them I had not ventured so far in my Quaere I considered the sad and farall troubles which attended the Magistrates ingagements with the Ministers the bloud which hath been powred out by Nationall compulsion of tender conscâ—eâ—ces and like a spirituall Watchman I could not but blow my Trumpet and give warning And for my comparison or Papists and Prelates I appeal to the world if there be any reproach whether it be not in the Interpreter rather then in the Author But I know no such thing by my Paper And if it be lawfull to draw in consequent conclusions and then father them I could prove you to speake Treason Blasphemy Idolatry Atheisme Heresie nay Independencie which some of your Way thinke worse Aâ—abaptisme Separation which would seeme to be as hatefull to you But I judge you not in any such sort nor had I spoken so far now but in a just Vindication You say You will conclude with my Politicks and upon such Principles as mine Church-government is ordained I have told you my Politicks were written by my dimmer light And if your Government be built upon no better Principles then mine I cannot but be out of conceit with that Government being so far out of conceit with mine own Principles and it makes me think the worse of it because my former Principles fit it so well Those Principles you speak on are partly of Câ—vill power and the Sword and the Dominion or Scepter in the Gospell is more Spirituall You say of my Text in the Revelation Revel 18 1. that as I began so I end with misapplication of Scripture Misapplication is a word sooner writ then proved and my reasons were rather crowded then ordered in my Paper The Scripture was this For the Angell that came down from Heaven hath great power and the earth is lightned with his glory Which Scripture there applyed doth hint to any that will not rather cavill then interpret that my only reason for delay of Government was in this An Angell was yet to come with power and glory or the Gospell would fill the earth with more light â—o as we should not shut up our selves too soon in the dark And now Reader judge whether it be my mis-application or his misinterpretation Spirituall Principles drawn forth Gospell-Truth is one and the same THat which is only in some parts of it warrantable by the Word is not purely nor in a Scripture-way warrantable For there is not any Will-worship but it hath something from the Patern of the true The Samaritan-worship was coppied after the Jewish and the Jewish when Christ came had Priests and Temple and Sacrifices and was copied by the Law But then there was Traditions and Commandements of men That is pure Gentilism which hath no Image of Gospell nor lâ—gall Truth Antichrist sits in the very Temple of God though rather upon it False Christs call themselves Christs as well as the true The great Image had a head of Gold though feet of Iron and Clay Every Heresie hath a Scripture Word in it But Truth must be all one and the same and Homogeneall not in parts so but all so There is but one Lord one Faith c. Prudence and Consequences are the great Engines of Will-worship THings of Prudence meerly are not to be admitted into the Spirituallway and Gospell-designe Prelacy had its Prudence for every new additionall in Worship and Government And once let Prudence open a doore and then will more of man crowd in then the 〈…〉 of God can keep out Nor is that to be admitted which is so received a Maxime Though not directly yet not repugnant to the Word Christs rule is not such he opposes any Tradition to the Commandements of God Not direct from Scripture is indirect and repugnant though not to the very letter of such words yet to the form and Analogie of truth to the generall Scripture-Law viz. the will of God that nothing shall be added or diminished ye are only my friends saith Christ if ye do what I command you and the Lord will raise you up a Prophet him shall yee heare For if any thing of Prudence is to be let in then something of Tradition for Prudence can make nothing higher noâ— purer nor better mâ—n can but give his own Image to the things â—e makes himself though he make them up of divine materials from Scriptures yet the form none but the Lord himself can give and the form is that which stamps Christs Image upon every Truth Every thing in the Word hath a form that is it is â—uch a thing of truth and not another Nothing but Gods power and will can make a thing Truth his power creates it and his will creates it such a Truth Nothing is agreeable to the Will of Christ but the very Will of Christ The Will of Christ is the only Legislative power in the Gospell Nothing is agreeable to his Will but what he wils every thing is repugnant to his will but what he wils so as this will is the supreme general law indeed the very form or essence of Scripture the Word of God And whatsoever is devised by Prudence though upon Scripture-materials yet being not the work of this will nor having the Stamp or Image upon it is none of Christs but as repugnant as any other Tradition or invention of men And here let us look to that new though old design against Truth the most subtill undiscernable and divinest kind of Will-worship in the world that which some call Scripture-consequence an unwholsome word as it hath been used for under colour of consequence what Conclusions may be promoted What may not Reason draw from Scripture and what may it not fashion like a Truth But consider in Parliament Laws or Ordinances or Commissions is it lawfull to take them and from every part of them to draw out results of our own and when there is but one Law make many subordinate Laws of our own and frame Laws out of Laws and Ordinances out of Ordinances and Commissions out of Commissions No sure But we must keep to that one generall entire litterall Law and Will of the Parliament Is it thus in Laws humane and not much more in Ordinances divine Yea there is the same onenesse entirenesse indivisibility and essentiality of the Truth Nor do I here disapprove any Scripture-consequence if meerly consequent and not formed up into a Law by meere reason for then mâ—n makes Laws from the Laws of God and this is not the least engine that Antichrist hath wrought with The people are Brethren and Saints in Christs Church but in Antichrists Parishioners and Servants VVHat kind of Government is marked out in Scriptures for sitting on the waters or people Christ governs by the people ministerially not over the people authoritatively only and the people being once in his Church-way lose their old capacity for a new and are raised up from people to Brethren to Churches It is a saying
in one and the same Kingdom would be considered when such an Interest growâ—s up from its infancy and first Reformation into a fuller and more perfect man And whether their petitioning of a power from the State to compleat and make them an Eldership and Presbytery doth not imply a power in the State more or rather as fully Ecclesiasticall as their Presbytery for can the State give them any Ecclesiasticall power and have none it selfe so as according to these Principles the State is Ecclesiastical as well as they and so not to be denied the power of Commissioning with them or else t is a meere contradiction to pray for power from those to their Eldership and Presbytery which they say is a Government and Power entirely Ecclesiasticall and compleat in it selfe and so as they either pray for that which they have of their own already or else pray for that from the State which they cannot give them Petition It belongs unto them by Divine Right and by the Will and appointment of Jesus Christ which with the help of superiour Assemblies in cases of appeale or in all administrations therein will prevent through the blessing of God all the feared inconveniences Inference Whence we may infer that the Presbytery and Eldership of a Congregation is of Divine Right c. yet that Divine Right is perfected and compleated by that which is not of as pure Divine Right as it selfe viz. Superiour Assemblies and so becomes neither purely Prudentiall nor Divine but Mixt and so is neither good Divine nor good Humane Right Petition And the Magistrate to whom we professe the Church to be accountable for their proceedings in all their Elderships and Church Assemblies and punishable by him with Civill censures for their miscarriages Inference Whence we may inferre that the Civill Magistrate is neither over nor under the Presbytery and where they place it who can tell by this Petition of theirs for over it the Magistrate is not for they say Commissioners over them are not sufferable and under it they say the Magistrate is not for their Eldership and Presbytery are to be accountable to the Civill power for their miscarriages and how at the same time they should subject their Churches in their mal Administrations to the Magistrates power of judging and yet challenge such an entire sole supreame and Ecclesiasticall Judicature is a mystery becomming the learning of that same Assembly to reveale which first begun it Principles against the Divine Right o◠〈…〉 present Presbytery extracted from the Reasons 1. THey are no such Presbyters of Jesus Christ as the first were because ordained by an Antichristian power of Bishops nor were Bishops true Presbyteres nor those who joyned with them in their Ordination who were made by them nor is there any succession of Ordination but it implies both a Perpetuall Visible Church and a true Church Ministery and Ordinances under Antichrist which all are to be proved by them 2. If there were any such true Church invisible under Antichrist to which they succeed in their Ministery then it must appeare that they succeed that very invisible Church and that that very invisible Church had a true Ministery or Presbytery in it for men may be Saints or good men yet not good Presbyters or Ministerially sent 3. As they now in their practice will not account any for true Presbyters but such who can prove to them their personall Ordination from them so we demand of these Presbyters an account of their personall succession accordingly which personall succession if it be false and interrupted any where in the Line must needs be all false from such a point where the first interruption was made 4. Though Christs promise is enough to ground a perpetuity of Church and Christs presence yet not of his promise made good to such particular men or to their pretended succession 5. They that challenge a Divine Right to the power they act by must act by a gift as Divine and infallible as their right and power and thus did the primitive Presbyters and Elders therefore the gift being but mixt their right or power is but mixt accordingly and not Divine 6. They who were Elders or Presbyters in the first Churches as Ierusalem c. were gifted by a spirit which taught the very infallible Word which is now written or Scripture and so they then did constitute advise counsell in the place of this written Word and all Scripture Formes and Institutions were then in the gift and persons but no such thing can be said of any Eldership or Presbytery of men now 7. They who set up an Eldership or Presbytery now of Divine Right to constitute ordaine counsell c. do joyne to the Word written or infallible Scripture a Power lesse infallibly gifted who by such a Divine Right and Power pretended shall controle the Word of Truth by Interpretations of that Word lesse then Truth which is not consistent with the glory of the Word 8. There is no Eldership or Presbytery in Scripture but either the Churches Act did precede it act it or accompany it by precept or practice which makes the Divine Right of the Presbytery questionable uncertain unsafe because of a contrary Scripture and Precept 9. The Eldership and Presbytery which are brought for instances are questionable first for the Persons who were not such very Presbyters as they would imply but Apostles Evangelists c. or otherwise ordained either by Apostles or Church or otherwise gifted by speciall unction or else an Eldership of eminency not of Office 10. They hold this Divine Right is in the first subject in the Congregationall Presbytery and yet they set up a Classicall Provinciall Nationall Presbytery to compleat and controle this of the Congregationall and how this their Divine Right can be subjected thus to a Right lesse Divine is unreasonable and unscripturall to imagine 11. Suppose such a power as a Nationall Presbytery collected from all parts of the Kingdom every Congregation having an Interest or part there and this Presbytery so Nationall and Collective informed by a Divine Right for judging sins c. shall not this Nationall Presbytery take cognizance of States if sinning Ecclesiastically as well as others and if so what proceeding what cenâ—ures will follow from such a body as universall as the body of that State and of as much Interest in the Kingdom as they and of more interest by how much more Divine a Right they act by and by how much neerer they are seated to the conscience and how Kingdoms have been embroyled by such an Ecclesiasticall Interest Histories will tell ye 12. So as in this straite when Parliament is perswaded of no Divine Right Assembly of a Divine Right and the Dissenting brethren of another Divine Right is not the way this to let the Parliament have their Liberty of Conscience to settle no Divine Right by a power and the Assembly to use their Liberty in a Divine Right with all that
did not Christ intend that all should receive or communicate in outward administrations by an externall right And if so then what ground is there for the visible imponitent or known scandalous Whether if true saving faith were the one part of the Interest and the externall right the other part of it there be any ground left for the other Communicants And whether that the Scriptures rule and purer practice of all Churches in the Gospell excepting when falne or beside the rule and the Scripture Cautions do not wholly exclude such scandalous impenitent persons pleaded for against all other forrain probable possible rationall or Rethoricating consequences and conclusions to the contrary Whether the glory of Gods justice in the judgement upon unworthy receivers be any ground to take in Communicants for condemnation since it is full against other Scriptures that Christ came not into the world to condemne the world and to save mens lives not to destroy them and he would not the death of a sinner And whether though finally condemnation be ordered for all such yet no such thing being formally externally dispensatively ordered any persons ought to be called in for condemnation in such a way Whether this be not quite against the nature of the Gospell dispensation Christ under the Gospell dispensing himselfe and giving out himselfe as a Saviour a Redeemer and in all the Gospell declining judgement I come not to judge the world reserving that worke till he appeare in his own day to condemnation of sinners this being only his day of reconciliation to them Whether the Apostle in Rom. 3. where he saith But if our righteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance And not rather as we be slanderously reported and some affirme that we say Let us do evill that good may come thereof doth not parallell this For the Apostle here though Gods righteousnesse and justice was set forth by his justice upon sinners yet he did not say as in the Quaere is said Let us then do evill that God may be glorified or good may come thereof Quaere 4. Fol. 53. Whether all Ordinances proving alike good or bad saving or damning and impenitent persons as well encreasing their damnation by hearing praying fasting c. What reason can be rendred by any rational Christian why such persons should not be admitted to the Sacrament as to any other Ordinance or not suspended equally from all Antiquaere Whether any such consequence of admission or suspention from Ordinances ought to be grounded upon damnation or judgement but rather upon words of command and institution and Scripture-practice And if any such appeared all these Consequences which the Vindication draws forth wringing bloud and not milke from the Word might be saved and he need not go so far about which when all is done brings a soule but at best upon a probable specious or reall coloured Argument Whether since the Vindication pulls down cleare Scripture-Texts and grounds in this Controversie to weaken the building of his Adversary he ought not in conscience first to have had a cleare Word or Institution for the contrary practice and not only probable and litterally conclusive grounds that soules can stand at surest upon but like men upon Ice who are in as faire a probability to fall as stand And whether having taken away the Scripture-Texts for Presbytery it selfe he can well hold up any upon his grounds And whether is not this sceptiall or doubtfull way of reasoning upon Scripture neither pulling quite down nor building up a way rather to fill all the roomes with rubbish and at length neither to have new building nor old What man going to build a Tower sitteth not down first and seeth what it will cost him lest having begun and not able to finish all men begin to laugh at him saying c. But whether is not all this ado about Ordinances rather for want of a right and purer constitution of Churches which would save all this controversie about scandalous and impenitent sinners when the Church were not troubled with such where the Ordinances are P. Well I am by this time well perswaded and having heard all this for my part I cannot but see that in setling things suddenly upon the Kingdom and things thus questionable and unwarrantable in the way of Administration and a Kingdom so full of impenitent and scandalous sinners as Parochiall Congregations generally are there is danger of great sin and great trouble C. I will therefore adde two or three Arguments more and so conclude An Experimentall-Argument for pure Churches and Ordinances THere is a spirituall Antipathie betwixt Grace and Nature Flesh and Spirit the Flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and the more spirituall or more carnall the more these two contrary Natures worke and the more powerfully against each other as in Sarah and Hagar Isaac and Ishmael and the lesse or more they can beare with each other As for example While Iudas carnall nature or disposition uninflamed by Satan boyled and heightned not into any such grosse act as selling and betraying of Christ the Disciples bore with him more and Christ himselfe as he was man and in a state of Infirmity could more endure him then upon the breaking out of his sin and so in Simon Magus in Ananius and Saphira and others whom the Apostles could no longer suffer not by way of Discipline or inflicting Censure but by way of a spirituall contrarinesse to such grosse hypocrisie and sin discovered And so the experiences of all that are of a pure Gospell-temper will witnesse to this very Age in acts of spirituall fellowship and Community in all acts of Worship c. This is founded not only on spirituall antipathies and sympathies but in naturall and civill naturall things of a contrary nature bearing one another no lesse and things of a civill nature yet contrary doing the like Hence arise separations meerly naturall and sensitive and rationall Hence arises a particular Schism and separation in all the things of the world and a secret gathering and contracting of things from the contrary into the same kinde the common purity being lost as the Apostle implies by which Nature did at first more universally agree as if one common spirit had been in it And thus it was in the Churches of God at first when three foure or five thousand did agree in one way of spirituall fellowship Doctrine breaking of bread and Prayers but we see there is not now such pourings out of spirit upon multitudes and Nations that a Nationall-Church should be together in such a unity of spirit And under the Law there was even a weaker example in the people of the Jewes being taken out from the people of the world and naturally hating all that were common and uncleane as the Gentiles And before the Law the people of God did gather into Families and particular societies as in Aâ—â—â—â—am
him and walked with and counted as his Some beleeved not the Holy-Ghost nor Christs Baptism and were zealous of the Law and yet the Disciples counted them as Beleevers Johns Disciples would have followed Iohn only but Iohn sent two of them to Christ at one time and told them againe he must increase but himselfe must decrease Christ in his time would not forbid any that went about in his Name There is none that doth any thing in my Name can lightly speak evill of me When the Spirit was given the Disciples bore one another out of the Church as the Beleevers of Iohns Baptisme and the zealots of the Law and one another in the Church they that did eat them that did not eat and they that regarded a day them that regarded not a day walking together as far as they attained by the same rule 16 No despising for too much learning or too little Let not one despise another for gifts parts learning let the Spirit be heard speak in the meanest let not the Scribe or Disputer of the Law despise the Fishermen nor they despise them because Scribes and Disputers The Spirit is in Paul as well as Peter in both as well as one 17 We may be in one Christ though divers Consider that we may be one in one Christ though we thinke diversly and we may be Friends though not Brethren and let us attaine to Vnion though not to Unity 18 The spirituall Persecution to be forborne Consider there is a twofold Persecution There is a spirituall or that of Beleevers and a mixt Persecution or civilly Ecclesiasticall The spirituall Persecution is that of the Spirit meerly and this kind of Persecution little thought on and studied this is when we cannot be are one anothers severall Opinions or soul-belief in the same spirituall Society or fellowship but they must either be of us or out of us and surely this kinde of Persecution is as unreasonable as any other for what is this but soul-compulsion when another must only beleeve as we beleeve and not wait till the Lord reveale even this This kind of spirituall compulsion will in time breake and dissolve the visible Communion of Saints and Body of Christ exceedingly if taken up or continued and it will be amongst Christians as amongst the Antichristians where they divide and subdivide and some cast themselves into a Monkery from all the rest Ierusalem and Antioch were not of this way to cast out one another upon such grounds but to meet reason and counsell and heare And surely the Churches can ill complaine of a mixt persecution from without if they persecute one another from within the Magistrate may as justly whip them both as they whip one another Such grudgings complainings dissolvings spirituall inforcings gives hint to the Civill power to compell while it beholds them but a little more spiritually coâ—pâ—lling one another Let all Church-rights priviledges boundaries be preserved all Heresie and Schism by the rule rebuked but in all spirituall meeknesse and wisdome and not call Heretick and Schismatick too suddenly since we see but in part THE UNWARRANTABLE WAY OF PEACE Or The Antichristian Designe of Reconciliation 1 To beleeve as the Church or Councels THat all should beleeve as the Church beleeves and this Church is the great Councels of Bishops Cardinals c as if the souls of all were to be saved only in the bundle of theirs as if they could beleeve both enough for themselves and all others 2 To set up one as the Pope for infallibilitie Because there may be difference amongst many and all may not agree therefore there shall be one say they with the Vrim and Thummim one infallibly decreeing and interpreting and unerring to whom the Spirit of Truth is successively derived and his determinations interpretations shall be finall conclusive and this that Vicar of Christ the Pope this one way in the Antichristian State and all Reformed Kingdomes were once under this Peace 3 To allow that all may be saved in their severall wayes Because there be severall Beleevers and severall interpretations and opinions one saying This is the way and another That therefore say some All in all wayes may be saved every one beleeving every thing Now this is one way to make peace but not the way there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptisme 4 To forbid Interpretings and Disputes Because several opinions arise by interpretings and disputings about Scripture therefore all openings of the Word all disputings must be forborne Because the Sun-shine offends some weak sight in the house shut up doores and windowes and make all dark Thus the Papists and Prelats in forbidding Scriptures and Marginall Notes and thus fearing there may be somthing false they will heare nothing that 's true 5 By a compulsive power Some take the Civill power in to make peace reckoning a compulsive Vniformitie for Vnity Peace and Truth This is one way to deale with the body indeed but not with the soul to mind the outward man but not the inward This way of Civilly Ecclesiasticall peace is the Antichristian designe who having got the Kings of the Nations to give their strength and power and Kingdome unto them supplies that from the world which they want from the Word making the spirituall power of Iesus Christ to receive its honour life efficacie power from the power of men This way of peace is such as hath by experience troubled Nations and troubled it self at length too and broken it self against that way which it aimed to breake For whosoever fals upon this stone shall be broken and on whomsoever it shall fall it shall breake them to powder THE OPINIONS OF THESE TIMES With the Exceptions each Opinion may be charged withall being the great Argument for Love Meeknesse and Forbearance one to another or of Peace and Reconciliation till the Lord reveale more Presbyterie So called What it is and what they hold THe Presbyterie is set up by an alleadged Patern of the Eldership and Presbyterie of the Apostles and Elders in the first Churches of the Gospell strengthened by such Scriptures as are in the margin and by allusion to the Jewish Government and to appeals in Nature Their Churches are Parochial or Parishes as they are divided at first by the Romish Prelates and the Statute-Laws of the State Which Parishes and Congregations are made up of such Beleevers as were made Christians first by Baptisme in Infancie and not by the Word And all the Parishes or Congregations are under them as they are a Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Presbyterie And over those Parishes they doe exercise all Church-power and Government ‖ which may be called The power of the Keyes Exceptions 1. THe Apostolicall and Primitive Eldership were not so authoritative over their Congregations as these pretend nor so compulsive or forcing their respective Congregations 2. The Apostolicall Eldership and Presbyterie were more ‖ infallible
of Church-power as is pretended That none ought to communicate in the Ordinances of Christ till first baptized Exceptions against the grounds of the new Baptism 1. THat those places commonly taken for the Commission for Christs Baptisin as Mat. 28. 18. Mar. 16. and where they that now baptize ground their Commission and practice hath no such thing in it For the Baptism there is a Baptism in the Name of the three Persons of Father Son and Holy Ghost and not the Baptism of Jesus Christ alone which the Apostles only baptized in by water as in Act. 2. 28. Act. 10. 48. Act. 19. 5. Act. 8. 16. Rom. 6. 3. where it is still said Baptize in the Name of the Lord Jesus or of Jesus Christ and a Name of any more Persons is not the least mentioned So as to baptize as they commonly baptize in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost for Jesus Christs baptism is contrary to the full practice of all that baptized by water as they do as in Act. 2. 38. Act. 10. 48. Act. 19. 5. Act. 8. 16. c. and a confounding Scriptures together viz. severall institutions and practices 2. That baptizing in Matth. 28. 18. cannot properly nor in the word and letter be understood of baptizing by water because there is no more mentioned in the letter or Scripture then meerly the word baptizing and to expound it as they do by a baptizing by water is to put in a consequence and interpretation of their own for Scripture which way of consequences they condemn in all others Presbyterials c. as Will-worship and traditions of men and justly too Now there being no water nor any circumstance in the Text to make out any sense of water as in other places it is an usurpation vpon the Spirit and the Word to put such a sense so infallibly and peremptorily upon the Word which Jesus Christ himself uses in other significations then that of water as in Matth. 20. 22 23. Matth. 3. 11. 1. Cor. 12. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 2. all these places are of Baptism and baptizing yet not one of them of baptizing by water but of Metaphorical and figurative Baptism by his sufferings by the Holy Ghost by the Spirit by the cloud and Sea 3. That Matth. 28. 18. Mar. 16 c. are rather and far more probably to be expounded of the Spirits Baptisme or the Baptism of the Holy Ghost because it seems to be prophesied on by Joel 2. 28. Isai 44. 3. where the Holy Ghosts Baptism is promised to come by Christ and in Matth. 3. 11. Act. 1. 5. Joh. 1. 33. prophesied on to come by John and Christ himself to his Disciples and was fulfilled in Christs Institution and power which he gave in Matth. 28. 18. by baptizing with the Holy Ghost which the Apostles did accordingly practice and by their Ministery was given as in Act. 8. 17 and Mark. 16. 16 17. compared with Matth. 28. 18. doth shew that the Baptism in Matth. 28. 18. is a Baptism of gifts as Mark. 16. 15 16 17. 4. That the Baptism of Jesus Christ by water was only in the Name of Jesus Christ as appears in all the places where such a Baptism was practised as in Act. 2. 38. Act. 10. 48. Act. 19 5. Act. 8. 16. Rom. 6. 3. all which is a Baptism only in the Name of Jesus Christ of the Person of the Son not of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as they now practise and which was never practised as appeares in all the Apostles and Disciples practise 5. That the forme by which they baptize viz. I baptize thee in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is a forme of mans devising a tradition of man a meer consequence drawn from supposition and probability and not a forme left by Christ to say over them at the dipping them in the water If Christ had said When you baptize them say this over them I baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and unlesse Jesus Christ had left this forme thus made up to their hands they practise a thing made up by themselves and drawn or forced out of Jesus Christs words in Matth. 28. 18. 6. That to preach in the Name of Jesus Christ or to do things in the Name of Jesus Christ is not alwaies in that grosse manner as it is taken viz. naming Jesus Christ or the Father Son and Holy Ghost over them But in the power vertue efficacy Ministery of Jesus Christ or the Persons of the God-head of Father Son and Holy Ghost as in these Scriptures Matth. 28. 20. Mark 13. 6. Joh. 14. 3. Act. 19. 15 16. Joh. 17. 6 11. Act. 9. 14. Revel 11. 18 So here they are at some more losse 7. That though I deny not but water is a signe and one of the witnesses that beare record and in the Word though not yet cleare yet neither can Christs Institution of water and his own Baptism in his own Person be made appeare out of all the New Testamont nor can the Apostles practise by water yet be fetched from such a particular Institution unlesse from Iohn's And if so I am sure they are then at as great a Controversie one with another concerning John's Baptism and Jesus Christ's making them to be two severall Baptisms 8. That every common Disciple cannot so baptize as the first Disciples did because not gifted or qualified as they were And there is as much necessity to make out the Truth in the same power and way of evidence to an Antichristian estate as to a Jewish and Heathenish and with a Word written as well as preached speaking and writing lying both equally open to question and exceptions without a power glorious working in the behalfe and to the reputation of it Nor is there any one Disciple in all the New Testament preaching and baptizing by way of authority but he was able to make out the truth of his calling and dispensation either by miracle or gifts There are but three Exceptions and they have no weight in them 1. Ananias was a Disciple I answer Yea but he restored sight to Saul and had vision 2. Philip did no miracle to the Eunuch I answer We can neither conclude he did nor he did not from the Word for it is silent but he did miracles in Samaria 3. They that were scattered went every where preaching I answer Who they were or how they preached or what power they manifested is not laid down in the Word neither for nor against The Word is silent 9. That there is not such an Officer as Administrator in the whole Word but Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors Teachers Elders Rulers Deacons c. and therefore Administrator is an unholsome Word 10. None ought to give Baptism now because there is none can give the gift of the Holy Ghost with it to make up that glorious supplement of
gifts which it alwaies had and they are joyned both in the Word and practice as in Heb. 6. 1. Doctrine of Baptisms and Laying on of hands and in their practice they were joyned as in act Act. 8. 14. 15 16. And it will appeare in the Word that the Apostles did not so reckon of them single but together as in Act. 8. 14 15 16. where it is said they were only Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus but they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost So as Baptism by water and by the Holy Ghost being joyned together both in Institution Doctrine and Practice are not to be separated nor given in such a time wherein that of the Holy Ghost is not given For what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder 11. That it is as unreasonable to take any such Ordinance of Jesus Christ from any that is not distinctly specially spiritually powerfully enabled as the first dispensers as it is to take the word of any common man charging us in the name of the Parliament and cannot visibly make out a visible Excellency and Supremacy of power by Ordinance or Commission 12. That these Churches who enjoy Christs mind as they think most fully in the practice oâ— Ordinances yet have no greater gifts in their Churches then there are in those called Independent or Separatist Prayer Teaching Prophesying being as fully and powerfully performed in the one as the other And being so Whether must not the Churches of Christ be distinguished by some more visible glorious power and gifts as at first by which they may be discerned to excell all other Societies 13. That the fulnesse of time is not yet come for Ordinances For as there were severall seasons for the givings out of Truth before so now Seeking or Seekers So called What their Way is and what they hold THat there is no Church nor Ordinances yet That if they did not end with the Primitive or Apostles times yet they are to begin as in the Primitive times with gifts and miracles and that there is as much reason for the like gifts to make out the Truth of any of the Gospell now to an Antichristian estate as formerly to a Jewish or Heathenish That such a Belever as can dispence Ordinances must be qualified as the Beleevers in Mark 16. and as the former Disciples were That there is a time and fulnesse for the Spirit and for the latter pure spirituall dispensations as there was formerly for the first dispensations And whether this shall be while the Angels are but powring out their Vials or not or when Babilon is fallen And whether there is not as much need for new Tongues to reveale the pure Origionall to us it being conveyed with corruptions and additionals in Translations by which Truth may be more purely discovered and the waters of Life that now run muddily may flow more cleare and Crystal-like from the Throne of God The Exceptions 1. THat Jesus Christ did promise to be ever with his Church and therefore cannot be reasonably presumed to leave them without Church and Ordinances 2. That if Scriptures were not so pure and cleere to us as the Word of Life were not sufficiently there God were lesse gracious to us now under Grace and Christ come in the flesh then before to the Jews who gave them a Book of the Law which remained with them to the coming of the Messiah 3. That such gifts and miracles were rather for bringing the Word into the world and for glorifying Christs first coming in the flesh then for after 4. That if we must have miracles to make us beleeve and not beleeve any truth till then we must have for every Truth as well as for one or two a miracle to give it evidence and so there must be a continuall and new miracle working for every new beleeving 5. If there must be miracles for beleeving Truth is not of that excellent nature that it seems for if it be not able to make it selfe evident and cast a native and spirituall f shine or brightnesse upon that soule it comes into it is but weake dark and insufficient 6. If Truth be not discernable in it self by its own glorious lightsome nature by beames from it self it is of a worse condition then many things below as the Sun and Stars and Candles c. which bring that light in their own nature and dispensation by which they are discerned 7. If every Truth be a became of Christ the truth then every beame hath light in it selfe because it streams from the fountaine of light and so is discernable 8. That it is more glorious to take evidences from the Spirit then from any thing without which can at the farthest of it self but convince the outward man 9. That all shall now in the last times be in a secret invisible inward spirituall glory no more in grosse carnall visible evidences and materiall beams as gifts miracles And this is to know Christ no more after the flesh 10. No miracles can in their own nature make one beleeve without a spirituall conviction from the Spirit of Christ going along with it so as we see when miracles were wrought some beleeved and some beleeved not So as then there is no such reason for miracles as pretended because that conviction which comes from the Spirit through the work of a miracle may come by any other instrumentall or originall way Or it is a more glorious operation by how much more single or by way of immediate revelation it works 11. To beleeve meerly by the Spirit is far more glorious then by any other outward means though never so outwardly glorious by how much the Spirit is more excellent then any thing else by so much more divine and spirituall are the impressions of it 12. That when miracles are wrought yet a pretender may work a miracle for the contrary like the Sorcerers of Egypt against Moses and Antichrist is spoken on rather to come with signes and wonders of the two then Christ So as here shall be a losse to any that think to beleeve meerly by miracle So as the Spirit is that which must make us beleeve beyond all the power of miracle which can give out its power but upon the sense at farthest being meerly outward and visible 13. That there is no such power for Ordinances as is pretended but Beleevers as Disciples may administer and so did the Apostles and Beleevers formerly as they were Disciples 14. That the Scriptures of the Gospell or New Testament are of such a divine and even Spirituall glory in the Letter as no other word There is a power to discover the reason and secrets of the heart which the reason and heart of man witnesses unto There is a power to convince and accase and terrifie and comfort clearly and undeniably and
sin My proofe is this in behalfe of your Argument That conscience which is not wholly consenting is not fully perswaded But such is the State or Publike conscience viz. not fully consenting at this time Therefore the State-conscience is not fully perswaded Note Because some are more for it some are lesse for it I prove the State-conscience not fully consenting That conscience which hath not Scripture to secure it cannot be fully consenting or perswaded But such is the Publike conscience at this time concerning this present Government Therefore the Publike or State-conscience cannot be so fully consenting or perswaded Note Because they which cannot call it a Government by Divine Right are not secured concerning it by the Word and then by conscience are not fully consenting nor perswaded Master Ley's Resolution pag 9 10. If we take his reason to stand immediately against obedience and so consequently against commands c. It is more formall but still as feeble Repugnant to Religion and reason against former Protestations and the Covenant for some will alwaies scruple c. Reply Some of this might have been spared Let us have as much reason and as little reviling as may be Your reason is because then neither Protestations nor Covenant of State can be administred for some will alwaies scruple So as here is the force of your reason Because Protestations and Covenants in the State are put upon a people unwilling and malignant therefore Government should First a truth of Government and the establishment of it is but indirectly unsutably and disproportionably proved from Oaths and Covenants Indeed under the Old Testament and in the State of Israel Covenants were more agreeable to the way of that Church they were part of the Worship then and it was a way of obligation and engagement fitted more to the Policie of that Nation They were a People or Nation of themselves singled out from the world and marked by a carnall Ordinance And their Discipline was fitted to the whole Nation by God himselfe and so Covenants c. gathered them up from the world into their Nationall way of Worship c. But now the way of Church and Worship changing and the Laws of such kind of externall Pedagogie ceasing and a more inward and spirituall Law comming in you might have done well â—re you took things thus for granted to cleere the way of Covenants under the Gospell and not to prove one probable thing by another Those of your way are against a little Church Covenant and why not a great one For the imposing of Protestations now c. It is not my work here to discusse nor am I against any way of State-security that may consist with â—ound Prudence and for the spirituall part of them wherein men covenant in the things of God let every one be fully perswaded in his own mind That is the Apostle's rule I am sure what ever any say to the contrary and will stand In civill things I would have any way or designe of assurance that is fairly and justly Politick in spirituell things only such waies of assurance as are Gospell-waies and may sure with the New Testament-beleevers And now you are to prove more then perhaps you thought on that is to cleare a Church-covenant which many of your Way are against for though you condemne it in some Churches not of your Way yet a Nationall Church-covenant you plead for And how can this be both true and false that a great Church-covenant is lawfull and a little one unlawfull A Nationall Church-covenant lawfull and a Particular or Congregationall Church-covenant unlawfull This only by the way To shew you how one may mistake his way in a mist you were proving a Government and now you are engaged to prove Church covenants which you are both for and against And yet after all this of Protestations and Covenants there is no faire proofe of establishing a Government or imposing it in your way and designe from these It is not safe going to the State for a Paterne for the Church If the State in certain seasons of unfaithfulnesse and unsettlement contrive any way of security and assurance necessity is often a law maker in States yet not so in the Church will you from hence argue for a liberty in the Church Will you make necessity your Gospell your Law-giver there Necessity is sometimes a suspender of laws in the Gospell but no law-maker Master Ley's Resolution pag. 10. But I answer I wonder an ingenuous man as M. Saltmarsh is should make such an Objection Reply These are good words and I hope you shall have no worse then you bring Yet we must speak truth Master Ley's Resolution page 10. I answer The Church government is such as in the chiefe parts of it is from the Word Reply You grant then that the Government is but in some parts warrantable by the Word So was Episcopacie and Prelacy in some parts of it There is not any false Worship or Way but it hath some parts of truth in it The great Image had a head of gold c. The Mystery of iniquity sits in the Temple of God c. The Whore of Babilon sits in Skarlet decked with gold and precious stones and Pearles Truth must be all one and the same and homogeneal not in parts The Jews had not the Law but then their own traditions mingled There is one Lord one Faith not two Master Ley's Resolution page 10. Things of lesser moment in it though they are not directly from Scripture yet not repugnant they are of Prudence and agreeable to the best Reformed Churches Reply But Why of lesser moment All things are of moment of spirituals Indeed if they be such as be not the Gospel s they are then as you say of lesser moment and yet of moment too in another sense for Traditions of men make void the Commandements of God Nor are the grounds of Prudence any Scripture-grounds to rule by Prudence hath let in more Will-worship then any thing Prelacy had its Prudence for every New additionall in Worship and Government And if Presbytery take Prudence too let the Reader judge what may follow And what is that Not directly from Scripture yet not repugnant Surely Christ's rule is not such he opposes any Tradition to the Commandements of God Not directly from Scripture is repugnant to Scripture Such is the onenesse entirenesse indivisibility and essentiality of the Truth He that is not with me is against me And for the Reformed Churches as a rule that is to set the Sun by the Dyall and not the Dyall by the Sun We must set the Churches by the Word and not Church by Church and the Word by the Church Master Ley's Resolution page 10. 11. Because the practice of the Government belongs not to the peoples part but to the Ministers and Elders Because so far as concerns the peoples compliance they are to be instructed before they yeeld submission Because if any
Pastors I write against but the way There may be a Moses in Pharaohs Court a Ioseph in Poâ—phar's house a Cornelius or devout man though out of the Church a Luther even in Rome till the Lord enlighten So as government and discipline is a Churches right and priviledge not the worlds and Nations priviledges as so and then Where are all your quoted Texts which are applied Surely that of Corinth is the Churches and that of Ezekiel and Proverbs makes not for the discipline of a Church at all Master Ley's Resolution Page 16 17. He makes a comparison betwixt materiall and spirituall buildings as stone and timber should not be clapt together in the one soone in the other 1. Similitudes may illustrate but not prove any thing 2. Conformity betwixt materiall and spirituall things is not to be carried too far 3. In materiall buildings or the Temple there is not only squared stones but peeces and rubbish which have their use not so in the spirituall all things there are homogeneall and square and living stones c. 4. Those that he accounts rough and unsquared are in some conformity though not so polished as others 5. The best stones are not to be taken from the rest to make up a building by themselves as in seperated Congregations 6. Let him shew any such example in the New Testament where when there was a mixture of holy and prophane as in Corinth i Cor. 11. 21. the Apostles gathered out the holy part 7. That of Axes and Hammers hath a mysterious truth in it but not to his purpose viz. That the spirituall building is built of the soft and secret whispers and motions of the spirit Reply To that of the similitudes I fully agree with you they illustrate better then they prove To that of not carrying a conformity betwixt materials and spirituals too high I agree with you in that too yet not so fully for Iesus Christ the great Prophet of the Gospell preached the glory of the Kingdome in materiall comparisons in salt water leven mustard-seed sowers husbandmen vines vineyards c. To that of spirituall buildings which you say are to be made up only of squared living stones I agree with you and here the controversie might be ended If your Temples shall be of living stones the controversie is granted But because I will not seem to mistake you I beleeve the spirituall building you mean and I are not the same here You mean as it appears the invisible spirituall or Church mysticall and yet there all is not so Homogeneall and of the same kind neither The head of the body is both God and man and one member like one star differs from another in glory But we are speaking of the spirituall building or Church here which is the Image of the Church above and as that is of true reall essentially spirituall living stones so the Church below is to consist at least of such as visibly and formally appeare so and therefore the Apostle cals them in his Epistles Saints and called to be Saints And to that of your peeces of Rubbish in the materiall building It is true But what is that to Salomons Temple which my comparison drives up to How much Rubbish can you prove in that type nay square stones pure Cedar gold c. to figure out the Gospell-building or Temple as in Heb. 9. So as your rubbish is only in your owne allusion not in mine To that of your unpolished stones in your Parishes which may fit the Temple now I answer It must be then only such a building as the materiall one you speake on which is made up of rubbish and broken peeces and if that be according to Christs patern let these Scriptures in the margin with many more determine And for their submitting indeed there is a nationall blinde traditionall obedience in them I cannot call it Gospell submission To that of the best stones not to be taken out to make up a building I answer I am sure we are to take in no ill unhewne unpolished and the Scripture cautions and practise are cleare c. then judge you what the stones must be Nor doe we so picke and chuse as if all stones were to be square alike or equally polished that is not in any materiall building Though we would take in no rubbish yet we take in stores differently squared As in the body one member differs from another the eye and hand and foot c. and members lesse honourable 1 Cor. 12. so in the body of the Church every one according to his measure and as every one hath received Nor do we stand so for the first polishing as you pretend You make as if we set up such degrees of perfection as were only the degrees of the invisible or mysticall body when it is meerly in the degrees of visible Gospell-perfection By this you would make the carnall to abhor and the weaker to stumble and be offended as if the doore of our Churches were not open for any such whom you imply were of a temper meerly Spirituall and of a size of our owne not the Scriptures Let the doores of our Churches be as strait as you imply I am sure your doors are set open or rather cast off the hinges but a pure Gospel-entrance is neither too wide nor too narrow We know there is smoaking flax and bruised reeds measures of grace If they can willingly submit to Iesus Christ their Law-giver and walk as members of the body here they may receive polishing and have honour and building up and many other degrees of perfection which the Saints of God obtaine when they are in fellowship with the Father and the Son To that of your challenge that I should shew any such example in the New â—â—stament of taking out the best when there was a mixture of holy and prophane I answer Those were Gospel-Churches gathered by the Word and Spirit into Gospel-fellowship and when you make your Parishes to appeare such Churches then I shall tell you more till then I suspend your challenge The world and an Antichristian Nation are both under Christs fan for gathering them out To that of a mysterious truth you speak on in the Axes and Hammers I agree with you in that and because of the mystery I therefore quoted it And whereas you summe up all the mystery into the soft whisperings and motions of the Spirit you can hardly warrant us or secure us that your interpretation is the whole mind of the Spirit and that very interpretation of yours is part of it the very same I aime at viz. to shew how the Gospel-building is softly gathered and made up by the Ministery of the Word and Spirit and not with Axes and Hammers tools of a compulsive forcing sharp and authoritative nature as c. Master Ley's Resolution Page 17 18 19. For that of his c. whore he makes Christs description of himself c. to be against the establishment
and the sutablenesse Christ presses for I answer 1. If his reason be of force against a speedy Government it is as well against a Government at any time 2. That Christ in his owne nature and his Government differ exceedingly Christ came to suffer Paul 2. 7. 3. Neither is Christ so remisse as not to take upon him a Government The Head must govern the Body Nor so meeke He hath anyron Rod as well as a golden Scepter Psal 2. 9. Esth 5. 2. and though he was sometimes a servant c. yet sometimes a Lord too John 2. 14. and though he be a Lambe yet he hath a formidable mouth too c. Rev. 8. 15. 4. For his Scriptures produced Mat. 12. 19. 1 John 5. 3. they make nothing against a speedy but against a grievous Government And though his yoke be easie yet not easie to flesh and bloud Matth. 5. 29. and 16. 2 c. as in self-deniall 5. Nor hath his other place any sober sense in it Matth 9. 7. nor makes it against Government at this time but any time The wine will be alwayes new at the first and the longer delayed the older will the bottles be Reply To that If against a speedy Government then against a Government at any time I answer How doe you infer that Nothing of those makes against the Government of Christ rightly constituted and ordered and setled upon those called to be Saints Indeed they make against any other Government at all times as well as now Nor will there be alwayes such a people under Christs yoke as you thinke on But you look further abroad then I and in that we mistake one another You looke that whole Kingdomes and Nations should submit and I look only for one of a Tribe two of a City c. Your Horizâ—n and the Scripture's for Government are not equall To that of Christs nature and Government differing so much and therefore my Text proves nothing I answer Every thing of Christ's bears the Image of Christ Every Truth of His hath something of Himself in it who is Truth it self by way of excellency I am the Truth saith he Every beam of light is light Then how can Christ and his Government differ so as you pretend Surely if we observe well there is not any Truth but it partakes of Him who is The truth and is a beam or sparkle of him Truth is Homogeneal and not so unlike and contrary dispositioned and natured as you pretend And for your expounding the Text He shall not strive c. as a Prophecye you doe well in part but you know Prophecyes have a latitude and Scriptures have not only one main and principall but many subordinate aims so as though this Scripture concerne his sufferings principally yet it doth in a latitude set forth the nature of Him who is Truth in Him we may see how those things which are pretended for Truth hold proportion To that of Christ the Head and taking the Government of his Body c. I answer It is true Christ is a Head but he is not a Head to every Body He will have a Body proportionable to his Head Is a Nation of all sorts a fit Body for such a Head Is he not a pure holy glorious Head in his Gospell-dispensation and is a Body so leprous so wicked so formall so traditionally and Antichristianly corrupted a fit Body Shall I take the members of my body saith Paul and joyn them to an harlot to make one flesh God forbid What then shall the Head do with such Members To that of His Ruling with a Rod of Iron as well as a golden Scepter Psa 2. Esth 5. I answer And doth He rule any in his Church with his Rod of Iron who were not called in first by his Golden Scepter And for that of his Iron Rod in Psal 2. that is spoken of Christ not as King of his Church but of Nations And that of Esth 5. what is that Golden Scepter to Christs unlesse you bring a Text only to prove that there is such a thing as a Golden Scepter in the Scriptures For your other Texts of Christs being a servant and a Lord a Lambe and terrible you only prove what I grant that he is more a King and a Lord in his Government then in any other of his Gospel-dispensations But all this will not prove the Lordship of such a Presbytery or Government Certainly you intend it a terrible Government because you bring in those Texts that have all the judgement and severity in them which Christ threatens to the Nations and Kings of the earth not to his Churches Will you make Christ rule in his Church as he doth in the world well let your Presbytery enjoy the Iron Scepter while the Churches of Christ enjoy the Golden and try if you ruine not more then you rule and break not more then you bow To that of Mat. 12. 19. 1 Iohn 5. 3. The yoke easie c they make not against a speedy but a grievous Government I answer I cannot expresse my selfe better then in your owne words They make against a grievous Government which is all I aime at in the Quotation And whereas you say the yoke is not easie to flesh and bloud so say I too it is very burdensome and the Commandements grievous to the unregenerate and therfore I prove from hence that it is only a fit and sutable yoke for the Saints and a Commandement for them And there is the same proportion of the outward government to the outward man that there is of the other spirituall Laws in the Gospell to the inward man and none but the Saints can delight in either Men are to be spiritually moulded and framed to the Law of Gospel-discipline that kind of Discipline is not like your civill Discipline this way of Discipline you would have is too Politick and Nationall it takes in a people to subdue as the Laws of Civill Policie which finding a people unsubdued subdues them So doth not Christ as we reade of the dispensation of the Word not the government subdues And thus with much ado you only prove them to be as I intended them no Commandements for the mixed and unregenerate or in a word Christs government no Nationall government To that where you say Nor hath his place any sober sense in it Mat. 9. 17. The new wine will be alwayes new and the longer delayed the older the bottles will be I answer I wonder that one of your experience in the Majesty of the Word should be so pleasant with a Scripture allegory because the Scripture is of wine You jest on it as if it had made the sense lesse sober I am sorry my younger pen should reprove the aged for jesting which the Apostle sayes is not convenient And truly it is not comely for the servants to play upon the Master of the Feast or any thing in his house especially upon his wine which alludes so to
be no prejudice to the Truth BVt he upbraids us with our Divisions and Subdivisions and so doe the Papists upbraid the Protestants with their Lutheranisme Calvinisme and Zuinglianisme and this is that the Heathens objected to the Christians their fractures were so many they knew not which Religion to chuse if they should turne Christians And can it be expected that the Church in any age should be free from Divisions when the times of the Apostles were not free and the Apostle tels us it must needs be that there be Divisions In Greg. Nazian his daies there were sixe hundred errours in the Church do these any waies â—erogate from the truth and worth of Christian Religion Quaere 1. Whether are not Divisions and Subdivisions objected now to all that are dissenting Brethren from the present waâ— of Church-government and whether are Divisions any more scandall to Religion now then before 2. Whether is Independancy Anabaptism Brownism Seekers of more evill report now then Lutheranism Calvinism Zuinglianism formerly 3. Whether is an hundred and eighty opinions as some would reckon them more to be cast in the face of Religion now then sixe hundred in the daies of Nazianzen 4. Whether is this faire dealing for Brethren to make Apologies for divisions and severall opinions when they are oppressed and to turne back in accusations upon their Brethren when the oppression is off from themselves 2 Stinted Formes not to be imposed The validity of which plea your Honours are best able to judge and therefore we leave it at your Barre Yet these two things wâ— know first that this forme viz. of Liturgie was never established to be so punctually observed so rigorously pressed to the casting out of all that scruple it or any thing in it Quaere 1. If former Liturgies were never established to be so punctually observed why is there such pressing now for establishment of Formes now to be observed in Worship and Discipline seeing the former Divines walkt as they thought by as true a light then as the Divines of this age do now 2. If Synods did not formerly establish things for such punctuall observations why are there any penalties fines imprisonments called for now upon non-conformity to things established by them 3. Why are the formes composed now so rigorously pressed Vniformity so urged when such practices and designes were condemned but a few yeers since and they who urge it now would scarce then seem to beleeve it to be the mind of former Synods and Parliaments 4. If things were not to be rigorously pressed then to the casting out of any that scruple why now 3. No Formes of Particular men to be imposed on all the rest But if by Lyturgy he understand prescribed and stinted formes of administration composed by some particular men in the Church and imposed upon all the rest as this we must understand or else all he saith is nothing we desire and expect thâ—â— those Formes which he saith are yet extant and ready to be produced might once appeare Quaere 1. If Formes composed by particular men be not to be imposed on all the rest why do the Brethren now urge upon us all and upon all the Kingdome their owne Uniformity and Formes since theirs is no more a Truth to others then others Formes were formerly a Truth to them 2 Whether one Synod of Divines is not as well a few â— compared with all the rest of the Kingdom as another Synod and the same that were but a few 2 sixe yeers since or sixty yeers since but a few 3 still unlesse the same numbers and accounts alter by yeers and seasons and if so what reason is there â—on ones imposing more then anothers since Truth is no more to be reckoned by multitudes and Synods in one age then in another 4. No binding to the use of composed Formes All other Reformed Churches though they use Liturgies yet do not bind Ministers to the use of them Quaere 1. Why doe any Reformed Churches now undertake to bind any to the use of their Formes seeing the Churches formerly durst not usurp it and why under penalties now more then before 2. Whether is that lawfull now which was not foure yeers since and for these Brethren to do which was unlawfull for their Predecessors 5. Severe imposing a sin and a snare That which makes many refuse to be present at our Church service is not only the Liturgie it selfe but the imposing it upon Ministers Quaere 1. If imposing of Formes was a snare before how comes it to be none now 2. If Ministers were not to be compelled then why are they to be compelled now 6. Liberty in use of Formes breeds no disturbance Object If it be objected that this will breed divisions and disturbances in the Churches unlesse there be a uniformity Ans It hath not bred any disturbance in other Reformed Churches Why should the free liberty of using or not using breed moâ—e confusion then the liberty of reading or not reading Homilies especially when Minsters shall teach people not to condemn one another in things indifferent Quaere 1. How comes it to passe that liberty in the use of Formes bred no disturbances before and yet now all is pretended to be undone if uniformity be not preserved 2. Why are Divines more jealous of conscientious and in offensive liberty now that the Government is comming into their own hands then when it was in their Predecessours 3. If Brethren are not to condemn one another in things indifferent why do they teach now a Persecution to all that conform not to things indifferent only but unlawfull as all parts in Worship and Government are which are Devices of men 7. No set Formes for the first 300. years For Christian Liturgies which the Remonstrant had affirmed to have been the best improvement of the peace and happinesse of the Evangelical Church ever since the Apostles times we challenge the Remonstrance setting aside those that are confessedly spurious to produce any Liturgie that was the issue of the first 300. Yeeres Quaere 1. If solemn and set-formes and Directores were excepted against and accused then as no friends to the peace and happinesse of Churches why are they made now the choycest meanes of peace and unity and all those Churches condemned as erronious that are without them 2. If no set-formes can be produced as the issue of the first 300. yeers why are they continued still which hath neither precept from Scriptures nor president from Apostles or Primitive practice to warrant them why are the crimes and will-worship of fore-fathers condemned by their children yet afterwards taken up the fathers eate sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge 8. Things that even offend Anabaptists are to be removed It is under carefull hands and hearts more mercifull viz. the Parliament then this Remonstrant is to remit troubled consciences to no better cure then Mr
it Quaere If confident sleightings c. were counted no sufficient answers from the Prelates to the Presbyters why are Presbyters sleightings counted so sufficient arguments for their Dissenting Brethren now and if to raile be to reason and to revile be to refute Mr. Edwards and some of his brethren have as strongly confuted us as the Prelates did formerly them 17. Prelates impropriate Orthodox In impropriating to the same party the praise of Orthodox as if to speak a word or think a thought against them were no lesse Heresie then it was in former times to speak against the Popes Supremacy or the Monks fat belly Quaere 1. It it were so ill taken by the Presbyters then that the Prelates impropriated the name Orthodox how may it be taken now by all the rest who are cast out as Hereticks and Schismaticks while they walke abroad cloathed only in the name of Orthodox Divines 2. If the Popes Supremacy and the Monks fat belly and the Prelates could not beare a word nor a thought against them are not some Divines working for a supremacy and a reuenue against which it may prove as great a crime to speake 18. All not of their opinion are factious Sure the man thinks he hath obtained a Monopoly of Learning and all knowledge is loct up in his bosome and not only Knowledge but Piety and peaceablenesse too for all that are not of his opinion must suffer either as weak or factious if he may be their judge Quaere 1. Whether do not they who hold all other in Schisme and Heresie and a company of Mechanicks who conforme not to them conceive they have the Monopoly of Learning as once the Prelates did and who are these now 2. Whether do not they who look on their Brethren that dissent as Troubâ—ers Factious Schismaticall cenceive all Piety and peaceablenesse to be lockt up in their own bosomes and who are they and who are the weake and factious if they may be judges 19. Prelates pathes causes of Divisions It is no wonder concerning the pathes our Prelates have trod that there are divisions in the Nation the wonder is the Divisions are no more no greater Quaere If the usurpation Tyranny Persecution of the Prelates were reckoned for the supreme division makers in the Kingdom when the Non-conformists were the only Separatists Why do they not find out some other or such like cause now in some other place rather then amongst their dissenting Brethren themselves whom they now only accuse of division and faction but this is the difference of being Parties and Iudges we naturally spie out faults furthest from our selves 20. Where is the Church of England We desire him to tell us what the Church of England is for it doth not please him that we should call the Convocation the Church of England much lesse the Bishops or Archbishops Quaere It was so hard to find out the Church of England in the Prelates dayes surely it is hard to find it out now then it seemes neither Synod Bishops nor Archbishops were the Church Then Quaere where is the Church now not in the Assembly they are but consulting how to build the Church not in the Presbytery for that is a Church unbuilt yet not among the Parisâ—es they are not Scripture-Churches or Congregations as the same Smectymnuus sayes then where is the Church of England 21. The name of Church is the Gorgons-Head But these Episcopall men deale as the Papists that dazle the eyes and astonish the senses of poore people with the glorious name of the Church the Church the holy mother the Church this is the Gorgons-Head that hath inchanted them and held them in bondage to their errours all their speech is of the Church the Church no mention of the Scriptures of God the Father but all of the mother the Church Quaere 1. If the name of Church then the Mother-Church the Church was such a Gorgons-Head by which Prelates as well as Papists inchanted thousands of people to beleeve why is that very thing or device taken up in another forme to inchant with still viz. The Church of England the Orthodox Churches the Reformed Churches 2. If the Church Mother was so much spoken on before and the Scriptures so little why is not the Church of England the Reformed Churches the Orthodox Churches and Divines lesse spoken on and the Scriptures more 22. An ill Custome to say Church of England and Conformity It hath been the custome of late times to cry up the holy mother the Church of England to call for absolute obedience to holy Church full conformity to the orders of holy Church neglecting in meane time God the Father and the holy Scriptures Quaere If it hath been the unwarrantable custome of late times to cry up the Church of England and absolute obedience to the Church and conforâ—â—â—â— why is this custome still kept up conformity obedience and uniformity as much called for still as before why is not the word more spoken on and the Reformeâ— Church lesse why is not free Christian liberty peaceable forbâ—arance of each others differing opinions and practices in unity more heard among us and obedience conformity and uniformity lesse 23. To call Schismaticks and Hereticks the Bishops practice Only there is one practice of our Bishops that is their casting out unconforming Brethren commonly known in their Court language by the name of Schismaticks and Hereticks Quaere 1. If the Bishops did practice the casting out the Non-conforming Brethren wâ—itner ought any such practice to be taken up by the Non-conforming Brethren against Brethren now not Conforming to them 2. If all the Non-conforming Brethren were in their Court-language Hereticks and Schismatick whether ought not such names to be sent packing to Court again rather then taken up by the same Brethren who were so much called so themselves Hereticks and Schismaticks that they have taken it up against others 24. Heresies and Schism harsh words But we had hoped the refusall of the use of a Ceremony should never have been equalized in the punishment either to Heresie or Schisme Quaere If you hoped that the refusall of a Ceremony would not have been punished with Heresie and Scâ—ism from Bishops may not your Brethren hope much more from you that their dissenting from you in things of outward Cognizance and Form as Church Order and Baptism would not be so branded for Heresie and Schisme by you who glory in a more Gospell-way as as you were branded yourselves of late 25. Heavie censures for Non-conformity I am sure above the crime of the Remonstrant Non-conforming Brethren who are unsetled in poynts of a meane difference which their usuall language knowns by no betterâ— terme then Schismaticks and factions yet even such as have fallen under the heaviest censures of Excommunication deprivation suspentioâ— c. Quaere 1. Why was it such a crime to count any Schismaticks and factious under Prelacy and
the first working of it upon the Magistrates hath noâ— a design for strengthening their own interest by the Magistracy of the Kingdoms and how have Kingdoms been embroyled for the serving of this designe and whether is not this guilded with the glorious name of Reformation Consid 8. Let it be considered from the severall waies and Formes of proceeding in which the beleevers of severall opinions have gone in these times to support themselves which stands most on a pure Gospel spirituall bottom supported by its own innate â—ongeniall and proper strength clasping about no stones no pillars of the world or humane strength Consid 9. Let it be considered whether the whole cry of the Divines of the other party as in the late Book is not all to the Magistrate Help us Parliament help us City or we are undon the Heresies and Sects will undo us What said Ezra I was ashamed saith he to require of the King an army and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way because we had said the hand of our God is upon all them that seek him Consid 10. Let it be considered whether they whom he cals Hereticks and Schismaticks make it one of their choycest Principles to desire the Magistrate to help their opinions with their prisons fines pillories but rather that they would let them alone to stand and fall by the power or weaknesse of their Gospell principles and that they may have liberty to pray for them pay to them and possesse the Gospell Each opinionst ted briefly respectively to Toleration Let it be considered to what each pretended Heresie will amount to Independency INdependents beleeve that since the Parishes are so generally corrupted the Churches ought to consist of those of them only that professe more purely as they find Scripture Rule and Practice and as the Presbyterians themselves many of them practice in some Ordinances as that of Baptism and Supper giving them only to the purest Beleevers They also beleeve that they ought not be a few Ministers and Elders of the Churches to bring all the Churches and Congregations under their Power and Dominion but rather under under their advice and consultation Quaere Because then they practice to meet more purely and to rule lesse one over another whether is this enough that they should be fined imprisoned banished The Anabaptists THe Anabaptists so called they hold that Beleevers ought only to be baptized and that Baptisme ought to be so for the manner as may set forth Christs Death Buriall and Resurreâ—â—ion by water as the Greek word and Apostles practice seems to imply and some of the ablest Divines both of England and the great Adversaries the Papists themselves deny not and for children they read of none the Apostles Baptized and they see not any Scripture cleere enough to warrant and they therefore forbeare Quaere Because they will not practice then what is not cleere in command and confessed by all to be but in hidden consequence because they baptize as they find the clearest rule and practice and as none can deny but it was the Apostles generall practice to baptez Beleevers therefore whither is this enough that they should be Fined Imprisoned Banished The Seekers SEekers some of them Question only the way of Church and Ordinances as of Baptism c. because they find that the power was at first given to the Apostles with gifts and from them to others and they dare not take it from Antichrist and the Bishops as the Reformed Kingdomes generally take it nor from the Churches because they find no such power begun from the Churches but only of châ—yâ—e of consent not of power not Churches begun before Apostles or Disciples with gifts Quaere Whether then is this enough because they conceive they dare not take Ordinances but from such and in such a manner as was given at first to Fine Imprison or Banish them A Modell or Short Draught of the whole difference betwixt the Divines for the Presbytery and them of the other way respectively to the Magistrate or State drawn from the late Books and practice of both parties in a Petâ—â—nary way They of the Presbytery to the Magistrates or State VVE humbly Petition ye that Herericks and Schismaticks we beleeving all that differ from us to be so may have your power inflicted upon them whether to Fines Imprisonmâ—n or Banishment and upon this condition ye shall have what we can do or preach c. The Independents to the Magistrates or State VVE humbly Petition that ye will not hazzard nor endanger your civill power of the State to helpe our opinions against our Brethren for we are not Infallable nor Apostolicall we see but in part and that ye will not punish any of our Brethren Presbyterials or others for what they beleeve or differ from us in things of outward order in the Gospell and that we may have leave to pray for ye to pay tribute to ye to fight for ye and to worship the Lord among our selves peaceably as we beleeve and to punish us when we disturbe ye by tumults or trouble your peace in our way of worshipping Some Quaeres for the better understanding of M. Edwards last Book called in Latine Gangrena But in English a Book of Scandals against the Honourable Houses of Parliament the Army the Saints and Churches of Christ that differ from him Quaere 1. VVHether this be not a new way and work of Providence to bring forth some Gospel-light to the world by presenting some truth under the name and notion of errours and heresies which can scarâ—e obtaine from the Presse and Pulpit any other way of appearing abroad and if this â—e not to take the wise in their owne craftinesse and to make M. Cranford the Licenser and M. Edwards the Publisher of some such Truths which the world had else never knowne so publikely but under the forme of heresie and from their two pens but under this disguise 2. Whether that Story which M. Edwards tels of Brasteed in Kent where he sayes a woman preaches which is known to my selfe and all in that place to be a meere untruth be not a way to judge of most of his Stories Letters Relations 3. Whether this late Book called Gangrena where there are so many letters writ to the Reverend M. Edwards to the Worthy M. Edwards to the Good M. Edwards to the Father M. Edwards to the Worthy Reverend good M. Edwards with divers other insinuations of his own worth be not a way of seeking glory and praise from men 4. Whether so many Letters as are in the Book called Gangrena where there is not one name subscribed may not be as well written from M. Edwards as to him and whether the Authours of those Letters whose names are suppressed are not afraid to be questioned for their Relations and therefore have either conceived their names themselves or M. Edwaras for them 5. Whether the great reasonings and conflicts which
acknowledge and yet that there is a Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Presbytery which are but Prudentiall and humane or mixed Judicatures according to such a distinction and yet are allowed by them a Power Supreme and coercive to the Divine Right of the Congregationall Presbytery which is the first and immediate subject of the Divine Right of Presbytery as they themselves acknowledge And now whether doe not their owne principles controll that pretended Divine Right they plead for and set up a Presbytery of Charity and Prudence over the Presbytery in the particular Congregation which they say is only of Divine Right 4. How can that Presbytery whose constitution is so questionable challenge such a Divine Right As first their Presbyters or first constituting Principles are ordained by a questionable power viz. that of Bishops Their Ruling-Elders by a power as questionable viz. by a Rule or Ordinance of Parliament prudentiall for triall for election because of the generall corruption in this Kingdome both in Ministers and people not by that very Apostolicall Scripture-Rule or Institution of Jesus Christ Their Congregations Parishionall and of politick constitution not Congregationall according to Scripture Their way of constituting this present Presbytery extraordinary by such an Assembly without precept or example for such a Way in the whole New Testament from whence the whole Order of that dispensation ought to be framed and not from the Law or Old Testament or some cases of necessity in the State or Church of Israel by way of Analogy as they say in their Modell to the Parliament The Primitive Elders and Apostles were qualified immediately from the Spirit with gifts proper to such a Ministration which these Presbyters and Elders being not but most by gifts and habits of Art and Science acquired by industry therefore these present Presbyters cannot challenge the same power for Church-Censures without the same Spirit gifting them and anointing them to such a power and administration in the Church but ought to be content meerly with a mixed and partly prudentiall power because of the mixture of their anointing and gifts if they will needs have such a Government set up for Christ's which is not all Christs and most of that all very questionable whether of Christ or no. For all their proofs alleadged from Scripture for the Presbytery by Divine Right or of such Presbyters as were ordained either by Christ himself as the Apostles or by a power from the Apostles or from such who in that power received from the Apostles did ordaine or by a power in the Church or Congregation preceding such a power and accompanying such a power Now this present Presbytery can neither make it selfe appeare to be so purely ordained nor have they the Church or Congregationall power so preceding or accompanying such an Ordination nor is that act of Imposition of hands by which their present Presbyters stand Ministers a meere signe of setting apart or meerly significative but an Institution for gifts to be conferred under the Law it was an empty and bare Rite but under the Gospell it cannot be proved to be such an empty Rite Gospell-signes being but few full and ministeriall to the spirit not meerly significatively-visible as the Institutions and Rites under the Law were So as all being thus questionable still in this present Presbytery how can they so Apostolically challenge such a Divine Right their present constitutions being mixt questionable fallible not one and the same with that primitive pure certaine constitutions and practices Whereas it appears in their Scripture-proofs that both in Jerusalem Ephesus Crete c. the Presbyters and Elders did constitute c. and were most consulted with and advised and therefore they assume the same power and so force out rather then prove out their frame of their present Presbytery from such practices I desire the Brethren to tell us whether the Word of the Gospell was then wholly in Scripture or writing but partly in the Spirit and gifts or teaching and therefore the Eldership of the Churches then were so gifted as to direct constitute advise and from the ministration of gifts in the Eldership c. the Institutions formes and Rules were given out into Scripture or writing which Scripture or written Word is now in the place of that infallible Primitive Eldership and therefore for any Presbytery or Eldership to assume now such a power as the first did they doe not only without warrant substitute themselves to such a Presbytery or Eldership which stood by another anointing or spirit of gifts then themselves doe but they sit downe in the throne with the very Scripture or written Word of God casting a shadow upon the glory and infallibility of that Word by that present authority and power which they now challenge in the interpretation of that Word in their Presbytery because by such a sure and certaine power as Divine Right allowes them they having not a sure and infallible Spirit for Church-censures or the execution of such a power may put forth a certaine sure executive power by an uncertaine unsure and fallible spirit And so how proportionable a power of Divine Right is with a Spirit not purely Divine and how proportionable a power of Church-censures acted by a gift not purely the Spirit 's but rather the Vniversities and Schooles and to joyne such an Eldership so with the infallible Word or Scripture which for want of that primitive or pure anoynting by gifts shall controule the pure Word of Truth by an Interpretation lesse then Truth I leave to all the world of beleevers to judge How such a visible power and Judge as a Nationall Assembly of such a Presbytery can be set up which must judge all the Churches and Congregations of Christ all the Magistracy and State-power in the Kingdom they assuming to themselves a spirit of judging and discerning of sins And whether by this power the Parliament of England shall not fall under the cognisance interpretation and censure of such an Assembly for some sins which they as a Civill power may commit especially dealing in Ecclesiasticall causes And then how far such a Nationall Assembly may manage such crimes to the heightning of their own interest and to the troubling the interest of the State amongst the people I let all judg who know how the same visible Ecclesiasticall Judge is condemned by all the Reformed Kingdoms under another notion viz. of the Antichrist and Pope and Councels And how that Antichristian power and Judge in Ecclesiasticals hath troubled this and other Kingdoms to the imbroiling them by excommunications into Wars and commotions as in our Histories c. and hath at length taken up other weapons then the Word to make good their Ecclesiasticall censures and interests And whether this visible forme of Classicall Provinciall Nationall Oecumenicall be any other then the like Papall Episcopall power differing only in forme in Consistoriall Provinciall Nationall Oecumenicall Counsels and Synods the like spirit
of Dominion ruling conventing excommunicating in each Objection But how will you do to satisfie Parliament Presbyterials and other dissenting Brethren Answ Not that I will determine but propound for the Parliament It appeares that the State-conscience according to the present corrupt constitution both of Ministers and Elders and People of this Kingdom cannot yeeld a Divine Right to a Presbytery so constituted and therefore they are not to be forced to the judgement of the present Assembly no more then the Assembly do desire to be forced themselves to their judgment and therefore each is to enjoy their liberty in the Lord as they are perswaded The State is to enjoy their liberty in their judgement of no Divine Right in this present Presbytery The Assembly may enjoy theirs in their judgement of a pretended Divine Right or Presbytery in all Congregations which will conscienciously practice with them not seeking to make the State subservient to them by their Civill power which no Scripture practice will warrant from any Eldership or Presbytery there and thus the French Churches enjoy the Presbytery at this day having no Civill power to help them And the other dissenting Brethren may enjoy their Divine Right too being as fully perswaded from Scripture of theirs as the other are of theirs and equally live under the same liberty and not trouble the State with any thing but their prayers and obedience Objection But the Brethren of the Assembly expect the Parliament should joyne with their results Answ I know not why they should expect that for they are no more infallibly gifted then their Brethren that they should expect more from the State then they Their Ministery is as questionable Their Interests are more in the world then the Interests of the first Presbyters were as in their maintenance by Tythes and in their power of Classicall Provinciall Nationall the Kingdom being thus corrupted and in that subserviency and power of compulsion they demand of the Magistrate and Princes of the world And why our dissenting Brethren may not with as much justice honor conscience desire the State to settle such a Gospell-order as they beleeve to be true the other being no more enabled to demand of the State any power for imposing their conclusions true by a power of the States own giving by Ordinance And whether the State seeing no infallibility of spirit in any of all sides since what the Truth which they hold bring in its own evidence and demonstration before them ought to be pressed as bound to one by any Interest more then to another save that of Truth I leave to be considered and then what reason the Brethren have thus to presse their supposed Divine Right I desire to know Objection Whether is this to settle things according to Covenant Answ Yea The Covenant binds us to Vniformity but then that clause According to the Word of God doth restraine the Vniformity to the light which each Kingdom sees by according to that Word and therefore our Brethren of Scotland see Presbytery in one degree the Hollanders in another and the French in another and at this time England in another and yet all should be one in that clause of the Covenant viz. to defend each other in their degrees of Reformation against the common enemy We Scotland and Scotland us and what a comely thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity though they cannot in Uniformity The Last Petition of the Assembly for Divine Right in their present Presbytery with Inferences upon it Petition THat the Provisions of Commissioners to judge the scandals not numerated appeares to our consciences to be so contrary to that way of Government which Christ hath appointed in his Church Inference Whence we may inferre that the Assembly do suppose the Parliament and Commissioners to be far below the Ministers and Eldership in spirituall gifts and discerning which I suppose cannot be well presumed considering the Assembly and Eldership now is not annointed with that pure spirit and gifts as the first were but with habits of Arts and Sciences and with some measure of the Spirit which many both of the Parliament and Commissioners both may be and are enabled with as well as they and whether is not this to set up the old distinstion of Layty and Clergy and to set the present Eldership and Presbytery upon a higher Forme then the Magistrate seeing the gifts are not so distinct as at first why should the Offices be so distinct Petition In that it giveth a power to judge of the fitnesse of Persons Inference Whence we may inferre that they presume themselves to be that very Ministery and Eldership of Jesus Christ though both their Ministery is by Bishops and their Elders by a prudentiall constitution and election at this present and may not the Magistrate who is unquestionably the power of God Rom. 13. appointed to be Judge of good and evill more lawfully judg oâ— sins and Gospell-Rules then they who are a questionable Ministery and Eldership in this present Presbytery Petition And to be so differing from all examples of the best Reformed Churches and such a reall kinderance to the bringing the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity and in all those respects so disagreeable to our Covenant Inference Whence we may inferre that if all do not beleeve as one beleeve it is pretended that all are in breach of Covenant and thus the Covenant is made a snare by interpretation and principles of spirituall compulsion implyed in the Covenant contrary to the Spirits wisdom who both allowes and advises the severall statures and measures of light the weak and strong and whether the Communion by unity is not a glorious supplement to the Rent of Vniformity that of Vnity being in the Spirit that of Vniformity in the Letter and why should our Brethren thus bring down the State and Kingdom more to other Reformed Kingdoms or not rather raise up the other Reformed Kingdoms to this and if any thing be revealed more to this Kingdom that hath sit by this long time why should not the other hold their peace and beleeving Kingdomes as Beleevers walke one with another so far as they have attained and wherein they have not the Lord shall reveale even this unto them not but that this Kingdome ought to forme it selfe into any Communion with the rest so far as their Communion excels and so the other into Communion with this so far as this excels and both so farre to one another as they are perswaded not compelled which are no Arguments for Faith but Formality Petition Do humbly pray that the severall Elderships may be sufficiently enabled Inference Whence we may inferre that their whole endeavour is to raise up the Interest of the Eldership and Presbytery into a distinct sole and Independent body and power which how conformable and obedient and consistent it may prove to and with the power of the State
will peaceably joyne with them in the Kingdom under that Power and not to trouble the Magistrate further and the other Brethren as peaceably to enjoy their other Divine Right as the Brethren of the Presbyteriall way theirs and all alike under the same Civill Power and neither of them with it and all other Reformed Kingdomes in unity of the Spirit and love to one another Principles destructive to their present Petition extracted from the Inferences 1. The Presbytery now not so distinct in gifts and office but the Magistrate may rule with them THe Eldership and Presbytery in the primitive Churches had a spirit anointing them to such Administrations but now as the anointing is not so nor is the Office pure peculiar and distinct the Magistrates and Parliament have gifts as spirituall as there are any now in the pretended Presbytery and may therfore as well put forth a Power in their Churches or Congregations as they unlesse their Churches Officers and Gifts were more Christs then they are 2. The Magistrate may better rule then the Eldership or present Presbytery The Magistrate is unquestionably a power of God and the present Presbytery are Officers questionable in their Offices Gifts c. Therefore the Magistrate may more lawfully put forth a Power coercive to sin then they 3. Vniformity in the Word of God is the Vniformity of Churchâ—â— They that presse the Covenant for Vniformity so penally as they do make it a snare of compulsion not in the Word of it but in their Interpretation of that Word unity in the Spirit makes up the want of Uniformity in the Letter Kingdoms are to be no more compelled to Vniformity in Laws Ecclesiasticall then in Civill but may walke together as Beleevers so far as they have attained that clause according to the Word of God makes roome for the severall statures of Christ and measures of light in the Covenant and they that agree in that are truly Vniforme for it is the Vniformity with the Word not with one another but so far as we are all alike in that Word which is the very Vniformity of the Kingdom of Christ 4. The Magistrate as they now make him is Ecclesiasticall as well as they They that ascribe a Power to any to compleat and actuate them in their Ministration do acknowledge that very Power by which they are informed to be in those that so informe and compleat them so as the very Petitioning a State for Power and qualification for Eldership and Presbytery doth imply a Presbyteriall and Ecclesiasticall Power in that State and if so the Magistrate may as well govern in that Church as any ruling Officer they have 5. The present Presbytery in mystery both over and under the Magistrate They that are a Magistracy neither over nor under the Presbytery tell me in what spheare or where rule they for over it they are not Commissioners they say are contrary to the Word and under it they are not for their Presbytery is accountable as they say unto â—â— so as they who are so much in the dark with their Government do with Magistracy they know not what and would place it they know not where The Position being a safer way for the Magistrate then the Erastian and how the Presbyteriall Brethren cannot justly exclude him from ruling with them according to the present constitution both of the pretended Church and Presbytery THat the Magistrate or Parliament cannot be excluded from Government in this present Presbytery as the present Assembly would exclude them because this Kingdom of England is not a Church in Gospell-order but a Kingdom of Beleevers in generall and because their present Presbyters and Elders are no true Presbyters of Jesus Christ according to Gospell-order and till both this Nationall Church and Officers be that very Kingdom of Christ and those very Officers of Christ the Magistrate may as lawfully yea more lawfully rule then any other pretended Officer Minister or Elder amongst them for Magistrates have the whole Kingdome of the world allowed them from God for their place of Government And this Kingdom of England being but a Kingdom or world of Beleevers not a Church they may as they are powers of God rule amongst them Jesus Christ being only King and head in that Church or Kingdom which is more his own and the Magistrates Kings for him in that Kingdom which is the worlds or lesse his own so as the Presbyteriall Brethren cannot exclude the Civil power from governing with them according to the unsound constitution of their Church Ministers and Elders nor till they have proved the truth both of their very Church Ministery and Eldership for all Scripture proofes of Eldership and Presbytery is respective to the true Presbytery and Eldership according to Truth not to every pretended Presbytery and Eldership of the Nations so as till the very Constituting Principles of Presbytery be proved â—â—ue no Scripture either alleadged for Presbytery belongs to them nor any other by which they would exclude the Magistrate as from the Church of Christ Conclusion These few things I have writ to draw forth the strength of others in a thing of this Nature which is of high concernment in the things of Gospell-order as any point now abroad for surely it is not a Vniversity a Cambridge or Oxford a Pulpii and Blacke gowne or Cloake makes one a true Minister of Iesus Christ though these are the best things in the composition of some the Mystery of Iniquity hath deceived the world with a False and Artificiall unction for that true one of the Spirit and the Ministery hath beene so cloathed with Art and Habit that if the Apostles should live again and preach in that plainnesse they came they would be as despised for we wonder after the Wise the Scribe and the Disputer of this World FINIS An End of ONE CONTROVERSIE BEING An Answer or Letter to Master Ley's large last BOOKE called LIGHT FOR SMOKE One of the Assembly at WESTMINSTER Which he writ lately against me In which the Summe of his last Booke which relates to the most materiall Passages in it is gathered up and replied to By Iohn Saltmarsh not revolted as Master Ley saith from a Pastorall Calling but departed from the Antichristian Ministery by Bishops and now a Preacher of the Gospell Isa 5. 20. Woe be to them that put darknesse for light Acts 19. 32. Some therefore cried one thing and some another for the Assembly was confused and the most part knew not wherfore they were come together Ver. 41. And when he had spoken this he dismissed the Assembly LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West end of PAULS 1646. THE Law of Nature giving a man leave to speake fairely in his owne just defence and the Law of Grace requiring him to speake zealously in the defence of Truth I thinke it equall that this answer to Mr Ley should be printed April 15. 1646. John Bachiler The LETTER