Persbyters did rule the Church at Ierusalem and ordinarily other Churches whom do you hit saith he in his answer to me Sure not the Independents as you call them we grant it is their part to rule thus he but of these words in their due place In the meane time we may take notice that they acknowledge that the government of those severall Churches lay in the Presbyters hands who only had the ordering of the affaires of those Churches as the Stewards over them and whose place it was to receive any accusations and examine matters of scandall and to proceede against offenders by censâ—res and punishments upon evidence and proofe made against them as the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus do sufficiently evince And therefore it is not only against the Word of God but their own principles to invest the people with power and authority over their Ministers and their fellow members as to censure them or to exercise any Act of Government over them Neither doth Saint Paul in writing unto the Colossians and bidding them say to Archippus that he take heede to his ministry and in writing unto the Corinthians that they should cast out the incestuous person investe the people in either of those Churches with power and authority over either Presbyters or their fellow members For the power of reproofe and censure with authority belongs primarily and principally to the Pastors and Presbyters in every Church as the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus shew in the which all Ministers are taught their duty in their severall places who to admonish and how who to ordaine and who to cast out and how to exercise all other Acts of government as those of ordination excommunication and censure c. and all Ministers are to performe their offices judicially authoritatively not by way of charity which any Christian upon just occasion observing all the vitall circumstances of a well ordered reproofe and action as of time place and persons may do for there is a very great difference between the admonition of the Ministers and that of the people which lyeth in this that the Ministers doe what they doe in the Church as Officers and Magistrates and men in place and power and the people do it by way of charity and love and only out of Christian duty and not with any authority they have over the people and if their brethren will not heare them they can goe no farther then to take one or two more with them and if they will not heare them then to refer it unto the Church to tell and informe their severall Presbyteriâ—s of it the people are confined within these limets only and are not to exceede and go out of these bounds Whereas the Prâ—sbyters and Ministers by their place have the power in their hands to order them and censure them which the people have not Neither with any good reason will it follow if any private Christian may admonish a Minister failing in his duty that he hath power and authority over him for this one Member and Brother hath not over another as having nothing to do with another mans servant as Saint Paul sufficiently declareth in the fourteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans and although all Christians are commanded Coloss the 3. and in divers other places to admonish one another yet this proves not that they have rule power and authority over them because the Scripture witnesseth the contrary But the Ministers and Preachers of the Word they are to rebuke to exhort and admonish and censure as Embassadours Stewards and Governours appointed by God himselfe over them for this very purpose and end not onely to beseech and intreate them but if they be refractory and disorderly to punish and censure them and that by their place as they are officers and as they have received the Keyes whereas other Christians do their duty onely out of love as Brethren and not as Magistrates So that what the people do either in admonishing or exhorting it is out of charity or what they do in choosing of officers or casting out of offenders out of the Church it is either by denomination of them or in approving and assenting unto what the Presbytery doth as the Saints shall judge the earth so that it is not in the peoples power to hinder the casting out of any offender if he be proved scandalous or of receiving any into the Church or into any office of the same if they be thought fit and worthy of it for their gifts and graces for they have no power to do any of these things for these are all actions of such as are in authority and have the power of ordering things in their hands which I affirme was never given to the people And therefore those places quoted by Mr Knollys to prove the authority of the people over either their Ministers or Fellow-members are not for his purpose as bâ—ing misapplyed and abused as they are daily by the Independent Brethren So that to all rationall and understanding men from this reproofe of Diotrephes given by S. Iohn and this his censuring of him For usurping sole authority to himselfe and prating malicious words against Saint Iohn and the Presbyters of that Church he writeth to These two conclusions do necessarily follow The first That all such as affect an absolute jurisdiction in every particular congregation within it selfe Independent without any reference or relation to a Councell or Colledge of Presbyters and do speak malicious wordes against their Fellow-ministers and Presbyters and do cast out whom they please and bring in whom they will at pleasure upon their own termes and do rule after an arbitrary way all such violate the Ordinance of God and oppose that Government that he hath established in all churches by his blessed word and are guilty of the same crime that Diotrephes was and if they repent not will be severely punished for it but all the Brethren of the Congregationall way are such The second is this That all such Ministers and Congregations as give the authority and power of ruling and ordering the affaires of the Church into the hands of the people either wholly excluding the Ministers or joyning the people with them in the Government of the Church they thus leaving their station and calling wherein they were called are prevaricators and offenders against divine institution For God hath given the keyes the power of order and jurisdiction to the Ministers and Presbyters only and injoyned the people to obey them But such are all the Ministers and Assemblies of the congregationall way as leaving their station and calling wherein they were called Ergo they are all prevaricators and offenders against divine institution And thus much I thought fit by way of answer to reply unto all that Mr Knollys had to say against my argument drawn from Diotrephes and in defence of their congregationall practices There yet remaines one whibling cavill more in this his answer
that they were the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell and in that they give them the name and title of the Church it followeth that the representative body and Presbytery is a Church and that to them onely belongs the power and authority of the Keyes according to that of our Saviour in Matth. 18 17 18. Tell it unto the Church c. and whatsoever ye binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven By which words all authority is put into the true Ministers hands so that they onely have the power and authority of ordaining Pastors and Presbyters among themselves as Paul sufficiently declares in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus and that they have not onely the title of the Church but a Charter and Warrant also granted unto them of ruling and governing the Church and of ordaining Church officers and that by joynt and common consent among themselves without the helpe and assistance of the people and congregations under them which by God were never joyned in commission with them And howsoever Paul in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 6. for the taking away the scandall in going to Law before unbeleevers gave them liberty to make choyce of somethat were least esteemed in the Church for the deciding of their controversies yet that did not authorize them to make choyce of all other Church Officers for he limits them to go no farther then to the choyce of such as are of least esteeme And howsoever likewise the Apostles in the 6. of the Acts to free themselves from all impediments that they might the better attend upon their Ministeries and that without interruption they might Preach the Gospell gave them liberty to chuse their Decons and Deconesses yet they prescribe the Rule by which they shall chuse them and keep the authority of ordaining them still in their own hands Looke you out among you say they men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and wisedome whom we may appoint over this businesse and when they had chose such saith the Scripture They put them before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them So that howsoever they gave unto them a Liberty to chuse yet it was with limitation not an absolute liberty for if they had chose men that had not been of approved honesty well gifted and wise and qualified as they appointed it was arbitrary in the Apostles to reject their choyce for they keep the power of Ordination still in their own hands and to them it did belong to ratifie their Election so that the people had not the power of Ordination then nor have not to this day no not of the meanest Deacon or Deaconesse that belongs onely unto the Presbytery much lesse have they power of ordaining Presbyters Indeed for the deciding of controversies and differences they have a liberty given them of making choise of some petty men amongst them and that they may do without the Presbytery but they have no power of Ordination Neither did I ever yet read in the Sacred Scriptures that the people or Congregation had any hand at all in choosing of Ministers and Presbyters neither were they fit for that imployment for it is one thing to judge of mans externall carriage and manners and another thing of his sufficiency for his indowments and abilities of learning and that men of learning and knowledge onely can do and the Sons of the Prophets and it is in speciall given in charge to the Presbyters and Ministers as it is manifest in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus 1 Tim. 4. 14. Tit. 1. And they onely know how rightly to examine them in the knowledge of the tongues and Sciences and such Arts as are requisite besides the knowledge of the holy Scripture all which are little enough for the making of a Minister compleat and fit for that Sacred imployment And all the Primitive Churches in the Apostles times willingly submitted themselves to what the Presbytery then did and assented to their choyce as in the 14. of the Acts vers 23. it appeareth But I say in that our brethren do acknowledge this company this hundred and twenty names to be a church and in that it is also sufficiently manifest that they are considered in a distinct notion from the people which also in the holy Scriptures when they are joyned with their Ministers are called a church as is frequently to be seen through the acts of the Apostles and in that it doth abundantly appear by what hath formerly been spoken and will yet in the following discourse be farther elucidated that there were many congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were all governed by the joynt consent and Common Councell of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom the Apostles themselves were subject who were sent this way and that way by their direction and to whom they were to give an account of their Ministery as we see in divers places in the Acts and were ordered by them what they should do and also made their appeals unto the Apostles and Presbyters in any businesse of common concernment I say in all these respects it is evident That the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies and was yet but one Church and that governed by a Presbyterian Government and by a Common Councell of Ministers to whose order all the severall Congregation were to submit themselves And therefore this their Argument maketh much against them and greatly for us And this shall suffice to have answered to this their first Objection which to speak the truth is that that carrieth the most appearance of any Argument they produce to prove their Assertion and tenent for all their other Objections raised from the severall meetings of the Apostles and people and from the multitude comming to them about the ordaining of Deacons by which they would perswade the world That the company of Believers in the Church of Ierusalem was not so numerous at any time but that they might all meete in one congregation or in one place to partake of in acts of worship they consist most of them in Homonymies and meere Paralogismes which indeed beseeme not the gravity of reverend men and in the weighty matters of Divinity would be undecent in a sucking Sophister and therefore are much more blameworthy in them who by such fallacies labour to amuse the people to the disturbance of the whole Church and Kingdome and alienating the affections of Brethren one from another I shall briefly runne over them Acts 2. 46. where it is related that the Believers and new Converts continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house From these words the Brethren conclude That the multitude of Believers was not so great but that they might all meete in one congregation and in one place to partake in all acts of
reade this Booke I will here againe repeate his answer to my Argument with his distinction The Jndependents saith hee grant that it is the Presbyters part to rule but saith he wee distinguish betweene authority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other this latter belongs unto the people the other is proper to the officers which they exercise in the name of the Church c. If hee had said in the name of Christ it had been better but all error is like unto sinne it seldome goes single and alone for here I. S. commits a multiforme error in robbing not onely the Presbyters and Ministers of Christ of their due honour but in robbing also the Lord of life himselfe of his dignity and royaltie and making all the Ministers and Officers of Iesus Christ and his peculiar servants but the vassales and slaves of the people who they call the Church so that according to I. S. his learning all the Officers and Ministers of Christ are at the peoples disposing for they are all of them to act as the Church directs them and they must doe it alwayes in the name of the Church and this is the Hysteron Proteron Divinity of the Independents in all which they deale most wickedly on every side so that when they seeme to speake the Ministers fairest they abuse them to their face for here I. S. by that distinction of his would perswade the world that the Independents give great honour to the Ministers in saying that authority and jurisdiction belongs unto them and is theirs properly and that only power and interest belongs unto the people and yet in the same breath before hee hath passed two steps by his owne description of the power and interest which hee grants unto the people hee gives away all that authority and jurisdiction that hee spake of a little before not onely from all the Ministers and Presbyters of the Gospel but from Christ himselfe the King of his Church and invests the people with it which hee cals the Church saying that the Officers are to exercise their authority and jurisdiction in the name of the Church so that it is evident according to his Divinity that the Ministers of Iesus Christ are but the slaves of the people and that all men may see that this is his meaning he in the 12. page saith that the very Apostles and Elders in the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem were but as a Committee to prepare the dispute and then to report it for the assistance nnd concurrence of the multitude these are his owne words by all which if hegives not the people by his distinction of power and interest a greater authority then hee gives unto the Apostles and Presbyters and to Christ himself let every ingenious man judge which is not only a horrid impiety but abominable in justice sacriledge yea every man may plainly perceive that out of his own words and from the language of al the Independents that he invests the people with all authority under that distinction of power and interest for in saying in the same pag. that in ordination election of officers belongs unto the brethren and imposition of hands to the officers where there are officers as in a Church constituted and compleate by these words hee invests the people with all full and ample authority as any men are capable of or can be betrusted with for amongst many of the Independents to my knowledge they make nothing of ordination and imposition of hands and count it but a complement that makes nothing to the essence of any officers as they say for they assert that it is sufficient to make any man an Officer or Minister if hee be once chosen by the people and it is the election of the church and their call as they say that makes officers without which they affirme they can bee no true officers so that if election be the maine and essentiall busines required for the making of Church-officers and as they teach their followers and they give the power of election to the church or people and affirme that all things are ever to be done in the name of the church it matters not with them whether they be ordained or have any imposition of hands or no that being in their dialect but a complement or a needless ceremony for so I have heard them speak the which ordination also though they say it belongeth unto officers notwithstanding the church and people make no scruple to exercise it at any time and to put it in execution if they thinke it fit as the practise of the new gathered Churches daily teaches all men yea wee may gather as much out of I. S. his owne expressions that the power of ordination as well as of election resides in the people and lies in their hands who saith that imposition of hands is proper to the officers where there are officers in a Church constituted and compleate intimating that if they have no Church-officers they themselves may then ordaine them and this is the practise of some of the churches of the congregationall way by all which their language and proceedings if by their distinction of power and interest they doe not assume arrogate all power to themselvs and take it into their owne hands and invest the people with plenary authority over all Ministers in Church and State I know not what it is to conferre authority on any people It is most notoriously knowne that our Independent Gentlemen would place all authority in the people and would have the Magistrates and Ministers in Church and State all dependent upon them and expect their election and ordination from them and they onely would be independent and all this may be gathered not only from their words and practises and out of all their Pamphlets but even from I. S. his owne distinction of power and interest which hee saith belongs unto the people having thus from their owne Principles sufficiently elucidated that by the Independents doctrine and by their distinction of power and interest they assume all authority to themselves whiles they pretend they give authority and jurisdiction to the Ministers I will now set forth their wickednesse in shâ—wing how they rob Christ of his honour and the Apostles also and Presbyters of Ierusalem of their dignity and power as well as they doe all other ordinary Presbyters of their due honour and authority And I will first begin with their dealing towards Christ the King and Lord of his Church which is his Kingdome All those that know how the Kingdomes and Empires of the world aâ—e governed know that all their Councels Embassadours Judges Rulers and Officers under them either in the time of peace or warre in all their acts of government and in all their precepts and mandates whether Imparative or Prohibitive and in all their Courts of Judicature transact and passe all things with all their writs and summons in the
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men The old Puritans of England had fully learned this Lesson of obedience to all authority both civill and Ecclesiasticall being commanded to obey them that have the rule over them and to submit themselves unto them as who watched over their soules as those that were to give account c. Hebr. 13. 17. and this doctrine they did inculcate incessantly unto the people and for the government Ecclesiâ—sticall the old Puritans of England did beleeve it was that Presbyterian Government that is now contended for by all the Presbyterians as is to be seene at large in the learned Workes of that ever to be honoured Master Cartwright in his disputations against Bishop Whitgift who for his zeale to that government was called the Father of all the Puritans They also did beleeve that all government both Ecclesiasticall and Civill was radically originally and inherently in God and Christ and from them derived to the Kings Princes Nobles and Iudges of the earth and to all the true Ministers of the Gospel in his Church who all have their authorities immediatly from God and by whom alone according to the Holy Scripture they rule and command they never durst be so blasphemous as to rob God of his honour and glory and the Kings Nobles and Judges of the earth and the Ministers of the Gospel of their severall powers saying that Kings and Nobles and the Rulers of the earth and Ministers in Christs Church and Kingdome were the creatures of the people and that the people were the soveraigne Lord both of Kings Nobles Parliaments and Ministers and that the authority which they exercised was inherently in the people and that they might give it and deposite it into whose hands they pleased and where they lusted and call any of their Rulers and Governours to an account and appoint them their times and seasons when they should meet and tell them what they should doe and displace them at pleasure as they shall thinke fit all these Lessons of Blasphemy the old Puritans of England were ignorant of which learned nescience of theirs is commendable They had beene better taught from all the Holy Prophets and blessed Apostles who both by precept and example have instructed the people of God in all ages to yeeld obedience to those that were Governors over them as wee may reade through all the Holy Scripture of the Old Testament where we find what reverence even Father Abraham the Father of the faithfull shewed unto all Kings under whose government he lived in the time of his Peregrination and where wee reade also what reverence Ioseph yeelded unto Pharaoh and how Iacob his Father demeaned himselfe with all the Patriarks to Pharaoh and those that were over them in authority and how Ieremiah behaved himselfe to the King in his time and how the three Children and Daniel carried themselves to the very Kings of Babylon though heathen Princes never speaking unto them nor comming before them but with all reverence deprecating all evil from them upon all occasions praying for their welfare yea Christs example ought to be for our imitation who opened not his mouth the same we find in all the Apostles whensoever they were brought before authority with what sweetnesse of language they carried themselves towards them and what reverent expressions they used to all in authority though never so wicked when they were brought before them yea if they had fayled but in the least expression how soone they would recall themselves for when Ananias commanded them that stood by Paul to smite him on the mouth Act. 23. and he in passion beholding his injustice said God shall smite thee thou painted wall when it was replyed unto him revilest thou Gods High Priest Paul stands not upon the justification of his words but meekly answers I wist not brethren that it was the High Priest for it is written saith he Exod. 22. 27. thou shalt not speake evill of the Ruler of the people Paul had learned his Lesson well and soone recollected himselfe acknowledging his error that he had deviated from the rule which is there recorded for all mens imitation in after times to the end of the world to square their lives and obedience by they are not by that to speake evill of the Ruler of the people whether he be Ecclesiasticall or civill and if they may not speake evill then they may not resist their authority and unihilate their power which is the extremity of evill and rebellion yea all men are forbid so much as in their Bed-chamber to curse or think evil of those in authority how much more are those then blame worthy that not only think evill but speak evill yea write and publish evill against Kings Nobles and Judges of all sorts both civill and Ecclesiasticall and divest them all of their authority speaking evill of Dignities and assuming the Soveraignty of them all to themselves that from God himâ—elfe calling themselves the soveraigne Lords of them all giving them Lawes to rule by and denying them their due reverence in the face of the Kingdome as lately some of the Independents and Sectariâ—s have done both to the House of Lords and Commons Surely such mens damnation sleeps not whatsoever they pretend and how highly soever they carry themselves and by whom soever in these their evill doings they are supported backed and seconded For Saint Peter in his second Epistle that knew very well the mind of God concerning such men in the second chapter saith this of all the wicked verse 9 10 11 12. c. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished but chiefly them that walke after the flesh and despise Dominion and Government whom hee cals presumptuous selfe-willed that are not afraid to speake evill of Dignities which the very Angels saith hee though they were greater in power and might would not doe against the Devill being in authority though it were usurped but those as naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speake evill of things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their owne corruption and shall receive the reward of unrighteousnesse Here is a fearfull Doome pronounced against all such people as spake evill of Dignities and Saint Iude likewise in his Epistle seconds Saint Peter verse 8 9 10 c. calling such men as despise authority and speake evill of Dignities filthy Dreamers and compares them to brute beasts and unto Cain and unto Balaam and unto Corah Dathan and Abiram pronouncing woe unto them all and proclaiming them spots and deformities in all companies and societies calling them moreover clouds without water creatures empty of all goodnesse trees whose fruit withereth yea without fruit twice dead here in this world in their sinnes and trespasses and eternally in the world to come and as if hee could never have spake enough of such men as
them and to convent any offender before them and to proceed against him by censure and punishment If the crime layd against him were sufficiently proved and that the people under them were to yeild obedience unto them in the Lord such a power was every Presbytery invested with through all the Apostolicall churches and this Mr Knollys hath acknowledged in divers places in this his Pamphlet in this his very answer concerning Diotrephes as we shall see by and by And all this S. Iohn could not be ignorant of and that in the Church of Ierusalem in which hee was both a Pastor and a Member that the Presbytery ruled there and that all the people made their addresses as well for the good of their soules as for the better rectifying of abuses to the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church and appealed alwayes unto them and never applyed themselves unto the people or the multitude as we may see in these particulars as First when they were pricked in their hearts they applied themselves unto the Apostles for direction saying men and brethren what shall we do Acts 2. they went not to the church or people but to the Apostles knowing that the Ministers were their guides and that they were to be directed by them and that they were bound to obey them And so in the fact of Ananias and Saphira his wife when they had purloyned the goods of the Church for whereas it was ordered and agreed upon by common consent that the price of those possessions that were sold should be layd down at the Apostles feet and that distribution should be made unto every man according as he had need contrary to this order Ananias kept back part of the price Saphira his wife also being privy to it Hereupon the people appeal unto the Apostles in whose hands the government then lay and who had power to censure and punish them as they did for that their delinquency as it is to be seen Acts the 5. they went not to the people and Church but applyed themselves to the Presbytery and of this proceeding Saint John was not ignorant Again when the widdowes were neglected in the daily ministration for the taking away of this abuse they appealed unto the Apostles as we may see in the sixt of the Acts and not unto the Church or people who ordered that businesse and determined the controversie amongst them to which the people assented This also Saint Iohn was not ignorant of And he knew very well that the Presbytery in Ierusalem and all other Churches had power to send any of the Apostles or their other Ministers into any other place to preach or upon any message as we may see it Acts the 8 and Acts 14 15. For the Presbytery of Ierusalem sent Peter and Iohn to the City of Samaria to preach amongst the people there which they could not have done except the Presbitry had had power and authority in their hands over theÌ„ we see also the same in the Church of Antioch where they sent Paul and Barnabas and their ministers to the Presbitry at Ierusalem the Presbitry of Ierusalem they likewise sent their decrees by their Ministers through all Cities and Churches which they could not have done had they not had authority over the Ministers Again S. Iohn knew very well that the power of admitting of members lay not in the peoples hands for we read Acts the 9. When Paul came to Ierusalem and assayed to joyn himself to the Disciples and that they being affraid of him believing not that he was a Disciple St Paul appeals from them to the Presbytery of the Apostles in whose hands the government lay and declaring unto them how matters were they admitted him into fellowship with them without the consent of the people their good liking for the government did not belong unto them All these proceedings Saint Iohn knew very well and therefore could not be ignorant that there was a Court and Councell to appeal to in all Churches Yea Saint Iohn knew also that the Presbytry of Ierusalem had power and authority over any of the Apostles and did upon any occasion convent them before them as we may see in the 11. chap. and 21. where Peter was called before the Presbytery for going in to the Gentiles and was therefore to give an accompt of his actions there which he did all with shews there was there a standing Court and so in the 21. chapter the Presbytry gave Saint Paul an order and direction how to behave himself toward the weak ones which he followed all which shewes that they only had the power in their hands and that there was a court there and that it belonged not to the people all these things I say S. Iohn was not ignorant of therfore knew very well that in that Church also where Diotrephes was a Presbyter there was a Court and Common-councell of Presbyters to appeal unto or else he would never have said If I come I will remember his deeds But why should I spend time in proving that which to any understanding man is as evident a nd clear as almost any other truth in the holy Scripture especially when Mr Knollys hath proved it himself in formall words in many places in this his answer for he confesseth that there was a Presbytery established in every Church and that the government of those Churches was put into the Presbyters hands and that the people were to obey those Presbyters as their guides and in expresse termes page the seventh saith Therefore the Apostle writes to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a Member and an Elder who he knew had power to judge him as well as the Church or particular Congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were Members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. And therefore might as warrantably admonish Diotrephes as the Church of Colosse might Archippus Coloss 4. verse 17. in these words He confesseth that Saint Iohn knew that the Church whereof Diotrephes was a Member and Presbyter had power to judg him which doth necessarily infer that there was at that time a court there for judgement and censure and inflicting of punishment is the act of a court or Magistracy and of those that are in authority and armed with power besides for further illustration of his meaning he saith that the church Saint Iohn writ unto had the same power over its Members that the church of Corinth had over its Members Now all men that have read the first and second Eâ—istle of Paul to the Corinthians know very well that there was a court in the church of Corinth with plenary authority from Christ himselfe both to convent and censure and that with the severest punishment those that did publikely scandalize the Gospell as is evident by the excommunication of the incestuous person now if that church that St. Iohn writ unto were equall in power to that of Corinth and that
Independent Governments are such they are their own inventions and that government only of the Presbyters is Gods Ordinance as having both precept and Presidents for it in Gods Word upon which they depend and this is my opinion and not that which Master Knollys would grollishly put upon me and this shall suffice for answer to that peece of non-sense of his And now I come to the last branch of his answer and that which I undertooke to make Good and prove viz. that the people and congregation in any Church have not power to judge their Ministers which Master Knollys affirmeth they have and for instance produceth the Church of Corinth and that of Colosse understanding by Church the people who he saith had power over the members miserably mistaking himself and abusing the ignorant and simple soules by it as will by and by appeare to those that can discerne things that differ or are but a little acquainted in matters of government either Ecclesiasticall or civill For if men do once but rightly understand what a Church is according to the discription of a Church as it is laid down in the New-Testament and consider withall of the parts and members of that Church which by Saint Paul is compared to the body of a man they will easily perceive that the governors and rulers are compared unto the head and all the noble parts of the body as to the eyes eares hands c. which are to guide and governe all the other members in the body and that all the other members under them are to be ordered and ruled by the head and other more noble parts and are to follow their direction so that it is in the Church of God as it is in the body of man some are to rule and others to be ruled in it and whose place it is ever to obey For none of the members of the body leave their stations unlesse they by violence be cut off as all rationall creatures do very well know For the head is ever the head the eye is ever the eye the eare is ever the eare and the hand is ever the hand c. For Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. vers 27. Now yee are the body of Christ and members in particular And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers after that miracles then gifts of healing helps in Government diversities of tongues are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c intimating that the Apostles and Prophets and Teachers and helps in Government in the Church every of them keepes their stations to wit they that are once Apostles Teachers or Governors doe continue in the Church in their severall places ever so to be and never lose their places but alwayes to the day of their death remaine and continue still to be Apostles Prophets Teachers and Rulers according to that in the fourth of the Ephesians vers 11. Where Saint Paul saith He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and for the worke of the Ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ till we come all into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ We finde not in all the holy Scripture that any of those true Ministers were at any time degraded or lost any thing either of their Titles or of their authority but as God had put the rule and Government of the Church into their hands and had given them the power of the Keyes and made them Stewards in the Church which is his body so they were ever to be the head eyes eares and hands for the governing and well ordering of the Church We finde likewise that in every severall Church of the New-Testament there was a Presbytery ordayned as Acts the 14. c. and that the Presbyters had the Government of those severall Churches put into their hands that the people and members of those Churches were commanded to obey their Presbyters as their guides whom God had set over them Heb. 13. as Master Knollys and all the learnedst of the Independents do acknowledge We finde likewise by the practise of the Church of Jerusalem the President of all other Churches that the people there for the redressing of any abuse amongst themselves assumed not the power into their own hands but applied themselves and made their addresses and appeales to the Presbytery and that they ordered every thing according as they thought good and that the people willingly submitted themselves to the order We finde further that for all acts of government as questioning any offendoâ—s for the censuring and punishing of them for ordination of Officers and excommunication it was done either by the sole power and authority of the Apostles or by the Presbyteries of the Church and those that were in office and not by the multitude as is manifest by that in the 2. of the Cor. chap. 2. ver 6. a place so much abused by the Independents sufficient saith the Apostle to such a man is the censure which was inflicted of many So that it was not inflicted by all the people but by such only in whose hands the power lay which was the Presbytery and therfore the Apostle saith by many or of many And truly if we would but duly reade the Epistles of Saint Paul to Timothy and Titus which were writ to them and in them to all the Ministers of the New-testament in all ages to come and observe the rules set downe in them which are to continue to the ende of the World we shall finde that for all Acts of government and for the well ordering of the Church it is only committed into the hands of the Ministers and presbyters of the severall Churches through all Nations and that to them only belonged the managing of the Goverment as the rulers and Stewards of the same and that all power and authority of Government peculiarly belonged unto them and that the people had nothing to do with it but to obey Again if we look but into the seven Churches of Asia Revel 2. 2. We shall finde that all the Epistles Christ writes unto them are directed to the Angels and Ministers of those severall Churches as upon whom the Government of those Churches lay and who had both the praise of well doing and blame of any evill either committed or tolerated by them for seeing they were appointed by Christ himselfe to be the Stewards and Guides of those Churches and to be the Governours of the same all the blame of the malversation of any of the members in them is imputed unto them as if they themselves had been the cause of it as not using their Authority for the redressing of those abuses So that it is apparently evident through the whole New Testament That the Ministers and Presbyters
this truth is so well known and perceived by all such as will not wilfully blinde themselves as it cannot be denyed hourly experience furnishing men with Presidents of it For if any Delinquents be found out they are not hailed before the people but before such as are in authority there is not an ordinary Hew and Cry that is sent to any Parish but it is carryed to the Constable or his Deputy and to such in that Town or Village as are in place or authority so that the people trouble not themselves with it yea they will ordinarily say it concerneth them not it is not their place to intermeddle in the businesse of State that they affirme belonges to those that are in authority And as it is in the affaires secular and in the State so it is in the affaires of the Church those in authority in the Church are to mannage the affaires and businesses of the Church and not the people for God had appointed in all Churches in the New Testament which were but so many Corporations a standing Presbytery and Order of Ministers and Rulers in each of them in whose hands the government of them all within their severall Precincts and Jurisdictions lay the which Government they were ever to mannage and order by common consent and joynt agreement with which the people had nothing to do and with the which they ought not intermeddle for that had been to confound that Order God had established in each Church and this all well-instructed Christians knew and therefore in the Apostles times not any that I ever read of opposed that Government before Diotrephes who is blamed for this his temerity by St. John to teach all men not to do the like left they fall into the same condemnation so that they knew very well that howsoever all the Epistles of Sant Paul and the other Apostles were directed to the severall Churches of their times yet the managing of the affairs of those Churches belonged only unto the Presbyters Stewards and Angels of those respective Churches as we may see in those seven Churches of Asia where the Letters and the Epistles are directed to the Angels and Ministers of those Churches as those that had the Government of them in their hands and not to the people And so it was in the Church of Corinth a place that the Independents so much abuse Howsoever Pauls Epistles were directed to the whole Church yet the officers only and Presbyters of that Church had the managing of the whole businesse concerning the incestuous person both for the casting of him out and the taking of him in againe upon his repentance as is evident from the 2 Epistle and the second chapter where the Apostle saith sufficient to such a man is the punishment inflicted of many So that all the people did not censure him or inflict that punishment upon him but many to wit the Presbyters and those in authority in that Church And this agreeable to all reason and therefore Master Knollys is mightily mistaken in his Commentary exposition of this place and that of the Epistle to the Colossians in saying that as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and as the Church of Colosse had power to admonish Archippus Coloss 4. 17. so the Church whereof Diotrephes was a member might as warrantably admonish him These are his words in which there is a double yea a treble fallacy for first he taketh the word Church in another sense then the Scripture speaketh of it which in all the Epistles of the holy Apostles for the most part is taken collectively for a combination of many congregations under one Presbyterie within such a precinct and he onely understandeth it for a particular congregation and assembly and by this he deceiveth the reader 2ly By Church he understandeth the people the Presbyters excluded and saith that they had power to judge their Ministers whereas indeed though in all those churches there was a power yet it lay soely in the Presbyters hands and they only were invested with it and the people were ever to stand to their orders so long as they commanded in the Lord and the place of the people was to obey and therefore all that he saith about this businesse is a meere non sequiturâ—unc and this is the third error that insueth from groundlesse principles for this is not a good consequence Paul writing unto the Church of Colosse hath these words say unto Archippus that he take heed to his Ministry and writing unto the Church of Corinth the 1. and 5. saith vers 5. Deliver such a man unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh c. Ergo the people have the power in their hands over all the members of those Churches both Ministers and people This I assert doth not follow in all good reason No more then it will follow that if any Embassador should be directed to the kingdome of England now or if any Message should be sent unto any corporation of the Kingdome commanding such service from it to the State that the people in this Kingdom or the people in those corporations should intermedle in the affaires of publike concernment but all sound understanding men will say It belongeth to the great and grave Councell of the Kingdom to mannage publike affaires and to the Major and Aldermèn and the Common-councell of each Corporation to transact and order the publicke businesse and affaires and for this only reason because they are the men in those severall places that God and the people have invested with authority over them and it only belongeth unto them to order all affaires of publicke concernment who God and the people have called and appointed to this end and purpose And so it was in all the primitive and Apostolicall Churches the Epistles were writ to the churches but directed to the Angels and Ministers in them as whose place it was to watch over them for their good and who only had the power of the Keyes to bind and loose to cast out and take in according to Divine authority Yea all the world knowes that God never gave the Keyes to the people in any Church but to the Ministers therefore the authority of order and jurisdiction only belongeth to the Ministers and presbyters in every Church now when Master Knollys by Church understandeth a particular congregation or assembly and the people in it and not the Presbyteries in every Church he is much mistaken in his Commentary exposition and abuseth not only himself but all those poore deluded people that follow him Yea he destroyeth his own principles and those of the congregationall way for both he himselfe and I. S. do acknowledge That the Government lay in the Presbyters hands in every church Master Knollys his words to this purpose I have often ciâ—ed before and I. S. his words are these page 11. in asserting that the
that I may not passe by lest he should glory I could not answer it I will therefore say something to that and conclude this point and then go on to all his other fond answers to such arguments as he thought himselfe best able to incounter with His words are these in the conclusion of his Babble If saith he nothing of publike concernment ought to be done and transacted without the joynt mutual agreement and common consent of the Presbytery John the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farr as to take upon himselfe this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults and to say he would remember him and sharply reprove him and teach him to prate against the Presbytery with malicious words which belonged to the Court and Common-councell of Presbyters Thus Mr Knollys rather chatters than disputes in making such an inference from his own conceit And therefore for Answer let Mr Knollys know that there was no transgression in Saint Iohn against the Presbyters in taking such authority upon himselfe for S. John was an Apostle and an universall Pastor tyed to no one place or flock but had the same power and authority that Paul and all the other Apostles had over all the Churches the care of which lay primarily and principally upon them who were immediately inspired by God and in all their preachings and writings followed the dictates of his holy Spirit who spake in and by them so that whatsoever they taught or writ was to be the rule of all mens thoughts words actions and governments and it was their place to give Laws unto all Churches and Ministers in them what they should do in the ordering and governing of the same and therefore S. John had no lesse authority and power over this Church wherein Diotrephes was an Elder and in and over all other Churches then S. Paul and all the other Apostles had in all Churches Now if S. Paul could give a Law unto the Church of Corinth For the casting out of the Incestuous person and for the carrying of themselves with Order and Decency in their Assemblies and sharply reproove offenders in that Church and if all the other Apostles did the like and took such Authority upon them over all the members of those severall Churches and that without any transgression of any divine institution but with the very good liking and allowance of God himselfe who writ the Commandements of the Lord to all the Churches then I say Saint Iohn transgressed not at all in using his authority and power given him of God over Diotrephes in telling the Church of his faults and saying He would remember him and sharply reprove him for this he might well do by his sole Authority without any offence as he was an Apostle for what he did he did by immediate Revelation and had a warrant for it from Christ himselfe who sent his spirit to lead him into all truth And therefore it is a ridiculous if not an impious thing in Master Knollys to draw such an inference from a phantasie of his own brain in that he makes no difference between Saint Iohn and another ordinary Presbyter and Minister and would make that an offence which was none and infer that Saint Iohn took more upon him than he ought Besides it had been no transgression in any other Presbyter if he had writ so to any Presbytery under which he had been a fellow Presbyter to inform them of any miscarriage in either Pastor or member of that Church wherein he was an Elder and if he had said If I come I will remember his deeds c. For in his so speaking he would assume no more authority to himselfe then became a Presbyter to take upon him as both to witnesse to a truth and to give in evidence of what he knew of such a man to his fellow judges and then to leave it to the judgement of the Presbytery and Common Councell of Elders which Saint Iohn did whose place it was to censure such an offender and in his so doing he should no way impeach the power and authority of the Court or Common councell of Presbyters but rather ratifie and confirme it as all learned men will gather For by such words he declareth that there is a standing Court or Councell there where offenders are both to be questioned and censured for such an expression If I come I will remember his deeds sufficiently declareth that there was power in their hands and manifesteth that he was a judge there among the rest who with others had the hearing of all causes there and that all businesses of publike concernment ought to be done and transacted by the mutuall and joynt accord and agreement of the Presbytery and not to be managed by any one singly by himself or by the people whom God had never given the Keyes unto nor the power of rule and Government This I affirme will necessarily ensue and follow and not that which Mr Knollys vainly intimateth And I am confident that any judicious Christian upon due deliberation will say the same and will conclude That Saint Iohn in his so writing was no offender though all things of publike concernment in the Church were ever to be transacted by the joynt agreement and common consent of the Presbytery So that all men that are judicious may plainly behold the futility in both the answers and cavills of this man and well perceive that he was never cut out for a disputant or ever fitted for Government in church or State who if he might have his own minde would bring in a confusion in both and violate all order divine and humane and make the head the foot and the foot the head And truly if a man would but consider the manner of Government in their seven new Churches or rather seventy for every ten or twelve of them prove a Church he should find in them all so much disorder and discrepancy amongst them and yet every one of them pretending Divine authority for its particular government as he would advisedly conclude That God was never the author of them for God is a God of order and not of confusion for never since the world began was there such practiceâ— in any Christian Churches as are to be found in theirs And to speake the truth they are a meere mockery of all government for every one of those severall Churches be they never so slender and small assumes an absolute soveranity unto themselves Independent from all other Churches and Presbytries from the which there is no appeale be one never so much wronged And they are as so many free States and republicks every one of them ruling within themselves as absolute Magistracies And therefore upon all occasions if any difference arise betweene member and member in those Churches or betweene Church and Church as often they do as other Countries and Common-weales send their Embassadours to each other upon any difference or about states affayres
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
I am most confident will by and by evidently appeare though all the former Arguments to the contrary should not so much as be thought of and withall it will also be obvious to any judicious man that in all respects their Argument makes much against themselves For if I should grant unto them That at this instant of time that that place speakes of the whole Church in Jerusalem or the number then of Beleevers were no more but that one place might have contained them all for the enjoying of all Ordinances which I cannot doe for innumerable reasons and some of them above specified yet it doth not follow nor evince that after there were daily such additions of Believers and such multitudes of new Converts added unto the Church that then also one place or roome could containe them all and that they might still meet in one Congregation and all together partake in all acts of worship For there is a vast difference betweene one hundred and twenty names for there was no more in this assembly and in many ten thousands which all the World knowes could not bee contained in any one place of Jerusalem to communicate in all the Ordinances though that place had equalized the most magnificent Structure that ever the World yet saw especially they could not have all met there to edification for they could not have all heard and understood and wee know that in the Church all must be done to edification and this would rather have hindred the mutuall edification of the assembly and have brought a confusion rather then any profit or benefit unto them But the truth is the number of names here spoken of if wee will goe to the genuine interpretation of the place not to speake of the universall consent of all the learned Interpreters who gather that in this assembly the seventy Disciples the Lord Jesus sent out to preach through all Judes and all those other Ministers of the Gospel that had beene Christs and Saint Iohn the Baptists Disciples every one of the which was thought fit for learning and divine knowledge to succeed Iudas in his Apostleship and to be a Disciple all these or most of them or such like were those that are included in the number of names I say to omit this Interpretation of all the most Orthodoxe Divines and their universall agreement and harmony in their learned Commentaries about this portion of Scripture the very words themselves following shew they were select and eminent men and men of note and Disciples of longest standing and all of them or the most of them Ministers and Preachers themselves and were indeed the Presbyters of the Church to whom with the Apostles the power of ruling was committed and who within themselves and without the consent of the common multitude of Beleivers had power to oâ—daine their own Officers and that by their own authority as we may see Vers 21. 22. Wherefore saith S. Peter of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Iesus went in and out among us beginning from the baptisme of Iohn unto that same day he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of the resurrection And they appointed two c. and they prayed c. and they gave forth the Lots c. all businesses here were managed and carryed in an Aristocraticall and Presbyterian way and all was done by a joynt consent and the common councell of them all Here wee finde none of the multitude of the people though Beleevers here were no Women that gave forth their lots Neither doth the Apostle Peter say Men Mothers and Brethren or Men Women and Brethren or Men Brethren and Sisters but Men and Brethren For howsoever in the foregoing Verses it is said that these meaning the Apostles and Elders all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his Brethren by which they fitted themselves for the Ministery after they should receive the Holy Ghost though I say they joyned with them in those duties of humiliation and prayer which any women may do in the society and company of godly Ministers yet when they went about other acts of Church government as choosing of an Apostle then the Apostles and Elders onely by themselves to whom the power of the Keyes was given ordered that businesse and left the Women to their private devotions and their severall imployments for in this action of giving forth their lots there is no mention of the Women And it is manifest from the Text it selfe that this choosing of Matthias was at another time and without all doubt upon a set day for this purpose for it is said Verse 15. And in those dayes Peter stood up in the middest of the Disciples and said Men and Brethren Here was onely Disciples Men and Brethren and no Sisters Till Pope Joans time and our dayes Peters Keyes never hung at any womans Girdle and we heare not in Scripture that they had any voyce in choosing of Church officers and admi ting of members into the Church or casting out of any till these unhappy times an usurpation not beseeming that Sex as afterwards in its due place I hope to make appear But this by the way Now to the matter in hand I say it is apparent to any that will not shut their eyes that all those or most of them that were in Peters company and at that time met together were capable of an Apostleship and such as were the most eminent of all Christs followers and such as were best instructed in Christian Religion as having been bred up in the doctrine of Saint Iohn the Baptist and under the Ministry of Christ himselfe the Prophet of his Church and therefore they were the Teachers of the Church and people who were their flock which they all fed in common And from thence it argueth That the multitude of Beleevers in Ierusalem was not onely a distinct company from them but that it was exceeding great and numerous that had so many Pastors and Teachers over them For if they had been but so small a company as is here mentioned and that the whole Church had consisted but of sixscore names then the Pastors exceed the number of the flocke which is not onely absurd to thinke but against the evident truth of the holy Scriptures which relate unto us multitudes upon multitudes that were dayly converted by the ministery of John the Baptist and of Christ and his Apostles and added unto the Church before this their meeting So that by this I have now said it is most clear and evident that all or most of these were the most eminent Ministers of the Gospell and the Presbytery of the Church But in this that our Brethren do acknowledge That this assembly here spake of were the church it makes as much against them and greatly for us for it is manifest from the Text
such as have built upon this foundation that upon the reading of any books or hearig of any arguments on the contrary side their hearts may not like the heart of Ahaz Isai the 7. 1. when he heard of the confederacy of Syria and Ephraim be moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde This is the discourse of that Author whose words I have related in their full length and extent not intending at this time to shew all the errors of them which would require a just volume though occasonally I shall meete with some of them and make it appeare that according to his discription of a church which he hath taken out of Master Cotteos booke of New England none of the congregationall churches at this day are compleate churches properly so called And if that also my brother Burton speakes be true then the very church of Jerusalem as I said before which he calles the first formed church was not a true formed church properly so called All this occasionally I hope to make evident In the meane time I will make use of such Arguments as the new lights from the Summer Ilands afforde me for the proving of my major proposition which was that All those Assemblies and Congregations met together in those severall houses at Ierusalem every one of them respectively and severally taken were churches properly so called And this I doe the more willingly because I conceive it will better sound in my brother Burtons eares and those of his party to heare one of their own great Rabbyes who they usually call Giants and tall fellowes then to heare me who at pleasure they stile a Pigmy and Dwarfe from his words therefore I thus argue If two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence doe constitute a visible church as he asserteth and laboureth to prove in the name of all the Independents then much more two or three hundred met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence having amongst them also their lawfull Officers and Ministers and injoying likewise all those saving and sealing Ordinances within themselves which the Independents confesse are sufficient for the constituting of a Church properly so called then I say and that with far better reason that such a company doe constitute a compleat visible Church or a Church body properly so called but in the Church of Jerusalem there was not onely two or three met together or two or three such Assemblies and Congregations but at least twelve if not halfe twelve score yea innumerable in all and every one of the which they met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence and in all and every one of the which respectively and severally they had also their lawfull Officers and Ministers and injoyed all those saving and sealing Ordinances which the Independents confesse arr sufficient for the constituting of a Church properly so called Ergo all and every one of those Congregations severally and respectively considered were Churches properly so called This Argument is grounded upon the Independents owne Principles and upon their very words and corroborated with their owne reasons For what people say they in the world may bee 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 bee of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Thus the Independents speake and therefore without they will renounce their owne Principles and abjure all reason and the very light of understanding given them of God they must acknowledge those severall congregations in the Church of Jerusalem to be Churches properly so called as having in every one of them whatsoever they thinke requisite and sufficient to constitute a formed Church for there were in each of them respectively such Ministers and Officers as to whom Christ had given his power and promised his presence and that to the enâ— of the world Matth. 28. vers the last They had also in all those congregations all those Priviledges Immunities and Ordinances the injoying of the which the Independents thinke sufficient to make any one of their new congregations a compleat and formed church or church body properly so called as for their Ministers and Pastors they had all the blessed Apostles amongst them and Christs seventy disciples and many other Preachers abundantly furnished with al gifts as who had gone in and out with Christ from the very beginning of his and Iohns Ministry the meanest of which was thought fit to be an Apostle as is manifest from the first of the Acts and they had amongst them also in their severall congregations many Beleevers and Saints and all of them extraordinarily gifted and qualified and such as continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers therefore they were visible Churches I doe not with the Author say mysticall bodies the Members of the which were visible Saints such as were called out of the world and united together in their severall congregations and that with the holy covenants of Baptisme and breaking of bread to worship the Lord in all his holy Ordinances and therefore they were so many compleat churches and churches properly so called as being joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospel and having in all those assemblies and congregations severally and respectively both for matter and forme that which the Independents hold ever sufficient to constitute and compleate churches properly so called for the matter of those congregations they were visible and miraculous Saints not ordinary ones as being inspired with the Holy Ghost and having amongst them Officers and Ministers of incomparable sanctified transcendent indowments viz the holy Apostles al the which were led into all truth by the Spirit of God who spake in them and by them infallibly who had all and every one of them the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven viz. the power of order and jurisdiction by which they preached the Gospel and ordained and constituted all other churches and gathered and formed churches both in Ierusalem and in all other cities and countries wheresoever they came And as in all those congregations and assemblies they had the materials both for Officers and Members of true compleate formed churches so tâ—â—y had likewise that which the Independents call the forme of compleate churches properly so called to speake in their owne language for they were all united and combined together in all and every one of those severall congregations by the bond of an holy covenant or covenants as that of Baptisme and breaking of bread those sealing Ordinances and they had the preaching of the Word and prayer amongst
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
succeeding ages to the end of the world that they may do the same in their severall and respective Presbyteries Neither is there any president or example in all the holy Scriptures of the new-Testament that any church had its peculiar Pastor and Teacher or Doctor alloted to it with but two or three Elders and a Deacon with a slender congregation of people of the which they only had the cure and care for the feeding and ruling of it and the which had absolute Authority within it self and from which there was no appeale the which notwithstanding the Independents assert is a true formed church after the new testament forme such a modell of a church I affirme can never be shewed or proved in all the new testament God saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 12. vers 28. hath set some in the church first Apostles Secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after Miracles then Gifts of healing helps in government diversities of Tongues are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. and in the 4. of the Ephesians vers 11. When Christ ascended on high he gave gifts unto Men c. and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints c. all the which places are to be understood concerning the Catholicke visible church So that to appropriate these places of Scripture to any particular church as those of the Congregationall way do is to abuse and pervert the holy Scriptures for the upholding of their unwarrantable proceedings for if these Scriptures are to be applyed unto every particular congregationall church then there must not only be a Pastor and a Teacher but many Pastors and many Teachers in each of them besides other church officers and then the Pastors and Teachers would be more in number many times then the flocke and if we looke upon all particular Churches founded by the Apostles which must be a paterne indeed to all churches then we shall finde that in all of them severally they had many Presbyters as in the 14. of the Acts and in the 20. of the same and in all the above cited Scriptures doth abundantly appeare So that there is no ground in all the holy Scripture of the new modell of the Congregationall way for following the expresse Scripture to use my brother Burtons owne words the first formed church we finde is in the Acts the second which consisted of many thousands and in that church there were no distinct officers and members united into one church body respectively for all the Apostles and Ministers of that church fed and ruled that church in common and therefore after the very same example and paterne may all Christian churches to the end of the world do the same and be well formed churches yet have neither a particular Pastor nor Teacher nor distinct officers amongst them for neither the church of Ierusalem nor any of the Primitive and Apostolike Churches had that distinction of officers amongst them and all and every one of them neverthelesse were well formed churches and therefore in this they be a paterne to all churches And as in the church of Ierusalem and in all the other churches all those that were converted and added to them were none of them forced to walke either Dayes or Moneths or years with them before their admission that they might either know the Saints and Members of that Church or be known of them noâ— were ever forced to make a publike confession of their faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion or to enter in by an explicite particular covenant and to obtain the consent of the whole church before their admittance So in this the Church of Jerusalem and the other Churches of the New Testament are to be a pattern to all other churches to the end of the World that they may follow the example of that Mother Church and all the primitive Daughter-Churches in admitting of their Members without any of these things for that was the first formed Church and yet shee required no such things of any that were added into her But of this in its due place And as the Ministers of the Church in Jerusalem the Apostles and Teaches only had the power of government and admitting of Members and did it without the consent of the people as wee may see in their first admission of Members who applyed themselves unto the Apostles onely saying men and brethren what shall wee doe and not unto the people and as in that Church when the people and Beleevers opposed any that desired to be admitted as they did Saint Paul Acts the 9. verse 26 27. of whom they were afraid not beleeving hee was a disciple and hee then appealing to the Apostles who upon hearing of the truth of the busines they admitted him comming in and going out without their consent in this also the Church of Jerusalem is to be a paterne to all Ministers and people in all succeeding Churches that it is the Ministers place onely to admit of Members and not the peoples and if they should gaine-say the admission of any upon either their feares or jealousies or out of other respects that then they may have their appeales from them to the Presbyters in each Church and giving them an account of their faith they are by them to be admitted notwithstanding the dislike and dissenting of their brethren for of this way of proceeding wee have the Church of Ierusalem for a paterne And as the Church at Ierusalem and all the other Primitive Churches never made any rents and schismes from the publike assemblies for some faylings but alwayes constantly frequented their publike meeting places notwithstanding the many corruptions of the Teachers both in Doctrine Discipline and Manners and had not only the example of the blessed Apostles but of Christ also in so doing who when he was questioned concerning his doctrine said I taught publickely in the Temple and in the Synagogue and not in corners and by places and he inioyned the people also to doe the same Matth. 23 saying the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses his seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not yee after their workes c. So likewise other Churches to the end of the world ought to imitate this Church as their paterne not to separate from the publike assemblies and those Churches for some faylings especially when they are found in doctrine and preach all saving truths needfull to salvation without any mixture of humane inventions and so much the rather all Churches ought to imitate the example of the church of Ierusalem and the other Primitive Churches in this not only because they have Christs both example and precept for it but because also separation is blamed by the Apostle Paul in the Hebrewes Heb. 10. and therefore forbidden who saith verse 23 24 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
Synod now present and their imployments likewise are of an other nature then that of ordinary Pastors in their severall congregations as all men know and therefore not a church properly so called according to their language for a Synod and church are two distinct things and both of them together were never yet found in any one congregation in the world and so by consequence there was never any congregation or particular church that yet injoyed all Gods Ordinances and therefore if their definition be good they were no true churches for they had no Synod or Councell in them neither can any of our new congregations at this day have a Synod in them and therefore they injoy not all Gods Ordinances in them severally and so come not within the compasse bounds and limits of their owne definition and therefore remaine not true formed churches as not injoying that Ordinance Besides there are other Ordinances that the congregationall churches cannot injoy for there is an impossibility of it not only in the beginning and first constitution of them but many times after in regard of mortality and the death of their Elders and Pastors and other Officers or when there remaines but one alive as it often happens in our new congregations and therefore of necessity they must bee Dependent if they will injoy all Ordinances or else be no churches as not injoying all Ordinances As for instance there are Ordinances that neerly concerne every particular congregation which cannot be performed by that alone for how can a particular congregation which for the most part consists of ignorant men and women try the sufficiency of the Presbyters that are to be elected or put over them when they have no knowledge in those Sciences Arts Faculties and Histories and of the tongues and languages as Latine Greeke Hebrew and are ignorant in many other things that in some competency are required in all such as are to be made Presbyters and Ministers over them when I say not any one in those congregations many times have any knowledge in any one of those arts and sciences in all which a Minister ought in some measure to bee versed in if hee will take upon him that high calling and charge of the Ministry and duly and rightly performe it unto them and were it so that in all these new gathered churches they had such intelligible Members who when they have made choyce of them shall give them imposition of hands which belongs onely to the Presbyterie and Elders to perform cannot be done by the people who never were appointed by God to ordaine Officers in his church as all the learnedst of the Independents hold and teach so that when any Elders and Presbyters and other church Officers are to be ordained in their new gathered churches they permit not the common people to impose hands upon them but alwayes desire Elders and Presbyters of other congregations to doe it without whose helpe they cannot injoy this Ordinance amongst themselves and therefore if they will have it they must necessarily be Dependent The same may be said of the Ordinance of Excommunication but I will first speake of imposition of hands and ordination of Elders and Officers the which howsoever in some of the more unlearned Independents esteeme it to be of small weight and but a complement yet it is one of Gods holy Ordinances which the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes accounts and reckons amongst the Principles of Religion and a part of the Foundation Heb. 6. ver 1 2 which place of Scripture one of the Fathers of the congregationall way Master Henry Iacob by name who first baptized their new gathered churches with that compellation of Independent churches for his owne advantage exceedingly urged to overthrow the lawfulnesse of the Ministers of the church of England because as hee supposed the church of England erred in the Foundation not having the due and right imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie though in this as in many of his other opinions hee was very much mistaken for those that imposed hands upon the Ministers at their Ordination were Presbyters Yet I say they can urge this place for their advantage against us and therefore I see no reason why wee also may not much more make use of it against them it being Gods owne institution and to be perpetuated to the worlds end in all churches so that wheresoever this Ordination and Imposition of hands by the Presbyterie is wanting in any church that church cannot be truly said to injoy al Ordinances within it selfe for there is an impossibility of obtaining or injoying this Ordinance of Ordination of Officers by the Imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie and that often in their new gathered churches not onely in the beginning of them and in their first constitution as I said before but at many other times also and that by reason of the death and mortality of their Elders or when but one of them remaines alive which frequently happens amongst them as daily experience teacheth us so that of necessitie they must crave the helpe of other churches and therefore in all these respects are Dependent for not any one Elder alone and by himselfe can ordaine an other there must be more together for that imployment for it must bee done by the imposition of the hands of the Presbyterie if it be justly done and according to Gods appointment that is of many Presbyters as the word imports And if wee take a survey and view of all the Primitive and Apostolicall churches as that at Ierusalem of Philippi Ephesus and the other Asian Churches wee shall find in them all an established Presbyterie as I have abundantly proved many Elders and Pastors in each of them appointed over them to govern and rule them in common and all those severall Presbyteries had in each of them the power of Order and Jurisdiction and the authority of imposing of hands and ordination of Elders and Officers within themselves in their respective Presbyteries so that they were as so many Corporations or Committees having their Presidents and Chaire-men with all other Officers amongst themselves and that in abundance as the Scripture relateth as in all well ordered Corporations at this day it is to bee seene so that if any one or more of their Presbyters or Officers dyed within their severall preeincts they did by vertue of their severall Charters presently goe to the Ordination of new ones and of as many as they had need of of which they had store and choyce for the most part as all well ordered Corporations at this day have who if their Presidents dye or any of their Aldermen or any of their Common Councell or any of their other Officers they forthwith make election of others out of some of their Free-men or of men well knowne to them for sufficiencie wisedome and discretion and all other abilities without having recourse to any other Corporations for they are armed with
and Officers much lesse in Synods that imployment belonging wholly to the Presbyters in each Church whom God had made Rulers in his Church over them and commanded the people to yeeld obedience unto them Heb. 13. and therefore that all the new gathered Churches affecting an Independency and challenging their Votes and suffrage in the Government of their Churches are all transgressors against both precept and example And this shall suffice to have spake in way of Answer to Mr Knollys his vain jangling against my third Proposition And now I will briefly Answer to what Sir I. S. hath to say to it whose words are these pag. 11. In asserting That the Presbyters did rule the Church and ordinarily other Churches whom do you hit saith he sure not the Independents as you call them we grant it is their part to rule but we distinguish saith he between Authority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other this latter saith he belongs to the people the other is proper to the Officers which yet they exercise in the name of the Church so they i the Officers ordain they excommunicate i pronounce excommunication they lead and direct in all government and disputes they have executative power as you demand pag. 93. but the people have a power and interest too as those places alleadged by your selfe shew expresly Act. 15. for though ver 2. Paul and Barnabas are said to be sent by the Apostles and Elders onely yet ver 4. they are said to be received of the Church and Apostles and Elders therefore they were sent unto the Church also and that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord ver 25. imports a multitude met together and this to be the result of that multitude else it were no great commendation of the resolution that it was convened and issued forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though onely the Apostles and Elders are mentioned as comming together to consider of the question verse 6. yet it is said verse 22. that it pleased not onely the Apostles and Elders but the whole Church also therefore the Church also came together to consult or the Apostles and Elders as a Cnmmittee first prepared the dispute as not counting it so safe perhaps to admit the weake to the same while it was intricate and then reported it and had their assistance and concurrence and the Letters of resolution run in the name of the brethren i. the Church as well as the Apostles and Elders ver 23. and so in Ordination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Election by lifting up the hand belongs to the brethren though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. imposition of hands be proper to the Officers where there are officers as in a Church constituted and compleat Thus speaks I. S. in the name of all his brethren in way of answer to my third Proposition the errors of whose expressions should I but only name them all severally they would take up some time and a great deal of paper but should I undertake the ful confutation of them all and discover all the impiety evil and wickedness that lyeth couched in these his words I might make a just volumn and spend some moneths in the imployment for grosser errors my eyes never beheld and such as are more contrary unto the holy Scripture and to the honour and dignity not onely of the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church at Ierusalem and in all Churches but to the very dignity and honour of Christ himselfe the King of his church who the Independents most shamefully disthrone as I shall by and by make appear God assisting me whiles notwithstanding they make the greatest noise of setting him up King in his Church And to speak the truth though the Independents seem to hate Popery their doctrin is Popery it self only the upside of it turn'd down and the reare made the front otherwise there is no great difference between their Tenents but that the Independent doctrine is more shamefully erroneous as will be made evident and more derogatory to the honour and dignity of Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to the honour and dignity of the Apostles and Presbyters and more tending to confusion and the overthrow of all Government in Church and State all the which assertions that they may be made a little more evidently manifest I will briefly run over and examine some of the passages in this his answer for to discover but halfe the errors of it they would weary the Reader to hear them and to speak but the verity he that shall have to do with such whibling and unlearned fellows as I. S. and Hanserdo Knollys are had need to be a man of intolerable patience But before I begin with him I shall desire the Reader to consider whether I. S. be not guilty of interferring tautology and great confusion crimes he layes to my charge to use some of his own language Page 15. and 16. if not contradiction and be not great of his own sense and a very catechumenos and one that hath as well need of instruction as of refutation for as much as to me it seems unmeet that a man should be polemically exercised before he be positively principled these things I refer to the Readers consideration and now I go to my work In asserting saith I. S. that the Presbyters did rule that church and ordinarily other churches who do you hit Not the Independents as you call them saith he We grant it is their part to rule but we distinguish between avthority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other this latter belongeth to the people the other is proper to the officers which yet they exercise in the name of the Church So they i. the officers ordain they excommunicate i. ◠pronounce excommunication they lead and direct in all governments and disputes they have the executive power but the people have a power and interest too c. And in the 12. page In Ordination saith he Election belongs to the brethren but imposition of hands is proper to the officers where there are officers as in a Church constituted and compleat Thus profound I. S. I shall intreat the Reader here to take notice what he grants and what he denyes and how at every turn he juggles First he grants that the Presbyters did rule the Church of Jerusalem and ordinarily other Churches and saith that my Argument hits not the Independents for they as he in the name of them all asserteth grant that it is the Presbyters part to rule So that if he had stayed here there had been some ingenuity in him but with the same breath he blasteth yea bloweth down all that he had formerly set up and that with a windy vain American distinction which he hath borrowed out of some of those monstrous Pamphlets that come from thence called the way and the keyes c. which are fraught with
that hee may be our sole Monarch and eternall King and may perpetually rule in his Church and have all things done in his alone name and according to his owne appointment to the judgement I say of all such cordiall subjects of Iesus Christ and to their seriousest thoughts and censures I leave the consideration of this weighty busines I am confident they will conclude their blasphemy was yet never paralleld by the very Pope himselfe or by any of his shavelings who were never yet so notoriously usurping and iniurious to Christ the King of his Church as to send out their Mandates in their owne name but all things issued out in in nomine domini hence came up the Proverbe when they heard of any thing from the Pope that they usually said in nomine domini incipit omne malum for he always pretended to do al in the name of Christ the King for that stile notwithstanding did that man of sinne ever observe and keepe continually ever setting forth his grolleries in nomine domini whereas our Independent Brethren act all their baggatelly and trifling busines in the name of their severall churches their officers ever saying when they carry or bring any learned Messages one from an other that they come in the name of the churches and what they doe they would have them know they doe it as officers in the name of the church Christs name the King of his church is never so much as heard amongst them in the transacting of their church affaires so that wee may truely say that whatsoever they pretend of setting up Christ as King upon his Throne their practise sheweth the contrary for in the government of all their severall churches they act all not in the name of Christ but in the name of their several churches so that Christ the Kings name is not so much as mentioned amongst them as wee have learned not onely from their daily practise but from I. S. and our American monstrous Divinity To all that I have said for proofe that all the Independents by their doctrine disthrone Christ and set themselves in his place whiles they most of all pretend they set him up upon his Throne I may for a corallary add their new traditions and practises which they impose upon all the Members of their severall new gathered churches as the commandments of God and as the practises of the Saints of old and injoyne them and urge them as the statutes ordinances and decrees of God yea I might here farther shew how they practice contrary unto Christ's the King and Lord of his Church commands For whereas he sending out his Disciples and Apostles setting down the conditions upon which all men should be admitted into the Church which were to repent and beleeve and to bebaptized in token of their beliese and repentance which whosoever should accept of and imbrace they should thereupon be received into Church fellowship the Illdefendents notwithstanding regard not Christs commands but unto it add their own vain traditions for the which they have neither precept nor president in all holy writ nor the practice of any well reformed church and they force men to conforme unto them or else there can be no admission howsoever they offer themselvs to do as much as Christ their King commands them to do And whereas Christ the King of his church layd the Government of it upon the shoulders of none but his Ministers to whom he had given the Keyes the Il-dependents not onely dispense with this law at pleasure but absolutely oppose it for contrary unto this law is their doctrine and practice who teach that the power and interest lies in the people and that is their part and that the Ministers are to exercise their authority and jurisdiction in the churches name and so they spoile the Ministers of their power and invest the people with it and give lawes unto the people of God yea unto the Lawâ—iver Christ himselfe whether all these dealings therefore of the Illdependents with many more paslages of the like nature that might be produced if not worse be not to disthrone Christ when they slight his Laws and prefer their own traditions before the commandments of Christ the King of his church and revile and reproach his servants and officers offering all the indignity that can be committed against men to them all I leave it to the judgement of the wise and godly Again I refer it to the wisdome of any discerning spirit to consider and judge what difference there is between the Sectaries and the Pope and his conclave in this point whenas they both assume all authority to themselves and take it from the Ministers and make them but their executioners Surely they will finde them both equally guilty and both Antichristian in rebelling in all things against Christ For Christ saith to all men that they that despise his Ministers despise him and they that despise and slight Christ in as much as in them lies they disthrone him and therefore when all the Independents dayly practice all the malifices above mentioned and that in a higher manner and strain pretend they what they will of setting up Christ upon his Throne they plainly disthrone him dishonour him which may yet further appear if we consider some of their other passages for it is well known that some of the chiefe pillars in their houses and churches those Atlasses that some of them confide so much in for their strength and so much extoll for the preaching up of Christs Kingdome and for the setting of him up upon his Throne I say some of these as it is well known have upon the Frontispices of their Pamphlets set this title Against Jesu Worship Now although it be praise worthy in any in maintenance of Gods true worship and service to write against all Idolatricall or Superstitious worship of the true God or Jesus yet it is a thing no way beseeming any Christian to write agaist God Worship and Iesu-Worship which are both commanded because that some faile and erre in the manner of the Worship of either God the Father or God the Sonne Yea it would have been thought in any Christian Nation an unsufferable thing to have tolerated the very reading or publishing of any books with such a title and inscription though the matter in them might have been good for no man much lesse a Christian oâ—ght to write against Iesu-Worship no more then he ought to write against God-Worship for Iesus also is God blessed for ever the eternall Son of the eternall Father who hath commanded all his Disciples Iohn 5. To worship the Son as they worship the Father Now then if it be an unsufferable thing to write against God-Worship no lesse intolerable is it in any to write against Iesu-Worship and all such as write such books and all such as allow of them and approve of them and their authors let them pretend what they will of setting up Christ upon
that by this their doctrine they not onely rob Christ the King of his Church of his honour and dignity which I made good before but all the holy Apostles and Presbyters his Ministers and Servants also of their honour power and dignity which the King of his Church the Lord Jesus had invested them with and bestowed upon them all which will clearly appear if we shall again briefly consider and but take notice First what power and authority God gave unto his Apostles and to his Ministers which was the power of the Keyes Matth. 16. and Matth. 18. that is all power in his Church under him Matth. 28. and Mark 16. I say if we shall duly in the first place but consider that all the Apostles Christs speciall Ministers and Servants were by Christ himself invested with all authority and guided in their preaching and writing by his holy spirit so that whatsoever they taught or writ as his Ministers were the dictates of his spirit and the commandments of God and were for ever to be the rule of his Church to all succeeding ages to the end of the World and if we consider also what he promised to his blessed Apostles and all his Servants and Ministers that should succeed them viz. that he would be with them to the end of the World to all which Ministers likewise he had given the keys and made them stewards and overseers of his house which is his Church I say if we but duly weigh all these things we shall finde them all invested with plenary authority and by the very commission of God for ever inabled to exercise all acts of Government in the Church and that by themselves without the assistance and concurrence of the people who were never joyned with them in commission but received commands from heaven to obey those that God had made guides over them and made Rulers in his Church I say if we maturely consider all these immunities and priviledges and the power that the Apostles and Ministers of Christ were indued with and that from Christ the King of his church And on the other side shall but consider what learned I. S. in the name of all the Independents his brethren declareth concerning not onely all the ordinary Ministers of the church but what he delivereth concerning the blessed Apostles we shall clearly perceive that herobbs them all of that honour dignity and power which God hath given them and invests the people with it which is a double injustice First in taking from the Apostles and Ministers that which was their due and which God had bestowed upon them And secondly in giving unto the people that which pertained not to them and to which they had no right nor could lay no claime and with which they were not to meddle But take notice of his Doctrine what hee holds and beleeves concerning the ordinary Ministers page 12. In ordination saith hee election belongeth unto the brethren Jmposition of hands is proper to the Officers where there are Officers as in a Church constituted and compleate otherwise if the Church be not compleate according to his learning the people may doe it Thus I. S. speaks there and in the 11 page hee grants it is the Presbyters part to rule But as soone as hee hath spake the word as if hee repented of what he had said hee comes in with a but saying but wee distinguish betweene Authority and Iurisdiction on the one hand and Power and Jnterest on the other this latter belongs unto the people the other is proper unto the Officers which yet they exercise in the name of the Church The Officers saith hee ordaine they excommunicate they leade and direct in all government and disputes they have the executive power but the people have a power and interest too that is in his dialect as hee declared himselfe in the words going before the Officers must exercise all their authority and jurisdiction in the name of the Church and must doe as the people shall direct them for their power is onely the executive power they are onely the executioners of the church they can neither elect any officers nor excommunicate any without they have the leave and good liking from the people for the radicall and originall power lyes in the people and church which if it be not utterly to overthrow the authority of the Ministers and to make them nothing but cyphers in the Church and most sacrilegiously to rob them of that power Christ the King of his Church hath given them and to arrogate it and assume it unto themselves and whether this be not the greatest wickednesse and injustice in the Independents that can be committed against men I leave it to the consideration and judgement of all conscientious and learned men and whether such temerarious and bold impudent theives and Church-robbers ought not with greatest severity and justice to be proceeded against for this their malefice and unsufferable wickednesse who doe not onely take from the Ministers of Iesus Christ whom they ought ever to have in great reverence for their workes sake 1 Thess 5. that honour power and authority Christ hath given them but labour likewise now with all their might to take from them also that that God hath put into the hearts of men his servants to give them viz. their tythes and lively-hood and all that by which they should support themselves and their poore Families which is as intolerable an in justice and ingratitude both towards God and men as can by mortall creatures bee committed which wickednesse of the Independents and Sectaries if the Magistrates shall suffer to goe unpunished I most confidently beleeve that the Lord and King of his Church the Lord of heaven and earth will take the quarrell of his righteousservants into his hand and will poure downe his plagues both on them and all their complices and abettors And now I have made it evident how they rob all the ordinary Ministers and Presbyters of the Gospel of their due honour and power I will make it likewise appeare that the Apostles also are by their doctrine in the same predicament and that they deale no better with them whom they have robbed also and spoyled of their honour power and authority and count of them all no otherwise then of ordinary and common Ministers and but as of a company of Executioners for wee must take what I. S. speakes in this busines to be uttered in the name of all the Independents for hee is but their mouth and his booke came forth by the authority and approbation of them all and was esteemed of as a goodly peece and he highly honoured amongst them for it His words are these page 12. The Apostles and Elders saith he as a Committee first prepared the dispute as not counting it so safe perhaps to admit the weake to the same whiles it was intricate and then reported it and had their assistance and concurrence and the Letters of resolution
well see and that without spectacles that by these stones he hurls at all his brethren and casts up dust yea dirt thus in their faces to usurp his own expression pa. 13. that he shews his want of love and charity to us comparing our congregations and Churches at every turn to the Popish and Jewish Synagogues and esteeming of the gathering out of people from amongst us to be the same with gathering men and women from out of their Idolatricall and Jewish Assemblies for why otherwise if this be not his meaning doth he bring his instances from both the Papists and the Jews at every turn and therefore for his so dealing in the first place I answer that he is very injurious to his Brethren and must seriously repent for this uncharitable dealing But secondly I answer that my brother Burton is much mistaken for the Apostles did not gather Christian Churches out of the Jewish Synagogues as we may see in the second of Iames and through the whole story of the Acts where we finde that the Apostles in all their peregrinations ever frequented the Synagogues and preached unto them there and our Saviour himselfe notwithstanding all the scandalls in that Church and all their traditions preached daily in the Temple and in their Synagogues as the Scripture relates yea and the Apostles themselves after Christs resurrection preached dayly in the Temple and in all Synagogues whersoever they journyed yea Christ himselfe commanded all his followers the whole multitude with his own Disciples and Apostles to hear the Pharisees Matth. 23. ver 1 2. And without doubt they did obey their Master and made no separation from the Synagogues and S Paul in the 10. to the Hebrews blameth those that did leave the assembling of themselves together therefore he did not allow of a separation from the Synagogues and from Christian Assemblies and moulding themselves into separate Congregations under a pretence of a more refined holinesse and pure partaking in the ordinances which is the pretence of all straglers all such proceedings were contrary both to the precept example of Christ and his Apostles who taught and practiced the contrary Christ commanding the man out of whom he had cast the devills and that would have followed him that he should go to his own friends and abide amongst them still and he ever sent all those lepers he cured to the Priests he never gathered Churches out of the Jewish churches neither did ever any of the Apostles or godly Ministers do any such thing but blamed it in all and therefore the Independents going against both precept and example are highly disobedient to God and have for these their wicked and ungodly practises a great deal to repent of and to answer for And if we will compare times with times we may beleeve it was amongst the Jews as it was amongst us under the Prelates raign and power those godly and powerfull Ministers such as my reverend Tutor Master Richard Rogers Mr John Rogers of Dedham and Mr Dod and others when they sometimes went to visit their friends through City and Country by their preaching they gained many Souls unto God in many Towns and Villages where after they had through the blessing of God upon their Ministery converted them they left them still abiding in their severall Parishes injoyning them diligently and carefully to wait upon their Ministers there disswading them from separation upon all occasions and so it was amongst the Jews they came out to the Ministry and Baptisme of Iohn and heard him upon every opportunity but never left their own Synagogues and their own Ministers as the Scripture relateth when they returned to their severall abodes and so they went out to hear Christ and his Disciples as occasion served and then returned home again to wait upon the ordinances in their severall dwelling places and they had Christs command to do this neither is it ever recorded in all the New Testament but in the tenth chapter to the Hebrews that the Christians relinquished the Jewish Assemblies for which they are greatly blamed by Saint Paul And I am confident if all the Independents doe not seriously repent of their wicked and pharisaicall separation from our Assemblies the Lord will shew at last some fearfull judgment upon them For I affirme it they have not one president for all these their practices in the whole Book of God and therefore my brother Burtons instance of the Apostles gathering of Christian churches from out of the Jewish Synagogues as it is in all respects unchristianlyand and deceitfully done to delude his fellows so it is not true that he averreth For the Apostles did never gather Christian Churches out of the Iewish Synagogues for they had a command from Christ to the contrary neither was there any cause for any Christians to separate from them for they exercised at that time nothing but the Morall Worship in their Synagogues having Moses and the Prophets dayly read and interpreted unto them Acts 15. 21. and to those Synagogues that unerring Councell at Jerusalem consisting of all the Apostles and Presbyters Act. 15. did send all the people and their severall cities to be instructed in Moses therefore the Apostles and Ministers of those times never gathered Christian Churches out of the Jewish Synagogues as my brother Burton would infer to make good their wicked separations from us and their gathering of their Churches out of our Christian and beleeving Assemblies which I am ever by Gods assistance able to make good is nothing to the question that I propounded concerning the gathering of Churches out of already gathered Churches And therefore hitherto my brother Burton hath befooled himself to no purpose but to discover unto the World how little skill he hath in Divinity when he is out of a common place wherein every child may learn as much and far more then he can teach him And this answer to my brother Burton concerning gathering of Christian Churches out of Iewish Synagogues for the justifying of their unwarrantable separation may serve to the same objection wheresoever the Reader shall meet with it as Page 18 c. And this might suffice to have answered to what my brother Burton had to say to the first Quaerie concerning gathering Churches out of Churches But because my Brother Burton conceives that if they should not separate themselves from our Christian Assemblies whom he saith do not come up close to the rule into their several new gathered Congregations they could not set up Christ upon his Throne as not making his word the rule of reformation or a sufficient rule upon which we must necessarily depend for the form and law of Reformation and that we ought not to wait on men and thereupon propoundeth a quaerie to me Page 19. thinking by this means the better to justifie their unwarrantable proceedings therefore I shall first gratifie my brothers desire and answer to his demand and then I will passe on to reply to what
truly preached the Sacraments rightly administred and the name of God rightly called upon and all those essentiall marks made that Church a true formed Church after the New-Testament forme if the Scripture and my Brother Burton may be beleeved and therefore I take notice of this as a speciall error in my Brother Burton that hee makes excommunication the Gospel forme of a true Church for which his tenent I beleeve he will find some moderate check or other from some of his brethren of the congregational way who hold that their particular explicite Covenant is the forme of the Church and this shall serve for answer to that second Grollery of my Brother Burton His third Grollery is that hee saith that the power of admitting and casting out Members was not in the Apostles and Ministers alone but in the Churches which is a notable error in my Brother Burton and Contrary unto many places of the holy Scripture for God gave the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel only the Keyes Matth. 16. Matt. 18. and Matth. 28. and they that had the Keyes and were the Stewards of Gods family could onely open and shut the doores to whom they pleased without the people and we see that the Apostles onely in the second of the Acts without the people received into the Church those three thousand first Converts yea and received Paul into their Fellow-ship contrary unto the Disciples and peoples mind Acts 9. and wee know that Paul by his owne power did excommunicate and deliver to Satan Hymeneus and Alexander and others 1 Tim. chap. 2. verse 1. and we learne in the second and third of the Revelation that the Lord writing unto the Churches sends his Epistles to the Angels as the chiefe officers and blames them for neglecting their duty in not casting out those wicked ones that were amongst them by all which testimonies and many more that might be produced it is sufficiently evident that the Ministers only ought by themselves to manage the government of the Church and that it is their peculiar office and the place of the people to yeeld obedience to what they do and even out of 2. Cor. 2. the same may be gathered where it is said he was excommunicate by many not al. And therefore it is a marvellous great error in my brother Burton to conclude because Paul writ to the church of Corinth for the casting out of the incestuous person therefore the power and authority lay in the peoples hands and not in the Apostles and Ministers alone But these are the unsound conclusions that those of the congregationall way gather too too often from the holy Scripture for the ingratiating of themselves amongst the people whom they pretend much to honour in telling them that they have a power and interest in the government as well as the Ministers have and that the Presbyterians challenge this to themselves joly it is onely to inslave the people and to Lord it over them and that worse then the Prelates and for no other end I am most assured did my Brother Burton bring in this cavill in opposition to my Argument which not withstanding stands firme to prove that John the Baptist did by himselfe and without the people execute his Commission and receive Members into the Church and that from his and the blessed Apostles examples all other Ministers may take this example and doe the same and that by Gods owne appointment as wee shall see more fully in the following Discourse and this shall suffice to have spake to this cavill also of my Brother Burton and all the Grolleries of the same concerning the Baptist and his gathering of churches But now to goe on after the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ and that the Apostles had received the gifts of the Holy Ghost and at their first entring upon their Ministry had preached unto the people and that the people were pricked in their hearts when they heard them it is said that the people addressed themselves onely unto Peter and the other Apostles saying Men and Brethren what shall wee do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost c. Act. 2. 23 24 then they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day were added unto them about three thousand soules Here wee may observe these two things The first that the Apostles by themselves alone without the multitude or church admitted the people into the society and company of beleevers Secondly that in the execution of their commission they did nothing but according to their warrant and according to their injunction that was given unto them by Christ they propounded no other condition or termes for the making all and every one of them Members of the Church but Baptisme and Repentance the which when the people had accepted of they were forthwith admitted and that upon their own word and testimony without any more adoe or further inquiry concerning the soundnesse of their repentance without any witnesse from others of their conversation and without the voyce allowance or approbation of the people or the multitude of beleevers in Jerusalem much lesse of the whole Church who were never joyned with the Apostles in their Commission or consulted with by them whether they should be admitted or no into the Fellowship of the faithfull or demanded or asked by the people whether it were not fit that they should take some time of further consideration that they might walke with them to the end that they might behold their conversation and by their owne experience might further be confirmed that their conversion was sound and well Neither did any call for at their hands that they should make a publicke confession of their faith to the Church and give in their evidences to the Congregation that they were converted really or that they should take a private covenant or enter into the Church by way of a peculiar covenant nothing of all this specified But it is onely related that the people upon their being pricked in their hearts applyed themselves unto the Apostles and that the Apostles by their owne authority and that power that was delegated unto them without reference to the Church or people admitted them into the number of Beleevers I expected in this place to have met with Generall Burton or cavalier Hanserdo Saint George his chaplaine knowing what daring men they are that they would have fought me here especially and that they would have indeavoured with all their forces to have beate mee from this ground a place so advantagious that they that are Masters of it may bid defiance to the powerfullest and potentest enemies of the truth and indeed I did so much the more expect their incounter here and that they would have given mee Battell and that wee should have had a pitcht field for it because they
have ever pretended an interest in it yea and challenge a right unto it saying that the church of Ierusalem is theirs and which is more they had by usurpation got this church into their hands and had the possession of it and having thus attained unto their designe being backt with great friends some Tobiasses and Sanballets they began to build castles in the ayre and made Fortifications in their braine and laid a foundation in their phantasie upon which they built an Independent Church consisting of no more then could all meet in one place to enjoy all acts of worship in Gods service and pretended that this Church being the Mother-church was to bee an example and paterne to all the Daughter-churches and that all Churches through the world must be governed after that modell and being by the assistance of many Sanballats and Tobiesses much strengthened as I said before they began to insult and to give Lawes of government to all Churches and to gather and set up churches after their owne modell and being much assured of their owne strength they bad defiance to the whole world flinging and casting their Gloves to all their enemies assembled and not assembled whereupon I being a Commander in the Presbyterian Army and taking up the Glove came out against them and by divine assistance reduced this place and tooke it from them which they had sometime unjustly detayned from the Presbyterians to whom indeed it belonged by the right of inheritance and succession I say I having by conquest taken this strong citie from the Independent Vsurpers that now labour to mannage all government by sea and land in church and state pretending they are Saints and that the Saints must governe the world and being in the possession of it I expected that those two confiding Commanders Saint Hanserdo valiant and venerable old Henry being so compleatly armed as he was with his sword and Phocions Hatchet and with his great white basket-hilted beard that both of them assisted also with I. S. would have come out in battell against me and would not have left the field as Van Trump lately left the sea especially seeing in their march they all passed by the church of Ierusalem and having also so great an advantage against mee they being three to one which makes mee conceive that they are all either desperate cowards or terribly treacherous and in that regard are not fit to be Generals and Commanders any longer in so great an Army as that of the Ill-dependents yea this their declining Battell with mee makes me boldly conclude of them that they deale unmanly on all sides for if the church of Ierusalem be theirs and that they have any interest in it or a right unto it why did they not now ingage themselves in her quarrell and fight for her especially when all their Army lay in the field certainly it had beene much for all their honours now to have shewen their valour and therefore they all of them not striking a stroke proclaime unto all the world their want both of animosity and all heroicall vertue and their want also of honesty in that they pretend a right unto that they have no just title or clayme to and for which they dare not fight in that they amuse the people and stirre up factions on every side and all to strengthen their owne party for the making of a groundless combustion in Church State telling the people that they have power and interest in the government of the Church and that authority and jurisdiction only belongeth unto the Presbyters which they ought alwayes to exercise in the name of the Church and thereupon they perswade them that if they relinquish this their right unto the Presbyters they will more Lord it over them then ever the Prelates did and they teach them farther that this right is derived unto them from the example of the Church of Ierusalem and the other Primitive Churches who when they were cast into a Gospel forme as they say the Apostles and Ministers had not the sole power of governing them but the people also were joyned with them and that they are all of them to have their voices both in electing of officers and in receiving in of Members and casting out of any offenders as well as the Presbyters and Ministers and wish all the people to stand and continue in that liberty wherein Christ hath made them free these and such like unsound Principles they season the people with for the inraging of them against the Presbyters and take all occasions to pervert the holy Scripture for the maintenance of their new-found way of Independency and labour continually by shifts and juglings to evade the dint of any Arguments that are brought against them for the proving that the power of government in the church resideth in the Presbyters and Ministers hands both for the admission of Members and the casting of them out as it did in the hands of Iohn Baptist and the Apostles and Disciples who onely had the authority with the Keyes committed unto them by God himselfe and who onely exercised it in their dayes as by innumerable examples may be proved as by that of Iohn the Baptist and the Apostles in the church of Ierusalem which latter example both my brother Burton and J. S. passe by with great silence wherein they deale most dishonestly as I shall by and by make appeare But for the example of Iohn the Baptist my brother Burton set upon that at first pretending to the people that the example of Iohns gathering in of people by his sole authority was not binding because as hee saith it was extraordinary and that the Churches and Assemblies gathered by him were not formedinto Christian Churches these are his words page 16. and that those Churches onely which were put into a Gospel forme after Christs Ascension are to bee a paterne of government unto all christian churches to the end of the world and he saith if we visit them wee shâ—ll find that in them the power of admitting and rejecting Members was not in the Apostles and Ministers alone and for an instance of this hee bringeth in the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 2. which hee saith is a sufficient President to all churches and thereupon concludes and so perswades the people that the example of Iohn the Baptist in receiving in and admitting of Members by his sole authority cannot bee an example patern to the Ministers under the Gospel to do the same and therefore labours with all his power to evade the dint of that Argument by such turnings and evasions as these telling the people That those Congregations that were gathered by him not being in a Gospel-Form nor moulded up after the New Testament form cannot be bindingly presidential and therefore for our imitation he affirms we must necessarily come to the Christian Churches constituted by the Apostles after Christs Ascension as that one for example the Church of Corinth in which
not speedily repent for all their wickednesse and relinquish their ungodly unchristian and unbrotherly practises the Lord from heaven will shew his wrathfull displeasure upon them all for he will vindicate his honour and the honour and priviledges of his people Shall not he avenge his own Elect and that speedily Luke 17. And this shall suffice for answer to that impious cavill of my Brother Burton and Hanserdo Now for that instance that Master Knollys bringeth it quite overthroweth their doctrine for it is point banke against it and their practise For although it be not denyed but that all true beleevers may at any time make their complaint to the Church that is to say to those that are in authority in the Church to wit the Presbyters as the extreamest refuge upon just offence yet it must ever be granted that it lyeth in the brest of those that are Iudges to determine of the busines according to the allegations and probations so that those that complaine may not be both Plaintifs and Iudges this I say is so known a maxime that none can deny it Besides we must take notice that we never read inall the New Testament that the disciples ever so much as questioned any that desired to be admitted into church fellow ship or refused communion to any but Paul the reason was as the Scripture relateth because they knew that hee had beene a mortall enemy unto them and had beene a great Persecutor and were then ignorant of his conversion and therefore it is said they were affraid of him and upon the like occasion I beleeve any of the brethren in any church may doe the same and they may feare such an one and suspect him and complaine of him and that is all they can doe but power they have none to keepe him out of Church-fellowship if upon the Ministers and Presbyters examining of the busines they find that the man is a beleever and converted from his sinfull courses for by their sole authority without their good liking or the consent of the people they may admit him into church fellowship and if the people should refuse to receive him upon his assaying to joyne himselfe with them hee may appeale from them to the Presbyters and Ministers who are Gods Stewards and who have the power of the Keyes to open the doore of the church to whom they conceive are fit and for this his so doing and for the Presbyters accepting of his appeale they have the Apostles and Presbyters of Ierusalem for an example for when the Disciples feared Paul and seemed to be unwilling to admit him into communion with them Hee forth with appeals to the Apostles who upon his appeale admitted him into church fellowship according to their commission which was that whosoever beleeved and was baptized hee should be received into the church and that without the consent of the people or any of those conditions the Independents now impose upon their Members as by this very example and instance of Mr. Knollys doth abundantly appeare which makes wholly against their doctrine and practise and utterly overthrowes their tenent for most certaine it is that the power of admitting of Members and casting out of offenders lies in those mens hands only and solely that have the power of the Keyes and are by God himselfe made Stewards and Over-seers and Guids of his Church his house which when they peculiarly belong unto the Presbyters and not to the people they onely and not the people ought to have the managing of the government of the church and this hath beene sufficiently proved by the receiving in of Members both in an ordinary way and in an extraordinary manner by all the examples I have produced and by this very instance of Saint Paul alleaged by Master Knollys himselfe who when hee was admitted into Church-fellowship not onely without the consent of the brethren but against their good liking it is abundantly manifest that the people have nothing to doe with the government of the Church but that it lyeth wholly in the Presbyters hands And all this I say is clearly proved out of the good Word of God within the wals of the which it is ever safe to abide and in the action of obedience to the which all men may promise to themselves perpetuall security and this shall suffice to have answered to all that Mr. Knollys and my Brother Burton had to say to all my Arguments And by all that I have now spoke I hope it doth sufficiently appeare that there is neither precept nor example through all the Holy Scripture to warrant the practise of these men in the gathering of their new Churches and if a man will but looke a little more upon the practice of Christs seventy disciples of all the Apostles in the gathering of Churches they shall not find one footstep through the whole Booke of God of the gathering Churches after the manner of their congregating of their assemblies as for Christs Disciples they were all sent to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel they went not to gather in converted men from amongst converted men for they were to bring the lost sheepe into Christs fold and wee are taught there is but one Shepheard and one sheep-fold wee never read that after they were once folded and brought into the Church that any true Pastors came into the fold and flocks of their fellow-shepheards and picked out all the best and the fattest sheep and the most wholsome and molded them into an Independent Fold by themselves as separate and distinct from the others and with the which they would have no fellowship and communion in the Ordinances this was never heard of before these dayes Paul was so farre from getting away of others sheepe that hee tooke it for a dishonour to him to build upon anothers foundation Rom. 15. and preached Christ in those places where they had never heard of him before and planted the Church of Corinth himselfe and left Apollo to water it and committed all the flocks that he had gathered as that of Ephesus to the charge and care of faithfull Pastors and commands both the flocks and the Pastors and in them all Shepheards and Folds to keepe unity and love one with another Ephes 4. verse 1 2 3 4. c. and forbids them to make separations and divisions and schismes betweene flock and flock and this method hee used wheresoever hee came yea as soone as hee was converted and entred upon his ministry as wee may see in the first of the Galathians hee went into Arabia and preached there among the poore Infidels hee got not other mens sheepe from them neither did hee ever make any separation of sheepe from sheepe yea even in those flocks and churches as that of Corinth Galatia and Colosse where there were many that walked disorderly and against the rules prescribed and taught false doctrine and heresies and made schismes in the Church and were very
scandalous so that if ever there were in any Churches a just cause of making a separation it was then and yet the Apostles bid not the Christians separate themselves from the communion and assemblies of the Saints and from the Ordinances for these mens causes but onely that they should looke unto themselves and examine their owne consciences that they may not offend and so make themselves unworthy of the holy things and gives them power to cast out the prophane but no way tolerates them to separate onely hee bids them not be familiar with such as walke disorderly that by this meanes they might learne to amend their lives and tels them of what judgements have alwayes happened to such as were wicked and bids them by their example to take heed how they provoke God by the like as it is at large set down in the tenth chapter and commands them to make no separation but from Idolaters and Infidels and so likewise in his Epistle to the Galatians he says for his own particular he could wish that they that troubled them were cut off yet he biddeth not the Galatians to separate themselvs into Independent congregations Nothing of all such things were taught before these dayes that true beleevers and the faithfull servants of God should separate from the Assemblies of their Brethren every way as dearly beloved of God as themselves and such as with the twelve Tribes of Israel serve their God night and day and would suffer any thing for the Gospell and that anv Christians I say should make separation from the fellowship of such or that such should be accounted as enâ—mies of Christ it was never heard of before our times by which their so dealing they have made the greatest schism in the Church that was ever yet made to the scandall of our holy profession I have been ever taught in Gods holy Word that those faithfull Ministers that preached Jesus Christ and him crucified and opened the eyes of the blind and turned them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ and taught the people that they should repent and turne to God and doe workes meet for repentance and that instructed all men that they being delivered out of the hands of their enemies they should serve God without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their life and teaching them that the grace of God bringing salvation hath appeared to all men for this very end that they should deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God of our Saviour Iesus Christ who gave himselfe for us that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes I say I have beene ever taught by Gods Holy Word to beleeve that those Ministers that instruct the people to doe all these things and where the people by faith imbrace and receive this doctrine are the true Ministers of Iesus Christ those congregations under them the church of Iesus Christ and of his sheepfold and that Christ in all such congregations is set up as King in his Throne as who rules in the hearts of his people and the which are swayed and guided by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit and deserve none of those contumelious languages the brethren asperse both Ministers and people with Of the Ministers they thus speak and print That they deny disclaim and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and Churches so that such a conversion as is wrought by them comes not home to whole Christ and such with their converters do deny Christs Kingly government or at least and best they are converted but in part and that main thing is wanting to wit Christs Kingly office and of all the people and Christian beleevers through the Kingdome that are not in their congregations and new gathered Assemblies they speak and print thus We say the brethren the Independent Ministers exhort them to set up Christ King in their hearts We exhort them to become and professe to be those Saints of whom Christ is King for he is King of Saints Revel 15. 3. but they will not beleeve us say they they will not depend upon Christ as the onely Law giver and King over their consciences Now what would you have us to do in this case say they baptize the Infants of such Parents as will not in this respect professe nor confesse Christ to be their King Why do you not know say they that no Infants have any title to Baptism that are not within the Covenant visibly and how are they within the Covenant visibly but by vertue of their Parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith is there in the Parents that refuse Christ for their onely King that are ashamed or afraid to professe to be in Covenant with Christ as their King if therefore the Parents professe not yea refuse thus to be in visible Covenant can the children be said to be in visible Covenant and so to have a right in Baptism the externall seal of the covenant here is an obex a barre put These are their own words which I have set down at large the summe of them briefly is this that all the Ministers of the church of England that are not of their fraternity do deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly Government over mens consciences and churches and that all the people under their Ministery are men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the main thing to wit Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the Covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church communion may and ought to be denyed Another of the Independents amongst many of the contumelious and disgracefull speeches hee uttereth out against the Ministers of the church of England calling them the blackcoats in the Synod who he is afraid will prove more cruell Taskmasters than their Fathers the Bishops who cowardly sit at home and in his apprehension for no other end but to breed faction and division amongst the well affected to the Parliament promoting their own interest which saith he is lazinesse pride covetousnesse and domination and amongst many such expressions as these hee proclaimes them the sworne enemies of Iesus Christ and desiring that the Parliament may be put in mind of their Covenant for he thinkes they have sworne to root out Popery he tels them they have established Tythes the very root and support of Popery which he doth humbly conceive is a contradiction to their Covenant and which will be a greater snare
him may also truly be said of Cretensis and all those of that fraternity whose words are swords and spears who all fight rather with their heels then with their heads and kick rather then argue and whip rather then answer Whether therfore such men as my brother Burton and his complices though they come to us in gray heads be found in the way of righteousnesse when their dealings are so palpably unjust and their opinions so schismaticall hereticall and erroneous I leave it to the judgement of all such as know what the way of righteousnesse is And now I come to my second quaerie viz. Whether the way of Independency be the way of righteousnesse My brother Burton writing in the name of all the Independents pretends unto the people and would make the world beleeve that they are all Dependent upon Gods Word for all their proceedings and affirmes moreover in the fifth page that all their new gathered Churches and severall Congregations are all Dependent one upon another both which assertions of his are most false as will evidently appear to all those that know their practices and will vouchsafe but to read the insuing discourse where they shall find that they have neither precept nor president for their way of Independency in all Gods holy Word and that there is not so much as one example in all the sacred Scriptures for any of their new practices wherein they differ from us and which is more that they all of them withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse How then can the way of Independency bee the way of righteousnesse when it is a deviation from that way as by their practices will be evidenced therefore for the confirmation of what I have now said I will briefly examine some of their proceedings and first whereas my brother Burton affirmeth that all their Churches are Dependent one upon another This I say is most false For all their proceedings in their severall congregations are carryed on in an arbitrary way whatsoever they publish in their writings and pretend to the people as all the learned and those that are acquainted with their method well know So that it lies in any one of their Churches breasts and is at their pleasure whether they will so much as confer or consult with each other and if they do at any time vouchsafe one another that courtesie yet it is stil voluntary whether they will give each other an account of either their censures or proceedings for they all pretend as absolute a soveraignty and jurisdiction within themselvs severally as any free-states or common-wealths have no authority one over another neither can they appeal for any reliefe if wronged one to or from another And if any Member in any one of those Churches or any one of those Churches divided amongst themselvs or upon some eminent received wrong should fondly complain to another neighbour Church that Church hath no power to relieve them no more then one private man can relieve another if he should be appealed to by another And if that Church should desire an account of the other Churches proceedings that Church may refuse it if it please them But if to gratifie their desire that Church should vouchsafe to condescend so far unto the other Church as to give them a reason of their proceedings all this is but gratis and out of their good nature they have still no power to call that Church in question that hath done the wrong if that Church stands upon its points and priviledges and saith that they have nothing to do with them And what then is to be done in this case Then forsooth they will withdraw communion from that Church which say they is the highest censure any one Church can proceed to against another Church Is not this I pray fine Dependency What more unrighteous dealing can be found in the world then this of the Independents to professe themselves Independents and yet to pretend a Dependency And when that comes to the tryall they have no more reall Dependency one upon another then we have with them Yea what a great unrighteousnesse is this to pretend a Dependency one upon another and a communion amongst their new gathered Churches when it is well known there is no more union and communion nor true friendship amongst them then was between Herod and Pilate they refusing the right hand of fellowship each to other in many of them Yea they are deadly enemies one to another as can sufficiently be proved although they all agree together to persecute the Presbyterians as Herod and Pilate did well accord to persecute Christ For I my selfe have heard the Independents protest against the Brownists Anabaptists Antinomians and Seekers and many other of the new fraternities proclaming them all Sectaries And on the other side I have heard those severall societies rail against all the Independents especially those Homothumadon dissenting brethren in the reverend Assembly saying that they had a better and a more charitable esteem of any of the Presbyterian Ministers then of them and they do unanimously accuse all the Ministers of New-England of as great tyranny as the Prelates And it is well known that many of the Independent congregations here amongst us have their different laws and customs every one of them dissenting more or lesse from each other in their severall new gathered Churches yea they are ignorant of each others practices For my Brother Burton and I. S. know not that the women in some of their congregations have their voices there and yet it can be proved that they also have Peters keyes at their girdles as well as any of their Presbyters And therefore their new Churches are not Dependent one upon another as my brother Burton asserteth Page the fifth when as they all of them exercise an absolute soveraignty amongst themselves Independent What unrighteousnesse then is this in my brother Burton and in all the Independents to affirme that in all their Churches there is a Dependent Independency or an Independent Dependency which is but a contradictory bull at best at the baiting whereof a man if he regarded not mispending his time might make far better sport then he did some years since in baiting the Popes Bull. The truth is as their Religion is but a meer Babell so all their language is confounded and they are divided in their opinions principles and practices they being all really Independent And therefore whether the way of Independency be the way of righteousnesse where they are so unrighteous in all their proceedings and when they say one thing and do and practice another and when they withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse as all the Independent Predicants do I refer it to the wisdome and judgement of the godly and consciencious Reader But the unrighteousnesse of their way will yet more perspicuously appear if we but look into some other of their practices which I shall by and by instance the very
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
Presbyterian Brethren and of that great familiarity they have with Christ and what transcendent knowledge they have received from the mind and bosome of the Father it will not be amisse here to recite some passages of that seraphicall Doctors Sermons he preacheth in the Army I will take them out of the booke called the Vindication of certain Citizens where page 9. they set downe certaine points of doctrine that Saint Dell taught in the Army in their hearing viz. 1. That there are no more of a Church of God in a Kingdome then there be such as have the Spirit of God in that Kingdome 2. Neither Old nor New Testament doe hold forth a whole nation to be a Church 3. Whatsoever a State an Assembly or Councell shall say ought not to bind the Saints further then the judgement of those Saints shall leade them 4. The Saints are those that are now stiled Anabaptists Familists Antinomians Independents Sectaries and the like 5. The power is in you the people keepe it part not with it 6. The first party that arose against you namely the prophane ones of the Land are already fallen under you and now there is an other party Formalists and carnall Gospellers rising up against you but I am confident they shall all fall under you 7. They are willing to become subjects to make the Saints slaves nay they are all willing to become slaves themselves that they may tread upon the necks of the Saints These points of sublimated doctrine I find set forth publickly and published by authority as delivered by Saint Dell in one of his sermons at the Army which I had not put in to this my Epistle to the Reader had I not some dayes after the publication of them inquired whether Saint Dell had answered to this accusation against him and understanding that he had replyed nothing to it which he might have done in two houres if he had beene innocent and not guilty I tooke it pro confesso knowing that the Presses are open for all mens just Apologies and defence especially when I find them open to all wicked and impious Pamphlets and this as not all that made me beleeve the charge is true against him but because I have heard and that from men of reputation and worthy of beliefe that it is ordinary with him and his complices to preach such doctrines as these are publickly and privately and to maintaine them wheresoever he comes all the which I shall ever be able God assisting me to prove he never had nor received from the mind and bosome of God the Father nor from Jesus Christ though he boasts much of the Familiarity he hath with Jesus Christ If this be the knowledge the Sectaries vaunt so much of and if these be the things they pretend they have received from the mind and bosome of the Father I must confesse in these their notions they out-strip the knowledge of the Saints of old and of all the holy Prophets and Apostles and of the old Puritans of England who were ignorant of them all which was a learned ignorance in them knowing that God the Father taught a far different doctrine to his people as I shewed a little before and shall more fully declare in the insuing Discourse But this I will againe and againe assert that neither the old Puritans of England nor our godly Presbyterians now are inferiour to any of the Sectaries for an holy and conscionable outward walking in all manner of conversation or in the knowledge of God or of Jesus Christ or in any kind of knowledge that may truly be called learning or science whatsoever the Independents and Sectaries may glory and boast of themselvs I do farther assert that al the godly Presbyters in the church of England do preach Jesus Christ faith repentance and free grace and that in every Congregation upon all occasions more orthodoxly solidly sincerely and learnedly with all practicall divinity then ever any of the Sectaries did or can doe and therefore they do not know more of God then the Presbyterians doe as that Homothumadon Brother pharisaically and falsely gloried and all the Sectaries with him vaunt So that I see no reason why wee may not here make use of the Apostle Saint Pauls words concerning this busines who in the second of the Cor. 10. v. 7. 12. 18. Doe you looke on things after the outward appearance saith he if any man trusts to himselfe that hee is Christ's let him of himselfe thinke this againe that as he is Christ's even so are wee Christ's For we doe not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselvs but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise or understand not for not he that commendeth himselfe is approved but whom the Lord commendeth So that it seemes by Saint Pauls words not only in this Epistle but in others that the false Apostles and Seducers of his time had some high esteeme of themselves and of their own holinesse knowledge and abilities above others yea above the Apostles themselves as the Independents and Sectaries of our times have of their great piety and sufficiencie above their brethren as all their words Pamphlets and Vindications daily witnesse in which they slight all that oppose their novelties and stile them vaine men and such as neither know what to say norhow to hold their peace vilifying them all as the off-scouring and things of nought which practice of theirs when it was blamed in the false Apostles as sinfull it cannot be prayse-worthy in the Sectaries now in our times who walke in that way of unrighteousnesse those false Teachers then did and contrary to that rule prescribed by God which is to preferre others before themselves in honour which way the old Puritans of England walked in and not in the way of the false Apostles and the Sectaries of our times for they kept the road way and the royall way of righteousnesse esteeming of their brethren better then of themselves But the world was never without such a sort of men for Solomon speaks of the like There is a generation of men saith hee and how lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids lifted up and of such creatures Saint Paul speaks 2 Cor. 11 ver 22 which made him compare himselfe with them after this maner are they Hebrewes saith he so am I are they Israelites so am I are they the seed of Abraham so am I are they the Ministers of Christ I speake saith he as a foole I am more c. Thus the holy Apostle laughs at these seducers and vaine boasters and to make them more ashamed he compares himselfe with them not fearing to be counted a Jeerer and scorner of piety and religion though hee made himselfe merry with them whom he knew very well for all the shewes they made of being the Ministers of righteousnesse that they were a company of Impostors and therefore
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
two sconses and bulwarks of the same viz. The first that there were many congregations and assemblies of believers in the church of Jerusalem The second that all those severall congregations and assemblies were churches properly so called which when it comes to the main battell will be fully made good and withall it will be maintained that all those severall congregations made all of them but one Church and were all of them combined together and subordinate to one Presbytery that is to a Colledg of Presbyters who by Gods own appointment had the rule over them committed to them in common by all which the doctrine of the Congregationall way is utterly overthrown whose tenent and opinion it is that every Congregation of beleevers be it greater or smaller ought to be a distinct Church or body by it self exercising all Church power and authority within it self Independent and ought not to have reference or relation to any other church or congregation for matter of government no farther then pleaseth themselves and this they affirme to be Gods Ordinance and Constitution whereas in the Church at Ierusalem the Mother-church there were innumerable Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers and yet all of them made up but one Church For those severall congregations as the Burtonian Independents do affirme were but branches of that one entire Church these are their words By all which it now appeareth that it is Gods Ordinance and his Appointment that many congregations combined together in any city or vicinity within some Precinct should all of them within that jurisdiction make up but one Church and be under a Colledg of Presbyters to be governed by them in common which is indeed a meer ecclesiasticall Corporation and therefore this kind of government might without any offence or diviation from the holy Word of God be compared by me to any civill Corporation as that of London or the like For though I. S. and my brother Burton spend much time and many words to no purpose about my simile yet it will stand for ever immoveable and serve to all intelligible Christians for that very end I propound it viz. to declare the state of the question yea by I. S. his own words pag the fourth of his Pamphlet it is authorized for he there after much babble thus expresseth himself concerning this point when saith he we know the true nature of spirituall things of the devices of God as I may call them we may find a resemblance of them in things here below which are made after them but we cannot fetch the knowledg of heavenly composures from these earthly things Thus J. S. speaks there So that I having from the holy Word of God and from the constitution of the Church at Jerusalem the first true formed Church and originall Church found out the true nature of that spirituall and ecclesiasticall government that heavenly composure and that device of God as he grollishly calleth it it was then no sin in me in I. S. his opinion to find a resemblance of it in things below And therefore both he himselfe and my brother Burton might have saved all that labour they needlesly spent about that simile which will ever stand good against whatsoever they shall be able to say against it for the elucidating and cleering of the point of difference between the Presbyterians and the Independents which was the onely end I made use of it for and there fore all the pudder they made about that simile was but to beat the aire and to vent their own vanity But from all this dispute that I may now speak something concerning Nationall Churches which the Independents deny I farther gather That if many hundred Congregations being combined together under one Presbytery in any great City or Vicinity within any large Jurisdiction may all of them make up but one Church within that Precinct and may take its name or denomination from the City or place in which it is I see no reason why a thousand Parishes yea ten thousand all of them imbracing the Gospell and making profession of the true Christian Religion in what Kingdome Nation Province Country or Commonwealth soever they be may not all of them in those severall Countries being all of them combined together and under some grand Presbyteries take their severall names and denominations either from those respective nations or languages and be called either the Greek Church or the Hebrew Church or the Latin Church or the French Church or the Dutch Church c. or be called the Church of England Scotland Ireland or or such a Provinciall Church or such a Nationall Church I say I see no reason why if all those severall Nations coming in at the sound of the Gospel and all of them giving up their names to the profession of the Christian faith may not as well from those severall Nations take the name of the Church from the Nation as they may take it from Jerusalem or from any other City as that of Corinth Ephesus c. and so become Nationall churches I desire therefore any man to give me a good and solid reason to the contrary for this I am sure of that it was promised unto Abraham that he should be a Father of many Nations which he was not in respect of his naturall posterity for he was onely in that regard a Father of the Hebrews who challenged Abraham to be their Father and therefore it must necessarily be in respect of their faith and spirituall parentage in that they are all of them his children in regard of their common faith and beleif in the Messiah whose day Abraham by faith saw and rejoyced in it which all the Nations of beleevers do and therefore they likewise in that respect are called the children sons and daughters of Abraham and may therefore be truly called Nationall Churches which all the Independents with my brother Burton and I. S. deny for Christ is called the light of the Gentiles yea there are many glorious promises concerning the calling of the Nations and Gentiles as that in Isaiah 19. ver 23 24. where it is said In that day shall there be a highway out of Aegypt to Assyria and the Assyrian shall come into Aegypt and the Aegyptian into Assyria and the Aegyptians shall serve with the Assyrians In that day shall Israel be the third with Aegypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land Here all these three Nations are called three sister Churches if we mark the coherence And for farther proof of Nationall Churches under the Gospell it is said Isaiah 55. 5. Thou shalt call a Nation which thou knowest not and Nations which knew not thee shall run unto thee which words are spake of Christ under the Gospell in the which is set down both Gods Call of a Nation and the Nations Answer to that Call and there can be no more required to make a Church And it is prophecyed of Gospell times Psal 22. 27.
Councell and the people were to make a new choyse For my own particular I will speake my conscience in this point and leave it to the judgement of all intelligible and wise men such as love their Religion and Countrey I see no reason that any Sectary whatsoever whether Independent Antinomian Anabaptist Seeker c. or any Fugitives that have ran over into Holland or New-England to set up new Churches there should be suffered to sit in the Great Councill of the Kingdome which without doubt will with al their ability and power labour to maintaine their severall factions all which tend to the ruineâ—of this State and Kingdom and to the destruction of all our liberties and therefore I conceive they are as dangerous as ever the Papists were yea the tenents of many of them are more destructive to all Government then ever those of the Iesuits were or the most inveterate Papist that ever yet put pen to paper and if the Papists were not suffered to sit in Parliament I shall ever beleeve it will not consist with the safety of the Land that any Sectary what ever should sit in the great Councell especially it being daily perceived that all the Sectaries through the land have their incouragement from some of them to doe mischiefe every where but if the people through the Kingdom will not humbly perition the Parliament that all such with all Minors and Novices should be put out of the Parliament it being proclamed by God himselfe as a curse to that people who have children for their Princes Isa 3. whether they be children in respect of years or discretion then it is a sad presage of that kingdoms and countries ruin where the people are not only divided amongst themselves but their councels also which they are through the whole land in all their Committees by reason of these Sectaries and Independents on all sides who are the only fomenters of factions and divisions and by this meanes have got all the wealth and riches of the Land into their own hands with most of the strength with the ruine and miseries of many The Lord open the eyes of all the people that they may timely see into their danger and petition the Great Councell that all the Sectaries may be removed out ofall offices and Committees and places of trust through the Kingdome But if any of them shall brag of any service done for the State it is well knowne they were not the only Actors in that imployment but ten to one better Christians then themselves did the worke though they have got all the honour from them and have beene ever well paid for it when the other wanted their monies and therefore they having bin so well regarded already above others they may hold their peace and be latisfied for it is well knowne that not one of a thousand of them before the warres begun was worth any thing yet now they are knowne to be very rich and wealthy when such as were borne to great estates and were as serviceable to the Parliament and faithfuller to it with fewer selfe ends then they have beene are many of them destitute of Livelyhood and many more of them by the calumnies and lyes of the Independents and Sectaries are now in disgrace and all their service is forgotten all the which things besides the dangerousnesse of these mens Doctrines should teach all men to avoid and shun both their teachings and teachers and complices and abetters This I thought fit out of my love to my countrey and out of my desire of all mens salvation to speake If my words shall find any esteeme or any shall for sake the errors of their new wayes by seeing the truth I shall rejoyce and count my selfe happy but if men resolve to persist in their erroneous opinions and by-paths of ignorance I will say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 38. He that is ignorant let him be ignorant still THE Vtter Routing of the whole Army of all the INDEPENDENTS and Sectaries with the totall overthrow of their Hirarchy that new Babell more groundlesse than that of the Prelates THe Apostle Saint Paul in the fourth of the Ephesians exhorting all Christians to walk worthy of the Vocation whereunto they were called and to behave themselves as beseemed Brethren wisheth them with all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering and patience to bear one with another in love And useth a forceable Argument to move them to brotherly kindnesse Because saith he there is but one body and one spirit and one hope of Salvation We all worship one God we are all consecrated to him with one Baptisme and we all hope for one and the self-same glory Therefore as there is but one Lord one faith one Baptisme so be yee also of one minde live in love and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace If ever there was need of this exhortation there is now singular use of it especially in this distracted Nation wherein we live For the division of a Kingdom is the ruine of it the division of a family destroys it the division between brethren brings a confusion amongst them It hath ever bin observed That diversity of judgment opinion hath made a difference in affection The difference between the Iews and the Samaritans in points of Religion made the Disciples desire That fire might come down from heaven to end that controversie The difference between us and the Papists and the diversity of opinions between us made them because they could not bring down fire from heaven fetch it out of hell to blow up the Parliament and because that had not the desired effect and the diversity of opinion stil remaining makes the difference of their affection from us so great that nothing can expiate their indignation against us but the utter internetion and destruction of us all and this and this only next unto our own sins is the cause of all those fatall calamities this miserable kingdome is now imbroyled with And therefore all care and diligence among brethren should be used to get a right understanding one of another and to move them to bear one with another and ever to call to minde the saying of Abraham to Lot Gen. 13. Let not us contend together for we are brethren I am most assured if there were a right understanding of the differences that are now among brethren there could not be such bitter expressions one against another and such alienation of affection as is now too frequent and too well known to the common enemy We are commanded If it be possible as much as lies in us to be in in peace with all men Rom. 12. 18. And the fruits of discord are set down in the 5 th of the Galathians verse 15. If saith the Apostle ye bite and devoure one another take heede yee be not consumed one with another and in the 20. verse Hatred saith the Apostle varience emulation strife heresies c. and
envyings are of the flesh and they that do such things shall not enter into the Kingdome of God A double misery follows those that do these things misery here and misery hereafter it excludes men out of heaven The contemplation of the sad condition that will inevitably come upon that Land Kingdome and Church where those variances and heart-burnings are and where there is such diversity of opinions and by reason of them such difference in affection put me chiefely upon this imployment to see and try if by any possible meanes I could by shewing wherein the difference between the brethren lyeth be an instrument of a good accord amongst them resolving with my self by Gods assistance whatsoever others do to observe to the uttermost of my abilities the royall Law Jan. 2. 8. I do conceive that if there were a right understanding one of anothers opinions the world would wonder there should be such invectives in every pamphlet one against another and such varience among those that are joyned together and that with nighest relations The truth is the mis-understanding of each others opinions and the mis-prisian of each others intentions is the onely cause of this diversity of affection which to the dishonour of God and of our holy profession and indeed to the disgrace of Christian Religion every where too much venteth it selfe And therefore as Abraham said unto Lot so say I to all those that love the truth in sincerity and wish the Peace of Zion Let not us contend especially with evill language for we are brethren we have one father we worship one God we have one light one truth one way And this I professe to all the world That I contend not for victory but for that ancient light the faith once delivered unto the Saints Iude 3. For that truth which we have heard from the beginning 1 Iohn 2. ver 14. for the old way verse 6. The way the truth and the life Ioh. 14. and for the honour of that Church against which the gates of hell can never prevaile in the which there are all those undeceiveable marks as are able for ever to declare her to be built upon the foundation of Peter in which the Gospell of Jesus Christ is purely and sincerely both preached and beleeved and where the Sacraments are rightly administred and in the which there is the true invocation of God and all other requisites that make her a true Church and from which there is no just cause of separation That I have dedicated this Treatise to no man nor sought the patronage of any Authority no mortall creature I presume will blame me knowing my Reasons For writing in defence of the Prerogative Royall of Kings against Papall Usurpation I dedicated my booke unto the King of great Britaine France and Ireland supposing my selfe safe under his protection whose honour and imperiall dignity I maintain but all men know what misery to the ruine of me my wife and many small children came upon me by it through the power and exorbitant authority of the Prelates so that for my duty and Loyalty to the King I had a prison for my reward and the scornes and contumelies of the world to comfort me in it And when I most humbly petitioned his highnesse complaining against the injustice done me and most submissively supplicated his Majesty who was the Caesar to whom only I could then appeal that he would be pleased to grant me one of these humble requests either That his Majesty would be pleased but for one houre to give me a hearing of my just defence or if that could not be granted That at lest he would then grant me that liberty in his Kingdome that he denyed not to Crows and Kites and other Vermine that I might provide for my young ones and if his highnesse would not be pleased to condescend unto either of the former just demands That then he would give me leave to depart the Kingdom and to go into any other Country where I might enjoy my Liberty and provide for my poore distressed family I am most assured there was never a more equall Petition put up to any Prince in the world yet his Majestie vouchsafed not to yeeld unto any of these my requests nor to any other Petition put up either by my poor distressed wife or calamitous children so that without any wrong unto his Majesty I may truely say That Paul found more favour from a Heathen Roman Caesar then I had from a Christian King the defender of the faith After I saw all possibility of releefe was now taken from me I writ my Apology to the Bishops themselves discovering unto them their unjust proceedings in their Courts and their unrighteous dealings towards my selfe and gave them my reasons of all I spake without any offensive language and without any perturbation of Spirit and Dedicated this my Booke to the Lords of his Majesties Privy Councell expecting ayde and reliefe from them and indeed I had no hope of succour from any other nor knew none to whom I could better apply my selfe earnestly imploring their patronage but they as it is well knowne of Patrons became my unjust Judges and after they had made me a spectacle to Men and Angells and exposed me to the scorne and ludibry of the world sent me into banishment where I lived a living death and a dying life and suffered such intolerable misery of all sorts as would exceed beliefe to relate and I am most confident if all the particulars were truly known the world never heard the like and there I had ended my dolefull life had not God of his infinite mercy called this Parliament and put into their hearts to redeem me from my captivity for the which incomparable favour I do as of duty I am ever bound professe my selfe to the last drop of my blood to be their servant in the Lord and in all their most just and honourable imployments I hope with all fidelity to answer to the expectation of the world and shall in life and death shew my selfe to be one that without all by-respects shall ever aime at the glory of God the honour of them and my Country and the common good of all and shall never by Gods assistance do any thing in their concernment that shall be unbeseeming a Man and a Christian Now because by my sad experience I found that I could neither from King nor Nobles have protection I resolved never any more in Gods matters to shroud my self under any covert but Divine Providence and that I with an assured confidence promise my self especially when I now maintain the prerogative royall of the King of Saints King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ Who is our Lawgiver upon whose shoulders the government of his Church is laid who is the wonderfull Counseller the Prince of peace whose dignity and royalty in all this dispute between me and Mr. Walter Mountague I have to the uttermost of my power maintained under the
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
Epistle to the Hebrews ch 13. 7. Remember saith he them that have the rule over you who have spake unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation And vers 17. Obey saith he them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give an account c. And in vers 24. Salute all them saith he that have the rule over you and all the Saints Here againe he injoynes all the Churches to yeild obedience and to submit themselves unto the government of the Presbyterie shewing them that it is their place to obey and for their Ministers to rule and that so long as they command in the Lord they out of conscience ought to obey them and that for a double reason For they watch saith he for your souls and they must also give an account of their stewardship And in 1 Peter 5 1 2 3. The Presbyters that are among you saith Saint Peter I exhort who am also a Presbyter and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed feed the flock of God which is among you taking the over sight thereof not by constraint but willingly c. neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the flock And Saint James chap. 5. ver 14. Is any among you sick saith he let him call for the Presbyters of the Church He doth not say of the Churches but of the Church So that the Presbyterian government was in every Church and every Church was to submit it self unto the Presbytery And in Acts 15. it is said that Paul and Barnabas went up to the Apostles and Presbyters c. And when they came to Ierusalem they were received of the Church it is not said of the Churches but of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters c. and Verse 6. And the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of the matter c. and Vers 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and wrote Letters by them after this manner The Apostles and Presbyters and Brethren And Acts 21. 17. And when we were come to Ierusalem saith Saint Luke the Brethren received us gladly And the day following Paul went in with us in to Iames and all the Presbyters were present From all which places and many more which might be produced it is most clear and evident that in all Cities there was a Presbytery and that the Presbyters had the power of order namely of preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which was ever to be exercised with others and not alone and that consisted in admitting of members and in conventing men before them upon occasion in admonishing if any offended in suspending them from the holy Communion till reformation or amendment and if they continued obstinate and incorrigble in excommunicating and casting of them out of the Church and upon repentance in receiving of them in again and in ordaining of Officers and in appointing the times of meeting and the places where And within these limits as I conceive is all the power given to the Presbyters terminated and this they are by Gods Ordinance joyntly and by the common-counsell of Presbyters to exercise and it peculiarly belongeth unto them and therefore the Presbyterian government was the order of ruling and governing all Churches that God himself established and is to be continued unto the end of the world neither do I ever read that the people or the congregations were joyned with them in their commission or had any power given them of ruling For Saint Paul professeth of himself in 1 Cor. 14. 37. that whatsoever he writ in his Epistles Were the Commands of the Lord. And the same may be said of all the other Apostles Now Paul writ to Titus that the Churches in all Cities should be governed by a Presbytery And in the first Epistle to Timothy he commands Timothy again and again in chap. 5. vers 21. and in chap. 6. v. 12 13. I give thee charge in the sight of God saith he That thou keep this Command without spot unblameable till the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Here Timothy and all Ministers in him are to the end of the world bound to maintain that government unblameable that was appointed by the Apostles and that was the Presbyterian government and the ruling of all Churches by joynt consent and a common counsell or Colledge of Presbyters so that nothing ought to be done or transacted of publick concernment without their joynt and mutuall accord or agreement and common consent of the Presbytery And therfore when Diotrephes assumed unto himself and his particular congregation a power and authority to rule according to his will and pleasure without the consent of the Presbytory opposed Iohn the Presbyter he sharply reproves his proceedings and signifies to the Church Epist 3. That when he came he would remember his words and teach him how to prate against the Presbytery with malicious words For he saith S. Iohn contenteth not himself only to prate maliciously against us but he will not receive his brethren nor suffer others but casteth them out of the Church which is an evill thing in him saith Saint Iohn But for you saith he speaking to the Church follow not that which is evill but that which is good It was evill in him to assume unto himself alone and his particular Congregation that power that belonged unto the colledge or councell of Presbyters and was to be moderated and exercised onely by the conjoynt and common consent of the Presbytery For God had appointed that his Church should be governed by a Presbytery and Diotrephes would have his Congregation Independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it self Which saith Saint Iohn is an evill thing So that I cannot but wonder our brethren the Independents should call Diotrephes the Patriarch of the Presbyterians as one of them did to me not long since whereas if the place be duâ—ly weighed and considered it will appear that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian Govenment and for the which he was by Saint Iohn sharply reproved and in him all that follow his steps and will not submit themselves to the Presbytery which is Gods Ordinance and that will not receive the brethren into the Churches but upon their own termes and conditions But of this businesse when I come to the second Question In the mean time I must here make reply to what Mr Knollys by way of Answer hath to say to this Argument drawn from Diotrephes his practise which was occasioned as I related before by reason of a discourse between me and an Independent who affirmed That Diotriphes was the patriarch of all the Presbyterians which opinion of his Mr Knollys doth seem to favour as by his words may appear but I hope to make the contrary
more evident then yet it hath been viz. That Diotrephes was the primate of the Independents and of all those of the congregationall way But first I will set down Mr Knollys his words at large to take away all occasions of their calumniating tongues who ordinarily use to say That we keep from the world their Arguments that we may the better delude the people and hold them in ignorance His words therefore by way of answer to that Argument are these Now let the reader judge saith he whether the Doctor be not much mistaken in his commentary exposition and application of this place of Scripture And let me give you to understand that Saint Iohn saith verse the 9. I wrote unto the Church But seeing no mention is made of any particular congregation how can the Doctor so confidently affirme that it was his particular congregation Now the reader may see plainly that the Doctor can expound those brethren and their Elders or Presbyters which the Scripture calls a Church to be a particular congregation And what it was which Saint Iohn had written to the Church is not in this Epistle nor in any other Scripture delcared except it was to receive those brethren which he saith ver 8 ought to be received and ver 10 whom Diotrephes would not receive how then doth the Doctor say that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe which belonged unto the Colledge and Councell of Presbyters without whose joynt and mutuall agreement and common consent nothing ought to be done or transacted of publike concernment is the receiving of brethren or casting out of brethren a power which belongs to a colledge of Presbyters and neither the one nor the other may be transacted by the Elders and Brethren of a particular congregation unlesse the Court or common-councell of Presbyters conjoyntly consent unto it Let it be also considered that D otrephes opposed the brethren and forbad them that would have received those who Saint John saith vers the 8. we ought to receive yea and cast them out verse 10. of the Church to wit excommunicate them Doth it hereby appear that Diotrephes would have his congregation Independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it selfe No but Diotrephes would lord it over the Church and have the preeminency above his brethren whether fellow-Elders or fellow Saints Diotrephes loving the primacy amongst them he would be the Primate and Metropolitan of the Church and have the preeminency of all the Presbyters in it and brethren of it The Doctor could have urged this Scripture against the domineering Prelates and why should he marvell that his brethren should now urge it against the Court of Presbyters It is confest that Diotrephes did that which was evill in usurping authority over the Church and those brethren he cast out of the Church But that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian government or that he did affront a Court or common councell of Presbyters it is more then I know or the Doctor can prove For had Diotrephes done so why was he not convented before them Surely the Apostle Saint Iohn would rather have written to the colledge of Presbyters if there were any such then to the Church or in writing to the Church would tather have sent him a summons to appear at some consistory before the Court and common-councell of Presbyters then to warne them to take heed of hiâ— evill that they did not follow it And doubtlesse St John would have writen thus Diotrephes loves to be a Primate amongst you wherefore when the Presbytry that is to say the Magistracy or Signiory of grave solid learned religious and wise Divines and Ministers come to keep order and meet together in a Court and common-councell I will remember his deeds and informe or complain to the Court and common-councell of Presbyters that he prates against us the Presbyters with malicious words But the Apostle Saint Iohn did not know any Court or Common-councell of Presbyters neither Classicall nor Synodicall to appeal unto Nor can the Doctor make good those appeals he mentioneth page 10 to be according to the Scripture of truth to wit that every particular man as well as any assembly or congregation may have their appeals to the Presbytry of their Precinct hundred or division under whose jurisdictions they were and if they found themselves wronged there that they have appeals to some other higher Presbytry or Councell of Divines for releefe and justice I only aske the Doctor how he can prove those appeals by Scripture and if he could whether that higher Presbytry or councell of Divines especially if they may say the Holy Ghost and wee be not as Independent as these brethren and their churches against whom the Doctor hath written And if so then such a high Presbytry or councell of Divines is not Gods Ordinance by the Doctors own confession and affirmation Therefore the Apostle writes to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a Member and an Elder whom he knew had power to judge him as well as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and therefore might as warantably admonish Diotrephes as the Church of Colosse might Archipus Coloss 4. 17. And if nothing of publike concernment ought to be done or transacted without the joynt and mutuall accord or agreement and common consent of the Presbytry Iohn the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farr as to take upon himselfe this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults and to say he would remember him and sharply reprove him and teach him to prate against the Presbytry with malicious words which belonged unto the Court and common-councell of Presbyters But I shall have a just occasion to say more touching this matter in the answer unto the third question and therefore passing by the objection with his answer mentioned page 19. to the 29. unto its due place I shall desire seriously to consider the Doctors proof of his first proposition which he laboureth first by producing such Scriptures as he conceiveth make for the manifestation of the truth and from thence frames and formeth his arguments Thus Mr Knollys in way of reply speaketh to my argument concerning Diotrephes and of his intention what he will do in the insuing discourse to all the other arguments I have here set down his words at large omitting only the greek and latin texts which he School-boy-like scribleth to little other purpose than to shew his own vanity and to perswade the ignorant people that he is some-body in the Greeke and Latine tongue which kind of learning notwithstanding the most of his fraternity generally despise and contemne I have therefore omitted them especially having learned this lesson from Saint Paul 1 Cor. chap. 13. vers 19. rather to speak five words to the understanding of the people that I might teach others then ten thousand words in an unknown
tongue And truly unlesse there be some controversie concerning the Interpretation or about the text as there is not here I conceive it the greatest folly in the world writing in the vulgar tongue and for the common benefit of all men to insert sentences either of Greek or Latin except very varly for it but pudders the reader that is not skilled in the languages neither do we finde that it was the custome either of the holy Prophets or any of the ancient Greek or Roman fathers in all their Writings or Sermons to use any but their vulgar tongue without it were very seldom and that with interpretation I say therefore those flashes being excepted I have punctually set down all that he had to say against any of my arguments both here and every where that neither he nor any of his party may complain that I had not set down their words in their full strength and so might fall into the same condemnation with him who hacketh and minseth my arguments at pleasure picking and choosing what he thinks himself best able to deal with either wholly omitting the other or slighting of them which is the ordinary method both of Mr Knollys J. S. and my brother Burton and all the Independents wherein they deal not fairly with me nor ingenuously nor candidly with the people for in so doing they delude them and meerly play the juglers This large discourse of Master Knollys if it be well weighed hath but little substance in it it consisting of absurdities and contraditions and flat denyalls of that which he often granteth In breife if the reader will but duly consider every passage of his answer with whathe grants in the third and the 11. pages of his pamplet he will speedily perceive that whiles he labours to confute others he gives a fatall blow to his own cause and overthrowes that opinion which both he and all those of the congregationall way labour to maintaine and withall by the examination of the particulars he will the better discerne into the futility of Master Knollys and the vanity of those of his party that beleeve take every word of his for an Oracle though it be never so distructive totheir own cause The sum of this his answer is this that I am mistaken in my comentary exposition and application of this place of Scripture These are his words It will not be amisse therefore in the first place to take notice what he denyeth in his answer and what he affirmeth with the reasons of both that the reader may the more easily perceive the vanity of error and the force and efficacy of truth First he denyeth that Diotrephes would have had an absolvte jurisdiction within himself and have had his Congregation independent and that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian Government or that he had any particular congregation He deneyeth also that Saint Iohn knew any Court or Common counsell of Presbyters either Classicall or Synodicall to appeale to his time The reasons of his denyals are these First because saith he there is no mention made of any particular congregation Diotrephes had Secondly it is not declared what it was that Saint Iohn had writ unto the Church in his Epistle nor in any other Scripture except it were to receive those brethren which Diotrephes would not receive and therfore how saith God can the Dâ— affirme that Diotrephes asmed theypower to himself which belonged unto the Colledge and councell of Presbyters c and to prove that Diotrephes was not the first that opposed the Presbyterian government he saith had he done so then he should have been convented before them which he was not and therefore he did not oppose a Court or common Councell of Presbyters Besides Saint Iohn would then have wrot rather to the Colledge of Presbyters if they had been any such than to the Church or in writing to the Church would rather have sent him a summons to appeare at some Consistory than to warne them to take heede of his evill that they did not follow it and doubtlesse he would have written thus Diotrephes loves to be a Primate amongst you therefore when the Presbytery comes to keepe order and to meet together in a Court common Councell I will remember his deeds and informe and complaine to the Court that he prats against us with malicious words Now when neither of this was done by the Presbytry nor by Saint Iohn it is manifest that Diotrephes did not oppose the Presbytry and that Saint Iohn then knew not of any Court or common councell of Presbyters either Classicall or Synodicall to appeale to in his time And then in the third place he putteth me upon the proofe of those appeales I made mention of page 10. affirming that I cannot make them good And in the last place he afferteth that Saint Iohn wâ—it to the Church and particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a member and that that congregation had power to judge of him and the reason of this his assertion is because saith he this Church had the same power over Diotrephes that the Church of Corinth and that of Colosse had over their members Having thus briefly set down what Master Knollys both denies and affirmes with the reasons of each I shall now answer to every severall branch in order and if I be the more large in my reply I crave pardon in regard it is not only a businesse of publicke concernment and about the principle question now in debate but that it will give the more light to the wholo following discourse For answer therefore to his reason of my mistake in my commentary exposition and application of that place of Scripture viz that there is no mention made of any particular congregation that Diotrephes had I say there was no neede of making any mention of it For if there were many Presbyters in all the Primative and Apostolicall churches and in that Church by name in which Diotrephes was Presbyter as it is evident out of all the places above quoted as out of the 14. of the Acts and the 15. and 20. and 21. of the same booke and the Epistle of Paul to Tit. Chap. 1. ver 5. and the 1. Epist oâ— Pet. chap 5. ver 1. 2. 3. and the 13. of the Heb. and Saint Iames the 5. and the 3. Epistle of Saint Iohn which Master Knollys himself acknowledgeth and if it be also apparently evident from all those severall Scriptures as it is that those Presbyters were fixed with in their particular jurisdictions with a speciall charge given them in common to looke unto the flocks committed unto their charge and to feede the Church of God which he had redeemed with his precious blood which word feede includes the Keys to wit the power of order and preaching and the authority of jurisdiction and rule and from the which charge they were not to depart as too too many of the Independent Ministers now amongst us dayly do
his own words by which he consenâ—s to that I had written to be true to wit that all the Churches of the New Testament were all Aristocratically to be governed that is that all the particular congregations under the severall Presbyters were to be moderated and regulated Communi consilio Presbyteram so that if every Congregat on and particular assembly then the pastor and Elder also of that congregation as being but a chieâ—e member of it is to be ordered and governed by the joynt and common councell of the whole colledge of Presbyters and that by Mr Knollys his own concession from which grant of his I shall now likewise deduce these ensuing conclusions which will necessarily follow out of his words and all of them fatall to his own principles and to the opinion of those of the congregationall way The first that the people are wholly excluded from Government in the Church for saith he It is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in Government of the Churches in which they were Elders So that the people and Church though presbyterated as they speak have not the government in their hands as indeed they have not as never having received the Keyes nor never having been made stewards of the Church nor joyned in Commission with the Elders and therefore they can never either receive in members or cast out offenders for all these are acts of Government and belong onely to the Rulers of the Church whom the people are ever to obey in the Lord as he granteth and by this he overthrows all that which afterward he affirms that the Church or Congregation of which Diotrephes was an Elder had power over him and this is the first conclusion that of necessity followeth out of Mr Knollys his words but more of this in the sequell of this discourse The second conclusion that follows out of his words is this That the Government was not put into the hands of any one Elder with his Congregation but into the hands of many Elders that is into the hands of the whole Presbytery to wit the Court or Colledge of Presbyters so that they and they only joyntly and together had the power both to question convent and censure for M. Knollys saith It is not denyed by the brethren but that the Presbyters in al churches were the men in the government according to that of S. John If I come I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us So that whosoever shall Diotrephes like indeavour to alter this government and assume it to themselves from the other Elders and from the Presbyters or to invest the people with it or joyn them in commission with the Elders or to arrogate unto themselves or to their particular congregations an absolute jurisdiction within themselves and an Independency from them and shall go about to disgrace and prate against the Presbyters and labour to bring them into the hatred of the people and shall take this liberty at pleasure to cast out whom they will out of their congregations or to bring in whom they please upon their owne tearmes and conditions and exercise an absolute Lordly Dominion amongst themselves over their congregations and the severall members in them all such are guilty of Diotrephes his sinne and offend in like manner and are equally to be blamed as assumers unto themselvs of that power which only belongeth to the presbytery now when all the Independents are guilty of this crime they may justly with Diotrephes be censurd and this is the second conclusion that necessarily followeth from Mr. Knollys his words The third is this that there were many congregations in all the primitive churches and yet made all of them within their severall precincts and jurisdictions but one church for so it was here in the church that Saint Iohn writeth unto where there were many Elders as Master Knollys confesseth in the which every Elder had his particular congregation as well as Diotrephes for they were no way inferiour to him so that if he had his particular congregation they each of them severally had their congregations likewise and yet they were all of them to be governed and ruled communi consilio presbyterorum which kind of government Diotrephes opposing or refusing obedience unto and affecting a Supremacy and jurisdiction to himselfe and his congregation independent from the presbytery was justly blamed by the Apostle Saint Iohn in that he prated against the presbyters with malicious words So that by all that I have now said these three positions are clearely manifest which Master Knollys denyeth viz the first That Diotrephes had a particular congregation The second that he affected an absolute jurisdicton within himselfe and to have his congregation independent and that he was the first that opposed the presbyterian government for we never read of any that prated malicious words against the Presbyterie before The third that the church that Saint Iohn writ unto was governed by the common counsell of the Presbytery at that time and that Saint Iohn did then acknowledge a Court and common councell of Presbyters both Classicall and Synodicall to appeale unto all which Master Knollys notwithstanding doth peremptorily deny But for the fuller elucidation of the truth I will first make all these propositions good from Master Knollys his own words in this his answer and then I will prove those severall appeales I made mention of page 10. and after that evidently evince that the people and congregation in any Church have not power to judge their Ministers and that it is a meare babble in M. Knollys to say that if nothing of publicke concernment were to be done without the joynt consent of the Presbytery that then Saint Iohn the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farre as to take upon him this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults c. all these things I will methodically handle and then go on to answer whatsoever Master Knollys hath to say to all my other arguments in their due places And for proofe that Diotrephes had a particular congregation which Master Knollys saith there was no mention of waving the reasons above specified from that nigh relation that is betweene a Pastor and a flocke which is so much urged by all the Independents I say waving all those reasons I will make use of Master Knollys his owne words for it may be he will beleeve himselfe and perhaps his Disciples and followers and those of the congregationall way will give more credit to him whom they accompt very learned then to any thing I can produce out of the holy Scripture and if they will duly consider and ponder his expression they will then perceive not only his errors but how palpably he everywhere contradicteth himselfe and woundeth their cause and everteth their opinion whiles he laboureth with all his power to maintaine and defend it Diotrephes saith he opposed the brethren and forbad them
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
therefore he doth not again and again contradict himselfe and confirme my argument and fight against his own opinion I leave it to the judgement of the learned I shall also desire the reader seriously to consider with himselfe whether these words of Saint Iohn Wherfore if I come saith he I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words do not necessarily inferre that there was a Court and common-councell of Presbyters in that Church to appeal unto in Saint Iohns time For to what purpose otherwise should St. Iohn have said If I come I will remember his deeds if there had bin no power and authority in that Church to have called Diotrephes to an accompt and to have punished and censured him But saith Mr Knollys If Diotrephes had affronted the Court and common-councell of Presbyters why was he not convented before them Surely the Apostle and Elder Saint John would rather have writ to the Colledge of Presbyters if there had bin any such than to the Church and would rather have sent him a summons to appear at some Consistory and would have writ thus Diotrephes loves to be a Primate among you wherefore when the Presbytry come to keep order and to meet together in a councell I will remember his deeds and informe against him that he praâ—eâ— against us with malicious words but the Apostle did not know of any such Court or councell of Presbyters to appeal unto Thus Mr Knollys triflingly cavilleth As if Saint Iohn and the Presbyters had been all ignorant of their duty and as if in writing unto the Church Saint Iohn did not in that write to the Presbyters in it also as well as Christ writing unto the seven Churches and in sending unto them did not also write unto the Angels and Presbyters in them when we learne from all those Epistles and from the holy Scripture that the government of all those seven churches as of all the Apostolicall churches through the world lay only on the Presbyters shoulders which Mr Knollys also assenteth unto saying page 11. That it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they were Elders So that it cannot be denied but in his writting to the Church he writ unto the Presbyters principally who were the Officers in it and the cheife members of it and knew very well that there was a Court of Presbyters in that Church who would in convenient time have called Diotrephes to an accompt though Saint Iohn had never come thither but he signifying that when he came he would remember his deeds made them retard their proceeding against him for a time that he being a fellow-Presbyter with them as Peter was with those Presbyters he writs unto 1 Epistle Pet. chap. 5. might have the hearing of the cause amongst the other Presbyters all which sufficiently confirmeth that Saint Iohn did acknowledge a common councell of presbyters in that Church to appeale unto And therefore all Master Knollys his whibling questions are vaine and meerely to delude the people for what man is there so stupid or so unexperienced in matters of government or but understands the practice of our times in every corporation or Committee through the Kingdome that knowes not if any Alderman of any Corporation or any Commissioner of any Committee should affect a particular domination to himselfe over his fellow-Aldermen or Commissioners or over the people that were under their charge whenas they are by their charters and Commissions to governe their several corporations Hundreds Rapes Ridings or Wapentaks by the common consent and joynt counsell and aggreement of them all so that no order made without their combined authority or the joynt consent of them all or the major part of them should be binding and of force I say who doth not know that if any of those Aldermen or Commissioners contrary unto their Charter or Commission should not onely assume unto himself a particular power of ruling and ordering things by himselfe and of giving Lawes unto others and in bringing in or putting out either in the Corporation or Committee whom they pleased and should also use disgracefull words against their fellow-Aldermen or Commissioners that any either Alderman or Commissioner doing any of these things doth not oppose the Corporation Committee with the commissioners in them and by that offend against their government and deserveth thereby severely to be punished And who doth not likewise know that if either any of the Aldermen or any of the Commissioners should understand of this their disorderly carriage and should informe the Corporation or Committee of it by letters and say that when he came he would remember his deeds by these his expressions doth not acknowledge likewise that there is both in the corporation and committee a standing court in which there was power at all times for the punishing and censuring of any such offender I am most assured that he will so conclude that there is a court there and withall will say that this or that commissioners information doth no way impeach or hinder the proceedings of that court or minorise its power but that it may go on to censure such as shall offend against their authority if it can be proved by others though that commissioner that informed against him should not be present And even so it was in the Church Saint John writ unto it had a court and power within it selfe of proceeding against Diotrephes and would have used it against him whether S. Iohn had come or no although we may suppose that they did not proceed against him till Saint Iohn came yea I shall make it good out of Mr Knollys his words that there was a court in that church But by this I say it appeareth that Saint Iohn knew very well that there was a court or councell of Presbyters to appeal unto in his time in that church though Mr Knollys affirmeth the contrary peremptorily asserting that S. Iohn knew no such Court to appeal to and that I cannot prove any such appeals But it is ordinary with M. Knollys to confute the holy Scriptures and to contradict himself as he doth both here and in all other of his answers as in their due places we shall see For what Christian ever with deliberation did read the Scripture that can beleeve that St. Iohn could be ignorant that there was a court and Presbytry in every church when M. Knollys himself acknowledgeth it Without doubt Saint Iohn knew the government that was then established in all churches as well as Mr Knollys He could not be ignorant what government God had appointed established in every church which was a Presbytery as appeareth from all the places above quoted which was a Court to wit a company of officers in every church armed with power authority from God himself within their severall Presbytries to order rule and govern the people under
of Colosse and to all the other Apostolicall churches as Mr Knollys confesseth and laboureth to prove then these conclusions will necessarily follow from his argumentations The first that Saint Iohn could not be ignorant that there was a court and common-councell of Presbyters in that church to appeal unto for Mr Knollys saith that Saint John knew that that Church had power to judge Diotrephes and therefore in this contradicteth himselfe for in the sixth page he affirmed that Saint Iohn knew not any such court 2ly it follows that there was an Uniformity of government in all the Apostolicall and Primitive churches W ch wholy overthroweth the tenent of many of the Independents who hold the contrary so that one church had not one manner of government and another church another manner of government peculiar unto it selfe and distinct from the other but they were all governed alike by their severall Presbyteryes and had equall authority and power within their severall precincts as the church at Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth in all which there were many congregations and yet all of them made but each of them a particular church within their respective jurisdictions and were all to be governed by the joynt consent of there severall Presbytries And lastly that this order of government was to be perpetuated to the end of the world which when Saint Diotrephes laboured to violate in assuming it to himselfe and his congregation both hee and all these that follow his steps deserve severely to be punished for it as prevaricators against both precept and example of all well ordered churches and Christians And this shall suffice to have replyed by way of answer to what Mr Knollys had to say for proofe that Saint Iohn knew not of any Court or Common-councell of Presbyters either classicall or synodicall to appeal unto in his time And now I come to make good those appeals I made mention of page 10. which Mr Knollys thinketh a thing impossible for me to do to wit That every particular man as well as any assembly or congregation may have their appeal to the Presbytery of their Precinct Hundred or Division under whose jurisdiction they were and if they finde themselves wronged there then they have appeales to some other higher Presbytery or Councell of Divines for reliefe and justice These appeales Master Knollys saith I cannot make good to be according to the Scripture of truth although the having recourse by appeales from Inferiors to Superiors and from one Court to another is so evident by the very light of nature and approved of by the practice of all Nations and Churches in all ages and is also so apparent by the holy Scriptures both of the old and new testament as there is scarce any truth more obvious to all understanding men yet Master Knollys peremptorily asserteth that they cannot be made good out of the Scriptures of truth so that it is manifest to all men that be there any truth never so perspicuous he is resolved to beleeve nothing but what he conceiveth to be according to the Scripture of truth Therefore for the gratifying of Master Knollys and all such as with candour and ingenuity and without any prejudice shall reade the insuing lines I shall in this place adde something more fully and distinctly to that which I spake in the foregoing page for the proofe of those appeales I mentioned page 10. and sufficiently evince they are warranted by the Word of truth and for that purpose I shall first produce the authority of holy Scriptures and bring forth some Presidents out of the unerring word for the confirmation of the same and then I shall also ratifie the use of appeales by reasons and from the practice of all ages in all Nations And all this I shall the more willingly do in this place although it is done againe and againe in this treatise and onely because Master Knollys affirmeth that I cannot make good that appeales be according to the Scripture of truth And for proofe ofthis I will begin with that of our Saviour Matth. 13 vers 15. Wherefore saith he if thy brother shall trespasse against thee go and tell him of his fault betweene thee and him alone c. But if he heare thee not appeale higher to two or three more And if he shall neglect to heare them appeale yet higher tell it then unto the Church that is to the Court of Presbyters in that precinct So that from this place it is evident that appeales are warranted by the Word of truth for truth it self hath taught us the Doctrine of appeals And for Presidents of appeales there are many in the New-Testament to say nothing of the Old To begin with that in the 5. of the Acts which we finde recorded after Christ's ascension in the questioning of Ananias and Saphira whereas by conjoynt argrement it was appointed and ordered amongst them that all things should be common and that selling their possessions they should bring the price of them and lay it also at the Apostles feet which very expression signifieth and denoteth what great authority and power the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Jerusalem were then in and sufficiently declares that there was a Court there as all the carriage of that businesse doth abundantly prove I say therefore when they had made such an order by common consent and when it was found out that Ananias and Saphira his wife had not dealt faithfully in that businesse nor according to publike agreement but had consented together to deceive their brethren and by that had scandalized the Gospel the Church or people for the redressing of this abuse take not the matter into their owne hands nor challenge not any power unto themselves for the punishing of Ananias and Saphira as well knowing their place then and that the government did not belong unto them but to the Elders and Rulers over them they appeale therefore unto the Apostles and make their complaint unto them and exhibit their Articles against Ananias and Saphira as both guilty of the same crime whereupon they were convented before the Apostles as Delinquents Peter then being there president and chiefe judge and finding them guilty sentenced them both from God himselfe and punished them for their sinne with death by which we may take notice not onely of an appeale but that there was a standing Court of Presbyters in Jerusalem and that they had in it plenary power from Christ for the tryall and punishing of all offenders and of casting them out of the Church if Scandalous as well as the Church of Corinth and it stands with all reason for Jerusalem was the mother Church and therefore was inferior to none of the Daughter-Churches and to this Court of Presbyters were all appeales ever to be made by the people of that precinct as this one instance doth sufficiently declare And that other president in the 6. of the Acts where we have a second appeale upon an other publike
scandall which was the neglect of their widdowes in the daily Ministration where they applyed themselves unto the Apostles for the particular congregations assumed not the authority into their hands of redressing the abuse nor challenged not any right to the government but appealed unto the Apostles for remedy who ordered that whole businesse by joynt consent to which all the people willingly submitted themselves as it is at large to be seene in the sixt Chapter of the Acts. The third appeale we finde Acts the ninth where Paul assaying to joyne himself to the Disciples and they being afraid of him and doubting whether he were a beleever Saint Paul forth with appeals from them to the Apostles who he knew had the authority in their hands and making knowne his cause unto them they forthwith admitted him into Church-fellow-ship with them without the consent of the people who indeed had nothing to do either in the admitting of members of casting of them out and therefore they allowed of the appeale of Saint Paul to teach all men whether to fly to wit the to Presbytery if they be injured by the people or debard from any Church-priviledge by them for they only are the stewards of the Church and have the Keys of the kingdom of heaven to open and shut the doores to whom they shall thinke fit or unworthy and this is the place of the Presbyters and not of the people for they are injoyned to obey their guids and to submit themselves in the Lord to what they order and appoint according to the Word of God Here we have three presidents of appeales in the mother-mother-church of Ierusalem to the Presbytery upon any abuse so that by the mouth of their witnesses out of the word of truth this truth of appeales is sufficiently confirmed And that the Presbytery at Ierusalem had plenary power over the very Apostles and could call them at any time to an accompt is manifest from the eleventh of the Acts where Peter was convented questionedbefore them and was forced to give an accompt of his going in to the Gentiles and Preaching unto them which he willingly yâ—elded unto knowing it was their place to question any yea the Presbytery in every Church could send the very Apostles Ministers to Preach in any place or city or upon any Message as we see they sent Peter and Iohn to Samaria and the Church of Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas with other Ministers to the Presbytery of Ierusalem as is evident Acts the 14. and Acts 15. and therefore all these examples sufficiently prove that all the people of every Church made their appeales to their severall Presbyteries if there arose any controversies and abuses among themselves and if there arose any difference between Church and Church or betweene Presbytery and Presbyterie about any points of Doctrine or Religion then they made their appeales for the determining of those controversies to Councells and Synods as we may see it Acts the 15. and this is one of Gods Ordinances as the Independents themselves doe acknowledge So that for the Doctrine of appeales it is so cleare that all the learned and judicious cannot doubt of it and I am most assured that those that shall but with due deliberation seriously examine the Scriptures above quoted and those that follow in this discourse for the confirmation of the same truth will wonder that any man that pretends to learning as Master Knollys doth should ever dare say that appeales cannot be made good to be according to the Scripture of truth whereas there is almost no truth in the holy Scripture more cleare and evident than this of appeales Yea this method of dealing and manner of handling of businesses of publike offences and scandals and for the redressing of them is ratified by the very light and Law of nature as we may reade in all the governments under the very Heathens and Paul made use of it by appealing from inferiour Courts to Caesars tribunall And I shall never be brought by all the arte and wit of man to beleeve that Christ hath left his Church under the New Testament in a worse condition then it was under the old where we know they had appeales from one Court to another Nay if Christians now had not the liberty of appeales in matters of conscience and Religion they should be inferior to the Pagan nations and surely Christ hath not left his Church which is his Kingdom in a worse condition then either the Iewish or Ethnicke Kingdomes were and therefore by all reason besides the Testimony of Christ Matth. the 13. and besides the Presidents I produced out of the Word of God to confirme appeales the lawfulnesse of appeales is sufficiently established and ratified So that I hope that which I have now briefly set downe may satisfie any rationall man But before I go on to prove that the people or Church have not power to judge their Ministers which is the last thing I undertake to make good I must say something by way of answer to a vaine and frivolous cavill of Master Knollys which is this If the Doctor can prove these appeales saith he I aske him whether that higher Presbytery or Councell of Divines be not as Independent as the brethren and their Churches against whom the Doctor hath written and if so then such a high Presbytery or Councell of Divines is not Gods Ordinance by the Doctors own confession and affirmation The very reading of this fond cavill had been enough for the confutation of it to any solid man and truly had not I to deale with such a trifling creature as he is in serious businesse who compts every word he scribleth an oracle I would have passed by it with silence as being nothing to the question between us and as little to his purpose as all his other wrangling is except it be to declare to all men that he knoweth not his owne principles nor no good learning But for answer all such as know any thing in the controversie betweene us and the Independents know that it is my opinion and settled beleefe that all Churches and Councels are to depend upon the Word of God and to be ruled and ordered in all their proceedings and Governments according to the direction of the same an Angel from Heaven is not be heard that speaks not according to the written Word Gal. 1. and this Word hath directed us to the law and to the testimony Isay 8. and proclamed all men that speak not according to that to be in darknesse and therefore according to this my opinion no Church or Councell in the world is Independent and therfore all such Churches and Councels as have not either precept or example for their proceedings in the ordering and governing of them out of the Word of God but follow their own vaine and idle phantasies and affect Independency in my opinion they in so ordering their Churches do not according to Gods Ordinances Now when the
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
him up upon his throne but by this meanes they dis-throne him And therefore J. S. and all those of his fraternity that not onely unchristian and unchurch all those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Apostles before Christs death but at this day unchurch and unchristian all Christians and Churches but their own are guilty of high contumacy against the King of Saints and King of Kings and are most injurious to all their christian Brethren And truly there cannot be found scarse in the world such an example of temerity and unadvised rashnesse and want of charity and common wisdome as is every day to be observed amongst the Independents who are ever talking of a Church mould after the New Testament forme and excluding all from being true Churches that are not so moulded and yet never tell us what it is For in the holy Scripture we have never read of any other Church mould or of any New Testament forme but of publishing the Gospel and of preaching faith and repentance and of yeelding obedience unto it and of beleeving and repenting and being baptized which both John the Baptist and all Christs Disciples and the blessed Apostles and all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel had a commission to do and a command withall and a blessing annexed unto it that whosoever did repent beleeve and was baptized should not onely be admitted a visible member of the catholicke visible Church but should be saved The words of our Saviour Christ unto his Disciples Marke 16. ver 15 16. are these Go saith he into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Out of the which words and commission of our Saviour I evidently gather that when John the Baptist and Christs Disciples in their severall ministryes went according to their commission preaching from place to place and from city to city and publishing the glad tydings of the kingdom of the Messiah and baptizing such as beleeved they cast them into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and therefore made them all members not onely of the Catholique visible Church but of all those severall particular Churches and Synagogues through all the cities of Judaea and through the world where they preached the Gospel as well as at Ierusalem and that as many of Ierusalem as were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples were all members of that Church and as truly moulded into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and made as reall members and free denizons of Christs Kingdome as any of the new congregations at this day unlesse any will think and beleeve that John the Baptist and the blessed Apostles were ignorant how to gather Churches and nescient of the right mould and forme of the New Testament churches and had not learned their lesson so well as our Independent Ministers which were a piece of impiety and horrid wickednesse to affirme For then it would follow that those that were baptized by Iohn and by the Apostles and Christs seventy Disciples were never saved For I. S. denyes they were Christians and that they were cast into a church mould after the New Testament forme or members of the christian church and therefore by consequent they were in the state of damnation But if all this be wickednesse so much as to think then there is a way yet to Heaven and that a safe one which the Independents are ignorant of for they preach up their way as the narrow way to heaven proclaiming all those that are out of it to be enemies of Jesus Christ and his kingdome and in the state of perdition and yet Iohn the Baptist was ignorant of their way and cast not his Disciples into their mould and yet they went safely to the Kingdome of heaven yea they entred into it by violence as our Saviour speaketh And therefore by this that I have now said by way of answer all men may see the futility and impiety of I. S. and how groundlesse all his arguments are and may very well conclude That all those that were baptized by John the Baptist and by Christs Disciples before his death were members of Christs Church and true beleevers and that as many of them as came from Jerusalem were members of that church and they may also from the foregoing arguments gather That those that came out of Jerusalem to his baptism were in such multitudes for all Ierusalem went out unto him and were baptized as they could not all possibly meet in any one place or congregation or a few therfore I am confident that all those that shall read both what Mr Knollys and I. S. have fondly and impiously replyed to my arguments and what by way of answer I have here set down will adjudge that such unworthy wranglers and cavillers as these are ought by their severall Churches to be severely censur'd for this their ignorance and impiety And this shall serve to have replyed to these their exceptions against my first arguments concerning the multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist I shall answer to all their other severall cavills in their due places I will now therefore go on to shew the increase of beleevers that were made by the miracles and preaching both of Christ and his Apostles and from the severall places out of the holy Scripture frame my arguments as out of the former to prove the same conclusion John the 4. ver 1 2. Now when the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Iesus made and baptized more Disciples then Iohn though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples Here observe that where there was a mistake in the relation there the Evangelist forthwith shews it to rectifie mens understandings as where it was reported that Christ baptized he shewes it was a mistake for his Disciples onely baptized but where it is said that Iesus made more Disciples then Iohn that is taken pro confesso and it was true for Iohn himselfe in the 3. chapter ver 30. had said He must increase but I must decrease Christ therefore made many more Disciples and Beleevers then Iohn and added dayly to the church that was then in Jerusalem such as should be saved for he came to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel and he received all that came to him John the 6. 37. And as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve upon his name John 1. 12. And these were infinite multitudes as we shall see by and by In Iohn the 7. 31. it is said that many of the people of Ierusalem beleeved on him And verse the 40. they said of a truth this is that Prophet And in the same chapter when the high Preists sent the officers to apprehend Christ and returning without him and the high Priests demanding the reason why they had not brought him
wrought upon the Impotent Man who was knowne to all the people to have bin a Cripple from his Mothers wombe and through the powerfull preaching of Peter who exhorted them to repent and to be converted that their sinnes might be blotted out when the time of refreshing should come from the presence of the Lord c. It is said that many which heard the word believed and the number of those new Believers is there specified to be about five thousand men which were also added unto the Church and joyned to all the former Beleevers so that wee have here eight thousand new Members added unto the Church in a very little time and this was a greater Miracle then the former So that the Prophesie in the 110. Psalme verse 3. was now fulfilled That in the day of Christs power his willing people from the wombe of the morning should be multiplied as the Dew upon the Earth And which is not tobe passed by without due notice It is supposed by the best Interpreters and the most orthodoxe Writers and there is good reason for it that these new Converts were Men not Women and Children And without doubt these new Believers endeavoured to convert their Wives Children Servants and Neighbours and there is good reason also why wee should be induced to beleeve that Truth with such wonders and miracles annexed to it should be as prevalent to convert Women Children Servants and Neighbours and whole Families as errours and novelties in these our dayes are able to misleade those poore creatures that are ever learning and never come to knowledge and the which are carried about with every wind of doctrine and beleeve every new-borne truth as they terme it and follow every New Light and every new-found way though it tend to the confusion of the Church and Kingdome It is said of that man of Sin that Sonne of Perdition that hee shall come after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiveablenesse and unrighteousnesse in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thess 2. But to see people so deluded without Miracles is a Miracle So that those poore Women that are carried about with every wind of doctrine from that truth that was taught by Christ and his Apostles and confirmed by so many Miracles and those that doe and have mis-led them have all of them a great deale to answer for But this I speake by the way conceiving that all those new Converts would endeavour as the good Samaritan Woman did after her conversion not only to bring their Wives Children and Families but their Neighbours also and whole Cities to the same faith And I have that opinion also of all the Women and people of that Age that they were as ready to imbrace the truth as the Women and people of this Age and in these our times are to follow errors But let us now see what effects the other Miracles wrought upon the people that are related in the 5. C. as of Ananias Saphira his wife who for tempting the Spirit of God were both stricken downdead and gave up the Ghost and the other Miracles wrought by the Apostles It is said in Vers 11. That fear came upon all the Church and to as many as heard these things that to the rest viz. the Scribes and Pharisees the Maglinant party durst no man joyne himselfe And Believers were added unto the Lord multitudes both of men and women Here come in the good Women now And in Verse 26. it is said that the Captaine with the Officers brought the Apostles without violence for they feared the people least they should have stoned them It will not be amisse briefly to take notice of the severall effects these Miracles wrought Thefirst is That great fear of offending God came on all the Church Gods own people which notwithstanding of the many additions of Believers is called still but one Church The second That none durst joyne themselves to the contrary party the Pharisaicall malignant crew The third That Believers were added to the Church and that multitudes no small companies both of Men and Women Here is a new increase and that a great one The fourth is that the very Captain and Officers were awed and kept in feare by reason of the multitude of Believers so that those that feared not God were afraid of his servants By which it may be gathered That the party of Believers did ballance the number of the incredulous and Pharisacall party if not by far exceed them And therefore by all probability must needs be an innumerable company and a mighty multitude and such a number as could not all meet in any one place or congregation to partake in all the Ordinances And to say nothing of the diversity of Tongues and Languages which were not given to the Apostles to be uselesse and of no profit nor to speake any thing of the divers Jewes that were then dwelling at Jerusalem devout Men and Women out of every Nation under Heaven which notwithstanding may be a sufficient argument to prove That they all had their severall meeting places and their severall Ministers to preach unto them in their severall Languages that they might be edified I say for the present to wave all this let us take notice what is positively set down in the last Verse of the fifth Chapter that is That the Apostles daily in the Temple and in every house ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ That is to say they preached both publickly and privately and the very places where they preached are set down as in the Temple and in every house So that of necessity there must be severall congregations and assemblies of Belivers in Ierusalem according to that in the 2. of the Acts vers the 46. where it said That they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking of bread from house to house which by all Interpreters is understood the administration of the Lords Supper and that the severall assemblies and congregations were wont usually to meet in private houses is frequently mentiond in the holy Scriptures as in the 16. of the Romanes verse the 5. and in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 16. vers 19. Col. 4. 14. and Saint Paul in the 20. of the Acts vers 20. saith That he kept back nothing that was profitable unto them but taught them publikely and from house to house so that they had their Assemblies as well private as publicke even in the Church of Ephesus where they did partake in all acts of worship and in that Church also they had many Presbyters and yet were but one Church But now I will passe on to the sixth chapter in the 1 2 3. and 7 verses it is said That in those dayes when the number of Disciples was multiplyed there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their
widdows were neglected in their dayly ministration Then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them and said It is not reason that wee should leave the Word of God and serve tables Wherefore brethren looke you out among you seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdome whom we may appoint over this businesse But we will give our selues contiunally to prayer and to the ministery of the Word vers 7. And the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient unto the faith In the which words we may take notice briefly of these observables The first of the cunning and policy of the Devill who when he cannot by all his wiles and stratagems assault the Church without then he labours to assaile it within as here with civill discords and differences among brethren and in other Churches in all ages even in and from the Apostles times by dissentions in opinions by Sects Schisms Factions and Heresies and by these his wiles and craft he first bringeth in difference in opinion and afterwards diversity of affection and that among brethren and all this he doth that in fine he may bring ruine upon them all And thus he began with the Church of Ierusalem raising a controversie between the Hebrews and the Greeks who complained That their widdows were neglected in the daily ministration as either that they were not made Deaconesses as the widdows of the Hebrews were or that there was not an equall distribution of the Almes according to the intention of the Church who sold their possessions and goods to that end that they might be parted to all men as every one should have need Acts 2. vers 44 45. chap. 4. v. 35. And this their supposition was the cause of that controversie The second observable is To whom the differing and dissenting parties did apply themselves and appeal and that was to the Presbytery or Colleage of Apostles not to any one of them particularly but to the twelve as in that difference at Antioch Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas and certain other of the Brethren in the Church of Antioch appealed to the Apostles and Presbyters and in both those differences all the Churches submitted themselves to the Apostles Order and that willingly and this example of the Apostles is the Rule for ordering of all controversies that all the reformed Churches set before them deciding all debates in Religion by the Word of God and according to the president they have laid downe unto them by the Apostles and Presbyters in Ierusalem Here I say the whole Presbytery and Colledge of the Apostles determined the businesse neither do we reade that the Assemblies of the Hebrews and Greeks at Ierusalem or the Church of Antioch pretended their own Independent authority though severall Congregations or challenged a power within themselves of choosing their own Officers or determining of differences amongst themselves or pleaded that they had Authority within themselves to make their own Laws by which they would be orderd or that they challenged any such priviledges unto themselves but they all appealed unto the Presbytery at Ierusalem as the supreamest Ecclesiasticall Court and freely submitted themselves to their arbitrement and to the Order they set down as the story specifieth The third observable is the imployment in which the Apostles were all taken up and the effect of it and their imployment is said to be continuing in prayer and the Ministery and preaching of the Word and the effect of this their Ministery was That the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith By all which it is most apparent that such multitudes being dayly added to the Church and where there was such variety of teachers and so many Apostles and all of them taken up in preaching and where there was so many different Nations and such diversities of tongues and languages as was in the Church of Ierusalem they could not all meet together at any one time or in any one place to edification and that they might all communicate in all the Ordinances but of necessity they must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would avoyde confusion and all that I now speak is evident by the very light of Nature and all reason and therefore it followeth That there were many Assemblyes and Congregations in Jerusalem and yet all made but one Church and that that Church was Presbyterianly governed But that I may make this truth more evidently yet appear I will first out the former discourse frame severall Arguments and then go on to the ensuing history And out of all these six chapters I thus argue Where there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by vertue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church of Ierusalem and the society of beleevers besides those that were convertedby John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministery before his suffering and to the which also there were afterwards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of the Priests joyned in so much that they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struâ—k a feare and terrour into them there they could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of Worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblies and Congregations But in the Church of Jerusalem there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by virtue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church and society of Beleevers besides those that were converted by John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministry before his sufferings and to which also there were after wards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of Priests also joyned insomuch as they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struck a fear and terrour into them Ergo They could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblyes and Congregations if they would all be edified For the Major it is so evident that I cannot beleeve that any rationall man will deny it for who yet did ever see an Assembly of above ten thousand people in any one place or Congregation that could partake in all the Ordinances to edification Yea to affirme this is to fight against common reason and dayly experience For the Minor it is proved by the severall places above quoted and therefore the conclusion doth also of necessity follow This Argument is so well grounded upon the Scripture of truth and corroborated also with such solid reasons as it is a wonderfull thing that there should bee any man
20. vers the 7. And our Brethren do not deny this And it is well known that the Primitive Christians had their meetings and assemblies in private houses as by the many places is manifest which I cited but a little before Besides the Sacrament of breaking bread is no Temple-ordinance and therefore could not be adminisâ—â—ed in the Temple with the safety of the Christians and Believers for if they were so highly displeased with the Apostles for preaching Iesus and the Resurrection in the Temple as it appeareth Acts 4. 2. They would not have suffered them to have administred the Sacraments there And if Paul was so assaulted Acts 21. 28. for being but supposed to have brought Greeks into the Temple what would these men have done if one should have brought in a new Ordinance and a new worship and service and that so contrary to their legall rights Surely the Iewes would never have suffered it neither do the Brethren contend for this Now it is well known that in the Primitive Church if not every day yet every first day of the Week at least they met together to break bread that is to receive the holy Sacrament which was never without preaching as we see in Acts 20. 7. and in the places above quoted in which it is said they dayly brake bread together and that in severall and particular houses and that of necessity must be for a few houses could not have held so many thousands as all reason will dictate and if they were or could be contained under one roof yet they must be forced to be in diverse and severall chambers or roomes So that what is done and spoke in the one the other knowes nothing of it so that they are still severall congregations as under the roofe of Pauls there are diverse meeting places where Men may partake in all Ordinances and they are called severall Churches and they that meet there several congregations though under one roof for the distinction of the places under one covert makes alwayes a distinct assembly as it is dayly seen in the severall Committees at Westminster where every Committee of both Houses have their severall roomes and equall authority and are yet all but one Parliament though distributed into so many severall assemblyes So here they had severall assemblies and that in severall houses as is declared and reason it selfe without any testimony of holy Scripture will perswade this for the Apostles they all preached and that dayly and they must have severall roomes to preach in to avoyde confusion for all things in the Church must be done in order and they must have severall auditories or assemblies or else they should preach to the walls so that if the Apostles would all preach and the people all heare of necessity they must be distributed into severall congregations and assemblyes to avoyde disorder and that there were severall congregations and severall assemblies the places above specified do declare and tell us So that there is no man that resolves not to oppose all truth that is contrary to his received opinion but may evidently perceive that there were many congregations and assemblies in the Church of Ierusalem and yet they all made but one Church and were govern'd by one Presbytery as the many Committees in both Houses are in divers roomes and make divers assemblies and have equall power and authority among themselves and yet they all make but one Parliament and all those severall Committees are govern'd by the joynt consent of the Great Civill Presbytery of the Kingdome which is all the Parliament and all this without confusion yea with most excellent order and decency This is the last argument I produced out of the above cited Scriptures to prove that there were many assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem before the persecution And concerning this argument Mr Knollys before he comes to answer it makes a little sucking preamble His words are these But the Doctor saith he hath one argument which is more to the purpose then all the other which I desire the reader seriously to consider page 64. Thus he His Answer to this Argument is as followeth I will set down all his own words which are these Now I desire the Reader to consider how the Doctor proves his Minor which he saith it manifest from Acts 2. 46. and chapter the 5. 12. 42. and chapter 3. 11. 12. and many more places that might be produoed page 64 65 66. In all which discourse the Doctor gives you nothing but his own suppositions and conclusions for the proofe of his Minor proposition which is his manner of discoursing through his booke This Argument saith he I answer First by denying the assumption or Minor proposition and the reason of my denying it is because the Scriptures produced by the Doctor do not in expresse words declare that there were divers assemblies and congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem The Scriptures quoted do in expresse words declare the contrary to what the Doctor would prove For Acts the 2. verse 42. 46. All that beleeved were together and they continued with one accord in the Temple And Acts the 3. 11 12. it is expresly said that all the people can together to them in the Porch which is called Solomons Acts the 5. 12. And they were all with one accord in Solomons Porch So that these Scriptures produced by the Doctor to prove that there were divers assemblyes and congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem who met together in severall places at one and the same time upon the first day of the weeke where they did partake in all Ordinances do expresly prove the contrary to wit that the Apostles and all the Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem met together with one accord in one place to wit in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domatim not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per singulas domos and thus they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quotidie day by day and they continued stedfast the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers and all that beleeved â—â—re together Acts the 2. v. 42 44 46. Yea the Doctor himselfe saith in his Minor proposition the latter part of it That the Apostles and all the Beleevers in Jerusalem did continue dayly with one accord in the Temple and that they brake from house to house and this shall suffice for refutation of what the Doctor hath written touching the first proposition Thus profound Mr Knollys confutes my arguments I have set down all his words at large And as he earnestly desired the Reader seriously to consider my Argument So I in like manner intreat him that he would but looke back upon it and advisedly weight whether there be nothing either in that or any other of my arguments and in all my discourse but my own suppositions and conclusions for proofe of what
as yet any particular visible formed churches for all these severall congregations are but so many branches of that one catholicke visible church and a branch and a member of a church is not a church properly so called in my brother Burtons Dialect and therefore wee have no true visible churches or church bodies upon earth properly so called this I say will necessarily follow upon my Brother Burtons unsound Principles and this his opinion which I am confident upon his more serious thoughts and when he makes not such haste as he confesses he did when he writ this his book against me he will acknowledge to be very erroneous But if he shall against all reason undertake to maintaine the same doctrine concerning the Catholicke visible church he doth about the church of Ierusalem I am assured he will be highly condemned by the learnedest of his party as well as by the universall consent of all the judicious Divines in the world who I know are of a contrary judgement But I say if upon mature deliberation he shall acknowledge and grant that the severall congregations or churches of believers mentioned in the Scriptures as that of Corinth Ephesus Galatia c. and their own severall congregations in their new gathered churches howsoever he will not grant that title unto our assemblies I say if he shall but accord that both the primitive churches and their new congregations be churches properly so called or church bodies though but so many branches and members of the Catholicke visible church which yet is but one and the same church then likewise of necessity it will follow and he must yeild unto it that all those severall congregations and assemblies in the church of Ierusalem were churches properly so called though but so many branches of that one and the same particular church because as the learned know all particular congregations and churches that partake in all the Ordinances as they are similar parts of the whole church so they doe all partake of the name and nature of it and are all of them churches properly so called and therefore by the very same reason I say all those severall congregations and assemblies in the church of Ierusalem being parts of that Nationall city or Presbyterian church that one and the same church as partaking both of the name and nature of that church are all of them churches properly so called one of those conclusions I affirme will necessarily follow from my brother Burtons principles And for the better evidencing of what I have said I will adde a few words more by way of a corollary that whatsoever the whole church at Ierusalem had in it to make it the first formed church properly so called the same had all the congregations and assemblies respectively and severally considered to make every one of them churches properly so called And therefore if the whole church at Ierusalem may challenge the name of a true formed church as the Independents acknowledge then the severall congregations and assemblies respectively and severally considered might do the same and were churches properly so called For if the whole consisted of visible Saints so did every one of those severall congregations and assemblies consist of visible Saints And if the whole had the blessed Apostles in it and Christs seventy Disciples and all sorts of church Officers so had every severall congregation and assembly of that church though but a part and a branch of the whole And if the whole church inioyed all the saving and sealing ordinances and all acts of worship and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking bread and in prayer so did every one of those congregations and assemblies severally and respectively considered And therefore when all the branches of that one particular church at Ierusalem viz every congregation and assembly severally considered and as a part were equall to the whole church in all priviledges immunities and in whatsoever is required for the making of a true formed church so that there was nothing wanting to either of those congregations that the whole church partaked in and injoyed or could challenge for the making it a compleat Church then it followeth and that necessarily that if the whole church be a true formed church and a church properly so called as the Independents confesse that all those congregations assemblies severally considered were churches properly so called This I thought good to premise And now I come to make good what I undertooke which is to prove those severall Assemblies in the church of Ierusalem to be churches properly so called which I do by this argument All such assemblies congregations as daily met together in diverse companies in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and in severall private houses in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and clothed with his power and honoured with Christs presence being all believers and Saints and such as gladly received the word and were all baptized and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayer and injoyed amongst themselves in their severall congregations all the saving and sealing Ordinances and all Acts of worship and whatsoever priviledges and immunities the whole church partaked in and the which the Independents themselves repute and thinke sufficient for the making and constituting of a formed church and who also had amongst them in those severall assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven given unto them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the ende 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 daily in the Temple and in every house all and every one of them respectively and severally taken were true and compleate churches properly so called But in the church of Jerusalem there were many such assemblies and congregations as dayly met together in diverse companies in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and in several private houses in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and clothed with his power and honoured with Christs presence being all believers and Saints and such as gladly received the Word and were all baptized and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers and injoyed amongst themselves in their severall congregations all the saving and sealing Ordinances and all acts of worship and whatsoever priviledges and immunities the whole church partaked in and the which the Independents themselves repute and thinke sufficient for the making and constituting of a formed church and who also had amongst them in those severall
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
nothing had beene granted by himself or said by me to prove it hee grollishly denieth it Secondly I shall intreat the Reader to observe how he doth not onely contradict himselfe but oppose all his brethren of the congregationall way for they all acknowledge That the church at Jerusalem and the government of that was to be a paterne of Government to all churches insucceeding times as being a most perfect paterne and the Mother church in imitation of the which Government as they pretend they mould up all their particular congregationall churches saying that as the church at Jerusalem had an absolute power within it selfe and was not dependent upon any other churches as being compleate within it selfe so ought every church in like manner after the example of that church to exercise all authority within it selfe and not have dependency on any other for in all particulars they avow the church of Ierusalem was a perfect formed church and the same they assert of all the Primitive and Apostolicall churches This I say is the Doctrine of all the Idependents besides himselfe that I ever have read or talked with yea my Brother Burton in the beginning of his Answer to his owne Argument saith that the first formed Church we finde is in the second of the Acts. Then if it was a formed Church as hee confesseth then there was nothing wanting unto it so that of necessity it must be a compleate and perfect church for that that is deficient and deformed that cannot bee said to be perfect and compleate and a formed church now if it were a formed church as he above said then it was a perfect and an entire church as all rationall men will easily and readily gather And yet notwithstanding here he affirmeth that it was not a perfect paterne and therefore saith he for the making up of a compleate paterne of church government all the other Apostolicall churches besides it must come in By which words of his I maintaine hee does not only oppose all those of his owne party who all hold the contrary but contradicts himselfe But let us heare himselfe speake of necessity saith hee we are to take all the churches of the New Testament together to make up one entire and perfect Church patern For in the Church of Jerusalem we find Election of Officers but we 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 of Jerusalem had not Deacons at first till there was necessity The summe is to make up a compleat patern not only the Church of Jerusalem but that of Corinth of Ephesus those of Galatia and Philippi and the rest are to be conferred together that each may cast in its shot to make up the full reckoning so that what is not exprest in the one may be supplied by the rest to make up one Entire Platform For the Scripture consists of many Books as so many Members in one body one Member cannot say to an other I have no need of thee 1 Corinth 12. c. Thus my brother Burton confuteth all his brethren who in all their writings with an unanimous consent hold that the church of Jerusalem and all the other Apostolicke churches were prefect formed churches and absolute within themselves and Independent where as he blames them all of imperfection and sayes They must all be conferred together to make up an entire platforme which if it be not an opposing of them all and a contradicting of himselfe I referre to the Iudgement of the learned For he in the beginning of his answer said The first formed church we met with was that in the 2. of the Acts and yet he here accuseth it of imperfection and faylings and therefore not formed for at that time saith he it wanted Deacons and we finde not expressed that part of Discipline for casting out of corrupt members at any time as in the church of Corinth and the rest So that by his Doctrine here was a great defect and fayling in the Church at Ierusalem and therefore it was not a church properly so called for every church properly so called according to his learning must have not only a good Discipline but Distinct Officers and Members united into one church body respectively for these are his formall words page 11. Now a church according to their discription truly formed and properly so called is when it hath a particular Pastor and Teacher or Doctor and two to three Elders and a Deacon with ten or eleven good men and women with an explicite particular Covenant now I shall desire my brother Burton in his reply to send me word which of all the Ministers that were there at that time was the peculiar-Pastor of this formed church and which of them was the Teacher or Doctor or who were their Elders and who were their Deacons for the distinction of Officers and Members united into one church body respectively is that that makes up a formed church properly so called in their Dialect and therfore if he cannot make all that I require of him clearly appeare then he can never prove either the church at Ierusalem or any of the primitive and Apostolicall churches churches properly so called for we reade not in all the holy Scripture that any church had a particular Pastor and Doctor peculiar to it self or but two Elders and a Deacon with a small company of men and women or any particular Covenant but we reade that in all the churches there were mighty multitudes of believers and many Deacons and that they had many Presbyters set over them and church Officers to governe them in common and nothing in particular of that distinction of Officers and Members united into one church body respectively with any such Covenant which he and all the Independents say make a church properly so called and without which in their Language it cannot be adistinct and formall church properly so called from which I do with very good reason conclude and that from the new light I have from my brother Burton that either the church at Ierusalem and all the other primitive churches were not churches properly so called or well formed churches according to the new-testament forme which were impious either to thinke or say or if they were that then there may at this day be compleat churches properly so called although they have not distinct Officers and Members united into one church body respectively but serve their flocks and congregations in common So that all the bable of my brother Burton and his brethren of the congregationall way is but wickedly and unchristianly to abuse the world and to delude poore people when they demande such things of their brethren as essentially necessary for the constituting of a church properly so called as God never required at his
or for want of many things they now exact of all Christians for the compleating and moulding of them into Church bodies pro perly so called for we read That in the Church of Jerusalem they were perfectly converted and were Saints indeed and yet that for some wants they made no separation rent or schisme from their brethren but that they dayly met together in their publick Assemblies as in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and from house to house openly and that in all love and charity with one accord And yet if my brother Burton and the Independents may be beleeved they had neither Deacons nor Elders nor distinction of Officers nor a great part of Discipline nor many other of their requisites So that from the pious and godly example of those glorious Saints I learn this lesson That rents and scismes are not to be made amongst brethren for some failings in any Churches yea though there be some defects not onely in Officers and Members but a very want of Officers themselves and of a good Discipline also in any Church or Churches and that they that do make rents and divisions have a great deal to answer for Withall I learn that it may be a true Church though there be a failing in Discipline and a want of some chiefe Officers and Members For my brother Burton acknowledgeth That the Church at Jerusalem was a formed Church although it wanted both Officers and Discipline and all those things they now require of all such as desire to be made Members in their new Congregations And therefore if this he now preacheth be solid and orthodox Divinity and if he may be credited in what he writeth as there was at that time no just ground of separation from their publike Assemblies for want of those things so there is now in these our dayes no just cause of separation from our Assemblies if there be indeed a reall want of discipline and Church Officers which we might long since have injoyed had not he and his brethren hindred our happy begun Reformation Especially I say we ought not to separate when there is no failing or want in any dominative or fundamentall pointe of Religion necessary to salvation and where all the counsell of God requisite to eternall happinesse is dayly publikely taught in every one of our Congregations and Churches all which the Independents themselves do acknowledge we want not Besides it is granted by all orthodox Divines that Discipline makes not for the esse but the bene esse of a Church Yea the Independents themselves hold That Officers in a Church make not for the esse but the bene esse of it as the New Lights from the Summer Islands apparently delucidate For they say Though the Officers all dye yet the Church ceaseth not to be a church But to return to the matter in hand Whereas my brother Burton affirmeth that the Church at Jerusalem wanted Discipline and that it had not Deacons at first and that the Churches were not brought forth to full perfection in one day and that their very constitution had a graduall growth I maintain that in all he asserteth he is not onely exceeding erroneous and ignorant but understandeth not the very doctrine of the Independents who are all against him in those his assertions for they all acknowledg and in express words affirm it in their writings that all the Officers of the church were virtually in the Apostles saying they were Pastors Teachers ruling Elders and Deacons c. And therefore they wanted neither Deacons nor Elders if their concession be true nor any church Officers which is point blank against my brother Burton his opinion They confesse likewise that all the Apostles and every one of them had the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven that is the power of order and jurisdiction viz the key of knowledg and authority And therefore they had also in the church of Jerusalem that part of Discipline of casting out corrupt Members They acknowledge in like manner that all the Apostles had equall power amongst themselves and that they had authority over all the churches as having the care of all the churches who were committed to their charge and that they left both the Presbyters and people in their several churches to the exercise of all their particular rights impeached neither of them of their liberties And they do also confess that as Paul by his own authority did excommunicate Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. ver 20. and others so might the other Apostles have done if they had had the like occasion given them and might have put any church not only in mind of their duty and reproved them for their neglect of Discipline but have injoyned and commanded them also to have put it in execution as both Paul did the church of Corinth and Saint John the seven churches of Asia which were all well constituted and well and perfect formed churches by their first constitution and brought forth to full perfection in one day so as they had no need of a graduall growth as my brother Burton affirmeth All these things I say the Independents do accord unto And all reason will perswade any well grounded Christians That the church of Corinth was a perfect church at its first constitution before the incestuous person appeared in it and the same they will say of the other seven churches in Asia before the doctrine of the Nicolaiâ—tans and that of Baalam and Jezabell sprung up in them and before those luke-warme Laodiceans appeared and all the other offenders there spake of all the which were so far from adding any perfection to those churches as it was a deformity to them all to have such creatures and failings amongst them and it was reputed their great sinne to connive at them and suffer them to be amongst them and in their bowels which by their first constitution they had power to have cast out For it is well known that all those churches at their first plantation and founding had all of them their Presbyters and Elders and all other Members and Officers as consisting of Saints and had in all those severall churches both the power of order and jurisdiction and the power of the Keyes and this in their first constitution and therefore had no neede of a graduall growth but were all brought forth to full perfection the first day contrary to my brother Burtons doctrine And it is confessed likewise by the Independents and by my brother Burton himselfe That where there are Church Officers as a Pastor and Teacher with an Elder or two and a Deacon and where there are a few visible Saints if they amount but to the number of twenty nay if they be but ten or twelve gathered together according to their method that there is a compleat formed Church where Christ is set up as King upon his Throne and that this Church is clothed with Christs power and honoured with his presence the which
likewise wanteth nothing for matter and forme but hath plenary authority within it selfe and therefore is as compleat a Church within it selfe as any church in the world by all which it must necessarily follow and that upon their own principles that it is brought forth in perfection in one day and hath no neede of a graduall growth Now I shall never beleevethat those glorious churches founded by the holy Apostles in every city in the which they had their Elders and Presbyters and all other Officers appointed them the which churches also consisted of visible Saints that they were not at their first constitution as compleat churches and in the which Christ was not as well set up upon his Throne as any of our new gathered churches of the congregationall way Yea it were an impiety to think that the blessed Apostles did not know how to gather churches and how to set up Christ upon his Throne in them and how to bring them to perfection in one day at their first constitution as well as our brethren the Independents who notwithstanding do all proclame they but imitate the Apostles both in the gathering and constituting of their new churches And therefore if the Independent congregations are all compleated at their first founding and constitution and be all compleat within themselves as having plenary authority and power within themselves much more had all the Apostolicall and Primitive Churches absolute jurisdiction within themselvs at their first constitution which is yet more manifest from the reproofe given to the Church of Corinth by S. Paul who blameth them for not casting out the incestuous person and from the reproof given to some of the 7 churches of Asia by Christ himself For otherwise they if they had not bin perfect and compleat at their first constitution might have replyed and answered That they had no power to cast out corrupt Members and that their churches were not compleatly moulded up at their first founding and that they wanted that part of Discipline but none of these churches pretended any such thing neither could they for Saint Paul had given the church of Ephesus by name a caveat to take heed of Wolves that would rise up among them after his departure and had armed them likewise with power and authority for the casting of them out as it is at large to be seen in the twentieth of the Acts and that church executed its power in finding out of false Teachers and is praised for it though the other are blamed So that the neglect of this their duty and not executing of their Discipline was that that was found fault with in them and that they had not exercised that power that was given them in casting out of those corrupt Members from amongst them This I say was their failing and for this were they blamed so that it was not for want of Discipline or that they were not perfect at their first constitution but their negligence and their not doing their duty was their sinne Neither was the Church of Ierusalem inferior to any other church in power or wanted that part of Discipline of casting out corrupt Members as my Brother Burton boldly and without all reason affirmeth for it is well knowne that the church at Ierusalem had power of life and death as wee may see in the storie of Ananias and Saphira his wife the which if it could take away the very life of offendors as it did theirs for lying to the Spirit of God then it had power to cast out any corrupt Members and scandalous persons if they had had any amongst them as all reason will dictate to any well grounded Christian But that wee reade not of any excommunicated in the Church at Ierusalem it was not for any want of Discipline or power in that Church of casting out offenders but because there was no open Delinquents and scandalous persons for they were all zealous of the Law as it is well knowne and would suffer none in the least to transgresse it without questioning them nay if they conceived but an offence in the Apostles themselves they would call them to an account as wee may see Acts the â—1 where they questioned Peter for going in to the Gentiles and it is conceived by learned and judicious Christians that the punishment also that was inflicted upon Ananias and Saphira strucke so great a terrour of offending into all the Ghurch as it is in expresse words declared that they durst not in publike be vitious and therfore that made them all afraid of publike open and scandall withall it is recorded that they were all true Beleevers and Saints in the Church of Ierusalem and that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer and were all true converts and Saints indeed now no church useth to cast out Saints and men of a holy and unblameable conversation and such as persevere in goodnesse and doe their duty but the wicked and scandalous which when there was none in the church at Ierusalem there was no need of excommunication or at least they had no occasion of exercising that part of discipline at that time For discipline in any church is as Magistracy in a Common-wealth or Kingdome which is not a terrour to the good but to the wicked as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. the 13. it is a comfort to well doers and as the Magistrate useth the sword onely against Offendors and Delinquents so the Officers of the Church exercise that part of Discipline only in casting out corrupt and scandalous Members which is solely to bee put in execution against them and therefore that wee reade not of excommunication in the Church at Ierusalem it was not for want of that part of Discipline but because there were no publick and scandalous persons there as in the church of Corinth Besides all men know that Discipline is one thing and the execution of discipline is an other and is but the result and effect of discipline as the church is one thing and the Administration of the Sacraments is another Power and Authority in a court whether ecclesiasticall or civill is one thing and the execution of the power of that court is an other and as the execution of its authority makes it not a court nor giveth not the power to it but declareth it to be a court invested with authority as in the Parliament the great and supreme court of this Kingdome the cutting off of Strafford and the Prelates heads gave not power to the Parliament but declared the power they had by their first constitution for they were a court before and had the power of execution before but upon this occasion they exercised it but will any man say if they had not at this time exercised their authority as they have not done for these many years before that the great court had wanted that part of Discipline all men that should attempt to say that great councell
that Church was wholly committed into the hands of the Presbyters who had the charge for the examination and tryall of the doctrine of all Teachers that came amongst them and that they were invested with power likewise and authority of casting them out that were Deceivers and fals Teachers and we farther learne that the care of all those severall congregations was committed to all the Bishops and Presbyters of that Church in common and although it consisted of many congregations yet it was but one church and therefore was classically governed communi consilio Presbyterorum and so were all the other six churches of Asia governed in all and every one of the which there were many congregations and churches of beleevers as is manifest from the manner of Christs concluding his Epistles sent by the Ministry of Saint John to all those Asian churches Rev. the 2. ver 7. Let him that hath an eare hear what the spirit saith to the churches From the which I thus argue He who maketh the particular or singular church he writeth to to be a multitude or company of Churches not one onely as the body is not one member onely he doth make that one church to which hee writeth to in singular or particular to be a Presbyterian Classicall or Collegiate Church But Christ in his Epiphonemicall conclusion to every Church which he had spoken to in singular or in particular doth speak of the same as of a company or multitude of Churches let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches Ergo One Church hath many Churches in subordination to it and is classically or collegiately governed communi consilio Presbyterorum To the which argument the Independents answer by denying of the assumption saying that the words may be taken consequentér as well as antecedentér with relation to what followes as well as to what goes before and they cite Junius his testimony for the proofe of this their denyall nothing to the purpose They produce also Master Bains his authority to as little end Christ saith he doth not use the plural number in respect of the one Church preceding but in respect of the seven collectively taken it being his will that the Members of each singular Church should lay to heart both severally and joyntly whatsoever was spoken to them and to others This is the Answer the Author of the New Lights from the Summer Islands in the name of all the Independents makes to this Argument page 133. And if words may serve for answers those of the congregationall way will never want Answers and Replyes but we look for reasons and not for words in any men that shall deny our arguments And therefore when he hath no reason for his gainsaying the argument shall for ever stand in force to prove many Congregations and many Churches in the Church of Ephesus and in the other six Churches And truly he granteth the argument whiles he seemeâ—h to oppose it saying that the words may be taken consequenter as well as antecedenter So that he acknowledgeth the worâ—â— may be taken antecedenter as well as consequenter that is with relation to what goes before as well as to what follows viz both wayes which is as much as I require and as much as by the argument I laboured to prove For who ever denyed that when Christ spake to his Apostles bidding them watch that what he spake to them he spake to all men So who ever yet denyed that when Christ in the conclusion of every one of his Epistles to the Asian Churches said Let him that hath an eare hear what the spirit saith to the Churches that by Churches there Christ hath as well reference not onely to all the seven churches in Asia but to all succeeding Churches to the worlds end that they should by their examples be forewarned lest they likewise offend in the same manner For all men know That whatsoever was written was written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come Though primarily principally and antecedenter he hath reference to all the severall Congregations Assemblies or Churches in each of those Churches as first to those of Ephesus which is yet called but one Church in the singular number as the others also as consisting of many severall companies and severall congregations yet being all combined together in their severall Precincts and subordinate to each of their Presbyteries were all collectively taken but for one Church within their particular jurisdictions and therefore Christ speaks to them all severally in the conclusion of all his Epistles in the number of multitude as to many though in the beginning of his Epistles he writes to them all as particular and singular Churches because though each of them consisted of many congregations as I said before yet they were subordinate to their several Presbyteries and governed by the common counsel of their severall Presbyteries in a classicall way And there is all reason to convince any man that the word Church in those Epistles should as well be considered collectively as the word Angell Now all orthodox writers and the very Independent Ministers themselves hold that by Angell is meant all the Ministers and Presbyters in each of those severall Churches And therefore if the word Angell in those severall Epistles may or be to be taken and interpreted collectively for many Ministers then the word Church also may or is to be taken collectively for many Churches For those of the congregationall way do acknowledg that Pastor and â—lock are relatives and have reference one to another Now if there were many Pastors in each of those Churches then there must likewise be many Flocks in each of those churches but that there were many Pastors and Bishops in those churches it is manifest by their constitution For the Apostles ordained Presbyters in every Church Acts 14. and in the church of Ephesus by name we finde many Presbyters and Bishops a whole colledge of them Acts the 20 ver 17 and 28. And therefore it is manifest there were many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers as in that church so in the other six for in expresse words Paul sayes that he preached unto them in the Church of Ephesus publikely and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in every house which is by Master Knollys acknowledged to signifie many several congregations in that church And as it is at this day amongst us when the Independents preach publikely and from house to house or in every house every one of the shallowest understanding knowes that they have severall congregations and severall meeting places and therefore severall churches even so it is to be understood by the same expression that there were many churches in that one church of Ephesus because they had many assemblies and many meeting places which the Scripture saith they had both publikely and privately It seemes that the Magistrates there were converted and the Christians in that city had obtained so much
to any man of but ordinary understanding that in those severall Cities which were after their change of government the Seates of their Bishops and Prelates they had many Townes and Villages and many Churches and Congregations under them all the which before this alteration were all governed by their severall Presbyteryes respectively and were all uuder them and were ordered and moderated communi consilio Pesbyterorum which the Independents themselves do acknowledge and my brother Burton by name in his vindication Hence is was that the blessed Apostles went from City to City to Preach the Gospell there in their Synagogues as the whole Scripture of the new testament relateth and they did not only Preach the Word to them in their severall Cities but in each of them ordained and constituted Presbyteries giving charge to Titus and Timothy to doe the same leaving the government of all those congregations and Churches in those severall Cities in the hands of those severall Presbyteries in their severall jurisdictions injoyning also those severall Presbyteries and Churches to observe the Decrees of the Synod and Councell of Jerusalem and commanding the people all Christians and believers in those severall Cities under them to be subject and obedient to all their severall Ministers and Guides set over them and to observe all that they should from God teach them to observe and doe as we may see out of the severall places I set downe at large in the foregoing discourse as out of the 14. of the Act. 23. Acts 20. 27. 18. Tit. 1 verse 5. 1 Tim. 5. verse 17. Heb. 13. verse 7 17 24. and the first of Pet. 5. 2. Iam. 5. 14. and Acts 15. 23. Acts 16. 4. Acts 21. 25. All which places of holy Scripture and all the Arguments by which I prove all the Primitive and Apostolicall churches to be classically governed my Brother Burton and I. S. passed by not so much as taking notice of them as they did not of those multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples of whom likewise they took no notice as not formed into a church or churches But as our Saviour said to the Seducers Matth. 22. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures so I may truly say of all the severall Sectaries of this time they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God to punish them for their wickednesse For would they but take the word Church in that sense the holy Scripture delivereth it unto us and relateth it the controversie would soone be at an end Now the word Church in all the places above quoted and through the whole Scripture of the New Testament for the most part is taken collectively either for all the catholike invisible or visible Church or for the representative body of the church or for many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers all combined together under one government either in a citie or countrie partaking in all the Ordinances as in preaching and praying and the administration of the holy Sacraments and in the exercising of godly discipline not onely within the wals of those severall cities but through all the townes and villages as farre as the bounds and limits of their severall governments precincts and jurisdictions did extend as Acts the 15. 23. The Apostles and Elders send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch that is to the Church in Antioch and in Syria and in Cilicia So that church is most often taken collectively as the church of Geneva at this day and of Basil and the other reformed Cantons as it was in the seven churches of Asia Now when the word church for the most part in holy Scripture is taken in this sense as the church at Ierusalem the church of Samaria Antioch Philippi Corinth c. and where there were many congregations and churches combined together and all collectively taken in this the Independents and all Sectaries erre that they alwayes take the word church for no more then can meete together in one of their pipkin congregations to partake and communicate in their Ordinances whereas the Scripture as I have in all the forgoing discourse sufficiently proved taketh the word collectively for many congregations under one government although every one of those severall congregations considered apart and by it selfe may truly and properly be called a church as being a Branch and Member of some particular church and communicating in all essentiall Ordinances with it as hath abundantly bin proved yet still it is considered but as a Member and a Branch or part depending upon the whole particular church under which it is and therefore classically governed From all which I may conclude that when all those severall Churches as that at Ierusalem Samaria Corinth Philippi Ephesus which my brother Burton saith must be brought in to make up a compleate paterne of Church government were all collectively taken and classically and collegiatly governed as consisting of many congregations and yet but under one Presbyterie in their severall precincts and jurisdictions my Arguments will everstand good yea they are all strengthned from my brother Burtons Concession and his expresse words For if when there were but three thousand Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem as it appeares Acts the 2. they were then forced to sever themselves into divers companies because they wanted a convenient place so spacious as wherein to breake bread as my brother Burton saith how impossible a thing was it for them all after that time to meet together in any one place or a few when the church at Ierusalem multiplyed daily and that by many thousands and at last grew so numerous as they amounted to many Myriads or innumerable companies as appeareth Acts the 21. all which notwithstanding my brother Burton passeth by and taketh no notice of wilfully deceiving the poore people in concealing from them so apparent a truth But should I take notice of the error of his words and discover all his juglings my discourse would swell into a mighty volume for to speake the truth his expressions containe in them a heape of fraud and confusion all which hee must one day give a severe account for But not to take notice I say of his severall faylings what he grants is to be taken notice of viz. that when the Church at Ierusalem was in its infancy they wanted a convenient place spacious enough to communicate in all ordinances and therefore they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in severall private houses to communicate Then of necessity when that Church was multiplyed into many ten thousands they must needs be distributed into many and many congregations and churches to partake in all the Ordinances and all these were but one church and under one Presbytery as my brother Burton acknowledgeth So that now I am most confident every judicious Reader will easily perceive that my Brother Burton and all those of the congregationall way meerly trifle and delude the poore and ignorant people
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
Religion neither is the true Religion nor that it leads men the true way to salvation And affirmes that hee groundedly and absolutely denies that either the Church of England is or ever was a true Church innumerable more such sentences might be produced out of this Pamphlet to this effect and from many such premises as these hee exhorts all good people that are in the bosome of the Church of England as they love their own inward peace and spirituall joy to withdraw their spirituall obedience and subjection from her Now here againe I appeale to all judicious Christians what the Devill the Accuser of the brethren could have spake more raylingly and falsely against the faithfull servants of God both Ministers and people then what Iohn Lâ—lburne in the name of all those of his Fraternity hath uttered against them all Surely if any Enemies Persecutors Raylers and Revilers of the people of God and false Accusers ever lived upon the earth they are those of the congrâ—gationall way and therefore they are no Sâ—ints Yeâ— when they write most mildly against the Presbyterians they call them Lyons Beares Wolves Tygers and in their ordinary language in towne and countrey they never see almost any Minister passâ— by them but they call them Baals Priests the lims of Antichrist the Antichristian brood the Devils Ministers Presbytyrants with a thousand other words of conâ—umely and of all their Presbyterian brethren both Scots and English they speake of them most shamefully upon all occasions terming them sonnes of earth sinners carnall people enemies of Christ Jesus and his Kingdom nay they revile us in the open streets when we passe by them and all that I now say the Independents themselves cannot deny to be most truly related by mee and their very bookes and all their Pamphlets are now in the hands of the people and daily read by them and they all can witnesse for mee that I have wronged them in nothing by all which that part of my Minor is sufficiently proved that all the Independents are notorious Raylers Revilers and false Accusers and therefore no Saints nor good Daemons but such as ought to be separate from and not to be communicated with in holy things as not formed into a church or churches after the New-Testament forme which ought to consist of all visible Saints And that they have caused divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine of Christ is also apparent and that from the great rents schismes and factions they have causelessely made amongst their brethren in church and state having neither Precept nor President in the whole Booke of God for any of their practises and proceedings in their new congregations and therefore this truth also being by the sad experience of all men notoriously knowne wee have a command to shun them and take heed of them as of a company of Seducers and false Teachers who so long as they persevere and continue in these their ungodly wayes they proclaime themseves to be no Saints nor good Daemons but a Generation of vipers and serpents and such as all godly soules ought to have no communion with whatsover their pretences of holinesse and sanctity be And that they are notorious covenant breakers it is most evident and apparent to all that will not wilfully shut their eyes for they have entred into a solemne covenant and oath and that made in the presence of God to labour for a through reformation of Religion in the Kingdome of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship and Discipline according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and in expresse words also they have vowed and covenanted in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to performe the same as they shall answer it at the great day that they will without respect of persons indeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse lest they partake in their sinnes and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagnes They have vowed also with all faithfulnesse to indeavour the discovery of all such as have beene or shall bee Incendiaries Malignants or evill Instruments by hindring the reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdomes from an other or making of any factions or parties amongst the people contrary to thâ—s league and covenant And all the Independent Ministers in the Reverend Assembly did faithfully promise unto their brethren and under their owne hands by writing confirme it that they would preach such doctrines publickly only as tended to Faith Repentance and Salvation and that they would not trouble the people with any of those controversies concerning Discipline and Church-government till they saw what Plat-forme of Discipline the Parliament and the Assembly should set downe and solemnly promised also by such a time to bring in their modell and others of the Ministers of the congregationall way when they came out of New-England entring into serious discourse with some of their brethren the Ministers of the Church of England that had suffered much under the Prelates tyrannie and that indeed had indured the brunt and undergone the heate of the day of their cruelty and persecution and of whom they had experience for their faithfulnesse and constancy in the truth I say some of these fugitive Ministers after their returne entring into communication with them and demanding of them what Discipline and Government they intended now in place of the Prelaticall usurpation to establish and set up for answer they told them that their indeavour God assisting them should be to set up a Government according to the word of God as nigh as they could after the example of the best reformed churches in Scotland France Germany and Low-countries whereupon they immediately replying said if this be indeed your reall intention then in the presence of God wee give you the right hand of Fellowship resolving to stand to you and by you faithfully unto the death All that I now relate can be proved by an Iliad of witnesses Notwithstanding all these Covenants Promises and serious ingagements and that in the presence of God they have all of them blake all these covenants and promises made both to God and man and have violated them all and every one of them and have not only neglected to bring in their modell of government though promised by them and againe and againe urged to it but made factions rents and schismes in the Church and preached up the congregationall way and brought an odium and hatred of the Presbyterie amongst the people and most shamefully continually inveighd against their brethren the Presbyterians and all their proceedings and have laboured also with all their might and power to hinder the reformation of Religion and to breake the union betweene the two nations Scots and English and to bring in a toleration of all
may we suppose were then in the Church at Ierusalem when many more great congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers were dayly added to that Church and when the holy Word of God in expresse termes in the 21. chap. of the Acts saith There were many ten thousands of beleevers there without all controversie there must needs at that time be a mighty many of Assemblies and Congregations and yet in the very infancy of it and when there were but five thousand beleevers as my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo do both witnesse they then had divers Assemblies and Congregations and communicated in severall private houses and brake bread from house to house that is to say in every house And therefore I have now great hope that not onely Mr Knollys will confesse the brethren have acknowledged That there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem but that Sir I. S. his scrupulous conscience also will be satisfied about this point especially when it commeth ratified not onely by Scripture but by the testimony and witnesse also of my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo But if Sir I. S. shall still persevere in the error of his wayes and shall be so far from beleeving that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem as he will yet swear there were no more Saints there then could or did dayly all meet in one place or congregation then I will conclude of him that he is a gentleman very fit to be made a Knight of the post whether I send him to be whipped out of his grolleries Having for the gratifying Mr Knollys and Sir I. S. and for the undeceiving of all cordiall and well affected Christians and such as desire to know the truth been the more large in this controversie I shall now refer my selfe and all that I have said concerning my first and second propositions to the judgement of every indifferent Reader whether I have not sufficiently proved not onely that there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem but that it is likewise acknowledged by the brethren that there were many Assemblies of them there if any credit may be given either to my brother Burton or to Saint Hanserdo and if they shall judge that I have sufficiently proved it both from Scripture and Reason and from the testimony of two prime witnesses of the Independent party against whom there can be no just exception by any of the Congregationall way they being of their own fraternity Mr Henry Burton and Saint Hanserdo by name I shall again challenge Mr Knollys his promise who hath ingaged himselfe That if I could by the expresse word of Scripture evince there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem that he would relinquish his grollish opinion of Independency Now therefore when I have done it both by Scripture and the two witnesses above specified I say again I challenge his promise and if he notwithstanding all I have writ will not abandon this his error I shall never esteem him to be either a man of faith or common honesty and shall for ever hereafter proclaim both himself and all such teachers as he is fighters against God and his truth and resisters of his holy Spirit and such as withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse And so I conclude this second Proposition and come now to see what they have to say to the third My third Proposition is this viz. That the Apostles and Presbyters Governed Ordered and Ruled this Church consisting of many congregations and Assemblies by a common Councell and Presbytery This is my third Proposition which is evident out of many places of the Acts and sundry other places of holy Writ some of which with my Arguments I shall here relate in order as they were first set down in my book called Independency not Gods Ordinance the which Mr Knollys I. S. and my brother Burton indeavoured to Answer unto And after I have faithfully related the Arguments I deduced from those severall Scriptures by which I then made good my third Assertion I shall also truely set down the Answer of Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. to all those Arguments The places therefore of Scripture with my Arguments gathered from thence are these following Acts 11. 27. And in those dayes there came Prophets from Ierusalem to Antioch and there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth through all the world which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar then the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send reliefe unto the brethren that dwelt in Iudaea which also they did and sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Here in these last words we see that the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the Almes for it is said They sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul which sufficiently proveth That the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government as who had the Ordering and authority of appointing unto the Deacons how they should distribute those monyes that they might be best improved and disposed of which is an act of government as all men that know what belongs unto government will acknowledge Now should it be granted that these Presbyters here spoken of were the Presbyters of Iudaea which notwithstanding is not specified but onely the distressed brethren in Iudaea yet had it been in expresse words set down That the Almes had been sent to the Presbytery of Judaea the Presbytery of Ierusalem must necessarily have been included in it as being the Metropolis of Iudea and it was an ordinary thing for the Churches that were abroad and particularly that of Antioch to send to the Apostles and Presbyters of Ierusalem as we may see Act. 11. ver 22. and Act. 15. And by all probability Paul and Barnabas brought these Almes to the Presbyters of Ierusalem for he in the fifteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans maketh mention of a contribution that was made in Macedonia and Achaia for the poor Saints in Jerusalem Whether the Apostle saith he was going to Minister unto them and desired the Romans to pray for him that he may be delivered from the unbeleeving Jews and that his service for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints which by the learned Interpreters is generally taken that Paul speaketh of this time and that they were then sent to Ierusalem from Antioch But howsoever it should be understood that these almes were sent to the Presbyters in Iudea yet these two conclusions necessarily result from it The first that this expression comprehends also the Presbyters of Ierusalem as being the chiefe City of Iudea The second that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men to whom the government and ordering of businesses was committed and in whose hands the power and authority lay of
disposing of the very charity and bounty of the brethren to all the necessitated Disciples within their jurisdictions and who gave directions to the Deacons how they should be distributed to the best emolument and benefit of the poor and according to the intention of these benefactors which as it is an act of Government and that a principall one so of necessity the Presbyters must then meet together that by their joynt and common consent and councell all things may be rightly ordered But in the chap. 15. v. 2. 4. 6. 22. the Presbyters of Ierusalem by name are expressed and in chap. 16. and in Act. 21. v. 17. 18. in these words Then they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine other of them should go up to Ierusalem unto the Apostles and Presbyters about this question and they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom they declared all things that God had done with them and how that there rose up certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which beleeved saying that it was needfull to circumcise them and to command them to keepe the law of Moses and the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of this matter c. ver 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and chap. 16. v. 4. And as they went through the Cities they delivered them the Decrees to keepe that were ordained of the Apostles and Presbyters which were at Ierusalem c. and chap. 21. v. 17 18. And when we were come to Ierusalem the Brethren received us gladly and the day following Paul went in with us unto Iames and all the Presbyters were present and v. 25. As touching the Gentiles which beleeve we have written and concluded say the Presbyters that they observe no such thing Out of all which places before I forme my arguments to prove That the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies was governed by a Presbytery that is by the joynt consent and common Councel of the Apostles and Presbyters which made but a grand Presbytery I shall desire all men to consider that howsoever the Apostles in the places above specified are differenced by that title from the Presbyters yet in all acts of government performed by them in the Church of Jerusalem they were for the substance of them ordinary acts such as Presbyters dayly performe and therefore answerably the Apostles themselves are in them to be considered as Presbyters that is men governing in an ordinary way as such as had received the keyes which is the power of jurisdiction and therefore were in their ordinary imployment though at other times in their severall ministries and going from Nation to Nation to preach as Christs extraordinary Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. they used superlative authority which God had invested them with and graciously bestowed upon them for the benefit of the Church and the good of his people and I am induced so to beleeve because the Apostles in holy Scripture are called Presbyters that is the ordinary Governours and Magistrates of the Church though the more principall and primary ones and therefore did act as Presbyters in ordinary acts of Church Government and for a pattern to all Churches in like administration Neither may any suppose for all this that the Apostles did fall lower in their power in that they acted as Presbyters for our brethren do acknowledge that at Ierusalem the Apostles acted as Presbyters of a particular Congregation Now then if they did not fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a particular Congregation what reason will dictate to any man that they should fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a joynt Presbytery The truth is to govern and to rule the Church was the ordinary imployment of the Apostles and therefore they are stiled Presbyters which is to say the Rulers Councellours Magistrates and Governours of the Church neither for all this did their Presbyterships exclude their Apostleships nor did their acting as Presbyters deprive them of their Apostolique power nor of that Apostolique spirit which guided them even in these things wherein they acted as Presbyters for although under one notion we looke upon the Apostles as extraordinary men yet under another as in all those affaires of publique concernment and in matter of government and for that end the assembling of themselves together we do not consider them as Apostles for therein they did not act as Apostles with a transcendent and infallible authority and in an extraordinary way but as Presbyters and ordinary Governours and Councellours and in such a way as makes their meetings and actions a patterne and president to succeeding ages and of the Presbyters congregating of themselves together for common acts of Government whether in a Presbyterian or Synodicall way And as it is in civill affaires and in the government of Kingdomes and States so it was then in the Church of God in a Kingdome some of the Counsellors are of the more secret admission and are generally called Cabbinet Counsellors and are counted of as extraordinary men and others of the generall ordinary Councel yet when all these sit in a Common Councell together to consult about matters of State and publique concernment they â—it then together as ordinary Councellours and every one of them has as much authority and liberty to debate things by reason and dispute in way of consultation and to give his vote about any thing as well as any of the most extraordinary Councellors and this hath been the practise of all ages We read that Hushy when he was by Absalon called into counsell had his voice and gave his vote as well as Achitophel the Oracle of that time and as in the Common-Councels and Parliaments of Kingdomes whatsoever honour dignity or extraordinary imployments any of them were taken up in before their session and meeting or whatsoever dignity or titles of honour they have extraordinarily above others and take their places accordingly before they come together into the Parliament yet they all sitting as Judges and Peeres in the Kingdome the meanest Lord in the Kingdome hath as much authority there as the greatest and so in the House of Commons as they are Judges and chosen by the people for that purpose have all of them even the meanest as much voice and authority in way of consultation as the greatest And so likewise in the Synod or Assembly now of Divines the meanest Presbyter hath as much voice and liberty in way of debate and voting as the greatest Prelate there And even so it was in the Church of Jerusalem when the Apostles those extraordinary gifted men and the Ordinary Presbyters met together in counsel they all acted there as counsellors and ordinary presbyters and therefore in all those particular actions of the Apostles wee have mention of in their severall meetings whether wee consider them by themselves alone and not joyned with the
passed by the joynt consent and Common-counsell of them all and whose place and office it is to command and rule and the peoples office and place to obey and yeeld subjection to whatsoever they command and injoyne according to the will of God and for the common good and preservation of themselves and the whole Kingdome and that whosoever should resist this their just authority are guilty of contumacy and are high offenders and delinquents for God hath laid the government upon them and left the duty of obedience to the subjects who may not without a publicke call intermeddle with matters of government And so in the matters of Church-government I look upon the Presbyters as Gods peculiar servants and as upon the Stewards Councellours and Magistrates and Iudges in the Church as men set apart by God himselfe for this purpose to be the Teachers and Rulers of their flockes committed unto them in the Lord to whom in the matters of their soules all people under their severall Presbyteries so farre as they command in the Lord and according to the written word are to yeeld obedience and much to reverence and honour them and this according to Gods command for it is his Ordinance And they are not to be looked on and slighted as the fagge end of the Clergy as many black mouthes and prophane lips speake of them for the Presbyters they have their authority as well grounded in the word of God as Kings and States have theirs and therefore as they are imployed in a more supreame orbe and in matters of eternall concernment so they should bee venerated as men watching over our soules and all contumelious speeches against them deserve severe punishment and ought not to be tolerated and so much the more the Presbyters of this Kingdome in these our dayes have deserved better from the Church the Parliament and the whole Kingdome then any of their Predecessors not onely in their desiring a perfect and through Reformation in both Doctrine and Discipline but in that they have stood now so cordially to the common cause and more for the liberty of the Subject then any before them and have cleaved most faithfully to the Parliament and have beene also a most singular meanes of keeping the people wheresoever they were suffered to Preach in obedience to that great Conncell In all these respects I say they deserve well yea better not onely from the Church but from all the Kingdome for the present than any of their Predecessours and their memories ought to be famous to all posterity for this their good service And that governement that God has given unto the Presbyters if the Lords and Commons shall now labour to establish it in the Kingdome and to settle it on them they may not onely promise unto themselves a blessing from heaven and peace unto the Church and State but also immortall praise from all succeeding ages Having taken leave to make this digression I will now to my busines and prove that the Church of Jerusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies were all governed by a common Presbytery and that the Apostles there acted as Presbyters among the Presbyters They that in the Holy Scripture are called Presbyters and acted and ordered things in a joynt body and Common-councell with the Presbyters and exercised that ordinary power that was committed to them in the 18. of Matthew they acted ruled and governed as Presbyters but the Apostles in governing the Church of Jerusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies acted and ordered things in a joynt body and Common-councell with the Presbytery of that Church as Presbyters Ergo the Chuch of Ierusalem was Presbyterially governed and by a Common-counsell of Presbyters The Maior and Minor of this Syllogisme being proved the conclusion will necessarily insue And for proofe of the Major the Scripture is cleare as 1 Tim. chap. 4. ver 14. where Paul writing unto Timothy saith neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee to preach with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery in the which Presbytery Paul was one that laid his hands on him and ordained him as is evident in the second Epistle to Timothy ch the first vers 6 where putting Timothy in mind of his duty hee saith stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands so that Paul joyning in this publicke action of ordination though an Apostle yet acted as a Presbyter and counts himselfe in the number of them as any of the Presbyters that now ordaine the Ministers may say as well as all of them together to any new ordained Minister neglect not the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands As men ordinarily in a Iury may assume that unto themselves that all may doe as being Actors in common So Peter likewise in his first Epistle ch 5. verse 1 2 cals himselfe a Fellow-presbyter and Saint Iohn in his second and third Epistle stiles him so also The Presbyter unto the elect Lady c. The Presbyter unto the well beloved Gajus c. So that his Presbytership did not exclude his Apostleship nor the acting at any time of a Presbyter deprive him of his Apostolicall power for at that very time hee cals himselfe a Presbyter hee wrore Scripture by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit and yet continued still a presbyter So that for the Major although I should say no more it is sufficiently proved yet for a further corroboration of it it is not good to reject the consent of our Brethren in this point for they acknowledge that the Apostles are called Presbyters vertually because as they say Apostleship contained all offices in it yea they further assert the act of ministerial power to bee the same in the Apostles and Presbyters the onely difference they seeme to insinuate is in the extent from which it may be inferred that in all the affaires transacted by the Apostles properly concerning the Church of Ierusalem they did act as presbyters because in such acts there was no extent of their power to many much lesse to all Churches But when they affirme that the Apostles power over many congregations was founded upon their power over all Churches and so cannot be a patterne andpresident for the power of Presbyters over many For answer first I say that the Brethren in my opinion take more upon them then beseemeth them and usurpe a kind of unlimited authority to themselves that they can make what pleaseth them exemplary only and reject whatsoever agreeth not with their opinion and humour though they were all the acts of all the Apostles and transacted by joynt consent and common agreement and accord and left in the church of Christ as well for a patterne and president for the Presbyters and Ministers to follow in al succeeding ages to the end of the world as any of their other acts and so they pick and choose at pleasure and
in so doing under reformation be it spoke I say they assume unto themselves a greater authority then beseems them for they can make the Apostles joynt governing of one congregation for so they take it pro confesso that the church of Ierusalem was but one congregation to bee a patterne of many Ministers governing one congregation but whereas it is most evident that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations and were yet under but one Presbytery and was governed by the joynt consent of the Apostles and Presbyters as under a grand Common-presbytery this at pleasure they reject and make it no way exemplary and binding But for a further answer I assert that the Apostles power and authority over many assemblies as one Church to rule and governe them all as one Church joyntly and in common was not grownded upon their power over all Churches but upon the union of those Assemblies and Congregations into one Church which union layeth a foundation for the power of presbyters ruling and governing many Congregations and the Apostles practice in governing many Assemblies joyntly as one Church is the patterne and example of that government to all succeeding ages and this president of the Apostles the presbyters in all churches ought to set before their eyes in all reformation for what the Apostles did in the publicke affaires of government they did as presbyters and for imitation Neither doe our Brethren onely grant the act of ministeriall power to be the same in the Apostles and presbyters saving in the extent but they acknowledge also that they were called presbyters vertually as I said before and that the Apostles acted in a joynt body and by common consent and affirme that it was fit that they should so doe and say withall that the Apostles wherever they came left the presbyters and people to the exercise of that right which belonged to them although they joyned with them These are their formall expressions out of which their concession my argument yea the whole Syllogisme is not onely confirmed and strengthened but the truth doth more evidently shine forth for if the Apostles left the presbyters and people to the exercise of that right which belonged unto them in all churches and the presbyters right be to rule as Ecclesiasticall Magistrates as to whom the power of the Keyes peculiarly belongeth by Gods institution and the right of the people in all churches bee to obey as they are every where commanded then it followeth necessarily that it doth not belong unto the people to ordaine either Deacons or Presbyters whatsoever they may doe in the choosing of them nor to excommunicate or cast out any out of the Church or to make Members whom they please nor to rule and governe the Church which is the peculiar right of the Presbyters left unto them by Christ and his Apostles for none of all these things were ever left unto the people neither is there any President of it in holy Scripture so that while the brethren seeme to contend for the liberty of the people they plainly overthrow it for they grant That the Apostles left the Presbyters and people to the exercise of that right that belonged unto them in all Churches the right therefore of the keyes of Government and Jurisdiction belongeth properly unto the Presbyters in every Church who are the Officers and Magistrates appointed by God himselfe for that purpose Acts 20. ver 28. and therefore when the Apostles writ to the Church of Corinth to excommunicate that incestuous person although his Epistle be not directed to the whole Church yet the Presbyters in that Church onely executed that act of Government which of right belonged unto them though the people also assented unto it even as we see dayly and experience teacheth us in all well ordered Corporations when the King or Counsell writes unto any City or Corporation though their mandates be directed to the whole City or Corporation for the raising either of men or moneyes or about any other imployment of publike concernment the Mayors Aldermen and Common Councell and the Officers under them onely manage the businesse for that is their right and place and the people under them do yeeld obedience and submit themselvesto what they order and command and intermeddle not in that imployment as knowing very well it is their right and place onely to obey And even so it was in the Church of Corinth the Presbyters onely exercised the Government and ordered all according to the Apostles injunction and the people assented unto it and submitted themselves to their order and the mistaking of that place and many more hath been the cause of so much confusion in the Church at this time when not onely the men in every Assembly but the very women in many of the new Congregations as Members challenge a power and right both in the electing of Church Officers and of admitting of Members and of casting out and excommunicating which before these our times was never heard of in the world when as the right of Jurisdiction and of the Keyes as I have often proved peculiarly belongeth unto the Presbyters and that the people neither men nor women ought to intermeddle with it for if they should in short time it would overthrow all Government in Church and State and bring confusion into the world But I conceive the cause of so grosse a mistake of that place concerning the excommunicating of the incestuous person arose from this that they look upon the Church of Corinth and the other Churches spoken of in the New Testament not as Corporations as they were indeed but as on their now sucking Independent new Congregations and Assemblies consisting of twenty or thirty Members such as many of those be whereas those severall Churches are to be considered under another notion as consisting of many Congregations as that of the Church of Ierusalem united into one Church or body in the severall Corporations and each of them governed by a Common Councell of Presbyters and by the joynt consent of their severall Presbyteries all these severall congregations making but one Church though never so much dayly increased and keeping still the name and denomination of such a Church either from the place City Country or Nation or severall language as the Church of the Jewes the Greeke Church the Latine Church or from the Cities as the Church of Ierusalem of Ephesus Rome c. All the which though they consisted of never so many Congregations and Assemblies yet they ever kept the name of unity were accounted but one Church in their severall places and Precincts as at this day the Church of Geneva though it consist of many Congregations is counted but one Church as it is so that I say the conceiving of the Church of Corinth and those seven Churches in Asia under the notion of one of their Congregations caused through this mistake that great confusion that is now in the Church and was the originall
the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the Almes which sufficiently proveth that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government To the which argument of mine Master Knollys page 11. replyeth as followeth It is not denyed by the brethren saith he that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they are Elders But this I conceive by the Doctors favour doth not prove it to wit because the almes were sent unto the Elders Much lesse doth that Scripture prove that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled the Church in Ierusalem by a common Councell and Presbytery But in the 15. chap. ver 2. 4. 6. 22. and and chap. 16. 4. and chap. 21. 17 18. The Presbyters of Ierusalem by name saith the Doctor are expressed These are Master Knollys his own words with his reply and answer to my first argument by which I proved my third assertion in the which I shall desire the Reader to consider what he denyeth and what he granteth It is not denyed saith he by the Brethren meaning the Independents that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the churches in which they are Elders Take I pray his own expression He acknowledgeth that the government in all churches was committed to the Presbyters and that it lay only in their hands as to whom it was solely delegated so that he granteth as much as I contended for by that argument by which all judicious and understanding men may now perceive that Mr Knollys and the brethren do accord unto this truth viz. that the people have nothing to do with the government of the churches in which they are Members so that I have as much assented unto by him and all the brethren as I desire by the which if I am not mistaken he hath utterly excluded the people in all their seven new churches and in all their new gathered assemblies of the congregational way from any hand in the government of the churches For saith he it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the churches in which they are Elders So that hereafter I hope the brethren will not be so inraged against me if I beleeve as the seven new Churches beleeve and as all the brethren of the congregationall way beleeve those confiding men when Master Knollys saith that it is not denyed by them that the government in all Churches is laid upon the Presbyters shoulders and therefore not upon the peoples So that now there is little need of farther contesting between us about this businesse seeing he granteth that the Presbyters in all churches ought to have the government of them But it will not be amisse a little to take notice of the contentiousnesse of the mans spirit who grants the thing and yet wrangles about words and that wretchedly and poorly and therefore I shall desire the Reader to consider what he denyeth in my argument with the reason of it viz. these two things First that this doth prove it to wit because the almes were sent unto the Elders Secondly that that Scripture proveth that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled the church in Ierusalem by a common Councell and Presbytery These two things Master Knollys affirmes will not insue from that portion of Scripture upon which I grounded my argument Now before I come to reply to both these cavills of Master Hanserdo I shall take this liberty to say unto him that as he is a meere novice in Divinity and a foreiner to all good learning so he is but a sucking polititian not knowing either his Primer in that art or his Catechisme in Theology or any thing in the government either of Church or State which is one of the grand errors and heresies of all his fraternity who while they pretend to learning and would perswade the world they are excellent Statesmen and Grandees in Government they will in time prove themselves as they are indeed a company of grolls and ninnyes and I hope yet to see that day that they wil be as much exploded bafled out of their fond whimsies as ever the Prelates were or any distempered Sect in the world But that all men may the better see the truth and discerne Master Knollys his errors and the groundlessenesse of his denyall of my argument who saith it doth not prove that the presbyters were the men in government because the almes were sent unto the Elders and that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled that church by a common councell and presbytery because the relief was sent unto the Presbyters I shall now upon this occasion speak something concerning politicks and shew wherein the soveraign power and authority in all governments consists and in whose hands it resides and what are the essentiall properties or rather parts of Government in either of them So that wheresoever they are exercised in any country or common wealth those men only who are invested with them or to whom they are betrusted either immediately by God himself or by the election or choice of the people the soveraign authority in those severall governments lies and is deposited in their hands that mannage them and in no bodies else but such as are allowed of by their appointment or good liking and love And if men will then seriously consider and weigh the government secular in all States and Countries and compare the Ecclesiasticall with them which without any offence they may do the truth will more gloriously shine forth and the strength and force of my Argument will be the more obvious to every intelligible creature Now all men know that have either read or observed any thing in Politicks and the government of the world that in whose hands soever the legislative power lyeth so that they can either make or enact new Lawes and Statutes or repeale or abrogate any old ones and ratifie both with sanctions and who have also the power of life and death and the authority of punishing all Prevaricators against their Lawes all men I say know that the soveraigne power and authority resides and lyes soly and only in those mens hands that exercise it And this is the first essentiall part or property of soveraigne and supreame authority in any state and that declares unto all men who are the men in government there The second Essentiall part of soveraigne power in any government consists in this that they can erect and create new Offices and new Officers within their jurisdictions and set up new Courts and Iudges and can conferre Names Honours and titles of Dignity upon them severally and invest them all with power and authority to execute their severall places Offices and Iudicatures and this is the second essentiall property of supreme authority in any state so that in whose hands soever this power resides they onely are the Rulers in that government and no other
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-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
as hee was President in that Councell in the 15. of the Acts and it stands with very good reason for many yeares after he continued still the prime man in authority there amongst the Presbyters and knew very well the condition of all the Beleevers there and what numbers and multitudes of Disciples there were Inhabitants in that Church all which sufficiently demonstrateth that hee had his residence continually or for the most part in Ierusalem so that Paul comming thither to the Feast as it is related Acts the 21 chapter was informed by him not onely that there were many ten thousands of Beleevers in that Church but what those Disciples had heard concerning his preaching which sheweth not onely that Saint Iames had his aboad in that Citie but that those beleevers likewise were dwellers and inhabitants there and that now hee had very good acquaintance and familiarity with them yea which is more at that very time that Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem with those almes Peter and Iames were then in that Citie if not other of the Apostles also as the twelfe chapter of the Acts abundantly sheweth and without doubt they all joyned with the Presbyters and in a Common-councell ordered how the Alms should be disposed of by the Deacons to the necessity of the Saints yea it doth most necessarily follow what so ever Mr. Knollys and those of his Fraternity shall be able to say to the contrary for the Scripture recordeth that the reliefe was sent to the Presbyters through Iudaea Ierusalem was the Metropolis citie in Iudaea and in the 12. chapter v. 25. it is related that Barnabas Paul returned from Jerusalem whither they had carried the almes so that many of the Apostles being at that time in Ierusalem and the princiall and chiefe Presbyters in that Church amongst the other Presbyters it may not bee credited that they I say being the prime Magistrates and Governours did sit still and leave the rule ordering and government of that Church to other of their fellow Presbyters and them of inferiour ranke but they also acted their parts in the government at that time as well as at others and therefore I say when the disposing of the treasury of the Church or State is an Act of soveraigne power and belongs only to those that are in authority in either and when all the Apostles and Presbyters governed that Church by a Common-councell and joynt consent and when the almes were sent unto all it necessarily followeth notwithstanding all Master Knollys his garrulity that my Argument out of that Scripture will ever stand good to prove that the sending of the reliefe to the Elders makes good these two things the first that the Presbyters were the onely men in authority there and secondly that the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church governed and ruled it by a Common-councell and Presbytery yea Master Knollys his owne words confirmes mee in my opinion who saith it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they are Elders so that all businesses of publicke concernment were to bee transacted and managed by the common consent and agreement of them all and not by the determination of any one particular Presbyter in either of those Churches much lesse by any other persons or people in them but the Presbyters And this shall suffice to have spake concerning the confirmation of my first Argument grounded upon that Scripture that the reliefe and almes were sent unto the Presbyters of Ierusalem And now I come to what he hath to say against my second argument by which I proved my third proposition which is this as he himselfe set it down in the 12. Page of his book They that in the holy Scripture are called Presbyters and acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbyters and exercised that ordinary power committed to them in the 18. of Matthew they acted as Presbyters But the Apostles in governing the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbytery of that Church as Presbyters Ergo the church of Ierusalem was Presbyterially governed and by a common Councell of Presbyters The Major and Minor of this Syllogisme being proved saith the Doctor the conclusion will necessarily insue Thus Master Knollys relates this Argument wholly passing by all the rest And to this argument he first thus replies I know not saith he that the brethren ever deny ed that the Church of Ierusalem was presbyterianly governed So that he assenteth unto the conclusion which is all I contended for by that argument So that by this it followeth that the people had no hand in the government for they are not Presbyters by office And yet such is his ambition to be thought some body in the art of disputation that he quarrels the forme of my Syllogisme and takes upon him to shew me how I should have framed it aright but all those that know indeed what really belongs to learning will easily perceive the man doth but babble and if I should spend time in trifling with him about forms moodes and figures in Syllogisms who knows no more in Logick then the horse he preaches on I might be thought as vain as himselfe therefore intreating him hereafter to learn his Grand-dame to suck and not mee to make Syllogisms passing by all those his grolleries I will set down what he hath farther to reply to this argument in the 13. page and then answer to that and after I have done with him I will come to I. S. that learned Gentleman and profound Clerk Master Knollys to this argument thus farther answereth Though the Apostles saith he were called Presbyters in the Scripture yet it followeth not that they acted as Presbyters but as Apostles Act. 15. And they cannot therein be a pattern and president for Presbyters First because the Apostles had the care and charge of and over all Churches 2 Cor. 11. 28. But the Presbyters had the care and oversight of some one Church onely as Ephesus Act. 20. 28. or Philippi Phil. 1. 1. and this the Doctor often inserts in his book That all the Churches we read of in the New Testament though they were presbyterially governed were Dependent upon their severall Presbyters page 12. And secondly because this would make the Presbyters Independent indeed for so the Apostles were in the government of all the Churches the Presbyters of Jerusalem of Ephesus and of all the Churches were Dependent upon the Apostles and the Apostles only Dependent on Christ by whose holy spirit they were alwaies guided in the government of their churches and therefore they said Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us And though the Doctor say the Presbyters might say so as well as the Apostles because the Elders and Presbyters are mentioned there The
Apostles and not as Members for that present of the Presbytery of Antioch now all men know that they that are sent as Messengers by command and appointment as they were were not greater then those that sent them which is one of the reasons all orthodox Divines use against Peters Supremacy in that the Apostles which were in Ierusalem Acts 8. 14. sent him and Iohn to Samaria and therefore they conclude that the Colledge of Apostles had authority over him and that they were not subject to him And the same may be concluded concerning Paul and Barnabas that they were subject to the command of the Church And it is yet more evident out of the second verse of the 15 chapter of the Acts Where it is said that when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention disputation with them that then they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Ierusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question out of the which words every one may observe these conclusions following First that Paul and Barnabas used not any transcendent extraordinary and Apostolicall authority in that Church neither did they challenge unto themselves an infallible authority for the deciding of that difference which they might have done if they had then and there acted as Apostles and put forth their Apostolicall power yea which is more it is in terminis said that Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention and disputation with them intimating by those words that they argued and debated the matter by Reasons and Arguments as the other ordinary Presbyters of that Church did which they would never have suffered if they had acted there as Apostles and with an infallible authority and this is the first conclusion may be gathered out of those words to prove that Paul Barnabas acted there as ordinary Presbyters and were not onely at that time subject to that Church but Members of the same The second conclusion that may be gathered out of those words is this That they were sent as the other ordinary officers and the same commands laid upon them that were laid upon the other Now if they of Antioch had looked upon Paul and Barnabas as extraordinary Messengers indued with Apostolicall authority they would have made some difference between them and the certain others spake of in that place but sending them all with equall authority and with one and the same Message and making no distinction between them it sufficiently proveth that they of Antioch in this imploiment lookt upon them but as ordinary Presbyters The third thing observable is this that Paul and Barnabas with those certain others were sent as well to the Elders or Presbyters at Ierusalem about the question as to the Apostles for so runs the text they were all sent unto as having equal authority and as the ordinary Governours and Councellours of the Church and as to such as sat by one and the same Commission Writ or Charter and governed with a joynt consent and by a Common Councel and Agreement And therefore they are all to be considered as ordinary Presbyters in that Councel and Synod and all this I say may be gathered out of that text But there are many other Arguments to prove it because the Presbyters all of them and that all along through the whole debate acted as authoritatively as the Apostles For as the Presbyters were sent unto as well as the Apostles and assembled themselves accordingly v. 6. So they did decree and write the Epistle as well as the Apostles ver 22. 23. and Act. 16. 4. they are called also the decrees of the Apostles and Elders and Act. 21. the Presbyters say Wee have written and concluded manifesting unto all the World that they in that Synod sat and acted by the same authority and were assisted and guided by the same spirit the Apostles were as sitting by the same Commission or Writ And therefore when the holy Ghost makes no difference between them in respect of their authority but only in regard of their names it is a very great rashnesse in Mr Knollys and those of his fraternity to say that the Apostles acted not as Presbyters which is indeed to confute the Scripture and all this to delude the poore people Many Arguments more might be produced to prove that the Apostles acted as Presbyters and were no more then guided by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit then the other Presbyters but for brevity sake I shall only name one more which is this in that they stated the question and debated it from the holy Scripture in the ordinary way disputing Con and Pro arguing and reasoning what they should write and what they should judge of that busines as it is apparent in the 7. verse and many more places in that Chapter by their deliberate suffrages and discourses in that Councell and having by searching the Scripture saith the Holy Ghost found what was the good and acceptable will of God thereupon they say it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us as any Synod or Councell of Divines upon the like assurance of Scripture warrant may doe Now I affirme had the Apostles at that time acted by an apostolicall and infallible Spirit a when they writ the holy Scripture and not as Presbyters they would never have admitted any disputation nor entred into a serious debate and consultation what they should write and judge of that matter but would speedily have dispatched the busines and by their Apostolicall authority and that infallible Spirit they were led with they would have decided the matter and either have said thus saith the Lord as the Prophets of old did or take notice that what wee write are the commands of the Lord dictated unto us by the Spirit of God and would never have gone to consult with others about it or debated the matter by Arguments and reasons which when they did it is a sufficient Argument to prove that the Apostles acted as Presbyters in that Councel and therfore from all that I have now said it is apparently evident that all the Apostles at Ierusalem acted as Presbyters and that the other Presbyters had equall authority and power with them notwithstanding all Master Knollys his bable And this shall suffice to have spake by way of answer to that part of his fond cavill and now I come to reply to his Grolleries concerning the votes and suffrage of the people in the Church at Ierusalem whom Master Knollys joyneth with the Apostles and Elders and makes them equall with the Elders in authority misconceiving what is meant by brethren there his words are these page 13. The Doctor saith hee might have also considered that the Brethren even the whole Church the multitude how many soever the Doctor can make of them were present as well as the Presbyters Act. 15. 4. 12. 22 23. 25. 27 28. and so have made the Brethren the multitude even the whole Church independent also
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
and humane learning yea contrary to the very opinion of the learnedst of the Independents for this I. S. his judgement is that the Apostles and Presbyters without the concurrence of the people and Church could not have made the Decrees valid and binding whereas all the Independents besides himselfe joyning with the Papists against the Protestants affirme that the Apostles onely in that Synod and Councell by their infallible authority ratified those Decrees and so they exclude all the Presbyters saying that the Apostles acted not as Presbyters in that Councell but as Apostles stles with a transcendent power and were onely the men who were led and guided in that Session by the Holy Ghost and by a spirit of infallibility which say they the Presbyters were not indued with and therefore their presence onely as Apostles made their Decrees binding which opinion of the Independents howsoever it is very erroneous as I have often shewed in the foregoing Discourse yet it is point blanke against the Doctrine of I. S. who places all the power in the people robbing both the Apostles and Presbyters of their authority and on the other side his brethren they place all authority upon the Apostles and deprive the Presbyters of it and count them but ordinary men and not infallibly there assisted by the Holy Ghost both which opinions as they are contrary unto the word of God so they sufficiently prove that these men are but Babel Builders whose tongues and language are divided and tend to confusion for they are diametrically fighting one against ano ther so that all the world may see that those men that begin once to fight against the truth like the Midianitâ—s they destroy one an other But this has generally beene observed that such men as these are that study to invent Engines to beate downe the truth yet all the vapours of their braine cannot so much as cloud so bright â— Sunne but it will evermore gloriously shine forth to the dazeling of the eyes of all the enemies of the same So that it is a wonder of wonders to mee to see the people generally so hardned by obstinacy that they cannot yet discerne into the craft and juggling of the Ill-defendents predicants who whiles they give the people or Church power and interest to humour them it is not so much out of love to them as hatred to the Presbyterians to build up their Diana Temple of Independency hoping by raysing it to ruine the truth it selfe and to overthrow the whole Fabricke of Presbyterian government which Christ the King of his Church hath appointed and in fine by this meanes to bring in a confusion of all things and a mâ—â—re Anarchy in Church and State But howsoever the Ill-defendents seeke to put out the light of the truth by this their snuffing at it they make it burne the brighter as I. S. and Hanserdo Knollys have done by their snuffing at it And this shall suffice by way of Answer to have replyed to what both these Gentlemen Master Hanserdo and I. S. had to say to my third Proposition I come now to my fourth which I will first set down with their Answers to it and then make my reply as I have done to all their former cavills and I will go on in the same order first answering to Hanserdo and then to I. S. My fourth Proposition is this viz. That the Church of Jerusalem and the government of the same is to be a pattern for all Congregations and Assemblies in any City or Vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers and Presbyters of those congregations to govern that Church joyntly in a Colledge or Presbytery And for the proofe of this there needs no great dispute for all men acknowledge that the mother Church must give an example of government to all the daughter Churches now then when it doth evidently appear that this mother Church of Jerusalem in her most flourishing condition and by her first constitution was consisting of many Congregations and severall Assemblies and that they were all governed by a Presbytery or a joynt and common Councell of Presbyters then it followeth that all other Churches should be governed after the same manner as the mother Church was to the end of the World neither doe the brethren deny but the government of the church of Jerusalem must be the patterne of government to all churches and therefore out of that misprision and mistake that she was consisting of but as many as could meet in one congregation they take the church of Ierusalem for imitation and teach all their severall congregations to do the same and to exercise the same power among themselves Independent and to govern with as absolute an authority in their severall Congregations as the whole Colledge of the Apostles and Presbyters did in the church of Ierusalem and from the which they allow of no appeale as all that know their tenents can witnesse So that this last Proposition being strengthned both by reason and the consent of the brethren needs no further proof Now to this my fourth Proposition and the Arguments contained in the same Master Knollys thus replyeth Page 14. Neither do the Brethren deny but the Government of the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all Churches But the Doctor knows that the brethren deny that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers Congregations and severall Assemblies under a common Councell Consistory Colledge or Court of Presbyters And this they have not granted neither hath the Doctor proved And this may be sufficient to be said in Answer to the four Propositions touching the first Question This is all Mr Knollys hath to say by way of Answer to this my last Proposition in the which Answer of his I desire the Reader to observe what he in the name of all the brethren granteth and assenteth unto and what both he and they all deny at least as he saith for he personateth them all He grants in behalfe of them all that the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all churches And this is as much as I desire But by the way take notice that Master Hanserdo reckons before his host for I. S. is one of the brethren and yet he Page 13. asserteth that the example of that Church is not bindingly presidentiall Now what he and all the brethren deny if Mr Knollys be worthy of credit are these two things viz. The first That the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers congregations Secondly they deny that the Doctor hath proved it That all the brethren deny as Mr Knollys saith that the church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations is not altogether to be believed For my brother Burton none of tne meanest of the Brethren doth not deny it yea he not onely grants it but by arguments proves that there were many Assemblies of Believers in the church of Ierusalem and therefore Mr Hanserdo in this also his assertion
Independent way as well as any Independent in England and I farther undertake if the great Councel of the Kingdome shall call me and all the dissenting Brethren before them that I shall be better able in halfe a dayes space to deliver in what modell they would set up if they will deal ingenuously before God and the world and speak their conscience then they all put together shall be able to do I may perhaps be thought something presumptuous But J. S. his fond expressions makes me speak that I do which notwithstanding I still undertake to make good And if I have not been mis-informed there was one of the congregationall way and none of the meanest of them hearing my brother Burton speaking very trivially of me after he was gone out of his presence and passing a long with a friend of his and of the same fraternity much blamed my brother Burton saying that he had heard him speak as hyperbolically of me both for my learning and honesty as ever he heard man speak of another and added moreover that though I differed from them in opinion yet he conceived that I was the same man still in all respects that I was when my brother Burton spake so well of me and said withall that he did verily beleeve whatsoever Master Burton spake in a vilifying manner of me that I was better acquainted with their Way then he himselfe And there will be no great difficulty if occasion serve to prove all that I now say And therefore J. S. playes the child to babble thus to me who by Gods assistance and the power of his might shall be able to confound ten thousand such as he is and to teach both him and all his complices whether assembled or not assembled that their tenents are most wicked and abominable And I hope that succeeding ages will say that God inabled me to be as good as my undertaking for in his might I shall ever come out against all the Independents and Sectaries And now I come to answer to all their Replies to my Quaeries And first whereas they babble about the generall stating of the question and divide those things that I had joyned together and made but one generall question of they shew themselves but triflers and not serious Christians For I never made any doubt but that the Ministers of the Gospell may gather Churches for God in all ages sent his Prophets and Ministers for this very end to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel and all such as belong unto his election into his house for I know that the ordinary way to bring men to the knowledge of God and of Christ wherein consists life eternall is by the ministerie of the Gospel this I say is the ordinary meanes God uses for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ and this I have learned from the holy Scripture Ephes 4. 11 12 13. 1 Cor. 12. 28. And therefore all the pudder that I. S. and my Brother Burton make with their grollish Interrogations about that busines is but to beate the ayre and nothing to the purpose and no answer to my Quere as the Reader may well perceive if hee lookes but backe to the question and first quere neither can my Brother Burton or I. S. make it good by any one example out of the holy word of God that the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel did ever leave their owne ordinary charges to which they are called and whereto they are fixed with a command not to leave them and that under a pretence of a new way or new light did run about to gather converted men from among converted men and so picke out of other mens folds and flocks the best and fattest sheepe and molded them into severall Congregations and Assemblies as separate and distinct bodies and Churches from them and who had no Church-fellowship with other Congregations but were independent from them and absolute amongst themselves I say and affirme that neither my Brother Burton nor I. S. nor any predicant of the congregationall way can shew me any one President of this kind either in the Old or New Testament and this was the question whether there were any such thing to be found in the Scripture and not whether the Ministers of the Gospel may gather Churches as both J. S. and my Brother Burton deceitfully make it Now whereas in the 12. page hee compareth our Churches and Congregations with the Popish Assemblies and saith that they professe themselves to be Christians as well as the Protestants and that their gathering of people out of our Ministers flocks is as tolerable as gathering them out of Popish Parishes and Assemblies for this is the drift of his reason hee dealeth most uncharitably and unchristianly with his brethren for hee himselfe in his booke called Babell no Bethell hath there by the helpe of learned Calvin and Chemnicius and other Orthodox Writers proved that the Church of Rome is both Idolatricall and hereticall and errs in the foundation and that all the Papists living and dying in that their Faith and beleefe are in the state of damnation So that they being considered in his notion are as Infidels and aliens from the common wealth of Israel and the gathering of churches out from amongst the Papists is to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to God and as bringing men out of heathenish idolatry or from Jewish obstinacy from the companies and congregations of the which all Christians have an injunction to come out they being commanded to come out of Babylon Now I say in that my brother Burton compares all the Christian brethren in our congregations to the idolatrous Papists he sheweth the uncharitable opinion he hath of us all so that now it is no wonder that upon all occasions he proclames us all the enemies of Jesus Christ and his Kingdome But blessed be God We beleeve that through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved as well as any Independents think they shall be saved Act. 15. v. 11. Seeing God hath put no difference between us them purifying our hearts by Faith And therefore he deals very unchristianly unbrotherly with us to compare us to the Papists especially when according to our Covenant our Parishes and Churches are purged both of the Service Book Hierarchy and all Popish Superstition as he himself acknowledgeth in the 13. page of his uncharitable Pamphles and therefore this his instance of gathering Churches out of our congregations who beleeve in God as well as they answers not to the question And for his other instance in the 13. Page Where he asks me if I know not that the ancient Church of the Jews was then a Church when the Apostles by their preaching gathered a Church out of it a Christian Church out of the Iewish Synagogues For Answer I say first that I
he and his complices have to say to my five other quaeries But I will set downe my Brother Burtons oowne words which are these p. 19. seeing saith he wee have all bound our selves by solemne Covenant to reforme our selves and those under our charge according to the word of God yea and every one to goe before others in this Reformation tell me now Brother saith hee if it were not a matter worth the while for our Reverend and Learned Assembly seriously to take into debate whether the general tying up of men to waite necessarily on the Synod for its finall resolution about Church government be not an usurpation upon our Christian Liberty and a Diminution at least of the authority and sufficiency of Scripture and so consequently be not a trenching upon a fundamentall heresie as also an inhibition restrayning every man in his place Ministers Masters c. from setting upon the work of Reformation and so necessitating a violation of our Covenant or a dangerous retarding of the worke thus my Brother Burton these and such like are the subtill baits and cunning snares wherewith he catches and draws into his Net many ignorant yet well meaning tender hearted Christians whereas Reformation and Discipline in the Church in the full power thereof had beene settled long since had not Independents studied ways to molest our peace in opposing the setling of Church government according to the word of God for this they have and doe labour to withstand with all their might and great subtilty by which meanes my Brother Burton and those of his faction increase and strengthen their party and set up their new wayes and give an in-let to old and new heresies without interruption but this practice of Independents is offencive to God and man and absolutely contrary to that Covenant which we have all entered into For when we covenanted for Reformation it was to be understood that wee were thereby ingaged to humble our selves before the great God and with fasting and prayer earnestly to seeke to the Lord who is wise in heart and mighty in strength Job 9.4 able to over-power the hearts wils and affections of Principalities and powers yea of the greatest Kings and Monarchs in the world who by his wisedome can advise counsell and direct and by his mighty and omnipotent working and by the operation of his spirit can inforce and compell them to obey his Royall commands and to set up an universall Reformation of Religion and Discipline in his Church in its full power according to his sacred word and divine will And whereas wee have all bound our selves by solemne Covenant to reforme our selves and all under our charge according to the word of God this strictly binds every one of us in speciall to Reforme our selves and those under our charge by forsaking every sinfull way and evill practice that wee or they have formerly walked delighted and continued in whereby wee have provoked the Holy one of Israel unto anger Isaiah 1. 4. and hereby Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters of Families are bound to take care that all under their charge frequent the Ordinances of God and exercise all holy duties with them and that they doâ— not suffer any to wander and straggle abroad into dangerous ways and by-paths and errors and heresies and blasphemous tenents for if they let them walke where they please it shewes but little care taken to reforme and keepe them in the right way which leads to happinesse and it is a violation of this part of our Covenant where wee have bound our selves every one to reforme one and all under our charge yea and wee are bound every one to labour to goe before others in this Reformation But our Covenant doth not therefore bind every man and woman to take upon them to set up and follow what Government seemes good in their own eyes or rather is most suitable to their boundlesse spirits our Covenant gives no such Liberty to any for were this the sense of the Covâ—nant when it binds every particular man to indeavour to goe before others in Reformation this were to covenant against sinne Formality and Tyrannie and to vow for unlawfull Libertisâ—e Prophanesse and an Anarchie which would bring inevitable confusion in Church and State for under the pretence of going before others in Reformation Heresies unwarrantable corrupt and dangerous new opinions would then be broached maintained and disperst abroad without either the feare of God or man as at this day wee are taught by sad experience and all these deadly and destroying Heresies would be disseminated and divulged under pretext that their ways are agreeable to Gods word and that they come neerer and walke more close to the rule of Christ then others doe although their feet tread not in the steps of his commandements but walke in wayes contrary to his holy will and therefore such disorderly walkings as these are a Deformation of Religion not a Reformation according to Gods word and our solemne Covenant which wee have all entered into But my Brother Burton as I related before puts it to the question Whether or no it be not an usurpation upon our Christian Liberty and a diminution at least of the authoritie and sufficiency of Scripture c. for a man to be tyed to waite on the Synod for its finall resolution for Church government It may be answered for Magistrates to be zealous for Reformation and to settle that Church government which God hath appointed is so farre from being any usurpation upon our Christian Liberty or a diminution of the authority and sufficiencie of the holy Scripture as they have warrant for it out of holy writ and the practice of the most godly Princes is there recorded for their example and incouragement to go on undauntedly in the work 2 Chron. 15. 8. to the 16. v. 2 Chro. 17. the 6 7 8 9. 2 Chron. 29. c. 2 Chron. 30. c. 2 Chron. 31. 31. c. 2 Chron. 34. c. 2 King 23. to the 24. ver Ezr. 9. Neh. 9. so that Gods word be the absolute rule to direct them in this their undertaking and the true intent of our Covenant is that we will all be ayding and assisting to the utmost of our power to further them in their holy indeavours Now wherein for the effecting of such a Reformation that may in all things bee grounded on Scripture can a better course bee taken then authority hath appointed namely by calling together an Assembly of Ministers men skilfull in the originall tongues learned in all other sciences and approved to be godly pious zealous orthodox men and mighty in the Scripture and which is more to be selfe-denying men who being met together have humbled themselves by fasting and prayer before the Lord of Heaven and earth imploring his divine assistance illumination and direction out of his holy word for the Reforming and setling the Government of the Church according to his sacred will and for these
We hold it saith he yea that for the admission of any to Membership or Office bearing in a church the consent of the congregation or the major part thereof as well as officers be required and that as well in regard every one takes a charge upon him as in respect of interest I expected that this groll I. S. should according to his promise not onely have given me a parcell of words but as he accounted me a Catachumenos that he should have taught and instructed me out of Gods Word which must be the rule of our obedience and out of his statutes where ever Christ the King of his Church had ever given such a law unto his people that they should admit of none into his house without the consent of all their fellow servants and where he did resign his authority and put it into the peoples hands and commanded them that they should take a charge of his family upon them as having an interest in it and where Christ did ever by any law or statute make his people servants to each other as that they should take a charg over them have an interest in them to judge them at pleasure all this I looked for at I. S. his hands and that now he should have fully informed me in it especially when we have a command from Christ our King to the contrary I desire to go on warily 1 Cor. 7. 23. who saith to all his servants and subjects by his Apostle Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Now if we are not to be the servants of men how then comes it to passe that the Independents make us not onely servants but slaves and vassals to them for what greater bondage and servitude can there be in the World then to be under the controule of every one his fellow servants so that without their good likinâ— they can neither come in nor go out of their masters house nor be admitted to do that service their master calls for at their hands but if any one of their fellow servants shall except against him he must be kept out of doors I appeal here to the judgement of all men whether there were ever extant in the World such a generation of Lordly Gentlemen over Gods heritage seen since mortality inhabited the earth or that did ever more impudently domineer and Lord it over Gods Clergyes then in this our age where every man makes himselfe a Lord and Judge over his brother who is purchased by Christ his King and made free by his Word especially is not this a horrid insolency in any to take upon him to judge his brother when there is a statute law and a command laid upon him to the contrary Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore saith the Apostle judg one another any more but judg this rather that no man put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brothers way in the which Law statute there are 2 observables The first is this that no man should judge his brother any more and this statute is ratified by many other and from most warrantable and divine reason the other statutes that confirme this are many in the same chapter with the reasons thereof For saith the Apostle What art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own master he standeth or falleth ver 4. therefore thou oughtest not to judge him For to this end saith he ver 9. Christ both dyed rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Christ saith he is our Lord both by donation by conquest by purchase by covenant by fellowship with the sonne and with the Father we were given unto him by God the Father and he conquered all our enemies and led captivity captive and vanquished the strong and armed man and disarmed him and rescued all his servants out of his slavery he hath redeemed us by no less price then his pretious blood and we are his people also by covenant and by communion in his graces and resurrection and glory injoying with him all felicity and everlasting happinesse with an eternall Kingdome therefore saith he in the 12. verse Why dost thou judge thy brother and why dost thou set at naught thy brother we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ Therefore judge not thy brother And St. James saith my brethren be not many Masters And this I say is the first observable out of that text that we ought not to judge one another any more The second observeable is that no man should put a stumbling blocke or occasion of fall in his brothers way Now I appeale unto any man what greater stumbling blocke or occasion to fall can be put in any mans way then when men on their own heads impose a Law upon their brethren that Christ our King never gave to his people or what greater scandall and offence can be given to a poore servant of Jesus Christ his King then to be thrust out of their Masters doores or to be kept out of their Masters house and to be judged at the will and pleasure of his fellow servants whether hee be fit to come into his Maastars family or not if this be not to judge his brother if this be not a scandall yea if this be not an intolerable tyrannie there was never any either judgement scandall or tyrannie in the world nor greater rebellion and contumacy against the King of his Church and against his subjects servants and redeemed ones and therefore if the Pope and Prelates were so much abominated and abhorred of all men for their usurpation over Gods heritage and clergies how much ought such squanderling fellowes as this I. S. and his complices be abominated who thus take upon them to discerne into the very secrets of their brethrens hearts and to judge them fit or not fit to be received into Church fellowship and into the communion of Saints and according to their conceit and opinion so to bring in their verdict of admission or non-admission when Christ our Lord and King sayes judge not lest ye bee judgod Matth. 3. and bids all men that are heavie laden to come unto him Matth. 11. and saith Iohn the 6. v. 37. Him that comethunto me I will in no way cast out Here the Lord the King of his Church gives free admittance to all his subjects and servants to come into his Kingdom and house but here is my Lord Taps his Chaplaine and his associats and they all take upon them this power and authority that except it be by their good leave liking they shall not be admitted into the house of God for they have a charge over that house and an interest also these are I. S. his owne expressions Now I do here againe appeale to any that have but any ordinary understanding whether there was ever such a supercilious brood of creatures in the world before these Ill-dependents were hatcht that can
the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my Name The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity for the Priests lips shall keep knowledge and they shall seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger or Angel of the Lord of hosts A sufficient testimony to prove that the Ministers onely under the Old Testament had the power given them of admitting of any into the fellowship and communion of the Church and that all the people were directed to them as the Messengers and Angels of the Lord of hosts if they desired to be admitted into the Church And so Ieremy and Ezekiel as we read in the first chapters of both their Prophesies and the same may be said of all the Prophets they were sent unto the people The people were to be directed by them and the Prophets and Priests onely had that power delegated unto them of proclaming both mercies and judgements and of receiving into the Church such as should come unto them And under the New Testament in the third of Matthew we finde Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the regions round about Ierusalem going out to Iohn the Baptist and were baptized of him and admitted into the Church by him alone without the people and the substance of his Preaching with his manner of admitting of members into the Church and the conditions upon which he received them and what the people did before their admission is all fully set down in the third of Luke and the seventh And for the sum of his Preaching it is said verse the third That it was the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins And for those that came unto him as the common people the Publicans and the Souldiers they all ask Iohn what they should do And after he had instructed them severally their duties and told them upon what conditions they might be admitted it is said in the seventh of Luke Verse 29. That all the people that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the Baptism of John But the Pharisees and the Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of him Verse 30. So that by Christs own testimony the Pharisees and Lawyers onely excepted all that came to him were baptized and admitted into the Church without the consent of the people And so we finde in the Gospel of Saint Iohn chap. 3. 4. yea through the whole Book That the people every where made their addresses to Iohn the Baptist and to Christ and his Apostles onely and that as many as came to Christ unfainedly were received by him and his Apostles and none upon the offer of themselves if they accepted of the conditions and were baptized were ever refused And we finde further that when our Saviour had at any time clensed and cured the Lepers he sent them to the Priests for to be admitted by them into the communion of the Church from which their noisome disease as a type of sin had for the time excluded them As for Iohn Baptist saith my Brother Burton Page 16. about whose gathering you have so bestirred your self before and to as little purpose You may observe that those beleevers in Christ then to come according to the Papists doctrine were not formed into a Christian Church or Churches as after Christs resurrection the beleevers were And when you come to visit those Christian Churches once constituted in their Gospel form by the Apostles you shall finde that the power of admitting and rejecting or casting out of members was not in the Apostles and Ministers alone but in the Churches For this read 1 Cor. 5. where the whole Church of the Saints in Corinth to whom Paul wrote were to cast out the incestuous person as also afterward upon his repentance to re-admit him 2 Cor. 2. 6 7. This one instance saith my Brother Burton is a sufficiens president for all Churches Thus he And this is all he hath to say there concerning Iohn Baptist Now although I have formerly answered and that in many places in the foregoing Treatise to every several branch of this my Brother Burtons cavil and although it be nothing to the enervating of my Argument as all understanding men will well preceive if they duly consider it yet because I perceive by his whole discourse the main designe both of himself and all those of his faction that now trouble the world with their scribbling is to deceive and delude silly souls that they may the better bring all the Presbyters into the hatred of the people as men Antichristian and more then Prelatical and as affecting a more lordly power over the people then ever the Bishops exercised over them for this is the language all their Pulpits and Pamphlets speak I say in this regard though I have often formerly fully answered to every branch of this cavil I will here say something to it for the better discovery of the vanity and triviality of the man And that I may declare unto all men how little his asseverations are to be regarded But I desire the Reader to take notice of his grolleries waving that slighting passage of his where he saith That I have so bestirred my self and to so little purpose about John Baptists gathering c. And first That he joyns here with the Papists in unchristianing and unchurching all those that were baptized by the Baptist And so in this point he is a Papist Secondly That he makes the form of a Church which he calls the Gospel form to confist in excommunication Thirdly Take notice of his peremptory assertion and in it of an other notable error where he saith You shall finde that the power of admitting and rejecting of members was not in the Apostles and Ministers alone but in the Churches And for proof of these his grolleries he quotes 1 Cor. 5. and 2 Cor. 2. 6 7. and makes the example of that Church to be bindingly presidential to use I. S. his Rhetorick to all Christian Churches Whereas in his tenth page he tells me We are necessarily to take all the Churches in the New Testament together to make up one entire and perfect Church patern These are his words there and yet here he makes the Church of Corinth to be a sufficient president for all Churches So that every one of their Instances must be a sufficient patern to all other Churches and yet when I produced the example of the Church of Jerusalem the Mother Church for a patern of Government for all other Churches he rejected it affirming that it was not a perfect patern And in that his expression also we may take notice of a parcel of good Divinity where he makes the Church of Corinth a more perfect Church then that at Ierusalem which not withstanding he sayes was the first formed Church Now if excommunication and discipline
saith my Brother Burton The people had authority of admitting and rejecting members as well as the Apostles and Presbyters and therefore those primitive and Apostolike Churches onely are to be a patern of imitation to all Christians and Ministers of governing by and not that of the Baptist and by this their craft and juggling and by these fallacious means and unwarrantable wayes my Brother Burton Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. with all the fraternity of the Ill-dependent Predicants having prepossest the people with a prejudicate opinion against their faithful Ministers as if they affected a lordly power over them and more then Prelatical They have I say by this craft so infatuated them that there is scarse left an ear open in many of them to hear the just defence of the Presbyterians or an eye to see or read what they can say for themselves and against all their calumnies which wickednesse and deceitful dealing of the Ildependents itinetary Preachers is unexcusable But because my Brother Burton not onely carps at the example of Iohn the Baptist but likewise at those I brought of the Eunuch of Paul of Cornelius of Lydia and of the Goaler Mr. Knollys also joyning with him in this good service and skirmish the which after that both himself and Absurdo Know-lesse for so he may truly be called had spent their breath and strength to evade and yet perceiving evidence of truth in them so apparently perspicuous as it dazzled their eyes they cry out that those were extraordinary examples and not binding because those being baptized were not admitted or received members into any particular Church but into the Catholike visible Church and therefore say they those examples are not for our imitation we look onely for the example of such Churches as were cast into a Gospel-Form and into the mould of the New Testament-Form Now what a heighth of wickednesse is it in these men thus to trifle for the deluding of the simple people and to pretend unto them that there are divers wayes of admitting of members into Christs Church one way of admitting members into the Catholike visible Church and another of admitting members into a particular Church when in truth there is no difference for he that is a member of any particular Church is a member of the Catholike and so on the contrary as by the examples both ordinary and extraordinary by me produced is sufficiently apparent for they were all admitted after one and the same way and I had two examples of receiving in members into Churches constituted after the New Testament Form as that of Jerusalem and Damaseus both Churches according to the Gospel-Form and there were there three thousand received members at one time in the church of Jerusalem without any of those conditions they require at their members hands and Paul also was received a member of the Church of Damascus upon the same terms that all the rest were and therefore the example is bindingly presidential And these two examples are taken no notice of but are passed by and all the other counted extraordinary by them And the people by this means are deluded and miserably abused Now can there be a greater imposture or deceit in any that pretend unto Religion and honesty then that in these men When they say in their writings upon all occasions produce us some examples of Churches according to the New Testament Form wherein any members were admitted by the Ministers sole authority and without the consent of the people and without those conditions we require of all such as are to be admitted members into our Churches and then you do some thing Can there I say be a greater deceit in any men then this of theirs to make the people beleeve that there hath never been any such example produced when notwithstanding I had set that example of the Church of Jerusalem and that of Damascus both constituted after the Gospel-Form before their eyes in both of which their members were admitted by the sole and alone authority of the Ministers of those Churches without the consent of the people or without any of those requisites they now demand of their members in all their new gathered Churches By which their proceedings they make themselves guilty before God and all men of indirect dealing and of withholding the Truth from the people in unrighteousnesse and manifestly declare unto the world that they are resolved against all the Light of the Truth obstinately to persist in their erroneous wayes which is the greatest height of impiety and wickednesse in the world and no lesse then to resist the Spirit of God For if there had been but the least dram of candor and fair dealing in them they would never have uttered such words and had there been but any Christian honesty and love to the peace of the Church in them they would not have passed by the Church of Ierusalem and that of Damascus unsaluted and without taking any notice of them and fell upon the examples of the Eunuch Cornelius Lydia and the Goaler and then pretend that they were extraordinary But that all men may see my fair dealing with them and if it be possible that I may undeceive the deluded people I will in this place to gratifie my Brother Burton and Absurdo Know-lesse set before their eyes the examples of the two Mother Churches in their Gospel-Form viz. that of Ierusalem Samaria that so by the mouth of two witnesses the Truth may the better be confirmed Now because they took no notice of the Church of Ierusalem in my former Book but passe it by as not worth the regarding I shall desire them at this time and all those that read this Book duly to consider how members were admitted there not onely at one time but always And I shall desire them likewise seriously to weigh the practice of that Church in the admitting of their members the example of which according to their doctrine must ever be followed and imitated And because my Brother Burton says That the other Churches also are to be taken in for the making up of a compleat patern I will produce two other formed churches after the New Testament Form among the Gentiles and them eminent ones that there may be no want of witnesses for the confirming us in the right way of gathering Churches and for the receiving in of members First therefore I shall intreat the Reader to look into the second chapter of the Acts where he shall finde at the first admiâ—sion there were three thousand souls taken in and made Members of that Church by the sole power of the Apostles and where the people had no voice in the admission of them neither was it required that they should walk sometime in fellowship with them that they might have experience of the truth of their conversion neither was it required of them that they should make every one of them a publike confession of their faith and bring in the evidences
of all things See what Saint James saith in his fifth chapter to all churches and christians in the world Is any man sicke saith hee let him send for the Presbyters of the churches and let them pray over him c. and the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him The Apostle Iames here sends all christians to the Presbyters of every church who had the power of the Keyes delegated unto them for spirituall comfort and whose office onely it was to pronounce pardon and remission of sinnes unto the sicke upon their true Repentance if they had offended and sinned against God in the time of their health and so scandalized the Gospel and the Church and it was the Presbyters place and office to admit them againe into the fellowship and communion of the Saints upon their coâ—diall and untained repentance and that without asking the church any leave for as the Presbyters onely had the power of casting out offenders out of the Church so they onely had the authority of receiving them in againe upon their repentance and not the Church so if wee looke into all those Epistles that were written unto the seven Churches of Asia in the 2. and 3. of the Revelations we shall find them all directed to the Angels of the seven Churches which is as much as to say to the presidents of every severall Presbytrie established and constituted in every one of those Churches which is a sufficient Argument to me to prove a Counsell or Colledge of godly Ministers in every one of those cities according to that of Paul to Titus chap. 1. verse 5. for this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest ordaine Presbyters in every Citie not one but many And in the 14. of the Acts verse 23. and when they had ordained them Presbyters in every Church c. many Presbyters a Colledge of them was appointed to every Church and so in the 20. of the Acts there were many Presbyters who had the charge and government of that Church committed unto them in common ver 28. there was a Colledge of them constituted in that church and therefore for order sake which the light of nature teacheth they must have a President who by the way of excellencie and to distinguish him from the other is called an Angel as the inscription of the Epistle Rev. 12. 1. declares saying Vnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus As in our dialect when we speake of the great counsell of the Kingdome or of the reverend assembly of Divines if there be occasion of distinguishing the Presidents of those councels from the other Judges in those assemblies wee say Master Speaker in the house of Lords or Commons or of the President of the Ministers we say Master Prolocutor and if any have occasion to write to either houses or to the Assembly they direct their letters to the Speakers or to the Prolocutor who communicates them to each Assemblies as being the Presidents of each Society and yet none of all these Presidents by that their place of honour and eminency have any more power or authority then the rest but onely in the casting voyce when the parties upon any occasion are for number equall and for appoynting of the times and places of meeting and for the methodicall and orderly carriage of the busines yea it is ever observed wheresoever there is a President there is a colledge or councell or a court nature dictates this and the custome of all nations proves it and withall by the same light of reason that counsell or colledge to whom God himselfe writes and directs his letters for redressing of abuses has the power in their hands for the rectifying of things amisse and that it peculiarly belongeth unto them as to the Magistrates invested with authority to order things according to direction and to punish and cast out offenders and that by their own power without the consent and approbation of the people as it is now in the great Councell and Parliament of the Kingdome who make not the people acquainted with what they have to do but so far as it pleaseth themselves and not out of any duty And so it was in the government of Gods Church by the first constitution every Church consisting of many congregations were governed by a colledge of Presbyters as that of Ierusalem and this of Ephesus and the other six Churches in all the which the Presbyters by their sole authority governed them according to Gods Word without taking the people into councell with them who were no where joyned in commission with them and therefore it is most apparent by those examples I have now produced and many more that might be added and from the commission that Christ gave to the Apostles and in them to all Ministers that the people had not their voices either for the admitting of any to be Members in any church or in the casting out of any for their delinquency much lesse have they authority to require a publike confession of their faith to be made unto the congregation or to exact of them to bring in the evidences of their true conversion or to require that they should walk with them some time before admission or to enter into a solemn private Covenant before they be admitted as Members for we have no president for any of these things in Gods Word much lesse any command only in Acts the sixt there is mention made that the Apostles for the freeing of themselves from all unnecessary incombrances and that they might the better attend upon their Ministery and preaching gave the people liberty to make choice of their own Deacons but still keeping the power of ordaining them in their own hand which always was arbitrary in them whether they would exercise it or no neither would the Apostles have ordained them unlesse those that were to be ordained had been men so qualified as they had appointed for otherwise it lay in their choyce whether they would ordain them or no. But that ever the congregation or people had the power of admitting of members or of ordaining of Officers it is no where extant in Gods Word But that the women should have a voice in the Church either for receiving in or casting out of members or officers or should have any thing to do with Peters Keys it is against the law of God and nature For Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinths 14. makes it one of the marks of confusion in any Church where women have their voices saying God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all the churches of the Saints and in the next verse following in expresse words saith Let your women keep silence in the churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law and if they will learn any thing
let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church And what Saint Paul writ to this Church of Corinth he writ to all Churches and proclames that what he writ to them were the commandments of the Lord ver 37. so that God had commanded that the women should not speak in the Church and saith that it is a shame they should and yet in these our dayes in many of the new congregations they have their voices in choosing of officers and admitting of Members and have all of them Peters Keys at their Girdle and make learned parts of speech in the congregation and dispute questions and debate of matters and give their reasons con pro as it is credibly reported and others of them set â—orth and print learned Treatises in polemicall Divinity with great applause and admiration of the Independent Ministers who cite their authority and quote them in their writings as classicall authors to the shame of the Nation and ludibry of Religion and howsoever there is not any that shall more honour the truly vertuous and pious of that sex than my selfe yet I must confesse when I see how far they become transgressors of the law of God and do those things that the holy Apostle hath not onely forbidden but proclamed a shame I cannot but exceedingly blame them and those Ministers that allow of and approve of such rebellion against God and nature And as if it had been the speciall care in the Apostle to prevent this evill of womens intermedling in matters of the Church he foreseeing the confusion that would be brought in upon it In his first Epistle to Timothy and in him to all Ministers to whom the Government of the Church was committed he gives him direction how to behave himselfe in the house of God which is the Church of the living God in chap. 2. verse 11. 12. hee saith Let the women learne in silence with all subjection for I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence for Adam was first made then Eve and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression c. Here the Apostle againe and againe twice in these few words enjoyns them silence in the church and imposes upon them subjection and obedience I suffer not saith he a woman to teach or to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silene and he giveth his reasons of this his command because saith he Adam was first made not by the woman nor of the woman but the contrary and therefore shee may usurpe no authority over the masculine sex especially in Gods matters and she is to be the disciple of the man and not the man her scholar and therefore that superiority that the God of order had established upon the man in the first creation hee doth now re-establish upon him againe in his holy Word after all things through sinne had beene disordered and confused and commands the woman to be both subject and silent especially in the Church Another reason of this his command is because the woman was first in the transgression and was the cause of Adams fall as hee accuses her and her disputing and voycing of it then brought confusion upon all man-kind and for this her so doing S. Paul concludes for ever hereafter that she ought to hold her peace be in subjection to her husband and ought to learne in silence at home but more especially in the Church for if they come to voice it once againe in the Church as Eve brought confusion upon man-kind by her disputation and reason so these with their loquacity and babble and confusion of voyces will bring in a new Babel into the Church and State as they have prettily well already begun to doe Saint Paul saith I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence Here the Apostle as in the place above cited out of 1 Cor. chap. 14. commands them silence and permits them not to speake and expressely forbids them to usurpe authority over the man that is the viril sex Now I appeale unto any understanding creature whether or no to make large parts of speech in the Church as many of them upon occasions doe and dispute and give their reasons con pro be not to speak in the Church and whether to have their voices in either admitting of Members or Officers or in the casting of them out be not to usurpe authority over the man for all the world knows that they that have the power in their hands of either admitting of any into the fellowship or communion of the Church or of hindring their coming in or have their voices for the casting of them out when they are received exercise and usurpe authority over those they so deal with and there-fore they do against the expresse prohibition of the Apostles and all those women that have usurped this authority and all those Ministers that have permitted them so to do or taught this doctrine unto them are all guilty of great contumacy against God and ought seriously to repent for this their temerity and rebellion and it will be the imortall honour of those women that have not intermedled and if there be not some speedy course taken by authority to forbid such disorder we may promise nothing to the Church and whole Kingdome but confusion It hath ever been observed that Hermaphrodite councels in any Kingdome or Country when women that are subjects intermeddle in government and matters of state that that Kingdome and Country is very crased and not far from ruine and destruction and we need not look into many ages or countries for presidents of this kind and if Hermaphrodite counsels in Kingdoms have ever been so fatall unto them what may any man think in time will become of this Church and Kingdome when the women have gotten Peters Keys at their girdle and have their voices in many congregations and a power of ordering and disposing of things in Church affairs Certainly nothing but confusion can be expected for this their doing is against the expresse command of God who is the God of order and injoyns the contrary Yea it is not onely against the law of God but against the very law of nature and the practice of all Nations for never was it yet heard of in any well governed City or Commonwealth or Kingdome that women that were subjects had their voices in choosing officers or Burgesses or making of freemen or disfranchising of them or were permitted so much as to sit in counsell with them much lesse to rule and give laws to others out of their own houses And therefore as it is a thing odious to God and man and that which is a shame to that sex it ought to be cast out of all wel-governed Churches and States and as the women ought to know their
the hearts of their brethren more then all their former afflictions and gives a great advantage to the common enemy and scandalizes the Gospel and exposes both themselves and us to the scorne of the Malignants who ordinarily jeere and say see those holy Brethren that lost their ears together are now together by the cares and count one of another as a company of Infidels and disclaime all holy communion one with another and will not so much as admit of their children to baptisme or suffer them to receive the Sacraments with them But this is that that makes all men wonder to heare them proclaime all the Ministers of the Church of England to be such as deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government when it is apparently evident both by all their preachings and writings and all their practices that they ever advance Christs Kingly government as really as any of those that oppose them who in preaching up the Kingly office of Christ and setting Christ upon his Throne are inferiour to none of them in this work For we are taught out of Gods Word that those Ministers set up Christ in his Throne that open the eyes of the blind and turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan to God that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in Iesus Christ and that teach men to repent and turne to God and doe workes meet for repentance and when the people that heare them give themselves first to the Lord and upto his Ministers by the will of God and after denying all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And this the Word of God teacheth us is to set up Christ upon his Throne and those Ministers that teach all these things set up Christ upon his Throne and those people that embrace this doctrine make Christ their King as we may see 2 Cor. chap. 8. ver 5. Tit. 2. verse 12. For Christ sits as King upon his Throne when hee is beleeved in to bee that horne of salvation that was raised up for us in the house of David that has saved and delivered all that beleeve in him out of the hands of all their enemies both spirituall and bodily that they may serve him without feare and when Christ rules in all their hearts by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit and when they owne him as their onely Law-giver and acknowledge him to be the onely King in his Church and the Saviour of all those that truly beleeve in him and this is to set up Christ upon his Throne and the brethren themselves accord unto this Now when the Ministers of England teach this doctrine in their preachings and writings how can they be truly said to deny disclaim and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and Churches and how can that people be said truly to deny Christs Kingly government who do both beleeve and to the uttermost of their power practice this doctrine and follow onely the guidance of his holy Spirit and Word both for doctrine and government who is King of the Church whether therefore this be not an unjust and unchristian calumny laid both upon the Ministers and people of the church of England I leave it to the consideration of any moderate minded christian doubtles all charitable minded christians if they consider all things aright will not think so dishonourably neither of the Ministers of England not of the people under their Ministery for they deserve not to be accounted the profest enemies of Christ who are freed from that heavy accusation by Christs own testimony who when it was related unto him by Saint John Mark 9. ver 38. That they had seen one casting out devills in his name which followed them not and that the Disciples had forbad him because he did not follow them Our Saviour Christ replying forbid him not saith he for whosoever is not against us is on our part Now these Ministers that open the eyes of the blind and turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God they cannot be esteemed enemies of Christ and to be against Christ but for him and ought highly to be honoured for their works sake 1 Thess chap. 5. ver 13. and singularly to be beloved and deserve not to be maligned and reproached especially by brethren who owe all their conversions next unto God to their Ministery yea both the Pastors and people of all the new congregated churches are beholding unto them for their conversion for they admit none into their Assemblies but beleevers and they were made beleevers and converted by their Ministery and therefore they are friends of Christ and not his enemies and they ought all of them to look upon them as their Fathers and on the church of England as their Mother and on the beleevers of England as their brethren and ought not thus unchristianly and ungratefully to cast dirt in all their faces Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians chap. 1. hath these words Some saith he preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of good will the one preach Christ of contention and not sincerely thinking to adde affliction to my bonds but the other of love What then notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ be preached I therein do rejoyce yea and I will rejoyce Saint Paul speaks here of such as preach pure doctrine though not with a pure mind and was glad that Christ was preached and counts them not the enemies of Christ as he did the false teachers among the Galatians who joyned the ceremoniall law and their own inventions with the Gospel and therefore he wisht that they were cut off but in this place he rejoyces that Christ and the Gospell were purely preached though it were of envy Now when the Ministers of the Church of England do not only preach the Gospell purely but of sincerity and of love and mingle not their own traditions and inventions with the Gospell but follow their commission how can any men without intolerable injustice proclame them the enemies of Jesus Christ and make them odious to the people under the name of Presbyterians whom they perswade all men that they will prove more cruell Taskmasters then the Prelates yea and they have generally possest the people with so prejudicate an opinion of them all as if they would more lord it over them than ever the Bishops did and causlesly have moved the people to hate the name of Presbytery And notwithstanding they themselves pretend they contend for the ancient Presbytery and by this make themselves Presbyterians as well as the other What justice or equity then is there in their dealing to make their brethren odious to the world for endeavouring to set up a Presbytery after Gods Word when they themselves are Presbyterians and labor to set up a Presbytery of
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