy into so many thousand sucking Democrasies or rather so many Anarchies in all the which they transact all things and send out all their Writs Warrants in the name of their severall new Churches and so have dis-throned Christ whom notwithstanding they pretend to set up as King in his Church But whether in this their so dealing with Christ and with his people and subjects they are not more Independently and arrogantly blasphemous then the Pope himselfe or any Prelates that ever the world yet saw I leave it to the saddest thoughts deepest consideration of all such as truly love the Lord Iesus and desire from their soule the glory of his Kingdome and
reckons before his host But whereas in the second place he saith that the brethren deny that I have proved there were many congregations of Believers in Ierusalem he being better acquainted with their denyalls then I am may speak according to his information and so is not so blame worthy as in the former of his conclusions but if it were any thing materiall or to the purpose I could name some of the Brethren of the congregationall way that told me discoursing with them that by reading of my book they were convinced that there were many Assemblies of beleevers in Ierusalem and therefore to my knowledge all the Brethren do not deny that I have proved it But whether or no I have not abundantly evinced there were many Assemblies of Beleevers in Ierusalem and that not onely out of the holy Scripture but from my brother Burtons and Hanserdoes own words I leave it to the judgement of all such men as have any understanding and without prejudice shall read the foregoing discourse course whither I send them intreating them likewise with diligence to peruse it and then I doubt not but whatsoever they have beleeved concerning that businesse or whatsoever they have formerly denyed they will be convinced that I have sufficiently proved both from Scripture and from my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdoes own concessions that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem and withall I am most assured they will also for time to come take heed how they beleeve Mr Knollys and those of his fraternity upon their bare words without other sufficient and approved witnesses And this shall suffice for Answer to Master Knollys Now I desire the Reader to hear what learned I. S. hath to say He in the 13. Page answers thus First saith he They are not meaning the Congregations and severall Assemblies an example of uniting or aggregation except it be found that there were many Churches aggregated which a very facile and swasible Reader may well doubt of for any thing that hath yet been said to make it good For Answer to I. S. I say that he that is but a very facile and swasible reader that will vouchsafe to peruse and consider but what I have wrâ—t in way of Answer both to himselfe Hanserdo Knollys and my learned brother Burton will never doubt but that I have sufficiently made it good that there were many Assemblies and Churches aggregated in Ierusalem and therefore I shall send all such as are studious to finde out the truth and to shun error and to decline all trivall and fond seducers to what I have written in the foregoing Treatise And this shall serve for Answer to his first Reply Secondly saith he If this were granted that many Churches did aggregate and unite in the beginning yet would not this example be bindingly Presidentiall c. Here I shall desire the Reader to take notice of the vanity of this Novice and worthlesse man who is so farr from all learning and knowledge as he is not acquainted with the very principles of any sound reason or with the Independents doctrine for he hath the whole Army of the Independents against him in this point as well as the Presbyterians who all acknowledge that the church of Ierusalem is for its Government to be the patterne of Government to all churches to the end of the World and that hath been all the controversie between the Presbyterians and the Illdependents whether that Church consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies which if it could be proved they profest that then the cause was lost and the day was the Presbyterians for they all acknowledge that the Church of Ierusalem must be a pattern of all Churches and this Master Knollys in the name of all the brethren assented unto in the foregoing words so that these brethren are not so well acquainted with one anothers minde and principles as they perswade others they are Now profound I. S. denyeth that were it so that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many Assemblies yet for all this that it could not be bindingly Presidentiall these are his words by the which he beats up all the Independents Quarters to use his own rhetorick and utterly overthroweth that cause he as a Champion came out to maintain Neither hath he onely beat up the Independents Quarters but indeed all the Apostles Quarters For that Government they established in Ierusalem and in all the other Primitive Churches was left for a patterne of imitation to all Churches in all succeeding Ages as not onely the Independents but all orthodox Divines doe accord yea the Scripture it selfe hath commanded it Isaih 2. saying out of Zion shall come the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Ierusalem therefore must be a paterne both for doctrine and government and this al the Independents themselves acknowledge and the Scripture in many places saith whatsoever was written was written for our instruction therefore the government of all the Primitive Churches especially that of Ierusalem and the example of all the Apostles are left for our imitation Phil. 3. Now when the Apostles constituted all churches after one way and aggregated many Churches or Congregations all under one Presbyterie in each of them severally as in that at Ierusalem that Church principally and all the rest are left for a paterne of imitation of Church government to the end of the world and this is confirmed by the Holy word of God and assented unto by all the Learned from all which when J. S. most rashly and wickedly dissenteth I leave him to the censure of the seven new Churches who I hope will whip him out of their Assemblies with his foolish Flagello flagelli for thus sottishly beating up of all their quarters and renouncing all the Independents Principles whiles hee laboured to maintaine them and this shall suffice for answer to I. S. his grolleries to the former Propositions concerning the first Question Now before I come to my second question concerning the gathering of Churches I will say thus much by way of Preface concerning Hanserdo I. S. and my brother Burton that as they are very confused in their replyes jumbling things together that are heterogenious leaping backward and forwards picking and choosing snatching and carping yea and trifling about words as the custome of all the Ill defendents is so they deale not fairly with mee nor ingenuously nor Saint-like with the people whom they desire to delude and therefore they passe over the most materiall Arguments never so much as making mention of them and slighting all as not worthy the answering to and by such arts as these are they most prodigiously abuse the well minded people and by these their unchristian unbrotherly and wicked dealings they every day broach their errors with more facility and abuse all their ignorant and credulous followers to the utter destroying of many of their poore soules some of the which as I am able to prove were men
being not governed according to the Word of God all which I have sufficiently proved in my foregoing Discourse As for J. S. hee answers nothing to the question as all that shall reade his words may well perceive which are these I answer saith hee no question but the purging and purifying of Church Ordinances and Fellowship which some contend for is to set Christ upon a higher Throne visible to the world then by some other wayes hee is c. Now w hether this be a satisfactory answer to the querie I leave it to others to judge of but from his words I thus argue Where Christs Ordinances and Church-fellowship are polluted there Christ is not set up upon his Throne but in all the new congregations Christs Ordinances are polluted and Church-fellowship contaminated as I have sufficiently proved Ergo Christ is not set up there on his Throne And this shall suffice to have spake by way of answer to all they had to say to my queries But now I shall set down Gods method and the Apostles practice in gathering of churches and the manner they used in making Members in every Church and compare it with the method our brethren the Independents use in gathering of their congregations that all men may the better discerne truth from error and may all be undeceived in this businesse of so great concernment And I will first begin with Christs Commission given to his Apostles and in them to all Ministers and then consider the practice of Iohn the Baptist and of all the Apostles and Ministers in the Primitive Church and the order that God himselfe used for the gathering of those that belong unto his election and for the congregating of the lost sheep of the house of Israel into the fold of Jesus Christ who is that great Shepherd and Bishop of our soules and I conceive that Gods order and the Apostles practice is rather to be followed then any other new found way But to begin with Christs Commission to his Apostles Matth. 21. verse 19 20. Go ye therefore saith Christ and teach all Nations baptizing them In the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you and lo I am with you even to the end of the World Amen And in the 16. of Marke verse 15 16. He saith unto them Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospell unto every creature He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned And in the 26. of the Acts Saint Paul after he had declared the manner of his conversion to King Agrippa he likewise made known unto him the commission he had received from Christ Jesus in the words following verse 15 16. 17 18 19 20. And I said who art thou Lord and he said I am Iesus whom thou persecutest but rise and stand upon thy feet for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a Minister and a Witnesse both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith which is in me whereupon I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision but shewed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and through all the coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and do works meet for repentance Out of these severall places from the Commission of Christ given to his blessed Apostles and to all Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell to the end of the World here observe these things First that their bounds and limits were set them how farre they should go in their teaching all Nations and beyond which they might not passe and they were these that they should teach no other things but what Christ commanded them and appeared to them in and for the which they had his Word and Warrant and so long as they should do this he promised them and all that should succeed them in the Ministery to the end of the World to be with them We also further observe the condition in the executing of this their commission they were to propound unto all Nations and people upon what condition they were to be admitted into the Church and that was â—aith repentance and they were to receive all such as beleeved and were baptized and that upon the profession of their faith and repentance without any further testimony of others unlesse they had been formerly known to be open enemies and persecutors of the church and then they were justly to be suspected till they had given publike evidence by witnesse to the Apostles and Ministers of their true conversion as it hapned to Paul whom for a time the Disciples feared Acts 9. 26 27. till they had better information and proofe that he now preached the faith that he had once persecuted and had suffered for it which is the onely president we have in all the Acts of the Apostles of any that were refused to be admitted into the communion and fellowship of the Apostles as I remember for he was a Minister before but all the other that came in were admitted upon their own offer if they tendred themselves and imbraced the Gospell and were baptized and that without any reluctation or sâ—ruple Now before I come to my third observation out of the commission given to the Apostles I must wait here a little upon the motions of my brother Burtons pen which as it marches along makes now and then some whibling incursions into my quarters and therefore that all men may see my forces are ever in a readinesse and that I am alwayes willing to fight him wheresoever I meet him and that my brother Burton also may see how ready I am to gratifie his desire who Page 7. saith Come on brother let you and I try it out by the dint of this Sword I will here skirmish a little with him to breath him and then go after him in the 15. Page of his book he puts me upon the reconciling of a contradiction which he conceives I made For saith he Page 101. of your book you say The Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospel were to receive all such as beleeved and were baptized and that upon the pr ofession of their faith and repentance without any further testimony of others unlesse they had been formerly known to be open enemies and then they were justly to be suspected till they had given publique evidence by witnesse to the Apostles and Ministers of their true conversion as concerning Paul Acts 9. 26 27. Now here saith my brother Burton I observe First a notable contradiction to what
like manner if they will still persist go on in these wicked and ungodly courses to seduce his people and pretend that they have authority from him for their preaching and practising of all these things notwithstanding they have neither precept nor example for them in all the holy Word of God that he may in justice let the devil loose upon them for the beating of them all out of their TUBS Certain I am they by all these their dealings highly provoke the Lord to jealousie and that daily so that if the Christian Magistrates do not take some speedy course for the vindicating of Gods Honor I do verily beleeve the Lord will from Heaven shew some fearful judgement upon this whole Kingdom and visit it with so many plagues and such sore calamities as all the Inhabitants thereof will desire wish that the Mountains may fall upon them and the Hills cover them from the presence of the Lamb and from him that sitteth upon the Throne the which that they may not happen upon this Nation shal be my daily constant prayer And this shal serve to have spake concerning the Church of Ierusalem the first formed Church and concerning the ordinary admission of members in it I will now come to the Church of Samaria and that of Corinth and Ephesus all formed Churches according to the Gospel-Form and briefly shew how members were admitted into them all and by whom and upon what conditions that all men may see there is no want of presidents to convince the Ildependents of their Grolleries In the eighth of the Acts it is related there that through the miracles of Philip and through his preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Iesus Christ they were baptized both men and women from the greatest to the least Verse 10 12. And were all admitted unto Church-fellowship and that by Philips sole authority and this his method of gathering of Churches was ratified by the authority of the Apostles Peter and Iohn and the whole Colledge of the Apostles at Ierusalem And this was a true formed Church after the New Testament Form For in this Christ himself had planted a Church and converted many as it is at large set down in the fourth Chapter of the Gospel of Saint Iohn and here it is said That the people with one accord gave heed unto those things that Philip spake and that there was great joy in that City Verse 6 8. And that they were all baptized both men and women Here we have neither any walking required at their hands for he better assurance either of Philip or the Church of the soundnesse of their conversion Here is no publike confession of their faith required before their admittance into Church-fellowship Here is no evidences of their conversion called for Here is no particular explicite covenant demanded of them Here is no consent of the people desired before their admission into Church communion and yet this was a Church established according to the Gospel-form So that according to the practice of the two Mother churches in Iudea and Israel all beleevers were admitted members and received into Church-fellowship without the conditions those of the Congregational way now require of all those of their new gathered Churches Whether therefore it be not a high presumption and arrogancy in all the Independents to slight the Laws of Christ the King of his Church and the example of Christ himself and the example of all the blessed Apostles I leave it to the judgement of all prudent and advised Christians I will now to satisfie my Brother Burtons desire visit some Churches of the Gentiles formed according to the New Testament Form and I will first in this visitation begin with that Church which he himself hath set before all Churches for a patern of imitation viz. the Church of Corinth In the eighteenth of the Acts it is recorded that when Silas and Timothy were come unto Paul to Corinth the Jewes refusing to receive the Gospel of Iesus Christ that hee shooke his rayment against them and said unto them your blood be upon your own heads I am cleare from hence-forth I will goe unto the Gentiles and departing thence hee entred into ones house named Iustus one that worshipped God and preaching the Gospel there it is said that Crispus a chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved on the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing beleeved and were baptized Here wee see in a Church put into a Gospel forme the Members of that church were admitted by the sole authority of Saint Paul and that barely upon their hearing and beleeving for the Apostle required no other conditions of them for their admission into church Fellowship hee said not unto those many that were baptized that before they could be made Members of that church they must walke some time with the church that they might have experience of the truth of their conversion neither did he injoyn them for satisfaction of the people to make a publicke confession of their faith or to bring in the evidences of their conversion or to enter into any particular explicite covenant or to have the consent of the whole church nothing of all this did Paul require of the Corinthians in this church after the Gospel forme but following Christ the Kings commission upon their Faith Repentance and Baptisme hee hy his owne and sole authority admitted them The same way of admitting of Members wee shall find in the Church of Ephesus as it is at large to be seene in the nineteenth chapter of the Acts where the manner of admission of Members there is fully set downe and that was a Church also my Brother Burton sets downe amongst those that must be brought in for the making up of a compleate paterne now in all those Churches they were all admitted upon Christs owne termes and by the Apostles and Ministers sole authority without either walking sometime with the Church or without any publicke confession of their faith to the Congregation or bringing in their evidences or entring into any private explicite Covenant or without the consent of the people How unsufferable a thing therefore is it now then in all those of the congregationall way to demand other conditions of all their Members before they can be admitted into Church-fellowship with them then those that Christ the King of his Church and all his blessed Apostles demanded If this be not the highest point of presumption that was ever heard of I leave it to the consideration of the very ruggedest Independents upon due deliberation desiting they may all seriously lay it to heart and timely repent of it for if they doe not they will indeed be found fighters against God and dis-throners of Christ the King when they shall slight both his Lawes and example and the example of his blessed Apostles and the practise of all those glorious Gospel formed Churches and set up new Lawes and
thoughts of the one and a lesse esteem of the other for in the Presbyterian Government Independent they exercise a kind of absolute power and soveraignty amongst themselves in every of their severall Churches or Congregations so that if two or three of the Presbyters be malicious or selfe will'd or corrupt or hereticall as it happens many times and by their learning or eloquence or great abilities of wit and schollership or by their wealth or power the congregation perhaps consisting of many poor people and it may be ignorant who aâ—e relieved by them and whose favour they dare not so feit if they prevailing with the major part of the congregation as commonly the poor people are like a company of wilde Geese who which way soever their their leader flies they all follow I say if they do once deliver a man to Satan and will not by any art of perswasion be induced to reverse their unâ—ighteous sentence the innocent and wronged man must live under this doome all the dayes of his life without any remedy and must be held by all the Churches of Christ that are after that new modell to whom their sentence is given notice of as an excommunicated person and shun'd accordingly they have no power to absolve or helpe him and from which he hath no benefit or appeal And this that I now speak there is not any of the brethren that is well verst in the grounds of that kind of government that either will or can deny it And this rigor to my knowledge both in the low Countries in the severall congregations of the English there and in some here in England among us was the cause of making so many severall sects for when they were cast out of one congregation for some particular opinion in the which they differed from them the other Churches and Congregations of the same mould and profession could not absolve them nor durst not receive them into Church-fellowship with them without an attestation from the Church out of which they were excommunicated of their Christian walking amongst them or untill they had g ven satisfaction to that Church of which they had been Members and that they would never be brought unto conceiving that the wrong was theirs who complained as unjustly excommunicated neither would they relinquish their opinion as being perswaded it was grounded upon the Word of God whereupon they finding others of their own opinion joyned themselves into a new society and congregation and had a peculiar Church by themselves and this hath been one of the chiefest causes of all these rents and divisions we now see every where for when they are upon every slight occasion or for any difference in opinion cast out then they congregate a new Church by themselves and turn Pastors The which blessed be God in the reformed churches of France and Germany hath not yet been seen since the first reformation for the governing of Churches by the Common-councell of their Presbyters where they find such brotherly dealing and where they have their appeals upon any conceived wrong or injury and have right and justice done them makes them willingly submit themselves to that manner of government without making rents and schismes And truly if things were but maturely weighed all men would readily perceive that there is no just ground of reproach to belaid upon the Presbyters neither would they see any reason why in way of disdaine the Ministers of the Church of England should be more called Presbyterians than the Independent Ministers for they also are Presbyterians and labour to set up a Presbyterian Government as well as the other and professe in their writings that they contend for the ancient Presbytery so that they also are Presbyterians as well as the other and if the one be made hatefull and formidable to the people in the judgement of all solid men the other also may be made as odious and hatefull for if that odium and hatred they bring upon the Presbytery be for the onely feare they have conceived the Presbyters will lord it too much over them and that onely I say be the occasion that so terrifies the people from that government let all men here consider and compare each kind of Presbytery together both that of the Dependent and that of the Independent for if the Independent Presbyters in the infancy and very first beginning and rise of their government assume unto every severall congregation and Presbytery of theirs an absolute kind of soveraignty and jurisdiction from which there is no appeal and if they alâ—eady take upon them to unchurch all Churches but their own and proclame all the Ministers and people but those of their own congregations profest enemies of Christs Kingdome what would they do if they were once established by authority in their severall Jurisdictions and Assemblies and if now they will admit of none into their severall Assemblies though never so eminent beleevers but upon their owne conditions and unlesse they will be admitted members upon such termes as they propound without either precept or president out of the Word of GOD for their so doing which is the greatest tyranny of the world how would these men lord it if their government were once established by Parliament It is well known and can sufficiently be proved that godly Christians and people of approved integrity and of holy conversation against whom they had no exception either for doctrine or manners and who offered themselves to be admitted members upon their own conditions yet were not suffered to be joyned members onely because they were poor and this very reason was given unto them for their not admission that they would not have their Church over burdened with poore And others desiring that their Children might be baptized in their Congregations and going to the Ministers of those Assemblies to entreat this favour that their children might be baptized among them For Answer it was told them that they could baptize none but such as were infants of their joyned Members which is their practice and wished them first to be made joyned Membert in one of their Churches Whereupon they thought that there was no Congregation fitter for them to joyne to than to that Pastors Assembly that had given them this counsell and therefore they applyed themselves unto him and desired that they might bee admitted joyned Members for answer it was replyed that the congregation of which he was Pastor consisted of great personages Knights Ladies and rich Merchants and such people as they being but poore could not walke so suitably with them withall hee said he could doe nothing without the consent of the congregation wherefore hee perswaded them to joyne themselves to some other congregation among poore people where they might better walke and more comfortably in fellowship with them so that the last newes I heard of this busines was that the children were neither baptized nor the poore men admitted to be joynt Members of that congregation
What their Ministers have done since I know not but I well perceive it is as great a difficuly for a poore man to get into some of their congregations as to get into Suttons-Hospitall and that I conceive to be the onely occasion that makes some walke so long in many congregations before they come to be admitted members for if they be rich they are speedily received nay invited to be Members It is too well knowne that many godly and holy people have left their native countrey and transported themselves over into New England where this government is set up onely that they might enjoy the Ordinances there in their purity they were beleevers before they went and were baptized and such as were knowne before they went thither to be the deare servants of God but when they come there especially if they be poore they make them walke some a yeare some more yea some six or seven before they can be admitted Members of their Congregations and they baptize none of those children that are borne there before their Parents be joyned Members and except they will in all things conforme themselves to their owne conditions they shall never be admitted And some time the man onely is admitted and his wife left out still to walke and some time the wife is admitted and the man left out still to walke and both these notwithstanding are beleevers and baptized and after with a great deale of difficulty they are admitted to be Members a very small offence will be sufficient to cast them out againe if they be poore But for stories of this nature I doe not love to multiply them but I have heard many of this kind from those places and from such as have beene in New-England and men both then and now no way evilly affected either to the place or people serving God there But it is too notorious they lord it there over Gods poor Clergies in the superlative degree and every man that hath but eyes in his head may see it here in England in their congregations what difference they make between the rich and poor and that they have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons a sinne in Saint James his time highly blamed in Christians James 2. And as in their carriage towards the poor they are very lofty and look for great observance and attendance from them wheresoever they come so likewise a little thing will displease them if they speak a word amisse it is enough to be cast out of the Congregation presidents of this nature might be brought many And if all this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies I know not what it is to admit of none though beleevers and already baptized but such as will come in upon their own termes and keep out the poor either altogether or as long as pleaseth them without any other reason but because they are poor and cast them out again upon every slender occasion I say if all this be not a most diabolicall tyranny and lording it over Gods Clergies I referre it to any moderate man to judge of and if to unchurch all Churches but their own and at one blast to proclame them all enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and to deny all Church-fellowship with them be not more than a Diotrephian Prelâ—ticall and Papall Authority there was never any in the world and if this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies there was never any known Now I say if the Independent Presbyters do so timely begin their absolute lording of it what would they do if their government were established by authority Their Ministery and government is farre different from that of Christ and his holy Prophets and Apostles for they invited all the poor to come in and to buy milk yea to come in and buy milk without money Isaiah 55 〈◊〉 and Saint Paul for the encouraging of the poor to come in â—aith not many mighty not many noble but the meane and contemptible things hath the Lord made choyce of intimating unto the poore that they have as good right to Heaven as the greatest and chiefest and our Saviour Christ saith come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ye shall find rest unto your soules Our Saviour hath no respect of persons but the poor are with him as acceptable as the rich if they be weary and heavy laden with their sinnes for that is all the condition that Christ requires in all that desire to be admitted Members of his Church Now when these Presbyters already make so great difference between the poor and the rich and between beleevers and beleevers as they will admit none but at their own times and upon their own conditions I do conceive that this is a most tyrannically lording it over Gods Clergies and Inheritance which when they dayly do it and the Presbyters of the Church of England do it not it is most apparent that their rule and domination is more prelaticall and more to be feared than that of the Presbyters of the Church of England for from the Independent Presbyters they can never expect any appeal for releife and redresse whatsoever wrong or injury they have sustained by them and therefore there is no just cause why any should so traduce the Presbytery of the Church of England as to think they will lord it over the people from whom they may ever expect farre better measure than ever they can from the Independent Presbytery which if it should once be established would tend to nothing else but to enslave the whole Kingdome and to bring in a confusion upon both Church and State But now it will not be amisse before the conclusion as we have compared the Presbyters of the Church of England with the Presbyters Independent both in regard of their doctrine and discipline so now likewise here to paragonate them together in their proceedings for the advancement of Christs Kingdome that all men may see in that regard also which of their endeavours tend most to the advancement of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ and which of them ought to be preferred before other and which of them doth more really and truly tend not onely to Gods glory but to the peace also of the Church and State For the Presbyters of the Church of England they 〈◊〉 and endeavour as there is but one body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father over over all who is above all and through all and one true Christian Religion Eph. 4. so that this onely may be established through the three Kingdomes and that all erroneous ways of worshipping and serving God and that tends to lead men to perdition and make disturbance in Church and State may not publikely be tolerated The Independents on the contrary both publikely and privately and in all their bitter railing and intolerable Pamphlets as that of the Compassionate Samaritan the Storming of Antichrist and that
of the Arraignment of Mr Persecution in many more of their scurrilous writings plead for a toleration of all Religions under pretence of liberty of conscience whatsoever they be as Judaisme Turcisme Popery Paganisme and all manner of sects and for the confirming of this their diabolicall tenent they bring in the example of the heathen Nations who suffered all Religions amongst them and the example of Poland Transsylvania and Holland those pantheons of all Religions add tell us of the Parable where Christ commanded that the Tares and the Wheat should be suffered to grow together till the harvest the day of judgement And use or abuse rather some other places of Scripture which as they conceive make all for a toleration of all Religions To all which their pretences I shall at this time briefly anwer after I have set down some grounds out of holy Scripture and produced some examples of Gods dear children friends and servants out of the same which must be the warrant of all Christians to follow to the end of the world for whatsoever was written before was written for our learning 1 Cor. 10. Rom. 15. and by the Word of God and from the example of Gods servants we are ever taught that diversity of Religions amongst Christians ought not to be tolerated And first to begin with Abraham the Father of the faithfull and his seed whose examples all that are his and their children ought to set before their eyes for imitation The Lord called Abraham as it is in Joshua 24. out of his Father Terah's house and from his kindred when they served other gods and made a Covenant with him as it is at large set down in the 12. of Genesis and in divers other places of the same book and in speciall in the 17. of Genesis verse 1 2 3 c. where the Lord reneweth his Covenant with him and his seed and sets down the conditions of his Covenant with Abraham which was that Abraham should walk before him and be perfect and that then he would be his God all sufficient to provide for him and protect him wheresoever he came which covenant the Lord ever kept with Abraham and his seed delivering them out of the hands of all their enemies when they served him according to the conditions of the covenant walking uprightly before him as he will do to all his children to the end of the world walking in father Abraham's steps and of Abraham the Lord says this in the 18. of Genesis ver 17 18 19. Shall I hide from Abraham that which I doe seeing that Abraham shall become a great and a mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him for I know him that he will command his children and houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Iustice and Iudgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him c. In these words we have Gods testimony of Abraham in the which he gives this witnesse of him that he would command his children and houshold after him that they should keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement Then it is manifest that Abraham tolerated neither in his children nor in his houshold any Religion contrary unto that that God had taught him nor suffered no idolatry nor Sects in his family for this had not been to walke uprightly before God for it had been unjust dealing with God so to have done for Abraham and his seed were to walk perfectly and sincerely before God and therefore he would never tolerate all Religions or the worshipping of a false God or the worship of the true God after a false manner which also is Idolatry for this had not been to do justice and judgement but Abraham set up the true worship of God wheresoever he came as the whole story of his life doth abundantly declare And so did Isaac after him and Jacob after him as in the 33. of Genesis doth appear where Jacob said unto his houshold and to all that were with him put away the strange gods that are among you and be clean and change your garments and let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make there an Altar unto God who answered me in the day of my distresse and was with me in the way which I went and they gave unto Iacob all the strange gods that were in their hands and Iacob hid them under the Oak that was at Sechem and the terror of God was upon the cities which were round about them and they did not pursue after the sons of Iacob In these words we have a president for imitation with the fruit and benefit that doth redound to all those people and Nations that set up the true worship of God and root out all Idolatry and false worship out of their families and Countries for Jacob gives no toleration in his house nor amongst his people for all Religions or for any other but that which God himselfe had appointed he sets up the true worship of God and that onely within his Jurisdiction and buries all the Idols of what price and how rich soever they were and he found the comfort and benefit of this his so doing for the Lord for this his faithfull service blessed him and protected him from the fury of all his provoked enemies for the terror of God was upon them all so that they durst not pursue him And if we take notice in our reading of the holy Scriptures we shall find and that through the whole Word of God that the Lord ever followed that people and those Kings and governours and their whole Kingdomes and Countries with speciall blessings and singular favours that purged their Country from idolatry and all false worships and struck a terror into all their enemies round about them neither did they ever purge their Countries from Idolatry and root out Idolaters but the anger of the Lord was presently appeased by it and it is alwayes recorded to the eternall praise and honour of those Kings Rulers and Judges that were most forward in reformation and that set more throughly upon that good work of reformation and those that did things but to the halves in reformation have not so honourable a testimony in holy Scripture as the other and that God hath ever been pleased when Idolatry hath been rooted out and Idolaters put to death there be many presidents of it in the Word of God Amongst others that in the 32. of Exodus how highly was God displeased there with the making of that Calf and how well was he pleased when execution was done upon the contrivers and authors of that Idolatry that place sufficiently declareth yea in the 13. of Deuteronomie the Lord declaring how much he detesteth Idolatry and all false worship giveth a dispensation to children for disobedience to their parents who by his law they are bound to obey in Gods matters so
offenders whether they be delinquents in doctrine or manners And although Christians by the Gospel are freed from the ceremoniall Law yet wee are not freed from the substance of it for he that said to the Israelites be ye holy as I am holy saith also to all Christians be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1. so that although the ceremony be abolished yet the substance remaineth still in force and although the rigor of the judiciall law be taken away and Christians are not tyed to that manner of administration of justice yet the equity of that law doth still continue and righteous judgements is every where amongst all Christians to be executed and satisfaction to be made to all such as have been unjustly damnified and although we are freed from the curse malediction and coaction of the morall law yet we are not freed from the obedience of it so that whatsoever was commanded in it to the Israelites or forbidden them the same is both commanded and forbidden to all Christians to the ends of the world and whatsoever was death by the law of God and nature then for ought I know ought to be punished with death now amongst Christians as blasphemors wizards witches idolaters and all such as despise Moses law under the mouth of two or three witnesses if they be people within the pale of the Church and make profession of the Christian Religion for Christians have nothing to do with those that are without to judge them except they offend against the civill and municipall laws of the Country and against the laws of nations and nature when they live amongst them for Christ came not to change the morall law but to ratifie it in all things And although the Sabbath be changed in respect of the day yet for the holinesse of the first day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and which is in place of it I am confident it ought most carefully to be observed and that the whole day ought in all sanctity and holinesse to be kept and besides the fourth Commandment for the sanctification of a seventh day we have the example of the Primitive Christians and blessed Apostles who alwayes had their meetings on the first day of the week and spent the whole day in the duties of piety and charity for in the 20 of the Acts we read that on the first day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread that was for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and for the exercising of all holy duties and that Paul preached there untill midnight and that when Eutichus was fallen downe with sleepe Paul restored him to life againe to all their comforts so that here we have one president that the whole Lords day wasspent by all those Christians in the workes of piety and charity Againe in the first of the Revelations Saint John saith that hee was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is the first day of the weeke called by Saint Iohn the Lords day and there the Angel preached unto him that day and commanded Saint Iohn to take so much of his Sermon by writing as God in his wisedome thought fit to reveale unto his Church and hee that shall diligently reade what is there written will gather that the whole day was taken up by Saint Iohn and spent in hearing and writing and meditating of what hee had heard for without doubt Saint Iohn made it his whole dayes worke to be spiritually imployed and as the holy Communion is called the Lords Supper and all the time of that action is holily to be imployed as being ordained by Christ himselfe to that end even so the Lords day being a day dedicated unro Christ and ordained by him for holy duties and for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and prayer the whole day ought both privately and publikely to bee taken up in the imployments and workes of piety and charity as hearing reading meditating prayer repetition of Sermons in their Families and catechizing and instructing their children and servants singing of Psalmes in visiting the sicke and them that are in prison relieving the poore and necessitated c. These examples of the Primitive Christians are for our imitation for so Saint Paul in the third of the Philippians in the 17. verse saith Brethren bee followers together of mee and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an example for our conversation is in Heaven And in the 4. chapter verse 8. hee saith Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any prayse thinke on these things Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seene in me doe and the God of peace shall bee with you By the which testimonies to omit many more we are tyed to follow the examples of the Apostles and to imitate them in all that is holy and good and of good report now it is prayse worthy and of good report to spend the whole Lords day in holy imployments and wee have the Apostles examples and the Primitive Christians for so doing and therefore wee ought to spend the whole Lords day in the workes of piety and charity and by this the sanctifying of the Christian Sabbath which is every seventh day is ratified the prophanation of the which in the reformed Churches and in many places through these three Kingdomes has beene one of the causes of all those heavie judgements the whole Christian world now groanes under and so much more would the Lord bee provoked by the toleration of all Religions amongst us which would give just occasion of violating of all the Commandements of God and of disobedience both to God and man for it is most sure that the Morall Law is not altered in any thing for substance and that God that by it injoyned but one Religion to the Israelites and commanded them to keepe that pure and undefiled and to punish all Idolaters Blasphemers and Seducers hath injoyned the same to all Christians and hath not suffered or permitted them to tolerate all Religions or any sects or heresies which by the Apostle in the fifth of the Galatians are called the workes of the devill who declareth there also that they that do them shall not enter into the Kingdom of God So that those that would bring in a toleration of all Religions have a desire to send men to the devill which is one of the greatest impieties and wickednesses that can bee perpetrated by the sonnes of men Truly if God had such a care for the preserving of the very natural life of man that charissimum animal as hee made a Law that it should be death in any to tolerate or suffer any beast to goe at liberty and range abroad if
he killed a man after he had beene told and forewarned of it that it was a dangerous creature as wee may see Exod. 21. 28 29. where the Lord thus speaketh If an Oxe gore a man or a woman that they dye then the Oxe shall be surely stoned and his flesh shall not be eaten but the Owner of the Oxe shall bee quit But if the Oxe were wont to push with his horne in time past and it hath beene testified unto his owner and hee hath not kept him in but that hee hath killed a man or a woman the Oxe shall bee stoned and his Owner also shall bee put to death I say if the wilfull tolerating of but a mischievous creature to goe loose after his owner was informed of the dangerousnesse of it and that the owner himselfe was to be put to death if hee killed either a man or a woman after it how much more may wee thinke the Lord will severely punish those men that will suffer heresies and most dangerous and blasphemous opinions and idolatries to goe at liberty which with their hornes push men into hell it selfe to the destroying both of the soules and bodies of the poore people for in the fifth of the Galatians it is said that heâ—esies and idolatrie c. are amongst those sinnes that send men to perdition And we are informed by the Law of God of the deadlinesse of all sinnes but especially of those there named and God hath often taught us in his holy Law how much hee detesteth all false religions and false worships and by a speciall edict Exod. 22. verse 20. hath informed us saying He that sacrificeth unto any God save the Lord shall bee put to death so that wee cannot pretend ignorance and here is no exceptions of either persons or sexes and the same Law is reiterated in many more places of holy Writ and especially Deuter 13. where the whole Chapter is spent about the punishment of Idolaters and such as set up a false way of worshipping God and for the Morall Law many of the Independents themselves as I can out of severall of their writings prove hold that it is not alterable but it is of the same force now it was then and if they grant this as they doe they must likewise acknowledge that all the sanctions of it and penalties are also in force and that whatsoever was death by the Law of God then is by the same Law death nâ—w or else either God is changeable or the Law is altered both which I have yet so good opinion of some of them as I am confident they will not assert and therefore they must necessarily yeeld unto this if God and his Morall worship or Law bee the same and unalterable they must I say then also accord unto this that whatsoever was not then to be tolerated in Religion is not now to be suffered but severely be proceeded against Yeâ— Christ himselfe in his Epistles to the Church of Pergamos and Thyatiria and Laodicâ—a Rev. 2. and 3. as I proved before shews by threatning such heavie judgements upon those Churches for but conniving at and tolerating of Idolatry and those other filthy abominations there and by threatning with all their destruction and the killing of them and their children with the sword and the removing from them the Candlestick that is the Gospel the greatest punishment that can happen to people to be left in darkenesse and blindnesse and in the shaddow of death and in the power of Satan and to be punished moreover with temporall miseries I say all these comminations and threats sufficiently declare unto all advised Christians that Christ the Lord and King of his Church hath not altered his mind but that that Law is still in force that was made by him to his people of old yea hee hath farther declared unto hiâ— people Matth. 5. 17. 19. that hee came not to change the Law but to fulfill it and that whosoever should teach the breaking of the least of his holy Lawes should be the least in the Kingdome of Heaven Now by all those his holy Lawes made unto his people of old and by the practise of all his holy servants and Prophets hee hath declared how much hee detesteth and abhorreth the toleration of all Religions and not onely by his words often reiterated but hee hath also declared his displeasure by the punishment and immediat judgements hee laid upon Idolaters as that before mentioned in the two and thirtieth of Exodus where Moses from the Lord verse 32. said Who is on the Lords side let him come unto mee and the sonnes of Levi gathered themselves together unto him and hee saith unto them thus saith the Lord God of Israel put every man his sword by his side and goe out from gate to gate through the Campe and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour here wee find according to that of Deut. the thirteenth that in Gods quarrell and for the vindicating of his honour wee may neither spare brother companion or nighest alyes So that if God would not then tolerate all Religions hee will now much lesse indure it amongst us especially when hee hath so often manifest his displeasure against us as wee may see also Number the â—5 where it is recorded how much hee was angery with his people for going into the sacrifices of the gods of the Moabites and for their eating and bowing downe to their gods and for joyning themselves with Baalpeor for it is said there that the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and hee said unto Moses take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the sunne that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel and Moses said unto the Iudges of Israel sâ—ay yâ—â— every one his men that were joyned unto Baalpeor verse 2. 3 4 5. This president also wee have of Gods displeasure against a toleration of any false Religion or false way of worship So that all such as pleâ—d for a toleration of all Religions shew that they have either no Religion at all or very little zeale for God Yea certainely they shew themselves all enemies of Christs Kingdome that thus violate his Lawes and trample them under their feet and that would have the Kingdome of the Devill set up every where and all Religions whatsoever tolerated amongst them which must needs provoke the Lord to anger and displeasure against that nation that doth so provoke him But how unsufferable a thing then is it in any that have the name of Christians that when they should with all their power and might oppose all innovations in Religion much more a toleration of all Religions as some of them with the hazard of their lives and liberties in former times opposed the innovations and the novelties of the Prelates and inveighed against the Booke for toleration of sports and recreations on the Lords day
murthering the soules of many thousand innocent people send them to the Devill that I leave to the grave consideration of all those that are zealous for the glory of God and valiant for the truth and to all such as desire to contend for the truth who ought ever to set before their eyes the example of all those godly Princes and Magistrates the names of which are recorded in holy Writ and in speciall it will be good to consider what Asa and the people of his time did whose prayses are set downe and what good followed upon it to the whole Land 2 Chron. 15. verse 12 13. it is said there That they entered into a Covenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soule that whosoever would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman and they swore unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets and all Judah rejoyced at the oath for they had sworne with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and hee was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about Here wee may take notice of these two things especially The first that this their covenanting against all such as should goe about to corrupt Religion for the punishing of them with death is left not onely for their eternall honour and praise and for our imitation but that it did so please the Lord that he was found of them The second thing observable is that hee did in a peculiar manner blesse them and gave them rest round about so that from thence wee learne that if Magistrates who are Gods Ministers and whose place it is will execute judgement against all Seducers and blasphemous Teachers by this they shall bring glory to God and procure peace and welfare to their Countries and safety to their dwellings And truly Magistrates should consider their places who are called gods and therefore as God hath set them an example both in Exod. 32. and Numb the 25. the places above cited in punishing Idolators so they also should follow him and the example of good King Asa in so doing They may remember also they are called nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers and therefore as nursing and tender Fathers and Mothers will not suffer corrupt and poysonous food be given to their children but kill Serpents and Scorpions and such venemous creatures and destroy them that may hurt them so they likewise should labour in their particular places to root out all that Generation of Vipers that poyson the people with their hereticall and blasphemous doctrine The Magistrates should remember also that they are called Pastors now no godly and carefull Pastors will suffer Wolves to come into their folds to worry and destroy their sheep how diligent ought they likewise to be to keep out those ravenous wolves though they come in sheeps clothing out of their severall Pastures that would destroy the soules of all their sheepe all these things I say all Magistrates should lay to heart and duly consider for their place it is to whom God hath committed the sword and who ought to watch over the people for good and whose neglecting of their duty will be laid to their charge and who are to answer for it before God if through their con nivence or negligence any evill happen to the people But if they should wilfully suffer the corruption of the true Religion and allow of a toleration of all Religions how much would this provoke the Lord to anger against the nation Wee may see how zealous good Nehemiah was in his time and how undauntedly hee stood to the cause of God saying should such a man as I am fly he was resolved to maintaine Gods truth which was his Honour to Eternity and for all Magistrates imitation Nehemiah the 13. verse 23 24 25. who but seeing that the Iewes had married wives of Ashdod of Ammon and of Moab and but hearing their children speake halfe â—in the speech of Ashdod and could not speake in the Iewes language but according to the language of each people it is related there that hee contented with them and reviled or cursed them and smote certaine of them and pluckt off their haire and made them sware by God saying ye shal not give your daughters unto their sonnes nor take their daughters unto your sonnes or for your selves did not Solomon King of Israel sinne by these things who was beloved of God neverthelesse even him did out-landish women cause to sinne Shall we then hearken unto you saith he to doe all this great evill to transgress against our God in marrying of strange wives Here wee have an example and patterne for all Christian Magistrates and such as are in authority to follow For this was pend for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come This example of Nehemiah was wont greatly to be urged upon Christians for imitation and that by those of the congregationall way and therefore I hope they will not now be displeased that I make use of it upon the like occasion and Magistrates were called upon by them to follow the patterne of noble and glorious Nehemiah in making a through Reformation in all things and for suppressing of all errors and innovations in Religion and in that hee would not suffer or tolerate any strange Religion amongst them for hee but hearing they speake the language of Ashdod cursed them and reviled them and smote them and beate them also for it and tore off the very haire of their faces so that hee laid severe corporall punishment upon them for it Now if hee would not suffer them in his sight and hearing to speake the language of Ashdod hee would never have granted them a toleration of all Religions for hee was another Ioshua fully resolved that hee and his houshold and all that were under his command should serve the Lord and him onely and that after his way and hee sufficiently there declareth his detestation against a toleration of all Religions or of giving the people an indulgence to serve God which way they thought best and to use the liberty of their consciences for hee made them all to imbrace the true Religion and to worship God according as hee had commanded in his holy word which is meant by that hee made them sweare by God which as all the learned know is ever in the holy Scripture to be understood of the true worship of God Now we see godly Nehemiah not onely urges them to imbrace the true Religion and to serve God according as hee himselfe hath appointed by Arguments and Reasons setting before them the miseries and calamities that came upon the whole land by Solomons tolerating of all Religions amongst them but gallant Nehemiah reviled them as if hee said you rogues doe you speake in the language of Ashdod and then cudgels them
all occasions sacrifice to your own net by which practice you seek what lies in you to discourage the hearts and weaken the hands of the body of that Army and to cast secret Fire-brands which may break forth into flames of discontent and so cause hot and burning Emulations amongst our valiant and couragious Heroes when they hear and see themselves slighted and quite stripped of the honour and due praises that God hath made them equall shares of We read 1 Sam. 18. 6 7. When the women came forth to meet King Saul with joy and singing answering one another and as they chanted out their notes running division in their songs said Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands that their ascribing more to David then to Saul made him very wrath and the saying displeased him yea it wrought sad effects yet they did not ascribe all the honour of the victory to David for they allowed Saul his thousands But you deal not so impartially and ingenuously with that Army which God hath now made the Preservative of City and Country c. Certain it is such writings prayers and dividing practices are of a dangerous consequence if not of an Incendiary nature You proceed to double your Charge and in the 26. Page of your book thus expresse your selfe further say you to discover your spirit against those Worthies in the Army you go about to eclipse the glory of that famous victory at Marston-moore for speaking contemptuously of it you say some of the Independents stood to it in the Battell of York when others of them ran away for they ran as well as others and if they be not Lyars all the other Independents had ran away too and left the field if they had known what had happened in the other parts of the Army Then you make what construction your own fantasie frameth and dictates unto you upon those words in my Postscript Page 68. after which you go on in your discourse saying I can produce those that were actors in that Battell and are no Independents that affirme there was no running away at all of those whose valour you so vilifie yea though they did perceive how the matter went with some as when a whole body flies a thing with no great difficulty to be discerned So you Brother I entreat you take a view of what you have said and then consider the incongruity of your relation for can it be properly said that it is a discovering of my spirit against those Worthies in the Army and a seeking to eclipse the glory of that famous Victory at Marston-moor and a speaking contemptuously of it because I say some of the Independents stood to it in the Battell at York when others ran away Let all rationall men judge for surely there cannot be a greater contradiction nor more confusion of language What is it a discovering of my spirit against those Worthies in the Army to say they stood to it in the Battell at Yorke Doth it not rather crown their heads with Lawrell and speak honour to their persons who ever they were that did stand to it in the Battell of either party whether Presbyterians or Independents for as some of both parties did run away yet divine providence so ordered it that God alone might have the glory that some of both parties valiantly stood to it and thus much is in part acknowledged by your selfe when you say you can produce those that were actors in that Battell and are no Independents c. So that by your own confession they were not all Independents no nor the greatest part according to the relation of many who were also actors in that Battell by whom God gave us that famous Victory Then this is out of question I but say you those actors affirme that there was no running away at all of those whose valour you so much vilifie c. Brother judge not rashly but assure your selfe I have more man-hood in me then to vilifie true valour for I professe I do and ever shall honour a Valiant man whosoever he be But is speaking the truth and ascribing to all our Worthies their due honour without respect of persons become a vilifying of Valour with you this is Independent Rhetorick and so deep that every one as yet doth not understand it neither will I here undertake to unfold the meaning and Mystery of it onely give me leave without offence to tell you That if any do affirm there were no Independents that ran away when others stood to it in the Batell at York their affirmation is most false though happily unknown to them so to be now their ignorance herein may convince you of your errour and bring you to the knowledge of this truth viz. that one Wing of an Army may be discomfited and flying yet in the heat of the battle the other Wing being deeply ingaged at that present time may not know how it fareth with them nor see their flight and if a whole Body be worsted as the wind may set and drive the smoak the ingaged party cannot possibly presently discern it Thus it was at that famous battle at Marston-moore as I have been informed by such as were Actors in that Battle both Presbyterians and Independents And that some Independents did then run away as well as others and of them not a few nor all of the meanest rank and quality is a reall truth But if you will not give credit to what I say that you may not hereafter with such great confidence put in Print false informations as you too too often do I refer you to Leiutenant Coll Iohn Lilburne who was there at the beginning of that Battel and for your better satisfaction enquire of him whether some Independents did not run away and also whether I have spoken any thing concerning that Battell but what he himselfe knows and hath reported for a truth as can be proved I could tell you the names of some Independents that did run away those not a few and none of the least esteem amongst you but I forbear unlesse to cleer the truth I am inforced thereunto for I know that upon a discomfiture in the day of battell gallant men valiant and experienced souldiers have sometimes been glad to run And therefore what I there writ in my Post-script was not to vilifie any but to give to every man his due honour which you and others of your Judgement did then and still do most injuriously rob and wholly strip them of who dissent from your opinions and if ever you or any of your party shall so far prevail with the honourable Court of Parliament to question me for those words I doubt not but as formerly I have found Justice so then I shall finde the like and be cleered both by Lords and Commons from the reproach of being an Incendiary Truly brother Burton when I read your lines and see how much you ascribe unto men and how little you speak
originally and primarily from that creature or from such as are as bad as her selfe have you grounded your most unbrotherly and extra judicall judgement against mee and so you have made your selfe party witnesse Iury and Iudge in this your owne cause and which is more have condemned one that is in your opinion without and out of your jurisdiction whereas Paul had taught all Christs Disciples by a Statute Law from Heaven that they should not judge those that are without now you account mee and all the Presbyterians to bee enemies of Iesus Christ and such Saints as Iob would not set with the dogs of his flocke and proclayme us all the sonnes of Belial as your learned Works can sufficiently witnesse and therefore you account us all without and yet you condemne me and that in the face of the whole world as guilty of all those foule crimes you charge me with whereas you had nothing to doe with mee I being out of your jurisdiction I pray tell me courteous Brother whether this your proceeding be to set up Christ as King upon his Throne and be judicially to condemne any Brother when it is apparently manifest by these your actions you transgresse all the Lawes of Christ our King and trample them under your feet for Christ hath taught all his people and subjects saying Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it betweene him and thee c. and againe hee hath said judge not lest yee be judged and againe there shall be judgement without mercy to him that shewes no mercy againe God hath said hee that condemnes the righteous and hee that justifies the wicked they are both an abomination to the Lord whether therefore by all these your proceedings against mee you have not violated all these most holy Lawes and Statutes I shall leave to the judgement of others Brother you may remember in the 17. page of your Booke speaking there what you will doe when you come to my Postscript which you have finely performed you aske mee whether or no when you make mention of it my mind doth not misgive me your words are these which when I mention here say you doth not your mind misgive you for answer I tell you no for I am able to prove every word of that Booke by sufficient witnesse and out of the very Independents writings yea their daily practises have made good every period of it and so farre I am that my mind should misgive mee at the mention of it for doing my duty that I will with all speed print it againe with some little inlargement concerning your New-lights and other of your grolleries But this by the way But because Brother you take that liberty to propound now and then questions to me I will here also use the same freedome with you Therefore tell me I pray the next time I heare from you whether or no your mind doth not misgive you when I mention your bookes and when you thinke what you have done against mee in thus condemning mee and adjudgeing an innocent man and your quondam Fellow-sufferer Brother had you to deale with some man hee would recriminate which would not be for your honour but for the present I content my selfe to have declared my innocency only by the way consider what you did to my reverend Brother Master George Walker a man to whom you were so much ingaged to and when I mention him doth not your heart misgive you But enough of this Now before I conclude this my parley with you I will say thus much concerning your new Courts in your new gathered Churches if this be your way of proceedings there to be witnesse party Iury and Iudge in your owne cause and when you have given sentence against the innocent if ther be no appeale then your Courts are worse and more tyrannicall then that of the High Commission or Star-chamber and for ought I know all such arbitrary Courts as your are and all such arbitrary and unjust Iudges as you are may as well be questioned censured and put downe for all these your illegall unjust and extrajudicall proceedings as either they or any other tyrannicall Courts were and truly it concernes the whole Kingdome now seriously to looke about them and to have a speciall eye to your Jndependent proceedings and Iudgements for if they bee not timely looked unto all the repairing of our breaches and all the restoring of our pathes to dwell in which you make mention of will be no such thing to the poore Presbyterians who cannot already passe quietly in the streets for you nor any man avoyd your uniust censures nor the filth both of your tongues and pens which you cast in our faces every step wee goe The Lord rebuke you for these your revilings Truly Brother I see a divine hand of justice against you in many passages though you looke loftily and speake great swelling words in all which you breath out hell and your own shame the Lord I hope in time will discover unto you all your vanity and sinfulnesse I will say thus much of you that whiles you used the sharpenesse of your parts against the common enemy you were very serviceable to the Church of God but now turning the edge of them against your Christian brethren you have through their sides both wounded your selfe and all those of your party as I am most assured they will all assert Yea I can ascertaine you of this that it is exceedingly admired by many that you having beene some yeares in captivity under the Prelates tyrannie should continue such a trewant in the schoole of affliction as not yet to have learned the lesson of patience so that you cannot digest a merry word or but a conceived Iest But this they are most of all stranged at that out of the height and greatnesse of your spirit you will strike your enemy though it be through the sides of Religion and the Christian cause and truly this your dealing with all your Christian brethren especially with my selfe cals for deepe and serious repentance at your hands For my part I freely forgive you and do professe it is a griefe unto my soul that you have drawn me out with such violence in forcing me to encounter with you by name it 's true the erroneous wayes opinions and false lights under the name of new lately held forth I did and cannot but write against they being contrary to sacred writ yet you my Brother and Quondam Fellow Sufferer I reverenced and did ever love honour and esteem and had it not been to wipe off those black reproaches wherewith you have laboured to besmear me all over making me appear to the world as a man spotted and defiled with scandalous walking an Hypocrite a Persecutor a mad man c. I professe out of tender respect to your person and sufferings as I have hitherto spared your name so I would now have over lookt your false aspersions but seriously considering
because they are Presbyterians refused in private to pray or joyn in prayer with them and for such who hold and do pronounce all that walk not in their way to be enemies of Jesus Christ c. These Independents by their opinions and practices do sufficiently prove the truth of what I said in the forecited words and therefore you with all that hold such an opinion must disclaime that Independent principle if you denie the veritie of them otherwise you will declare to the whole world that you are not so zealous for Gods glorie nor love not the Lord so sincerely as his faithfull servants have formerly done and withall you will manifest to all men that you are more studious to preserve your own honours and reputation then the glory of God For whereas you with most of the Independents that I know doe hold and maintaine in your bookes intituled Vindication and Vindiciae veritatis That the Presbyterians are enemies to Christs Kingly office that instead of finding Christ set upon his Throne in their Congregations you find there no more but an Image such as Michael had made up instead of King David 1 Sam 19. or as those that in mockery made of Christ a Pageant-King striping him and putting on him a scarlet Robe and on his head a Crowne of Thornes and in his hand a Reed saluting him with Haile King of the Jewes with which title over his head they crucified him That the Presbyterians neither professe nor confesse Christ but say with the wicked Iewes we will not have this man to raigne over us Luke 19. 14. That they are at the best but Converts in part c. which is to say they are in King Agripas condition but almost Christians Act. 26. 28. or like Simon Magus still in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity And if this great charge against the Presbyterians be true which you so confidently affirme in your books truly all the Presbyterians are in a more cursed condition then the wicked Iewes were for why they know and say they doe beleeve that Iesus Christ is God and man the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth Iohn 1. 14. who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to bee the Sonne of God with power according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 3. 4. The Redeemer of his Elect and chosen ones Ephes 1. 4 5 6 7 8. The Saviour of all that beleeve in him Ioh. 3. 15 16. The blessed and onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. 15. Now the Presbyterians knowing and professing that they doe beleeve these Gospel truths which the Iewes did not know nor would not beleeve if they notwithstanding are enemies to Iesus Christ and refuse to set Christ upon his Throne but in mockery set up Christ as a Pageant King in their Congregations and doe as those who saluting him with Haile King c. yet reiect him saying wee will not have this man to raigne over us Then the Presbyterians sinne in the height of aggravation sinning against their owne knowledge and professed beliefe and all such cannot but hate Iesus Christ and are haters of God for the Lord Iesus Christ hath said Hee that hateth mee hateth the Father also Ioh. 15. 23. So that consequently you make them the children of the Devill For if God were their Father they would be so farre from being enemies that they would love the Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God this the Lord and Prince of life hath declared and He makes it his Argument to convince the unbelieving Jewes that God was not their Father saying If God were your Father yee would loue mee for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my selfe but hee sent me If the Presbyterians therefore are enemies to Christs Kingly office and make a mâ—â—ke King of him who proceeded forth and came from God and was sent by him as you have once and again published in print then it must needs be granted they are not the children of God but the cursed children of the Devil Anathema maranatha because they love not the Lord Iesus Christ And from what hath bin said this is further necessarily implyed that either you with all that are of your judgement herein have falsely accused the Presbyterians as indeed you have to be enemies to Christs Kingly office otherwise if you and they are a holy people and such as doe advance Christ upon his Throne then I say I am perswaded the Independents doe hate the Presbyterians yea it were an hainous offence in them to love such whom they hold and judge to be enemies to Christ and so haters and enemies to God for to love any that hate the Lord is a wrath provoking sinne this the Prophet sheweth plainely when reproving King Iehosaphat hee said unto him shouldst thon helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord 2 Chron. 19 2. wee find it in sacred Writ that Mordecai a holy man was so farre from loving any of Gods enemies that notwithstanding all the Kings servants that were in the Kings gate bowed and reverenced Haman for the King had so commanded concerning him yet Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence Esth 3. 2 3. I suppose none will give way to such an uncharitable thought as to thinke that Mordecai would run the hazard of his owne ruine and the destruction of all the people of the Iewes for want of giving an outward Complement for that had beene but pride in him so rebelliously to transgresse the Kings Commandement But he knew Haman to be an Agagite of the stock and raze of the Amalecks who were enemies to God of whom the Lord had said that hee would utterly put out the remembrance of Amaleck from under heaven And had sworne that hee would have warre with Amaleck from generation to generation as hee will with all that are his enemies Exod. 17. 14. 16. and withall hee well remembred how much the Lord was displeased with King Saul for sparing and honouring Agag the King of the Amalekites in so much that hee rent the Kingdome from him for it and gave it to David and only for favouring his enemies and not destroying him according to Gods command therefore Mordecai one of Gods peculiar people and his faithfull servant looking on Haman as hee was an enemy to God hated him and would not so much as bow nor doe outward civill reverence unto him Indeed maliciously and implacably to hate any is a sinne that cryeth loud in the eares of God and of this crying sinne too too many Independents are deeply guilty as is very evident by their raising up false reports to defame those who indeavour to walke in the wayes of Gods Commandements without hypocrisie but to hate Gods enemies is no sinne for it is the fruit of true grace and
Popish Cavaliers was courteously used by a profest Papist should have such thoughts arise in your heart and set them forth in Print to inquire whether the favor I received from them were not obtained by my courtly complying with Papists preferring them before Protestants Brother have you had such experience of Gods power and gracious goodnesse in giving you favor two years together in the eyes of some to whom you were committed Prisoner and do you now think it so strange as you cannot search out the reason of it when God hath wrought the same thing for me one Moneth but suspect that the favor I received was purchased by wronging my conscience Surely when you writ these quaeries you had forgot the loving kindnesses of our God shewed to you in your imprisonment and how notwithstanding for the first halfe year the Governour of Garnsey kept you close Prisoner in very strict durance in some things exceeding the rigor of his Warrant Yet at last God moving his heart to more humanitie he afterwards gave you what liberty the Castle did afford suffered you not to want any accommodation that he could possiblie helpe you unto and used you courteously all the remaining time of your banishment Had you called these things to mind me thinks the remembrance of Gods mercies unto your selfe would have fully satisfied you in this particular and silenced your carnall reasonings knowing Gods arme is not shortned nor his power lessened He is the same God yesterday to day and for ever therefore I say surely you had forgot his loving kindnesses to you or else you wilfully stopped the mouth of your experiences and would not permit them to speak for me whom you so seek to blot with false reports ignominie and disgracefull language that even the goodnesse of God manifestest towards me you to obscure with a vail of evill surmises But that the name of God may be ever magnified the world undeceived and you receive a satisfactory answer unto your quaeries know it was not any courtly compliance with Papists which procured me favor I did no such thing let God be true and every man a lyar for to him all praise is due who in his Word hath said When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. This did my God when I was committed close Prisoner to a Papist make good to me his servant who though in much weaknesse do make it the ultimate end of all my endeavors to please the Lord Now this was the Lords doing and let it not seem marvellous in your eyes That that God who called Cyrus by name made him a friend to the people of God though he knew not God Isaiah 45. 4. Who sent his Angel and shut the lyons mouthes that they could not hurt his servant Daniel Daniel 6. 22. And delivered the three children out of the fiery furnace Daniel 3. 26,27 28. should when he pleased to make his power known and prevent the evill intentions of men cause Popish Cavaliers to shew me favor and to use me courteously Is any thing too hard for the Lord to do No surely For this and greater things then this my God hath done for me Therefore the experiences I have had of his goodnesse free grace rich mercies and never failing loving kindnesses I for ever will extoll predicate declare and speak of that men may know it is not in vain to serve and patiently wait upon the Lord our God nor to relie on him in the time of their distresse when they seem to be deprived of all outward comforts and exposed to the greatest miseries Thus I have labored to satisfie your doubts truly and faithfully to answer your quaeries The Lord convince you of your error and of the reail truth of all I have herein said and forgive your unbrotherly practices and bitter invectives against me one of your Quondam Follow Sufferers Now because my brother Burton hath so deeply censured me for my Postscript and because all those of his fraternity have upon all occasions so often reviled me for it though none but himself ever indeavored to disprove the least title of it which they can never do I intend within these few daies to send it out again into the world something inlarged touching their New Lights undertaking before all men to make good whatsoever is contained in it and much more concerning their practices Imprimatur Ja. Cranford FINIS
Priests were also added unto the Lord so that if there were a great Congregation and Assembly of the Priests as the Word of God relateth there must necessarily be many more Congregations of the ordinary people and all these are to be yet reckoned upon a new account and upon a new List so that there were numberlesse Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem if any credit may be given to the Holy Scripture and that in the very infancy of the Church so that I am most confident that this truth is now evident and perspicuous to all those that have but ordinary understanding But because this is the onely busines as the Independents say and that will put an end to this controversie betweene us for they have often said prove once but clearly unto us out of the Word of God that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and then wee will grant you the day I say in this regard I shall briefly adde some other Arguments to prove there were more Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all possibly meet in any one Congregation or a few for to these that were daily converted and added to the Church wee heare upon all occasions of additions upon additions and of increase upon increase of many more Beleevers for in the ninth chapter verse 31. it is recorded that the Churches having rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria they were multiplyed for so it is in the Oâ—iginall Now Ierusalem was the chiefe Church in Iudaea and therefore shee also multiplyed and increased in Disciples daily which being added to the former spake of it makes it an impossible thing that they could all meet together in any one place or a few And in the 12. chapter upon the miraculous death of Herod it is said verse 24. that the Word of God grew and multiplyed in Ierusalem that is brought forth great increase of ' Beleevers and made them exceedingly daily to multiply so that all these additions upon additions of Beleevers made it an impossible thing that the hundreth part of them could meet in any one place But omitting many Arguments that I could produce from the multitudes of their Preachers and the diversity of the nations and the infinit number of the Inhabitants and from the Miracles in Jerusalem that necessarily called for many Congregations and Assemblies that one place in the 21. of the Acts may for ever silence all Gain-sayers and abundanly prove unto rationall men that there were many if not numberlesse congregations of Beleevers then in the church of Ierusalem If we will but take notice what Saint Iames and all the Presbyters of Jerusalem spake unto Saint Paul who being all Inhabitants there and the Ministers and Preachers of the Word in that Church must all necessarily know not onely the condition of the Beleevers there but for the most part the number of them now I say it will be worth our paines and attention to observe and take notice what is there confirmed by the testimony of many witnesses yea a cloud of witnesses and all of them without exception there was Iames the Apostle by name and all the Presbyters of Ierusalem all Synodians whose witnesse was true and for ever to be beleeved and yet they give in this evidence to Saint Paul concerning the Beleevers in Ierusalem that there were many ten thousands of weake Brethren here how many ten thousands more may we suppose were there then of strong Brethren in the Church of Jerusalem seeing for the most part in all Churches where there are able and learned Ministers it is ever observed that there are three strong brethren to one weak one at least more strong brethren then weak ones Now when there was a whole Colledge of Apostles for the most part resident in that Church and a whole colledge of Presbyters fixed Ministers there and able Preachers besides a multitude of Priests and all painefull and laborious that preached unto them night and day instructed them all in their Christian Liberty and confirmed them in it with miracles and when they had also for a farther strengthning of them in that their Christian Liberty called a Councell and Synod in Jerusalem and ratified the abrogation of the legall Ceremonies and that from the Holy Scripture and the Spirit of God and did daily preach unto them all this their Christian Liberty we are bound by the Law of charity to beleeve there were many more thousands of strong Christians then weake in that Church yea our daily experience will perswade any man to beleeve this Doctrine Now let us heare what Saint Iames and all the Presbyters witnesse unto Saint Paul concerning this point verse 20. Thou seest Brother Paul say they how many ten thousands for so it is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Iewes there are which beleeve and they are all zealous of the Law out of the which words wee may observe that those Saint Iames and the Presbyters speake of were all Inhabitants in Ierusalem for they could witnesse nothing of strangers those that dwelt in other places neither could they have said thou seest them if they had not beene Inhabitants or if they had beene here to day and gone to morrow for then they could not have beene taken notice of but they speake of Inhabitants as by many Arguments may be proved and of all these they asserâ— these things First for the number of them that they were many ten thousands Secondly that they were all Beleevers Disciples and very good Christians yea very zealous ones Thirdly they doe witnesse that all these many ten thousands were but weake Brethren and therefore gave Saint Paul counsell yea an order somewhat to connive at their weaknesse for a time that hee might the better ingratiate himselfe into their favour the story is there fully set downe Now I say if there were many ten thousands of weak Brethren in the Church of Jerusalem how many more ten thousands of strong Beleevers may any rationall men suppose were then there in that church where there were a colledge of Apostles forthe most part and a standing Colledge of able Presbyters all miraculous Teachers and assisted immediatly by the spirit of God Surely a few hundred of houses or places could not possibly have held their very bodies much lesse could a few hundred of houses have held them to partake in all the Ordinances so that all men that have not absolutely resolved to give the Spirit of God the lye yea to wage warre against Heaven must acknowledge that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem especially when it commeth confirmed by so many witnesses of divine authority By which it appeareth that there were many Congregations of Beleevers there as in every house one So that for this point I am most assured it is now without controversie that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers
it I am so well assured that it is Gods Ordinance as I am of any point in Religion But as I said before if men may argue after this way The Presbyters in the Apostles times did miracles and sâ—ake with strange tongues and their Schollers and Disciples did the same doe you likewise and then we will acknowledge you to be true Presbyters otherwise wee will not Thus the Jewes might have argued against all their Prophets as against Isaiah Ieremy Ezekiel c. Moses and Elias fasted forty dayes and forty nights and did many miracles do you so and then we will beleeve you are true Prophets and sent to us of God otherwise we will not beleeve you to be true Prophets Yea all the wicked and ungodly men of these times may argue thus also God gave unto his Church Apostles Evangelists Prophets c. and they spake all strange tongues and divers languages and did many miracles but you and your Congregations have neither Apostles Prophets nor Evangelists nor ye have not the gifts of Tongues nor yee can do no Miracle Ergo you are not the true Church The Primitive Christians and the servants of God in those times had the gifts of Tongues and Prophesie and the holy Ghost came down upon them and they spake by direction from God his infallible truth and Gospell whose speeches were not tyed to time and to one speaker but many spake one after another by Interpreters as it is at large set down in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 14. vers 27. 28 29 30. c. So that they spake infallible truth by direction from God But you have none in your Congregations so miraculously inspired with sundry languages and divers tongues nor ye do not speake infallible truths by direction from God nor you cannot cure diseases nor do miracles Ergò your religion is not the same Religion nor your Congregations the true Church shew us these miracles and then we will beleeve you to be the true Church otherwise we may not we dare not acknowledge you to be the true Church Again they may argue thus The Apostles and Primitive Pastors and Teachers preached freely and laboured with their own hands and were helpfull to the necessities of others and were not burthensome and exacting from others and spake ex tempore by direction from God but your Ministers in your Congregations do not preach freely nor labour not with their own hands nor are not helpfull to to others necessities but are rather burdensome and exacting from others nor they do no miracles nor speake not immediately by inspiration and ex tempore but by Study and out of their Bookes and are confined to time and speake not in strange tongues and languages one after another by Interpreters Ergò Your Ministers are not Gods Ministers nor your Congregations the true Church nor your people true Christians for you want all those things that the Primitive Christians and the Primitive Churches had There is a Pamphlet lately come out and highly esteemed and prised amongst many full of such consequences as these which if they hold good against the Presbyters they may also for ought I know be of equall validity to overthrow not onely all Christian Congregations but indeed all Christian Religion But briefly to answer We look upon the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters as men miraculously and extraordinarily gifted and as wonder-working men for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospell to all succeeding ages and we consider in them and in the Christians of those times something extraordinary and temporary as their working of miracles and speaking of strange tongues and gifts of healing c. And those we conceive were to continue no longer in the church then for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospel Christ himselfe proclaiming those blessed that believe without seeing of miracles speaking unto Thomas Iohn 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me saith he thou believest blessed are they that have not seen and have believed So that miracles now are not ordinary and we are tied to the written Word But we consider likewise in the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters that that was permanent and to continue in all Ministers and Presbyters in succeeding ages to the end of the world and that was the power of order and preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which is not denied by the most learned of the Independents themselves and this I have proved by the Word of God to be transacted over to all Christian Churches whose Presbyters have that power given unto them neither will the Learned Brethren deny it whatsoever the ignorant may do Yea the very name of a Presbytery as I said before if we look through the whole Scripture signifieth a Magistracy or Signiory or Corporation invested with authority of governing and ruling and such a counsell and company of men as upon whom the government under Christ is laid and to be extended so far as their jurisdiction extendeth and as far as by common consent it may make for the good and edification of the church and for the safety of the same And such was the government of all those churches of the New Testament which were as so many Committees their limits and bounds prefixed them as at this dayall Committees through the Kingdom have in their severall Hundreds Rapes Wapentakes and Cities to whom the ordering and government of those places that are under them are committed so that all that is done or transacted must be done by the joynt consent and councell of the whole Committee not any particular man or any two of them severally considered by themselvs can make an order but that order onely is binding which is made by the joynt consent and common agreement of them all or the greatest part of them assembled together Even so all those particular Congregations that are within the compasse and jurisdiction of the severall Presbyteries are to be ordered and governed by the common and joynt councell of the severall Presbyters or the greater part of them For this was the order the Apostles established appointing in every City a Presbytery and when they had so ordered the Churches they set them all to their severall imployments the Presbyters to command and all the people and particular Assemblies and Congregations under them to obey neither is it ever found in the holy Scriptures that the people were joyned with the Presbyters in their Commission So that they that oppose this government resist Gods Ordinance And if we looke into all the Epistles writ by the Apostles to the severall Churches we shall finde in them That they enjoyne all the severall Congregations to yeeld obedience to their Pastors and Rulers over them and signifie unto them that they owe unto them double honour especially such as labour in the Word and Doctrine that is they must yeeld unto them not onely due reverence and subjection and obedience to their councell and just commands in the
Lord but that they should also afford them the honour of maintenance and take order there be a sufficient and competent yea an honourable allowance for their support and that as they minister to them spirituall food for their soules they should likewise minister unto them all things necessary for the maintenance of them and their Families that they may comfortably and without solicitous care follow their holy imployments and wait upon their severall Ministeries So that the place and imployment of the Presbyters is to teach and rule the people and this is their proper worke and peculiarly belongs unto them and the imployment and place of the severall congregations under them is to hear and obey and therefore if the severall congregations do assume unto themselves the power of ruling they take more upon them then by God is allowed them and the Presbyters in yeilding unto it reject their own right and devest themselves of that authority that God hath put into their hands and by so doing in time may not onely bring confusion into the Church but to all those Countries where such usurpations are tolerated I cannot but speake my conscience in this point And truly very reason dictates unto a man that they only should have the authority of commanding and ruling over the Churches to whom the power of the Keyes is given Now it is given only to the Ministers and Presbyters as we see it in Iohn 20. 21. and Matth. 18. 15 16 17 18. Where our Saviour Christ established a standing government to be continued to the end of the World the violating and the overthrowing of the which was the cause of all those confusions both in doctrine and manners that is now come upon the world and was the cause not only of the rise but the growth of Antichrist And the reducing of it again into the Church and the re stablishing of it will be the confusion of that Man of Sin and of all the Antichristian-brood and be a meanes of establishing truth and peace through the Christian world But it will not be amisse a little to consider that place in Matth. 18. If thy Brother saith Christ shall trespasse against thee go and tell him of it between thee and him alone if he shall heare thee thou shalt gaine thy brother but if he will not heare thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to heare them then tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen man and a Publican Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven In these words our Saviour Christ has respect unto the order and custome of judicature in those times in censuring mens manners and doctrines which among the Jewes was ordered and administred by an assembly and counsell of learned experienced and judicious men and by a Presbytery Consistory or Colledge of able men for government chose and selected out of the people for this very purpose by such as could judge and discerne of their abilities the which assembly and company is by Christ himself called a Church because it did represent the Church and in this place Christ did establish the like to be continued in the Christian church to the end of the world making his Apostles this representative body and their successors all the godly and holy Ministers and Presbyters and gives unto them the same power and Authority to judge and determine of all things belonging unto faith and manners that was observed in the Jewish church in all Ecclesiasticall Discipline For otherwise the Christian church should be inferior to that of the Jews if they had not the same Priviledges for the censuring of manners and Doctrines and the same power of jurisdiction and ruling that they had Now all power of jurisdiction among the Jews was exercised not by the promiscuous multitude or by the whole congregation nor by any particular man nor by two or three as the place above specifies but by an Assembly Senate Councell or Presbytery of understanding men assigned to that purpose which our Saviour himself calleth a Church this government established in the Christian church are the severall Presbyteries where all things are transacted by common and joynt consent and this was the practise of the Apostles at Ierusalem who did all businesse of publike concernment by common and joynt consent as is manifest in the first chap. of the Acts in chusing of an Apostle in Iudas his place and in the 5. chap. in censuring Annanias and Saphira and in the 6. chap. in chusing Deacons and in the 15. chapter in determining the question there in hand all in a Presbyterian way and by common consent And this is that government that God hath commanded to be perpetuated to the end of the world in these words Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven So that the Presbyters onely have the power of the keyes it is their place only to ordain Ministers and Church Officers whatsoever Authority the people may exercise in the chusing of them as Paul writes unto Timothy and Titus and they onely are to judge and determine and to censure in matters of manners and doctrine and the people are to allow and approve it according to the Word of God Yea the very Synagogues of the Jews which were the same that our churches are were governed by a Presbytery as our brethren acknowledge called by the name of the Rulers of the Synagogue who governed by joynt and common councell as is evident and manifest in that there were superior and inferior Judges Commanders and Rulers according as their yeares gravity and wisdome made them more emninent then others and venerable to the people as may appeare in many places as Acts 18. ver 8. It is said there That Crispus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved with all his houshould So that if there were a chiefe Ruler or Iudge or a President there must of necessity be a Councell or Segniory of inferiour ones that had Rule and Authority over others as well as he and where there is a chiefe Justice or Judge there are other Judges joyned with him as all reason perswades and there must needs be a Court of Judicature where all things are transacted by conjoynt and common consent and agreement and so it was in the Synagogues of the Jewes who were subject to and ordered by the determinations and abitrement of their Rulers and Governours So that the severall Churches or Synagogues under the Jews were in subjection to those Rulers and were governed according as by common councell they ordered And Mat. the 5. vers 22. And behold there came one of