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
What their Ministers have done since I know not but I well perceive it is as great a difficuly for a poore man to get into some of their congregations as to get into Suttons-Hospitall and that I conceive to be the onely occasion that makes some walke so long in many congregations before they come to be admitted members for if they be rich they are speedily received nay invited to be Members It is too well knowne that many godly and holy people have left their native countrey and transported themselves over into New England where this government is set up onely that they might enjoy the Ordinances there in their purity they were beleevers before they went and were baptized and such as were knowne before they went thither to be the deare servants of God but when they come there especially if they be poore they make them walke some a yeare some more yea some six or seven before they can be admitted Members of their Congregations and they baptize none of those children that are borne there before their Parents be joyned Members and except they will in all things conforme themselves to their owne conditions they shall never be admitted And some time the man onely is admitted and his wife left out still to walke and some time the wife is admitted and the man left out still to walke and both these notwithstanding are beleevers and baptized and after with a great deale of difficulty they are admitted to be Members a very small offence will be sufficient to cast them out againe if they be poore But for stories of this nature I doe not love to multiply them but I have heard many of this kind from those places and from such as have beene in New-England and men both then and now no way evilly affected either to the place or people serving God there But it is too notorious they lord it there over Gods poor Clergies in the superlative degree and every man that hath but eyes in his head may see it here in England in their congregations what difference they make between the rich and poor and that they have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons a sinne in Saint James his time highly blamed in Christians James 2. And as in their carriage towards the poor they are very lofty and look for great observance and attendance from them wheresoever they come so likewise a little thing will displease them if they speak a word amisse it is enough to be cast out of the Congregation presidents of this nature might be brought many And if all this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies I know not what it is to admit of none though beleevers and already baptized but such as will come in upon their own termes and keep out the poor either altogether or as long as pleaseth them without any other reason but because they are poor and cast them out again upon every slender occasion I say if all this be not a most diabolicall tyranny and lording it over Gods Clergies I referre it to any moderate man to judge of and if to unchurch all Churches but their own and at one blast to proclame them all enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and to deny all Church-fellowship with them be not more than a Diotrephian Prelâ—ticall and Papall Authority there was never any in the world and if this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies there was never any known Now I say if the Independent Presbyters do so timely begin their absolute lording of it what would they do if their government were established by authority Their Ministery and government is farre different from that of Christ and his holy Prophets and Apostles for they invited all the poor to come in and to buy milk yea to come in and buy milk without money Isaiah 55 〈◊〉 and Saint Paul for the encouraging of the poor to come in â—aith not many mighty not many noble but the meane and contemptible things hath the Lord made choyce of intimating unto the poore that they have as good right to Heaven as the greatest and chiefest and our Saviour Christ saith come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ye shall find rest unto your soules Our Saviour hath no respect of persons but the poor are with him as acceptable as the rich if they be weary and heavy laden with their sinnes for that is all the condition that Christ requires in all that desire to be admitted Members of his Church Now when these Presbyters already make so great difference between the poor and the rich and between beleevers and beleevers as they will admit none but at their own times and upon their own conditions I do conceive that this is a most tyrannically lording it over Gods Clergies and Inheritance which when they dayly do it and the Presbyters of the Church of England do it not it is most apparent that their rule and domination is more prelaticall and more to be feared than that of the Presbyters of the Church of England for from the Independent Presbyters they can never expect any appeal for releife and redresse whatsoever wrong or injury they have sustained by them and therefore there is no just cause why any should so traduce the Presbytery of the Church of England as to think they will lord it over the people from whom they may ever expect farre better measure than ever they can from the Independent Presbytery which if it should once be established would tend to nothing else but to enslave the whole Kingdome and to bring in a confusion upon both Church and State But now it will not be amisse before the conclusion as we have compared the Presbyters of the Church of England with the Presbyters Independent both in regard of their doctrine and discipline so now likewise here to paragonate them together in their proceedings for the advancement of Christs Kingdome that all men may see in that regard also which of their endeavours tend most to the advancement of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ and which of them ought to be preferred before other and which of them doth more really and truly tend not onely to Gods glory but to the peace also of the Church and State For the Presbyters of the Church of England they 〈◊〉 and endeavour as there is but one body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father over over all who is above all and through all and one true Christian Religion Eph. 4. so that this onely may be established through the three Kingdomes and that all erroneous ways of worshipping and serving God and that tends to lead men to perdition and make disturbance in Church and State may not publikely be tolerated The Independents on the contrary both publikely and privately and in all their bitter railing and intolerable Pamphlets as that of the Compassionate Samaritan the Storming of Antichrist and that
plagues for the tolerating of all Religions would be a just provoking of the Lord our God to anger now as it was then And we have sad experience already what the tolerating of the idolatry of the Masse that Dagon of Ginger-bread hath brought upon us for God will not be mocked if God be God and the Christian Religion of the reformed Churches and which we finde in the holy Scriptures and which was confirmed by so many signes and wonders and miracles be the true religion then let that and that onely be sâ—t up amongst Christians and no other tolerated for if they be they will speedily bring the plagues of God upon the Kingdome and confusion upon us all as we may well perceive by the suffering of them but a few yeers what good effects they will produce for toleration of all Religions cannot be pleasing unto God no more in our times than it was amongst his ancient people the Jewes and in the Primitive Churches and therefore all those that plead for a toleration of all Religions are no friends of Christ nor Lovers of Religion pretend what they will for neither Abraham Jsaac nor Iacob nor any of the Prophets nor holy men of God would suffer it neither would the Apostles ever endureit but in all their writings they give especiall charg to all the people to take heed of all the false Teachers of their time and forewarne them to take heed of them in all succeeding ages ever describing them by their crafty dealings that they should come in sheeps cloathing and in all seeming holinesse and fained simplicity and therefore that they are the more to be avoyded And Paul writing to the Galatians in the fifth Chapter wisht and desired that the false Teachers were cut off so farre were the holy Apostles from tolerating all Religions as in all their Epistles they inveigh against them and that continually as false Apostles and Deceivers and command all Christians to receive no other Religion but that which they had taught them Gal. 1. and bids the people come out of Babylon and tels them there is no fellowship with light and darkenesse and surely if all the Prophets and Apostles â—id command all the people of God to come out of Babylon they never gave leave to any Christians to set up Babylon amongst them and to tolerate the confusion and mingling together of all Religions for this would be a thing not onely against the Scripture and revealed will of God but against all solid reason and sound judgement Nay wee see that Christ himselfe in writing to the seven Churches in Asia and in them to all Christians in the world hee blames the Angel of the Church of Pergamus and that of Thyatira in the second chapter in these words To the Angel in the Church of Pergamus write these things saith hee that hath the sharpe sword with two edges I know thy workes and where thou dwellest even where Satans seate is and thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those dayes wherein Antipas my faithfull Martyr was slaine among you where Satan dwelleth but I have a few things against thee because thou hast them there that hold the doctrine of Bâ—alam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit Fornication so hast thou them also that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate repent or else I come unto thee quickly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth And unto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write these things saith the Sonne of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feete like fine brasse I know thy workes and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy workes and the last to be more than the first notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezabel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants to commit Fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto Jdols c. and in the 3. chap. ver 14. Vnto the Angel of the Church of Laodicea write these things saith the Amen the faithfull and true Witnesseâ—c the beginning of the creation of God I know thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot J would thou wert cold or hot so then because thou art luke-warme and neither cold nor hot J will spue thee out of my mouth c. Out of the which places it is sufficiently manifest that it is â— thing highly displeasing unto God that his people should give a tolerátion of any Religion but that hee hath established and those that labour for a toleration of all Religions must needs be luke-warme neither hot nor cold which is an evill the Lord is so much displeased with as he tels them that hee will spue them out of his mouth and surely there is nothing that favours more of licentiousnesse and carelesnesse in Religion and want of zeale to Gods glory in any men then when they would bring in a toleration of all Religions And many of them can report that there is no Religion in Holland where there is a toleration of all Religions though it is well knowne that there are men in that Countrey of the native Dutch people that are as zealous for the true Religion as any of them and are as much desirous that tolerations of all religions amongst them were not there permitted as they now wish a toleration of all Religions were suffered here amongst us for they find by experience that it is an occasion of all prophanesse and if they should have there the like occasions of civill combustions as wee have through Gods displeasure for our sinnes and ingratitude towards him here in England I am afraid they would find the toleration of all those religions amongst them would prove an intolerable thing to them if not the cause of the ruine of their whole Countrey The Lord divert his judgements from them and grant that they may never taste of the miseries that wee now are acquainted with but for tolerating of Popery and Arminianisme and the prelaticall faction and without doubt if the suffering but of these three has so displeased God the tolerating of all would give him a just cause of his more hot indignation But now to answer to their Objections in order the Heathens say the Independents suffered Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Patriarchs and the people of Israel where ever they came to exercise their owne religion and tolerated all religions amongst them For answer let them take notice that no thanke is due to the Heathens for it as we may see in Genesis the 12. chap. and the 20. chap. and chap. 26. but onely the glory of that is to bee ascribed to God who restrained them when they intended evill against them for hee appeared to some of them in visions and commanded them not
they would have done the like and that they were men worthy of death which made them I say as equally guilty as their wicked Iudges and Executioners as wee may see also in those that assented unto the High-Priests and to the Scribes and Pharisees in putting to death the Lord of Life they made themselves all guilty of his blood and by that meanes brought the curse of God upon them and their children by it to this day as well as the High-Priests themselves a fearefull sinne though the world take no notice of it and which all these Kingdomes have yet to repent of Saint Paul also makes himselfe as guilty of Stephens blood as they that stoned him saying When thy holy Martyr Stephen was stoned I stood by and assented unto it and held the garments of those that stoned him By which hee acknowledgeth himselfe equally guilty and so all those that assented to all the cruelty done to the people of God in these Kingdomes and were approvers of their tyrannie are as guilty as the actors of it for consenting unto any treason or conspiracy or with any malefactors and all their complices both by the Law of God nature and nations makes them all guilty before God and men and as liable to justice and punishment as those that acted in those malefices and therefore those that but assent unto a toleration of all Religions a sinne so highly displeasing unto God are as guilty as the Actors of it and if but consenting make them guilty how guilty are they then that use Arguments to bring in a toleration of all Religions and abuse the Scriptures to this end and plead for it and would have it established by a Law surely they are offenders against divine Majesty in an elevated nature and have a great deale to answer for it before God especially when they doe it in a most scurrilous and rayling manner by which they manifest to all the world that they are more verst and better acquainted with the doctrine of Billings-gate then with the language of Canaan But this may seeme a wonderfull thing to all judicious men that that people which within these six yeers were afraid of a Surplice and of the crosse in Baptisme and of any popish ceremony or of any of their vaine traditions and will-worship which was their honour then should now plead for the toleration of the body and soule of Popery and for all other both Iewish and heathenish Religions and all manner of sects so destructive to that Religion which the King of Saints and King of Kings and the onely King of his Church the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe hath taught us and to the peace and quietnesse of the Land this I say must needs seeme a monstrous thing to any moderate minded Christian Nay how unreasonably doe these men deale with their brethren they plead for a toleration of all Religions here in England and yet in New-England banish men into Ilands from amongst them for dissenting from them in their new modell of Church-government and for but dissenting from them in their opinions about Religion and hâ—re amongst us what impious and rayling bookes doe they make against the Ministers for endeavouring to establish that Religion and that Church-government that God himselfe in his holy Word hath set downe and what approbrious names doe they give the faithfull and painfull Preachers and Pastors of the Church of England calling them Baals Priests the profest enemies of Iesus Christ and his Kingdome the lims of Antichrist false Prophets the brood of Babylon terming some particular men of them Rabshekes others Bauds others Black mouths legall Preachers and stiling all of them the cursed enemies of Iesus Christ and thinke of them as men not worthy to live and in expresse words professe it and yet these men plead for a toleration of all Religions when both by their words and deeds they manifest if it were in their power the first worke they would doe should be to root us all out of the Kingdome so that all men may see they say one thing and mean another that they would tolerate all Religions but onely that which is the true Religion and so by that meanes have no Religion at all but one of their owne making which by their new lights they have of late found out which they call the straight way to Heaven and the onely way of setting up Christ upon his Throne which is nothing else to say the truth but to dis-throne him and set up themselves and their new modell for who doth not see how already they lord it over all good Christians not admitting them to the Sacraments but upon their owne termes nor suffering their children to be baptized amongst them nor so much as suffering any they call Presbyterians to preach in their new congregated Assemblies and if this be to give a toleration of any Religion but their owne let all the world judge but I say and will ever by Gods assistance be able to make it good in that they plead for a toleration of all Religions they are guilty of hainous and foule sinnes being complices as well as they that are Actors Now then when the Presbyters of the Church of England seeke and endeavour in all their proceedings to establish that Religion which Christ the King of his Church hath taught them and his blessed Apostles and labour to set up that Government that was ordained in all Churches to be perpetuated to the end of the world in their so doing they imitate all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and in that they doe more advance Christs Kingdome than the Independents who under pretence of liberty of conscience would bring in a toleration of all Religions and confusion upon us all Surely if ever any Ministers deserved well from the people the Ministers of England now do who by all their endeavours shew that they seek to bring them to the knowledge of God and of his Sonne Jesus Christ and to the knowledge of themselves which is life eternall For what could men do more than that which they have done who have Petitioned the House of Lords and Commons now sitting in the great Councell of the Kingdome that they might be armed with authority from them in their severall charges to have the examination of such as shall be admitted to the Sacraments that they may be rightly informed in the knowledge of those holy Mysteries and that â—one that are either ignorant or scandalous in their lives may be suffered to communicate at the Lords Table by which their endeavour they shew the Christian care they have of their eternall welfare for which the people are ever bound unto them and by the which also they take away all scandall and occasion of offence to others which formerly pretended that the cause of their separating from our Congregations and Assemblies was in regard they could not communicate with doggs and swine and with the tag ragge and bobtaile of all the Malignants
this thy Book doth shew for all their talk That in Truths paths thou persever'st to walk Thy blamelesse life and godly conversation They cannot stain with slandrous exclamation Fight still the fight of faith most certainly There is laid up for Thee in heav'n on high A Crown of righteousnesse which at that day The Lord the righteous Judge shall give and say To Thee Come blessed of my Father take The kingdome I prepared for thy sake From the foundation of the world and shall Then Crown thy head with glory immortall S. B. TO The Victorious Worthy M r John Bastwick D r in Physick and Captain in the Presbyterian Army upon His industrious and learned Book intituled The Vtter Routing of all the Independent Army c. TRiumphant Victor Thou hast won the day And Routed Legions too without a fray Or shedding blood Thy deep mysterious skill Hath been always to Cure and not to kill Thou 'st purg'd their melancholy that began To make all Zeal their own complexion Their Il-dependent Choler 's cool'd by thee And Spleen and Sanguine may Religious bee While they take leave to rage and rail upon Thee as thou wert the Whore of Babylon Then thou couragious Captain undertake To vanquish Error for Christ's Churches sake Arm Thee with Samsons strength or Davids thus Like Paul fight Thou with beasts of Ephesus Then sound a charge utterly Rout all those Peace-Church-disturbers Separates that expose Our Zion like to Sodome what they 're able Raze down Christ's Churches to erect their Babel On Thee a furious Rabbie fouly fals Beats up Thy Quarters All their Generals Hanserdo Knollys namelesse I. S. Burton Have not a Scripture weapon that can hurt One Arm'd as Thou art their fury to abide With Arguments by Gods Word justifi'd The Scriptures Thou unvail'st we can behold Their sacred Truths Thy works do plain unfold Their mysteries Thou with th' Apostles keyes Unlockst Christs Churches hidden Treasuries In this Thou hast all Sectaries overthrown Now they 'll cry out of Persecution To whom th' dissenting brethren do accord Who with Hugh Peters keyes Paul Hobsons sword Advance they will boldly march madly on For all Religions a Toleration Which to Christs faithful Spous doth bring great scandal Such wasting New Lights shew Theeves in the candle Who from Christs fold His Church the fat sheep steal Saints Converts Zealots Rich-men in our Weal 'T is better grow in grace like thriving Lambs Then in short time become such hurtfull Rams But Thou well prove'st their sacrilegious theft Christ nor His blest Apostles ever left Them such a Pattern th' issues of thy pen Shews their false Lights to all enlightned men And in their new ways thou hast them pursu'd So close that Thou their Champions hast subdu'd Routed their Army all their force and might They have's to rail They are too weak to fight George Lindsey THE ERRATA In the Epistle to the Reader PAge 1. line 14. expression read expressions P. 2. l. 3. election r. affection ibid. l. 9. new r. knew P. 3. l. 31. Independent r. Independents P. 15. l. 29. unihilate r. annihilate In the Book PAge 6. line 7. papisticiae read papisticae ibid. l. 15. Hrivie r. Privie P. 9. in some copies in divers lines Pounties Porporations Pompanies read Counties Corporations Companies P. 20. l. 20. his time r. in his time ibid. l. 26. in some copies how saith God r. how saith he P. 129. l. 18. Syllogism r. Syllogisms P. 256. l. 18. given or them r. given them or P. 373. l. ult Punies r. Ninnies P. 374. alribiadian r. Alcibiadian P. 635. l. 19. hollownes read holiness The Reader in his wisdome will both discern and pardon the other literal escapes in the printing To the Ingenuous READER Christian Reader WHEN it was but noysed abroad after my returne from my last imprisonment that I was writing against Independency it would exceed beliefe if I should relate the indignation of all that party and their severall expressions of the same against me so that at that time there were no lesse nor fewer ignominious calumnies cast upon mee nor more variety of virulent censures given out against me then were uttered by them all to my disparagement upon the late comming forth but of the Title and Frontispice of the ensuing Discourse many of them affirming that I was a vaine glorious wicked fellow that I was mad that I was a base rogue and that I deserved hanging and that I would never be quiet till I were hanged with innumerable other unchristian expression of like nature So that it seems it is a greater piaculum by farre now to write against the Independents and Sectaries then scandalum magnatum was a few yeares since Truly at that time I could scarce passe by any of them as I cannot at this day without some contumely or other all which I beare with patience And amongst others I could never meet my Brother Burton but he would alwayes after his salutation in a deriding and scornefull manner aske me when my Book came forth telling me that he expected some Monster It seemes he thought I was bringing forth such a prodigious brat as he not long after laid at my doore which though it were a Monster indeed borne with teeth and nayles and did nothing but scratch and bite me yet comming from his loynes my Brother and quondam Fellow-sufferer I gave it entertainment and for the love I beare to him I have ever since danled it upon the knee of my election Now as soone as I had satisfied his expectation and sent him my Booke so long looked for he very liberally expressed his thankes for it and his opinion concerning both it and my selfe and that with many opprobrious words amidst others he asserted I was crased in my braine and that I had need of some hellebore and spake of me as an Apostate and a Persecutor who before he new my differing opinion from him both prayed for me and immoderately praysed me such is the uncertainty of all that is under the Sunne there being no stability in any creature and withall hee triumphed that he would give me a speedy answer making nothing of what I had written as it is usuall with all the Independents to vilipend and slight whatsoever the Presbyterians either speake or write and meeting with an other Independent not many dayes after he told me that there were twenty pens at worke against me and that I should have my hands full And howsoever it was some moneths before I heard from any of them in print yet all that interim they whetted their tongues against me like so many Razors Swords and Arrows to wound me in my reputation yea there was scarce a weapon in all the arsenall of calumny that they used not against me Now after some moneths one Hanserdo Knollys comming to me told me he had writ a moderate Answer unto my Booke complayning that the Presses were all shut against them though the whole Kingdome
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.
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-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
should also behold the diverse alterations of things in the worship and service of God and if he should with all consider that if the church should have been onely to be found where there had been such visible ordinances and formes of Worship and Government as God had appointed and no where else then there would not have been a church of God any where visibly to appear and be found many times in the world in those dayes and yet the true church alwayes remained in Abrahams Family and God had his people and a true church amongst his seed as will appear by these examples I will briefly name some We know that the Israelites and Hebrewes the onely people of God and his first borne continued many generations as strangers in Aegypt all the which time they never offered up any outward Sacrifices unto God for that had been an abomination to the Aegyptians and they would not tolerate and suffer that in their land which moved Moses to sollicite Pharaoh to give the people of God leave that they might go a dayes journy to sacrifice in the Wilderness giving him the reason of his postulation saying that they could not sacrifice in Aegypt for that was an abomination to the Aegyptians So that it is apparent that all the time they remained in Egypt they had not that publike Ordinance that externall form of worship And yet all that while they were a true Church and were visibly known by their Religion to be distinct from the Egyptians as who professed the knowledge and worship of the true God whose name they called upon through all their tribes and whom they served night and day and yet I say they had not the use of publike sacrifices onely they had Circumcision amongst them that discriminating Ordinance from other nations But if that had been the forme of this true Church then all the time they remained in the wilderness which was forty years there was no visible forme of a Church for they circumcised not their children there and that reproach was not taken away till they came to Gilgall or at lest had passed the red Sea So that if the Church had been tyed to externall formes we shall for many years together finde no true formed Church in those times Nay when they were come into the land of Canaan how often was the face of the Church in the dayes of the Judges so deformed as no man almost could see any forme or comlinesse in it all the externall beauty which was the worship being either wholy forgotten or so adulterated and polluted with Idolatry as there was not left any appearance of a true Church amongst them and yet at that time they were the people of God and his chosen people and a true Church but if they had sought to know it by any externall form it could never have bin found So that the Church of God may be a true church though it want an outward form and discipline Yea after that God had set up his worship in the dayes of David and Solomon and had commanded that that forme of Government should be continued and perpetuated to the coming of the Messiah how many alterations notwithstanding were there found both in Iuda and Israel and how did Idolatry spread it selfe abroad through both those Kingdomes So that Idolatry was not only committed under every green tree and in all groves and upon every mountain and high place but even in Jerusalem the holy city yea in the very Temple So that now there was no externall forme of a Church left and yet then also had God his Church there and they were the people of God and dearly beloved of him And again when they were carryed into captivity into Babilon we know that all the time they continued there they had neither sacrifices nor many other ordinances that God had appointed amongst them they could not so much as sing a song of Sion in that strange land and wee read of no other exercises amongst them but of the morall worship of prayer and reading the prophets and of prophecying and comforting of one another in the Lord and of their resolution not so much as to bow in the least to worship any Idoll of the heathens or so much as stooping to reverence any professed enemy of the people of God as Mordecay would not to Haman nor the three children to the idoll of Nebuchadnezer nor Daniel leave his praying but all these kinde of services are not accompted the forme of a Church amongst the learned and yet wee read of no other formes of worship the Jews had neither through all the Provinces of Ahasuerus and through all Babilon and Assyria and Aegypt where they were scattered We read indeed that they fasted and prayed upon all occasions and that they spake one to another and they exercised amongst themselves the morall worship in all their Synagogues which were all the true Churches of God then through the world and yet they had not that visible forme that God had appointed in any of those Countryes whither they were driven and carryed captives they onely made their prayers and supplications toward Ierusalem and the Temple the holy place So that if the Church of God had been at any time tyed to externall formes they could not then have been Churches properly so called as not having any externall forme and yet they were all before the law and under the law and since the law true Churches notwithstanding they wanted the externall forme and discipline And the same may be said of the Church of God since the beginning and growth of Antichrist that it hath been so defaced for many generations together that none by its externall forme or discipline could find a true Church in it yet God had in this spirituall Babylon a true Church ever and therefore the true Church is not confined to externall formes and discipline But to say nothing of that if the Christian Church be bounded within these limits either the Papists or the Independents encompasse in their Churches with then I affirme that the very Church of Jerusalem was not a true formed Church which notwithstanding they both acknowledge was a true Church and the Independents confesse that it was the first formed Church Acts the second For in the Church of Ierusalem there was neither Pope nor Cardinalls nor Patriarkes nor Primates nor Paultripolitans nor Archbishops nor any Conclave nor any Masses nor any of that Service they have set up in their Romish Church nor that Forme of Church Government they have established neither had they any of these fixed officers And therefore the Church of Rome having lost that forme the Church of Ierusalem had and being adulterated both in doctrine discipline and manners that cannot be a true Church and then it will follow That the true Church is not so tyed to any externall forms that if they be failing they cannot be a true Church for then there shoâ—ld have been no
and accoutrements And yet although they be in divers and sundry Assemblies they are still the Prelaticall party and all of them of the Malignant Church and as the diversity of the places changeth not their complexions so it altereth not their faith nor manners but they continne still Malignants and remaine all Members of the Malignant Church And as in these dayes all that wish well unto the true Religion through both citie and kingdome and love their countrey stand for the Parliament so in those dayes those that loved Zion and the prosperity of Jerusalem cleaved unto Christ and the Gospel and stood for him and all his Ministers and by all computations though all the power and Authority was in the hands of the malignant Magistrates of those times who were swayed and guided by the Scribes Pharisees Elders and the high Priests yet to one Pharisee or Malignant Scribe or Ruler there was ten of those that beleeved in Christ and honoured him and all his Ministers and Disciples Yea the Pharisees themselves do acknowledge it not once but many times as is evident from the places above cited and many more that might be produced So that if I should frame no Argument out of them it is apparent that those new additions of Beleevers that were converted by Christ and his Ministry considered by themselves a part from those that Saint Iohn the Baptist converted were so great and numerous that they could not all meet in any one place for partaking of all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would all be edified much lesse could they all meet together being joyned to those that beleeved through the Baptisme and Ministry of Iohn But out of the former places above specified I thus argue Where there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers in a word the whole people and Citie of Ierusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed there they could not all meet at any one time or in any one roome or place and in one Congregation to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must bee distributed into severall assemblies and divers Congregations if they would all bee edified But in Ierusalem the Scribes and Pharisees and Rulers by their owne confession being excepted there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers and in a word the whole people and Citie of Jerusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must be distributed into severall assemblies and divers congregations if they would all be edified For the major no rationall man will deny is that hath but read the Scriptures or is but a little acquainted with the Histories of those times For the minor it is evident from the places produced and therefore the conclusion doth necessarily follow But I yet further thus argue Where there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place and office with infinite multitudes of men and children all the people they could not al meet together at one time and in one place and congregation to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers assemblies and severall congregations if they would all be edified But in the Church of Jerusalem there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place and office with multitudes of men and children and all the people Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would be all edified For the Major it is evident by the very light of nature neither will any rationall man deny it that hath not resolved to sacrifice himselfe to stupidity For the Minor the places above specified prove it for in expresse words it is said that the world followed him that is believed in him and that great multitudes entertained him with their acclamations and crying Hosanna the very children also seconding them And that the chiefe Priests Scribes and Elders soughâ— to destroy him and could not find what to doe for all the people were very attentive to heare him The whole people we see here or the generality of them except the Scribes Pharisees Elders and High Priests which in comparison of them were very few beleeved in Jesus Christ and were his Disciples and such as were converted by his Ministry and such a multitude there was of them as for that present they so awed the High Priests and Elders that they durst not destroy Christ though they desired it so that the minor stands firme and from the premises the conclusion necessarily followeth But out of the former places I yet further thus argue Where ther was such an increase of multitudes of Beleevers as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himselfe and his seventy Disciples and twelve Apostles and Iohn Baptist and all his Disciples were for the numerosity of them forced in severall places to preach unto them and baptize them there they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place or roome or in one Congregation to partake or communicate in all acts of worship but of necessitie were to be distributed into severall congregations or assemblies if they would all be edified But in Jerusalem there was such multitudes of beleevers that went out to the Baptisme of John and Christ as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himselfe and his seventy Disciples and his twelve Apostles and Saint John Baptist and his Disciples were for the numerosity of them forced to divide themselves into severall places and severall assemblies and congregations that all the people might partake in all acts of worship and be edified Ergo they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place but were of necessity forced to divide and distribute themselves into divers places and severall congregations and assemblies that they might all be edified For the Major and Minor of the Syllogisme they are so evident both by reason and the holy Scripture that no man that hath not resolved with himselfe to remaine incredulous and continue in his obstinacy can deny the truth of them so that the conclusion of necessity must from the premises be granted And all these multitudes of people were beleevers before Christs Suffering Resurrection and Ascension Now before I goe on to declare what infinite multitudes of beleevers were added to those that were converted by Iohns and the Disciples Ministry in the Church of Ierusalem after Christs death and ascension which makes it an
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
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
Which the Lord preserve his people from and put it into the hearts of the great Councell of the Kingdome and all cordiall and understanding men to oppose with all their might as they love the peace of Church and State and the establishing of the true religion in these three Kingdomes and the propagation of the Gospell to the worlds end all the which the whimsicall opinion of Independency will hinder which indeed tendeth to no other end but to bring in an Anarchy and a confusion of all things and the setting up of Athisme or a Pantheon of all Religions to the great dishonour of God and the disturbance of our Church and State and the alienating of the nighest allyes one from another and to the distraction of all men as our small and little experience of that way hath by wofull tryall and dayly experience taught us And this shall suffice to have spoke of the second branch of their definition in discovering the absurdities of it and the impossibilities of attaining such a church as that sets down and the great inconveniences with the unsupportable bondage that would necessarily ensue upon it to all such as should subject themselves to such a Government as the Independents would bring into the world I now come to the third part of their definition viz. Their particular explicite holy Covenant which they not onely call the form of a Church but make it an holy Ordinance which it cannot be for the reasons above specified as having no warrant from God our father nor no example in any of the primitive Churches who had no other but the generall Covenant which all the Presbyterians allow as it is authorized by God himselfe though they reject that particular explicite Covenant brought in by the Independents as being an humane Ordinance which all Christians in Gods service ought to abhor as not commanded and injoyned unto them by the King of his Church Christ Jesus whose voyce onely they are bound to hear and who alone they are to set up as King upon his Throne who is their Lawgiver and mighty Councellor and the sole governour of his Church and Kingdome And should it be accorded and granted to the Independents That this their particular explicite Covenant were indeed the forme of a Church as they would perswade the people then all the primitive and Apostolicall Churches as well as all the reformed Churches at this day in the world besides their own congregations were not true formed Churches which were a great wickednesse and impiety to aver and maintain But besides this their unwarrantable Covenant which they make the forme of a Church they require of all such as will enter into Church fellowship with them many other pretty things which they hold not onely requisite but Gods Ordinance also as First That they should walk some weeks moneths and perhaps years with them for a proof of their conversation and for the tryall of their behaviour and manners and except they can please the whole church there can be no admittance at last Secondly after their good liking of their carriage they injoyn them to make a publike confession of their faith and if that dislikes them they cannot be admitted Thirdly after this they require of them to bring in the evidences of their true conversion as the time when the place where and the manner how all which if the congregation approve not of as sufficient they cannot be yet admitted Lastly they that are to be admitted must have the consent and approbation of the whole congregation both of men and women or else by their Charter they cannot be admitted into Church-communion with them All these things as I am able to prove they require in some of their Congregations before any can be admitted as joynt members amongst them never a one of the which conditions or injunctions not withstanding hath either precept or president for it in all Gods holy Word And therefore it is an unsufferable flavery that they impose upon the people besides this their particular explicet covenant which they make the form of the Church which should they onely require without any of their o'her grolleries were a bondage too unsufferable for in that their Covenant as I have been informed by some of them when in familiar manner and in the time of our friendship I desired to know the method of admitting of their joynt members and especially what the Covenant imported and what they promised in it and what by it they were tyed unto and for answer they replyed that three things were contained in this their holy explicite Covenant First That they promise and by this Covenant binde themselves to each other in all Church fellowship as to be helpefull one to another in all things and especially to their Pastors and to stand one by another without desertion of each other and that in the greatest dangers and difficulties and to yeeld obedience and willing subjection and conformity not onely to those truths that are now imbraced and entertained amongst them but also willingly to submit themselves to all such New Light for the future that God shall by his Word and by the Ministry of their Pastors discover unto the Church This as I have been informed by the Independents is the first thing they require of those that are to be admitted as members and which they promise and Covenant to performe The second thing contained in the Covenant is That if they be single persons either batchelors or maidens widdows or widdowers they may not marry without the consent of the Church The third thing contained in this their holy Covenant is That they may not remove their habitations and dwellings though never so advantagious unto them for their traffick and tradings into any remote place from them without the consent of the Congregation and some other things there are comprised under this Covenant which they keep among themselves as arcana regni as secrets of their Kingdome all the which if they be seriously looked into contain in them so many mysteries of Iniquity yet all of them exceedingly advantageous unto themselves they all tending to the strengthning of their partie and the more corroborating their combination as those that are judicious have well observed But were there no other slavery and bondage in their whole religion but this of their covenant and of the appertinances belonging thereto as amongst others their blind obedience there was never yet a greater yoak of servitude put upon poor people under Antichrist himself and the truth is as the Papists oft times scoured over old holy dayes with new ceremonies and solemnities and put them upon the people to be observed as new ones even so the Independents furbush over old errors with new varnish to make them more specious to the deluded people and bring them in as new truths and set them up as new Lights when they are nothing else but ancient errours and very Popery it selfe in a new attire as
words which I have set downe at large omitting many other such expressions the summe of them briefly is this that all the Ministers of the Church of England that are not in their combination doe deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly Government over mens consciences and churches and are no better then the persecuting Jewes that made a mocke scorne and ludibry of Christ and that all the people under their Ministry are men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the maine thing to wit Christs kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church communion may and ought to be denyed Now I referre my selfe to the judgement of all learned and impartiall Christians whether there can be uttered with the tongue or pen of men any more injurious unjust raâ—lings and revilings or more untrue and false accusations against their brethren For all those godly Christians through the thrâ—e Kâ—ngdomes can witâ—esse the contrary who by the pâ—eaching of the Word and Gospel have beene converted by the Ministry of the chuâ—ch of England Yea the Independents themselves and my brother Burton if they will no belye the truth must acknowledge next under God their conversion to the Ministers of the church of England for none but converts and beleevers are to be admitted into their new congregations and I never yet heard that the Independent Ministers converted any and therefore when my brother Burton accuseth all the Ministers and beleeving people of the church of England to be enemies of the Lord Jesus when they all indeavour to set him up upon his Throne as King it is a most horrid wickednesse in him and those of his party to beare false witnesse against their Neighbours and so to calumniate and revile the true servants of the Lord by which they come to take the Devils office upon themselves and become all of them false Accuâ—ers of the brethren Raylers and Persecutors and Seducers and therefore no Saints Yea it is ordinary with my brother Burton as can be proved both to speake and print untruths and notorious falsehoods but passing many of them by in some of his last bookes as Truth shut out of doores and in this his Booke called Vindiciae veritatis which may bee more properly stiled Vindiciae mendacii in the 24. page speaking there most maliciously against learned Master Edwards and my selfe hee saith that hee by his pen and preaching and that I by my pen labour to take an order that the Independents shall have no Pulpits to preach in at all Witnesse saith he that late mis-rule at your towne of Colchester upon your bookes and T. E. his preaching by which words of his hee would make the deluded people beleeve that there was some great Persecution stirred up at Colchester against some Independent Ministers there to hinder them from preaching in their Pulpits which is a most notorious falshood the contrary of which is true for the Independents made a mis-rule in the very Church against Master Edwards and openly reviled him in the congregation using many rayling speeches against him and that against all the Laws of Christianitie and civilitie and had almost by their barborous carriage against him raysed a tumult in the Towne to the disturbance of them all had it not timely by the wisedome of some beene prevented So that it may easily be perceived what the Independents would doe against the Presbyterian Ministers if the authority were once wholly in their hands when they so timely begin where their faction is any thing powerfull yet such is the boldnesse or rather impudencie of these men that when they are the only Persecutors of others and the Raysers up of tumults and commotions against the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel they falsely spread it abroad that they are persecuted by us and not suffered to come in our Pulpits as my brother Burton doth here accuse the good people of Colchester and those of Alderman-bury as if they also had shut truth out of doors when notwithstanding it can by a cloud of witnesses from Colchester bee proved that the Independents made the mis-rule and that my brother Burton shut himselfe out of doores at Aldermanbury and yet hee untruly accuseth them of that crime of persecution and this is the generall practise of all the Independents falsely to accuse and calumniate their brethren and my brother Burton and Iohn Lilburne are Masters in this art and therfore surely they can be no Saints without Devils be Saints for so the holy Scripture calleth such I have cited some of my brother Burtons expressions I shall now set downe some of Iohn Lilburnes language concerning both the Ministers and beleevers of the church of England In his Letter to my brother Prynne to omit many of his rayling and violent calumnies there against the Ministers hee saith that they are the sworne enemies of Iesus Christ yea the profest enemies of their anoynted Christ and in his one of his Pamphlets which he made in prison which he lately againe set forth upon more mature deliberation hee hath many most unchristian bitter and unsavery expressions and so apparently untrue that every child can say hee is a notorious calumniator and Lyer Some of them I will here set downe amongst other things hee speaketh of the church of England and of the faithfull hee thus uttereth himselfe affirming That the Church of England is a true whorish Mother and that they that are of her were base begotten and bastardly children and that shee neither is nor never was truly married joyned or united unto Jesus Christ in that espousall band which his true churches are and ought to be bnt is one of Antichrists nationall whorish Churches and Cities spoken of Revel 16. 19. c. That the Church of England is false and Antichristian and as shee is a false and Antichristian church shee can never make true Officers and Ministers of Iesus Christ and absolutely denies that conversion and confirmation and building up in the wayes of God are wrought by the Ministry of the church of England for how saith he can they build them up in that which they themselves are ignorant of and enemies unto for as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so doe these men also resist the truth c. and further asserteth that as hee hath taken paines by the word of God and demonstrable arguments grounded thereupon to prove the church of England antichristian so hee promiseth to all the world that hee will in the strength of the Lord of Hosts for ever separate from Church Ministry and Worship of England and all and every one of them as Antichristian and false And concludes that all the Ministers of the church of England are not true Ministers of Christ but false and Antichristian Ministers and that our
all men therefore they that pray that as there is but one God one truth and one true Religion so that no other may bee tolerated pray according to his will and are the onely true praying people and those that pray for liberty of conscience and the toleration of them all as the Independents doe are not the onely true praying people whatsoever they pretend unto the deluded world for they pray not according to Gods will Againe the truly praying people are taught to say thy Kingdome come in which Petition they are instructed to pray not onely that the Kingdome of Glory may come but the Kingdome of Grace viz. that the Gospel may be everywhere published preached and set up and to that end that God would send faithfull Labourers into his Vineyard and Harvest and in so praying they earnestly desire that whatsoever hinders the preaching of the Gospel as the toleration of all Religions doth may be taken away now the Independents pray for a toleration and for liberty of conscience and labour as much as in them lyes the hinderance of sending faithfull Labourers into Gods Harvest and much discourage those that are already sent and hinder also the setting up of that Discipline and Government that would most make for the advancement of Christs Kingdome and for the coming of the same therefore they are not the truly praying people for they pray not according to Gods will Againe the true praying people are taught to say thy will beeâ— done on earth as it is in heaven and in their so praying they are instructed to pray for the removall of all such things as are against the good will and pleasure of God and doe hinder the doing of his will Now God hath revealed in his will that as there is but one God and one Mediator so there is but one Faith one Baptism and one Religion and that all the people of God should bring up their children and families in the nurture knowledge and fear of this one and onely true God as Abraham Jacob Joshua and Cornelius and all the faithfull and dear servants of God in all ages have ever done and that they should instruct their children and housholds in the Statutes and Commandments of the Lord at their lying down and rising up at their goings out and commings in Deut. 6. Deut. 11. and Eph. 6. v. 4. And that both they and their men-servants and maide servants and the stranger within their gates should sanctifie Gods Sabboths and keep all his Commandments Exod. 20. And this is the duty of all parents and masters of families and this they are for ever tyed unto by the revealed will of God and that they should not spare their nighest allies and kindred that should labour or indeavour to bring in any other Religion then that God hath appointed in his holy and blessed word Den. 13. and this they that pray aright and according to Gods will pray may be done to the end of the world and that both they and their families and all the families of the earth may continue to instruct their housholds and families according to the commandments of God which is his revealed will and that whatsoever shall hinder the doing of this will of God may be removed abominated and abhorred as the toleration of all Religions will do and that pretended liberty of conscience as hourly experience teacheth us for by this both the duties of the first and second tables are neglected on all sides for neither fathers nor masters of families can performe or discharge their duties if a Toleration of all Religions should once be set up for then both servants and children and the strangers within their houses should every one of them be left to the liberty of their consciences without controlâ— so that they may go whither they will and imbrace what Religion or Heresie they please and therefore it concernes all men more earnestly to pray for the setting up and establishing of the onely true Religion and the rooting out of all false and erroneous Religions for in this they do according to Gods will And they onely that thus pray are the true praying people But the Il dependents pray that there own wils may be done not Gods will for they pray for a Toleration of all Religions and that against the revealed will of God who hath declared his will to the contrary Deut. 13. Yea Christ himselfe in his Epistles to the Church of Pergamos and Thyatyra Rev. 2. ver 12. c. 18. sheweth his high displeasure against them for but suffering and conniving at those false doctrines that were taught amongst them Yea in this blessed prayer of Christ we are taught to pray not only that the will of God may be done on earth but he farther addeth by way of example and for a patern of our imitation that it may be done on earth as it is in heaven Now all those that are Christs Disciples know that there is but one Religion in Heaven and one way of worship there as there is but one God they therefore that pray for a Toleration of all Religions as the Il-dependents do are not the onely true praying people seeing they would have the will of God otherwise done on earth then it is done in heaven for in heaven there is but one Religion and therefore they pray contrary to the will of God when they pray for liberty of conscience and a Toleration of all Religions Again the truly praying people are taught to pray lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill therefore they pray against the toleration of all Religions which is not onely a great temptation and an occasion of evill but the very sourse and fountain of all errours schismes heresies and of all abominations and of all the evills both of sin and punishment that can light upon any Church Nation or Kingdome as we may see by the example of the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra to the which the Lord saith Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth And I will cast her into a bed of great tribulation and will kill her with death and all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works I say therefore from very good ground that a Toleration of all Religions is not onely a great temptation but the greatest evill in the world and would be a meanes of bringing plagues and judgements upon the three Kingdomes and a distraction and disorder amongst all the people and a confusion of all things against all the which as so many temptations and capitall evills all truly godly praying people if they will pray according to Gods will ought incessantly to put up their dayly supplications as they desire the favour of God and the removeall of his judgements and in their so praying they do but
their duty and according to the will of God Therefore when the Il-dependents pray for a Toleration of all Religions under the name of liberty of conscience and labour for it and hinder with all their power the setting up of the onely true Religion and worke of Reformation and the setting up of such a Government in Christs Kingdome which is his Church as he hath revealed in his blessed will and they have also covenanted to bring in in their so doing they neither pray that Gods name may be hallowed nor that his Kingdome may come nor that his will may be done nor that they may not be led into temptation and be delivered from evill and therefore they pray not aright and are not as they falsly boast themselves the only true praying people for they pray not according to Gods will Now when those Churches of the Congregationall way consist of such kinde of praying Members it is apparently manifest they are a mixt Generation of men and not the Generation of the just nor the men of Gods right hand which is another title they falsly and pharisaically also claime and challeng unto themselves as they did the former as will by and by appear upon due examination and discussion of the true sense of that expression For those that are the men and people of Gods right hand properly so called are such as with all their might stand up in defence of Gods true Religion and earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the Saints Jude 2 3. and are not onely ever ready to lay down their lives for that ancient faith but with all their power to fight for it to the last drop of their blood in opposition to all errours superstition heresies and all manner of false worship and in opposing whatsoever is against the power of godlinesse as a Toleration of all Religions is which tends only to the bringing in of all prophanenesse and irreligion Now the Il-independents deny that they did ever fight for Religion Yea I my selfe have heard many of them say That it is unlawful to fight for Religion and they professed that when they went out with the sword in their hands they fought onely for the liberty of their consciences and for a Toleration of Religion which is a part and branch as they said of the Subjects birth-right All this I can with many more depose and therefore they falsly arrogate unto themselves that title of being the men of Gods right hand which no more belongs unto them then the other ensignes and titles did And as little right have they to the title of Saints and the generation of the Just which is so frequently in their mouthes if wee bring them to the true touchstone of that mettle therefore it may be to very good purpose to turne to the 15. Psalme and briefly to run over that where we shall finde a true description of Saints indeed Who saith the Psalmist shall abide in thy Tabernacle and who shall dwell in thy holy hill that is to say who are Saints indeed and the generation of the Just For answer the Holy Ghost that best knew who were Saints indeed sets down the characters of true Saints The first of which is his upright walking He that walketh uprightly saith the spirit of God This is a metaphoricall expression signifying the trade of a mans life his custome and carryage in it as when a man is said to walk after the flesh it is as much in the dialect of holy Scripture as to say He goeth on in his naturall condition and in his irregenerate state in his ignorance blindenesse wicked courses and practises and hath no work of grace wrought in his heart nor any chang in his will and affections nor in his whole frame of life and carriage but he is the old man still Rom. 18. ver 1. So to walk uprightly in Scripture language is to walk after the spirit to be regenerate to be a holy and heavenly minded man who doth all the actions of one borne again of the water and of the spirit he makes the Law of God his delight and squares his life and actions according to that rule and the direction of his blessed word and he orders his life by that rule in all integrity sincerity and without hypocrisie or any base or by-ends or wordly respects He makes it his employment with Enoch and Noah to walk with God secretly as well as openly in all manner of conversation in his thoughts words and deeds as if he were ever in the sight and presence of God walking uprightly also towards men carrying himselfe justly towards all but especially his main aime is to indeavour that the true worship and service of God may be set up in his family and wheresoever he hath power hee declines not to the right hand nor to the left in matters of Religion but keeps himselfe strictly to the rule and goes right on according to the direction of that He halts not between two Religions or more for he knowes how much that is disspleasing unto God who said unto the people by his Prophet Why halt ye between two Religions That God cannot indure in any people no more then he can indure the lukewarme Laodiceans that are neither hot nor cold but indifferent what Religion be set up so they may injoy their case all such he knows God hath and will spew out of his mouth Such therefore as halt and limp in Religion and hop first on this side to this Religion and then on the other side to that other Religion and a little after limp into another opinion and soon after hop into another Sect all that walk thus are no Saints in Gods dialect For the true Saints indeed they walk up â—ghtly before God in that one Religion he hath appointed they turne not to the right hand nor to the left they take no by-way or crosse path in Religion they halt not nor limp not nor doubt not of their way neither do they sit still or make a stand nor set not a foot backward in Religion all which were not to walk uprightly before God but all the true Saints walk uprightly they go on with constancy without interruption in their Religion that way Jerem. 6. They are not carryed sometimes this way with this wind of doctrine and sometime that way with that blast of opinion but they walk right on they set not a step backward from their first love to Religion like the Church of Ephesus Revel 2. but passe forward toward the price and mark of their high calling with as great a zeal and fervency as at first and hate all false wayes and erroneous religions they persevere in all the wayes of God and in the footsteps of all the Saints of old and imitate all those vertues and graces that are commendable in the Saints and all the Churches They cannot indure that any doctrine of Baalam Jezabell or of the Nicolaitans should be connived
at amongst them or tolerated or any other Religion but that which the Lord our God hath appointed and established in his blessed word and in that they walk and persevere they decline not in their love to it they go not backward with Demas to imbrace the present World nor with Hymeneus and Philetus they will deny no truth of God nor with any Hereticks innovate any thing in their Religion but they walk uprightly to the marke of the high calling in Jesus Christ They stand not still neither nor make no pause in their way but they are ever journying and in the action of well doing going from strength to strength till they come to the heavenly Zion they go on cheerfully in their Religion yea they run the race set before them with patience and that through thick and thin of all afflictions and persecutions and abate not their pace casting aside every thing that presseth down as the love of the world the love of honours and riches the love of pleasures the love of profits the love of friends and all earthly emoluments yea and the sin that sticks so close unto them all their hereditaty and inbred corruptions yea they reject likewise all novelties in Religion nothing can hinder them from walking uprightly in the old way God has appointed them to walk in but in despite of all impediments they not onely walk but run the race and the whole race set before them Looking upon the author and finisher of their faith Jesus Christ who for the glory that was set before him indured the crosse despised the shame and is now set down at the right hand of God in heaven Heb. 12. 2. He made that good confession to the death before Pontius Pilate and witnessed the truth All they therefore that are conformable to Jesus Christ and desire to walk in his steps and that are Saints indeed and the generation of the Just can never indure a Toleration of all Religions for that is not to walk uprightly with their God nor after Christ example for Christ whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple and would not tolerate them but layd corporall punishment upon them for their evill doing and preached against the Scribes Pharisees and Saduces and all erroneous Sects in his life time and after he was ascended into heaven he wrote unto the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra sharply reproving them for suffering and tolerating amongst them any other Religion then that he had appointed and for but conniving at any novelties in Doctrine and Religion They therefore that follow the ill example of those of the Church of Pergamos and Thyatyra and not onely suffer all manner of Religions amongst them but labour and indeavour to have an indulgence and a toleration for all under the pretence of liberty of conscience they follow not the example of Christ the Prophet of his Church nor the example of Abraham Jacob Ioshua and all the Patriarks and blessed Apostles who abhorred all novelties and tolerations and therefore they walk not uprightly with their God and are not Saints indeed according to Gods own description of a true Saint Now whether therefore the Il-dependents by their practises can challenge this Character to themselves I leave it to the judgement of the learned when they would have a Toleration of all Religions But now to passe on to the second Character of a true Saint He that worketh righteousnesse saith the spirit they that make it their imployment to render to every one their due obedience and subjection to the higher powers Rom. 13. Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour is due and they that will owe no man nothing but love and that love one another knowing that he that loveth fulfilleth the Law they are Saints properly so called v. the 7. In a word all that are Saints indeed in Gods repute worke righteousnesse they first give unto God his true worship and labour for the establishment of that Religion onely that he hath appointed they cannot indure the Toleration of all Religions neither will they connive at or indulge that any way of serving and worshipping of God should be permitted where they have power and ability to hinder it but that which God himselfe hath commanded for they know that that is not to work righteousnesse for that is not to give God his own For he appointed but one Religion and that he challengeth for his own so then they that set up any other but that or tolerate more or allow of a Toleration of all Religions they work not righteousnesse towards God for that is unjustice and a thing highly displeasing unto his divine Majesty as taking his right and authority out of his hand who is King of his Church and substituting themselves in his place which is the greatest injustice and unrighteousnesse in the world and therefore all that are the true Saints indeed and the generation of the just dare not attempt any such unjust thing for they work righteousnesse Again the true Saints in like manner work righteousnesse towards all men they yeeld all subjection to those that are in authority over them and they give the Magistrates their due honour and reverence yeelding unto them all the duties of obedience and subjection and veneration and they yeeld unto the Ministers and all their Brethren the duty of love and their true honour and so are fulfillers of the law of God They therefore that maligne their brethren and detract from their praises and hate them and speak evill of them and of those that are in dignity and authority and raile of those in the Ministry and as much as in them lies endeavour to make them odious to the world by their daily traducing of them and assuming the honour due to them unto themselves and all such as do assent unto them in this their unrighteous dealing they do not worke righteousnesse and therefore in Gods dialect they are not Saints indeed nor the generation of the just for it is great injustice to detract from any their due honour Now I appeal unto the judgment of any intelligible man whether or no those that write defamatory books and daily utter injurious and reproachfull words against the great councell of the Kingdome traducing them before all the people and accusing them of injustice and of exercising a lawlesse and an arbitrary government over the people proclaiming them tyrants and as bad as Strafford and the Bishop of Canterbury and guilty of the same crimes and that at pleasure can impeach any of the Parliament and accuse them to the people as traitors and such as keepe correspondency with the enimy and are betrayers of their liberties and those that do allow of such men favouring them and incouraging them by their countenance or connivance I say I appeal to the judgement of any whether they that do or assent to such doings do work righteousnesse when they do apparently
Church we read of is Acts the second that consisted onely of visible Saints and yet had neither Deacons nor Presbyters at that time nor distinct Officers and Members united into one Church body respectively and wanted that part of Discipline also of casting out corrupt Members as my brother Burton asserteth pag. 10. So that by this it evidently followeth That those Congregations that consist of visible Saints though they have not distinct Officers within themselves and want Discipline may be true formed Churches after the New Testament form as the Church here of Jorusalem was which at that time it was a true formed Church by my brother Burtons confession had no Deacons nor Elders nor dictinstion of officers members nor that part of Discipline for casting out corrupt Members and yet I say notwithstanding it wanted all these things by their own concession it was at that time a true formed church that because the Members of that Church consisted of visible Saints from all which I may draw these two infallibleconclusions The First that all such congregations as consist of visible Saints such as beleeve the Gospel and make profession of the Christian Faith and are baptized and continue stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles in breaking of bread and in prayer are true formed Churches after the New Testament forme although they want both distinct Officers and Members united into one Church body respectively and although they want that part of discipline for casting out of corrupt Members This first conclusion I say I infallibly gather from the Independents doctrine The second is this That whatsoever Congregations and Assemblies they be that have both distinction of Officers and Members and Church discipline and all other outward performances if the Members of them bee not visible Saints they are not true formed Churches after the New Testament forme for all true formed Churches after the New Testament form are such as consist of visible Saints without which they are but shadows of Churches and no true churches for substance but all the Independent congregations are such as only glory in outward performances consist not of visible Saints Ergo. And this shall suffice to have spake to all that Mr Knollys I. S. my Brother had to reply against all my Arguments for the proof of my first Proposition viz. that there were many Congregations and severall Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem in the which they injoyed all acts of worship and all the saving and sealing Ordinances amongst themselves and that before the persecution and under the persecution and after the persecution And now I come to what Master Hanserdo I. S. and my Brother Burton have to answer to my second third and fourth Propositions insuing and after I have dispatched that worke I will then in like manner reply to whatsoever either Master Knollys I. S. or my brother Burton have to say to all my Arguments concerning the gathering of Churches and touching the liberty of conscience or the toleration of all Religions and because they are not so large in their answers to them as they were to my fore-going reasons and to speake the truth speake little to the purpose but for the overthrowing of their owne opinion and for the corroborating of mine I shall be the briefer in them But first I will set downe my Propositions and shew how farre the Jndependents assent unto them and I will then also faithfully relate their owne words so far as they are for their purpose or any way make against my Arguments or are in any respect advantagious to their cause My second Proposition now followeth viz. That all these congregations and severall Assemblies made but one Church And for proofe of this I shall not need to use many words or any great dispute for the brethren themselves acknowledge that all the beleevers in Jerusalem were all Members of that Church and they accord farther that it was but one Church And it is manifest out of the holy Scripture for it is said they that were converted were added to the Church and therefore Members of it and that they continued in the Churches communion and in the Apostles doctrine and put their estates in the Churches common treasury and â—hose Officers for the Church and all this I say our brethren doe acknowledge and take this fellowship of these Members for a paterne of ordinary Church-communion and therefore this my second assertion is without controversie it being in expresse words set downe in the 2 3 4 5 6. chapters of the Acts and many places in the same Storie and assented to by the brethren To this Proposition and the Reasons of the same Master Knollys in the eleventh page of his Pamphlet thus replyes To which J also saith hee consent but the brethren have not acknowledged neither bath the Doctor by Scripture proved that in this one Church of Jerusalem there were divers Congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers and therein I must manifest my dissent from the Doctors opinion promising him if he shall soundly prove it in expresse words of Scripture which he hath undertaken I will acknowledge it This is all Master Knollys hath to say to this Proposition I will first therefore reply to him and in doing that insert my brother Burtons answer to it with what I. S. hath to say and answer to them all in order Now whereas Master Knollys affirmes that the brethren have not acknowledged nor the Doctor by Scripture proved that in this one Church of Jerusalem there were divers Congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in all hee saith I am most assured all that shall without prejudice reade my fore-going Arguments and seriously weigh and consider what my Brother Burton Master Knollys and I. S. have written will conclude That Master Hanserdo is a man of very shallow capacity and of as little honesty and no way to be credited in what either hee saith or writeth Neither ought Master Knollys in this controversie especially when the debate is yet sub Iudice to bee both party witnesse Iury and Iudge in his owne cause as all wise men will gather and therefore I leave it to the judgement of the learned whether or no I have not by Scripture sufficiently proved there were many congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in that one Church and whether I have not by expresse words of Scripture and from my brother Burtons and Master Knollys his owne words abundantly evinced it all this I say I leave to the judgement of all impartiall and understanding Christians who I am confident will grant that I have sufficiently proved there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and therefore I challenge Master Knollys his promise and expect that hee should acknowledge his error and so relinquish his fond opinion of Independency which if he doe not hee cannot be an honest man and a true Saint as not keeping his word for David describing a
offenders whether they be delinquents in doctrine or manners And although Christians by the Gospel are freed from the ceremoniall Law yet wee are not freed from the substance of it for he that said to the Israelites be ye holy as I am holy saith also to all Christians be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1. so that although the ceremony be abolished yet the substance remaineth still in force and although the rigor of the judiciall law be taken away and Christians are not tyed to that manner of administration of justice yet the equity of that law doth still continue and righteous judgements is every where amongst all Christians to be executed and satisfaction to be made to all such as have been unjustly damnified and although we are freed from the curse malediction and coaction of the morall law yet we are not freed from the obedience of it so that whatsoever was commanded in it to the Israelites or forbidden them the same is both commanded and forbidden to all Christians to the ends of the world and whatsoever was death by the law of God and nature then for ought I know ought to be punished with death now amongst Christians as blasphemors wizards witches idolaters and all such as despise Moses law under the mouth of two or three witnesses if they be people within the pale of the Church and make profession of the Christian Religion for Christians have nothing to do with those that are without to judge them except they offend against the civill and municipall laws of the Country and against the laws of nations and nature when they live amongst them for Christ came not to change the morall law but to ratifie it in all things And although the Sabbath be changed in respect of the day yet for the holinesse of the first day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and which is in place of it I am confident it ought most carefully to be observed and that the whole day ought in all sanctity and holinesse to be kept and besides the fourth Commandment for the sanctification of a seventh day we have the example of the Primitive Christians and blessed Apostles who alwayes had their meetings on the first day of the week and spent the whole day in the duties of piety and charity for in the 20 of the Acts we read that on the first day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread that was for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and for the exercising of all holy duties and that Paul preached there untill midnight and that when Eutichus was fallen downe with sleepe Paul restored him to life againe to all their comforts so that here we have one president that the whole Lords day wasspent by all those Christians in the workes of piety and charity Againe in the first of the Revelations Saint John saith that hee was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is the first day of the weeke called by Saint Iohn the Lords day and there the Angel preached unto him that day and commanded Saint Iohn to take so much of his Sermon by writing as God in his wisedome thought fit to reveale unto his Church and hee that shall diligently reade what is there written will gather that the whole day was taken up by Saint Iohn and spent in hearing and writing and meditating of what hee had heard for without doubt Saint Iohn made it his whole dayes worke to be spiritually imployed and as the holy Communion is called the Lords Supper and all the time of that action is holily to be imployed as being ordained by Christ himselfe to that end even so the Lords day being a day dedicated unro Christ and ordained by him for holy duties and for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and prayer the whole day ought both privately and publikely to bee taken up in the imployments and workes of piety and charity as hearing reading meditating prayer repetition of Sermons in their Families and catechizing and instructing their children and servants singing of Psalmes in visiting the sicke and them that are in prison relieving the poore and necessitated c. These examples of the Primitive Christians are for our imitation for so Saint Paul in the third of the Philippians in the 17. verse saith Brethren bee followers together of mee and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an example for our conversation is in Heaven And in the 4. chapter verse 8. hee saith Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any prayse thinke on these things Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seene in me doe and the God of peace shall bee with you By the which testimonies to omit many more we are tyed to follow the examples of the Apostles and to imitate them in all that is holy and good and of good report now it is prayse worthy and of good report to spend the whole Lords day in holy imployments and wee have the Apostles examples and the Primitive Christians for so doing and therefore wee ought to spend the whole Lords day in the workes of piety and charity and by this the sanctifying of the Christian Sabbath which is every seventh day is ratified the prophanation of the which in the reformed Churches and in many places through these three Kingdomes has beene one of the causes of all those heavie judgements the whole Christian world now groanes under and so much more would the Lord bee provoked by the toleration of all Religions amongst us which would give just occasion of violating of all the Commandements of God and of disobedience both to God and man for it is most sure that the Morall Law is not altered in any thing for substance and that God that by it injoyned but one Religion to the Israelites and commanded them to keepe that pure and undefiled and to punish all Idolaters Blasphemers and Seducers hath injoyned the same to all Christians and hath not suffered or permitted them to tolerate all Religions or any sects or heresies which by the Apostle in the fifth of the Galatians are called the workes of the devill who declareth there also that they that do them shall not enter into the Kingdom of God So that those that would bring in a toleration of all Religions have a desire to send men to the devill which is one of the greatest impieties and wickednesses that can bee perpetrated by the sonnes of men Truly if God had such a care for the preserving of the very natural life of man that charissimum animal as hee made a Law that it should be death in any to tolerate or suffer any beast to goe at liberty and range abroad if
dayes at her first comming to the Crown when there was a mighty Popish faction in the Court and through the whole Realm as all men know and when there was as great an indeavour for the bringing in of a toleration of that Religion as now there is for the setting up a Pantheon of all manner of Sects And such reasons there were then given for the establishing of the Catholique Religion as they called it as I beleeve if they should all be rehearsed there is few of those that now plead for a toleration of all can give the like but better I am most confident they cannon give For if multitudes of a contrary opinion armed with strength power also and they all furnished with malice and resolution to put them upon the imployment of their strength had been able to create danger to the Kingdome if the liberty of their consciences should have been denyed unto them then there was nothing wanting to terrifie a State to condescend to grant a toleration but all this could not then prevail nor all the art of perswasion they then used as that men of a contrary judgement were rather to be won with sweetnesse and lenity and loving perswasions and arguments and reasons then by any coercive way which often brought danger unto Kingdoms many arguments more with great worldly wisdom were then produced which with many that were reall Protestants and then in â—ouncel seemed of some weight but at that time there was a brave Nobleman present and a man of great understanding and as they usually call such a great Statesman but yet such an one as was never taken notice of to be any great zealot for Religion on either side Yet he demanding of the Councell that was then in debate about this businesse the greatest part of which seemed to make profession of the Protestant Religion and something incline to yeeld unto a toleration whether or no they thought the Protestant Religion was the true Religion and that way of serving God that he had appointed and the most of them replyed that they from their hearts and souls beleeved that it was Gods Religion and that which was taught in the holy Scriptures Then said this Nobleman my Lords set up and establish that Religion only and no other do you your duty and labour to authorize it and your life for mine God will help you to maintain his own honour and cause against what power and policy soever shall come against you for he can infatuate their counsell and enervate their strength and blast all their attempts in a moment who is all-sufficient and against whom no counsell nor understanding can prevail for he sitteth in Heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth for as there is no Lord or Master that can indure any servant that shall comply with his enemies give equall honour and service to his adversary that he doth to himself or connive at any so doing so God will never like of your service when you worship him if ye serve the devill also which you must do if you set up any other Religion or any other Religion or any other way of Church Government in the Kingdome then that you beleeve in your hearts God himselfe hath appointed for as two Religions so contrary one to another are incompitible with the glory and honour of God who hath said No man can serve two Masters so they will be destructive to the safety of the Kingdome And therefore my Lords saith he as we have but one God so I beseech your honours let us have but one Religion in the Kingdome and one kinde of Church Government amongst us and that ratified and established by authority for if their be a liberty left for every man or every faction to do what they please we shall speedily bring down the judgements of God upon the Kingdome and a confusion upon us all And many reasons more he gave to this purpose by which he so prevailed with the Councell that they agreed to give no toleration for Popery or allow of any faction in Religion but resolved with all speed to establish the Protestant Religion And truly the same argument may now be used for the establishing of one Religion and one kinde of Govrnment And as Elijah said to Baals Priests and to the people If God be God then follow him c. So if this way of worshipping God that is held forth in the Protestant Churches and hath for some generations been taught in the Church of England be that way then it will be for the honour and glory of God and the safety of the Kingdome that that onely be established which will bring peace to Church and State and take away all occasions of offence and jarrs amongst brethren For the examples of Poland Transsylvania and Holland they are no presidents to other Nations their politique proceedings are no examples for other Christian Countries and Kingdoms to follow for Christians are to live by the rule of GODS Word and Christ's their Kings laws and to follow the examples of his own people onely in their wel-doing and not in their failings and therefore we are to follow the example of Abraham Joshua Elias and the other Patriarchs Prophets and holy Apostles who never tolerated all Religions Yea we are commanded in Romans 12. Not to conform our selves to this world but that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what iâ— the good and the acceptable and perfect will of God This Will of God therefore must be the rule and square that we must ever set before our eyes and hearts in matters of our God and in points of Religion and worship and not the example ot Poland and Transsilvania Now let us heare what is the good will and pleasure of Christ our Law-giver concerning this point of toleration who challengeth and that of all due and right to be our Master saying Matth. 23. 8. Be not yee called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and againe verse 10. neither be ye called Masters saith he for one is your Master even Christ this reiterating of the same prohibition and challenge to be our Master shewes that wee are not to make either men or Angels or whole Kingdomes or Countries our Masters but onely Christ we must alwayes therefore in matters of Religion have recourse unto his good word and will and heare his voice and therefore let us heare what the will of Christ is concerning this busines of Toleration who in in the 8. of Mark 15. speaking there unto his Disciples and in them to all Christians for the Independent Masters hold that the Disciples represented the whole Christian Church he charged them saying take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leven of Herod here wee find a treble caveat a Charge and a Take-heed and a Beware as if the Lord had said I cannot use too many words to make them take heed
c. and of what even of a Toleration of any Religion but the true Religion and of that Religion Christ hath taught us by what authority soever it comes ratified unto us whether by Ecclesiasticall or civill yea though it bee imposed upon us by the command of Kings and Rulers themselves for saith Christ our Master I charge you all take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leven of Herod Now by leven our Saviour understands all traditions and doctrines of men and injoyns all his Disciples to beware of them and commands them to take heed of them and not to tolerate them amongst them and that this is his good will and pleasure he hath ratified it when hee was in heaven for writing unto the Church of Thyatira Revel 2. verse 20. I have saith hee a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants c. Here Christ hath declared his will and good pleasure and how much he displeased with that Church that shee suffered those false Teachers and Seducers amongst them and that they but connived at them and pronounces fearfull judgements against both that Church and the Church of Pergamos and that of Laodicea for tolerating the Doctrine of Baalam the Nicolaitans and for suffering those luke-warme Christians amongst them so that there is nothing that Christ abhorreth more then a toleration of all Religions but that wee may farther yet know what the good will and pleasure of God is concerning this point let us heare Paul who made knowne the whole counsell of God to his Church Act. 20. Now hee in the 17. of the Acts declareth the will of God touching this matter for after that hee had reproved the Athenians for their superstitions ver 22. and undertaken to teach them the knowledge of the true God who they ignorantly worshipped and the right way of worshipping and serving him and informing them that hee is not worshipped with mens hands that is with any of their inventions and with what way or in what manner they thinke fit God saith hee is not to bee worshipped after any traditions of men but according to his owne appointments and this hee challenges by right from all men as being the absolute Lord of them all for he made them they are saith the Apostle the off-spring of God and his Generation and they live in him and move in him and have their being in him and their breath and life from him yea saith the Apostle hee hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation Now God saith hee hath given you all these things that yee should seeke the Lord that is that ye should worship him as hee is your Lord and King and to whom all honour and service of right is due now then as wee are his off-spring we must not thinke of God after our fantasie and set up such a worship as pleaseth our selves or allow of any kind or way of worshipping God that men please to follow as you superstitiously doe at Athens no saith the Apostle God will be worshipped after his owne way and after his owne appointment and howsoever God winked at the times of this ignorance yet now hee commands all men every where to repent that is to set up the true Religion and to worship him after one way for saith hee all the nations are now to set up one way of worship and if they will not obey this Lord of the whole world and imbrace that one and onely true Religion that I teach and preach unto you then I tell you plainely that as God hath appointed a day wherein hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by Christ Iesus if you will not set up his true worship and the true Religion and the right way of serving him but will tolerate all manner of Religions amongst you still as formerly you have done and give liberty to every man to serve God after his owne will and pleasure and not according to this good will and pleasure of God you shall be eternally damned for this is the meaning of the Apostle so that the will of God must be our rule for worship and not Poland and Transsylvania the will of God saith the Apostle must be that wee must follow in worshipping and serving him Now when by the Word of God that acceptable and perfect will of his wee are taught that hee was displeased with his people the Jewes for tolerating of all religions amongst them and that he was highly offended with those christian Churches in Asia for tolerating the doctrines of Balaam and Iezabel we are sufficiently taught and instructed that Christians ought not to tolerate any other Religion but that which Christ the only King and Law-giver of his Church hath taught us and that whosoever should take that authority upon them to tolerate all Religions would bee found fighters against God and such as deservedly would bring downe his judgements upon the Land by it for if but conniving at evill and consenting to it be a thing displeasing unto God how would the tolerating of it by a Law be abominable unto his sacred and divine Majesty for this were to establish iniquity by a Law We are taught in the holy Scriptures that the consenting with a thiefe makes a man as guilty before God as the acting of thievery Psal 50 and that they that assented unto Jezabel in killing the Prophets made themselves all as guilty as Jezabel her selfe and that the Heathen Romans Rom. 1. verse 32. who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but consent with them that doe them made themselves as equally guilty as the Actors of them as Paul in his bill and information put up in the Court of Heaven against them sufficiently declareth the same did Elias in his bill of information against the people in his time accusing them all as equally guilty of the blood of the Prophets and destroying Religion as Jezabel and onely because they consented unto it They saith Elias have killed thy Prophets and have broken down thy Altars Which they all the people that assented unto her as well as the Officers and Executioners And so our Saviour in his time accuseth the people as well as Herod for slaying of Iohn the Baptist saying They have done to him whatsoever they pleased They which they all the Nobles that sate at Table with Herod that did not disswade Herod from that bloody and tyrannicall act and all the people that liked well of it the sinne of this Nation who assented unto the bloody Decrees and censures given in the High-commission-Court and in the Star-chamber and in all other unjust Courts the people that assented unto all their cruell censuâ—es against Gods people and liked well of it are as equally guilty who would ordinarily say that had they beene Judges
for in such termes they usually expresse themselves Now when the occasion of this scandall and offence is taken away by the care of the Ministers and all Superstition and Popish Ceremonies and all will worship is also rooted out and when the Gospell is truly and faithfully by them preached both in season and out of season and the Name of God truly invocated and the Sacraments duly and rightly administred what just cause have the Independents now either of separation or of traducing either Ministers or people of being enemies of Christ and his Kingdome when by all their indeavours they onely seek the advancement of him and his Kingdome amongst them I have so good an opinion of all moderate minded Christians that when they shall seriously weigh and consider what I have here writ and truly and faithfully set down that those of them that have formerly been alienated from them will again being now undeceived return every one of them to their own Pastors by whose Ministry they have been converted and that all other understanding men will not only have more charitable thoughts both of the Ministers and Beleevers of the Church of England but will likewise look more narrowly into and examine more diligently all those new wayes and by finding them out to be indeed but new will seek for the old way and walk in it And truly it stands all men now in hand that desire the welfare of the whole Kingdome yea the safety tranquillity and felicity of three Kingdomes and the peace of them all and the quiet of the Church and the prosperity of Zion and indeed the peace of their own families and a good accord harmony love and unity amongst brethren to seek for the old way which hath the promise of peace which can never be preserved where differences and diversities of opinions with a toleration of all Religions are allowed of for they tend to nothing but dis-union and to a violation of all bonds of true and cordiall affection for they can never love such as they have a command to shun nor never really affect such mens companies and acquaintance whom they are ever jealous of that they will seduce their wives children and families therefore I say that all people may not onely seek for but finde that old way of peace shall ever be his prayer that wisheth that all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth AN APPENDIX In the which all the reproaches and truth-gainsaying calumnies so injuriously and causelesly cast upon me by my Brother BURTON my Quondam Fellow-sufferer are all wiped away with the spunge of Innocency in this my true Answer unto him In the which also all such passages as hee so exceedingly exaggerates and cryes out against in my Preface and Postscript are cleared from his clamorous surmises and my Integrity vindicated from all his traducing Inferences and forced Conclusions Brother Burton IN the beginning of your Epistle to the Reader say you This answer was long agoe so conceived in the wombe as the slow birth may seeme to have out-gone his due time Truly it had beene good for you and farre more for your honour and for the honour and glory of God and for the honour of your holy profession that the wombe of this your Booke had beene its grave for it hath not onely given great scandall to many but sadded the hearts of multitudes of Gods people that formerly truly loved and honoured you But men that make more haste then good speed have cause at leisure often to repent as you one day must doe for this untimely birth of your deformed and monstrous brat To the matters of Argument concerning your opinion in answer to my Booke I have in the foregoing Treatise made my Reply in this Appendix I am to make my just defence against some false accusations and soule aspersions with which you have bespatterd mee through your whole discourse but should I summe up all the revilings scornings vilifying unsufferable and unchristian language which those of your Fraternity after I had declared my selfe to be none of your party before any of my Books came forth did and still doe provoke and salute mee with even in the open streets to the shame of their profession yet in the 27. page of your Booke approved of they would rise to a volume But I have learned with the Apostle Paul to passe through honour and dishonour through evill report and good report as a Deceiver and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. being therefore nothing moved with their raylings I spread them before the Lord and for brevitie sake will not here repeate them I shall onely take a note of some passing by many of the unbrotherly reproaches false accusations and bitter invectives poured out from your selfe whose Schollers it may be thought the others are and I will unfaynedly answer you in the words of truth and sobernesse and in the spirit of meeknesse and love But first give mee leave to say that from you of all men I least expected much lesse deserved such hard speeches I having beene not only a sufferer with you which ingageth a personall respect but alwayes ready and forward in the worst and most dangerous times to appeare in your defence to my owne great detriment and dammage and as a faithfull friend have stucke close and been serviceable unto you since as can sufficiently be proved when your protestation protested was questioned all which challenged a Christian circumspection even in reproving of humane frailties Now things being thus betweene you and mee how exceedingly doth it aggravate your offence in scandalizing my name as you have done For mine owne part when out of zeale to Gods Glory and my servent desire of Syons peace I write against that new way you walke in and justly blamed in generall naming no man the unwarrantable writings and censures published and laid upon all who in their judgements dissent from Independents though truly Godly affirming that they are but converts in part that they are enemies to Christs Kingly office and set up Christ as a pageant King that they neither professe nor confesse Christ but with the Iewes say wee will not have this man to raigne over us observing also in the Frontispices of their Bookes writ in defence of Independent errors these words Thinke not that I am come to send peace upon earth I came not to send peace but a sword c. Matth. 10. 34 35 36. and that in a time of so great distractions when your party have subtilly spread Schisme Faction and caused fraction and division through the Kingdome and considering withall how ready tumultuous and turbulent people are especially upon such advantages as these to misapply Christs words as all men may see and by their daily expressions plainly perceive they doe and from that text are easily perswaded to beleeve they have good ground and warrant to fight against their Christian brethren to maintaine errors and their owne whimsies I
say I weighing all these things when I writ against erroneous and peace disturbing wayes which I tooke to be my duty yet so far was I your fellow sufferer from falling at odds with you as you seeme to intimate page 2. that in reproving sinne for which I have sacred Writ to be my warrant Levit 19. 17. I gave a reverentiall honour to the person and to manifest my respects unto your selfe because a sufferer I brought not your name upon the Theater error I confuted the danger of misapplying Scripture I declared and reprehended and so by Gods gracious assistance I ever shall and will not connive with any that hold and labour to maintaine a way that leads to error and faction But so tender I was of your repute and at so vast a distance from reproaching you with untruths to render you despicable to men that your name I spared to mention and for my description of a grave man with a white basket-hilted-beard a selfe denying man would have passed it over with silence and onely made use of it as a respectfull private reproofe For I beseech you lay aside your passion and consider a little are there not some others of your judgement that have as great white beards as your selfe which are basket-hilted beards in my Dialect a harmelesse word in it selfe and a word that you know in Love and Mirth I doe frequently use to my dearest and familiar friends and it was not counted scurrilous or offensive by any other nor by your selfe to whom I have often used this expression and you never reproved me nor were offended at it untill now because I cannot approve of your writings and way which God is my witnesse before whom I speak and who knows the secret intentions of my heart I would imbrace and walk in were there in Scripture any command precept or example for my so doing but you can never produce sound Scripture proofes for it Now Scripture clearly holds out that way I walk in practice and maintain Brother you were too too precipitate you need not have made a particular application in publike and then present your selfe to the view of the world in so great a passion as to let men see and know you are not able to disgest a merry word Alas thousands never saw your book and of them that have seen and read it happily every one took not notice of your uncharitable writings and opinions for untill you so unadvisedly rushed out and on the publique Theatre proclamed your selfe to be the man very few suspected you would have dealt so unbrotherly with your brethren who though they differ from your judgement yet are sincerely godly and have deserved well from you and layd out themselves freely for the good of you and yours above all other men as to pronounce them emenies of Jesus Christ or that you would unchristian all holy Christians and deny the saving work of grace in them true conversion because they dare not joyne with you nor approve of those opinions you have lately taken up you have not been so forward at other times to declare your selfe to be the man why now surely you conceit the subscribing your name again thereunto is a sufficient ground for men to believe that those passages and assertions are not erroneous and that it is a Piaculum in me to question the matter time season and manner of publishing such things if so you mistake your selfe exceedingly for this is an undeniable truth that you are a man subject to like passions and errors as other men are Jam. 5. 17. even your best friends being Judges And that I may discover your selfe unto your selfe I will sum up a few of your passionate expressions with your unbrotherly that I say not unchristian aspersions and slanderous accusations brought against me by name in your book that you intitle but how truly Vindiciae Veritatis which before ever I had seen or so much as heard of being in the Country when it came forth one having perused it briefly and lovingly reproved you and writ against many unworthy reproaches and slanders contained therein And I shall now again take a note of them and then clear those false accounts wherewith you have so deeply charged me which consist of severall particulars viz. You account me one that hath but fair flourishes of holinesse Page 17. An Adversary to Christs Kingdome and an open enemy and Persecutor of the Church Pag. 18. A Scandalous Walker to the shame of the very name of Christian Religion Pag. 20. Worse then a Heathen a base and barbarous man Pag. 21. One of the greatest Incendiaries in the Land Pag. 25. A dishonest man of a Serpentine practice Pag. 28. A hollow-hearted man of a shallow brain a man not onely whose heart is divided but whose head is c. Pag. 29. The reckoning in the full sum by your account amounts to thus much that I am an hypocrite an unbeleever a persecutor a profane wicked base and barbarous man an Incendiary a Knave a Serpent a Dissembler an Ignoramus a mad Man c. Oh that ever such a soul condemning heart accusing head dividing Charge should be drawn up and published by a Quondam Fellow Sufferer Is this no railing nor bitter speaking because cunningly uttered by an Independent If sober men who are godly without faction judge of this your method it will appear and by them be truly voted you have forgot the promise you made page the second for my part I leave it to the grave consideration of such And I shall now speak a little to your great charge of which a man might make a book in Folio to set forth the sinfull sinfulnesse that lies closely coucht therein with your furious smiting at my soul and body which inforceth me to say These are the wounds that I received in the house of my Friend Zech. 13. 6. Yet because from a friend and a Quondam Fellow Sufferer I presently bound them up and should have been very sparing in opening and discovering of them again could I have done it without prejudicing the life of my good name and obscuring truth but for the preservation of the one and the manifestation of the other I am constrained not to neglect to lay them open search their depth declare their danger and what evill effects may ensue and to poure in the soveraigne Balsome of a good conscience and lay upon them the plaister of innocencie which is the onely approved remedy for such desperate wounds Now for your Biâ—â— of Accusations and Defamations I here in the presence of God and before all men protest against it absolutely denying the whole charge and doe affirme that neither you nor any mortall creature can truly make any one of the least particulars thereof good against me although you have laboured hard and taken a great deale of paines to do it howsoever in the opinion of holy wise and learned men to little purpose But waving that busines a little