they allow of that doctrine proclaming themselves to be the only Saints the holy people and the godly party the generation of the just and separate from their brethren as impure creatures Therefore the Independents do not walk in that old way of righteousnesse the old Puritans of ENGLAND walked in who made no separation in the worst times from the publike Assemblies or ever refused to pray with their Christian brethren and therefore in this point they have not outstripped them nor overgrown them from which I boldly conclude that herein that Predicant did abuse the world in saying that there is no difference between the Independents and the old Puritants of ENGLAND For the old Puritans were humble self denying men and the Independents are pharisaicall boasters of their own holinesse and sanctity and therefore in this their way is not the way of righteousnesse but a great aberration from it Again the old Puritans of England though never so learned and never so sufficiently furnished with all accomplished abilities of divine knowledge which many of them by their indefatigable pains study and industry and by their prayers unto God night and day and by their continuall waiting upon the Ordinances and Gods blessing upon all their endeavours had attained unto so that they were taken notice of by all men both in the Universities and amongst all the learned to be incomparable men many of the which I could name yet not any one of them ever preached either in publike or private without great study and prayer yea and without a speciall call and they alwayes with Saint Paul exercised their Ministery in fear and much trembling 1 Cor. 2. ver 3. saying with him 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Those holy and godly Puritans though transcendently learned yet were always conversant in all holy duties especially in preaching and prayer with fear and trembling thinking themselves never sufficiently enough provided for for those duties And truly Saint Paul's example is worthy alwaies to be looked upon who though he were immediately inspired by God himselfe and had alwayes the assistance of his spirit and ten thousand times more learning then all the Independents put together yet he preached alwayes with fear and trembling and cryed out who is sufficient for these things Now if we compare the Independents and their Predicants with the old Puritans of England we shall find the old Puritans alwaies and in all things imitating the example of holy Paul and the other Apostles in their Ministery which they had a command to follow Phil. 3. ver 17. who intruded not themselves rashly upon the Ministery as the false Apostles and Seducers usually did and as all the Independents and Sectaries daily do they cryed out who is sufficient for these things and how can any preach except he be sent Rom. 10. saying No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as Aaron Hebr. 2. 4. Those old Puritans were all men of Saint Paul's spirit they durst do nothing without a call nothing without great study nothing without their parchments and books imitating Saint Paul in this who would alwaies have his parchments with him that is his books bring me my parchments saith he they preached not without fear and trembling this was the continuall practice of the old Puritans they could never be seen in a Pulpit before they had some dayes prepared themselves by prayer and study and yet after all this they would then cry out Who is sufficient for these things Whereas all the Independents and Sectaries assert that every man may preach and every man of them is sufficient and many also hold that women may preach yea and to manifest that they are all sufficient for these things and for the dispensing of the great mysteries of Heaven which the very Angels desired to pry into they run through Town and Country and wheresoever they come get up into the Pulpits and preach with such impudencie impiety and blasphemy as it is not lawfull to name their very doctrines being so destructive to all piety goodnesse and good manners and Ruffian like they go in their hair and apparrel and so insolent and proud they are that one would rather take them for Luciferians then Saints and such unbeseeming expressions they have in their prayers to God as would terrifie a truly consciencious and godly man to hear them as not long since one of them in London publickly speaking unto God in his prayer said Right Honorable Lord God which kind of expressions as they are blasphemous so ridiculous exposing Religion and the sacred Ordinances of God to ludibry and derision But yet this is the dayly practice of the Sectaries through the Kingdome far different from that of the old Puritans of England and therefore in this point of fear and reverence and of an holy awe of Gods divine Majestie and a reverend adoring of the ministery and mystery of the Gospell the way of the Independents is not that either of the holy Apostles or of the old Puritans there being as vast a difference between them as between light and darknesse and therefore the way of Independency in this particular also is not the way of righteousnesse but the way of rebellion and impudency Againe the old Puritans of England had all of them a reverend opinion of all in authority and did ever beleeve that there was no power but of God and that all powers were ordained of God Rom. 13. and they beleeved that every soule ought to be subject to the higher power and that whosoever resisted the power resisted the Ordinance of God and for that their Rebellion they should receive to themselves damnation and they ever believed that every soule ought to be subject unto authority not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake this was the Doctrine of the old Puritans of England and their practice in yeelding continuall obedience to them and praying for them is knowne to all men yea they did acknowledge that as all power was given unto Jesus Christ in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. Psal 2. so they did beleeve that all power in Church and State was derived from him as the head of all Principalitie and power who had said Prov. 8. 15. 16. By me Kings raigne and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles yea all the Iudges of the earth c. this doctrine the old Puritans of England had learned and taught and were obedient unto as having precept upon precept for it as from the words above quoted out of the thirteenth of the Romans so out of 1. Pet. chap. 2. verse 13 14. who said submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill Doers and for the prayse of them that doe well for so is the wâ—ll of God that with well doing yet may
this also he is a great offender where by this jugling craft of his he labours to seduce the poore people But for farther answer I have learned of Christ himselfe that the Disciple is not above his Master and therefore if I. S. will apply the worke of conversion and adding of Disciples to the Church unto the Ministry of the Apostles after Christs ascension as he doth I do not conceive it any paradox in me or any mistake or Anticipation to apply that worke unto Christs Ministry in his life time for the Master is ever more to be honoured then the servant as all reason will dictate and therefore there was no paradox in me in giving that honour unto Christ that belonged unto him who was the Master for he came to save the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and so he did gathering daily some of them into his fold and adding many more sheepe to those that Iohn the Baptist had converted and therefore I do not think it a paradox in me to give as much honour to the Master as I. S. doth to his Disciples and servants for the honour of conversion and adding unto the church is a work primarily belonging to the Lord and Prince of the Church Jesus Christ It is great rashnesse therefore and very unchristian dealing in I. S. to make mee a subject of his scorne and ludibry for well doing and to make that a sinne and error in mee which is a vertue for to give Christ his due honour is a vertue now the honour of converting of men and adding them unto the Church is his proper work and it peculiarly belongeth unto him first and last to adde unto the Church such as should bee saved The Apostles were but the Instruments Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God the Lord of his Church giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3. Hee maketh the Church grow and multiply into mighty numbers and adds daily unto it by the mighty working of his Spirit and it is marvellous in our eyes And therefore I. S. is severely to be censured and that deservedly not only for abusing his brethren making them offenders when they are not but chiefly for anticipating that honour which is onely due unto Christ and God and giving it and attributing it unto men as it is the daily practise of the Independents to give the glory of all victories which only belongeth unto God to the party which they call the praying army and so hee ascribeth that honour that peculiarly belongeth unto God and Christ unto the Apostles which indeed pertaineth unto them only as they are instruments and accuseth me as of an anticipation and mistake saying I ascribed that unto the Ministry of Christ himselfe which belonged unto the Disciples of Christ after his ascension It seemes to I. S. that I am a very erroneous man and very unjust that I give that honour unto Christ himself and ascribe that work unto him which saith I. S. belonged to the Apostles But if this be an error in saying that Christ added unto the Church as Ierusalem before his death and after his death such as should be saved I will live and die in this error for this is only the worke of God none can come unto God but by Christ hee is the doore the way the truth and the life the author and finisher of our faith that begins and ends the worke of conversion the Apostles and all other Ministers are but his instruments hee is the hand of god and the arme of the Lord that doth the worke in the hearts of the people Whether therefore I. S. or my sâ—lfe be the most erroneous in their opinions and speake most Paradoxes about this point I leave it to the censure and judgement of those that have more skill in Divinity then I. S. or any of his Fra ternity But should I grant unto I. S. that the Apostles after Christs Ascension had of themselves and by their owne power without any helpe from Christ added many unto the Church which I yet never did doth this I pray in the opinion of any wise man exclude Christs adding unto the Church before his death or was it such an obstacle or hindrance to his worke of converting men and adding them unto the Church that because it is said of the Apostles after Christs death that the Lord by them added to the Church therfore it is an error or mistake to apply that unto the Ministry of Christ that was done to the Disciples I am confident none that are not senselesse will say there is any error in so speaking neither is there such a gulfe betweene these two things but that they may well meet Christ may adde and the Apostles also For the same reason that made Saint Luke in the second of the Acts say the Lord added unto the Church daily such as should be saved confirmes mee in my opinion that as it was the Lords worke after his ascension to adde men unto the Church so it was his worke in his life time for hee was yesterday and to day the same for ever alwayes the author and finisher of our faith and therefore it was no anticipation or mistake in me nor no Paradox as I. S. fondly saith to conclude that those that were converted by Christs Ministry were added to those that were converted by Iohn so that there was addition upon addition and it was no sinne in mee to say that of Christ then that was afterwards ascribed unto him in formall words for although the very words be not exprest â—et that is set down that is equivalent unto them for it is said Christ made moe Disciples then Iohn it was his work so that the disputation now is not about words terms of expression but about the substance of things viz. about beleevers and Members of the Church of Ierusalem which when the Scripture holdeth out unto us affirming that Christ made moe disciples then John that at Ierusalem then any rational man may without any anticipation or mistake or any error or Paradox conclude that these new Converts were added then unto the Church as well as those that were converted after his Ascension were said to be added to the Church and he that with the eye of understanding should behold what the Scripture saith and shall but duly consider my Arguments drawne from thence will not gather that I make false Musters as this fresh water souldier I. S. childishly speaketh but on the contrary he will shrewdly suspect the ignorance to say no worse that I may use some of his Rhetoricke of this novice in Divinity and will also evidently gather that the Church at Ierusalem was a particular Church in that Nationall Church of the Jewes and that in the time of our Saviour and withall hee will conclude from the premises and all that I have now said by way of answer to Master Knollys and this I. S. that there were more beleevers in Ierusalem then could
at amongst them or tolerated or any other Religion but that which the Lord our God hath appointed and established in his blessed word and in that they walk and persevere they decline not in their love to it they go not backward with Demas to imbrace the present World nor with Hymeneus and Philetus they will deny no truth of God nor with any Hereticks innovate any thing in their Religion but they walk uprightly to the marke of the high calling in Jesus Christ They stand not still neither nor make no pause in their way but they are ever journying and in the action of well doing going from strength to strength till they come to the heavenly Zion they go on cheerfully in their Religion yea they run the race set before them with patience and that through thick and thin of all afflictions and persecutions and abate not their pace casting aside every thing that presseth down as the love of the world the love of honours and riches the love of pleasures the love of profits the love of friends and all earthly emoluments yea and the sin that sticks so close unto them all their hereditaty and inbred corruptions yea they reject likewise all novelties in Religion nothing can hinder them from walking uprightly in the old way God has appointed them to walk in but in despite of all impediments they not onely walk but run the race and the whole race set before them Looking upon the author and finisher of their faith Jesus Christ who for the glory that was set before him indured the crosse despised the shame and is now set down at the right hand of God in heaven Heb. 12. 2. He made that good confession to the death before Pontius Pilate and witnessed the truth All they therefore that are conformable to Jesus Christ and desire to walk in his steps and that are Saints indeed and the generation of the Just can never indure a Toleration of all Religions for that is not to walk uprightly with their God nor after Christ example for Christ whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple and would not tolerate them but layd corporall punishment upon them for their evill doing and preached against the Scribes Pharisees and Saduces and all erroneous Sects in his life time and after he was ascended into heaven he wrote unto the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra sharply reproving them for suffering and tolerating amongst them any other Religion then that he had appointed and for but conniving at any novelties in Doctrine and Religion They therefore that follow the ill example of those of the Church of Pergamos and Thyatyra and not onely suffer all manner of Religions amongst them but labour and indeavour to have an indulgence and a toleration for all under the pretence of liberty of conscience they follow not the example of Christ the Prophet of his Church nor the example of Abraham Jacob Ioshua and all the Patriarks and blessed Apostles who abhorred all novelties and tolerations and therefore they walk not uprightly with their God and are not Saints indeed according to Gods own description of a true Saint Now whether therefore the Il-dependents by their practises can challenge this Character to themselves I leave it to the judgement of the learned when they would have a Toleration of all Religions But now to passe on to the second Character of a true Saint He that worketh righteousnesse saith the spirit they that make it their imployment to render to every one their due obedience and subjection to the higher powers Rom. 13. Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour is due and they that will owe no man nothing but love and that love one another knowing that he that loveth fulfilleth the Law they are Saints properly so called v. the 7. In a word all that are Saints indeed in Gods repute worke righteousnesse they first give unto God his true worship and labour for the establishment of that Religion onely that he hath appointed they cannot indure the Toleration of all Religions neither will they connive at or indulge that any way of serving and worshipping of God should be permitted where they have power and ability to hinder it but that which God himselfe hath commanded for they know that that is not to work righteousnesse for that is not to give God his own For he appointed but one Religion and that he challengeth for his own so then they that set up any other but that or tolerate more or allow of a Toleration of all Religions they work not righteousnesse towards God for that is unjustice and a thing highly displeasing unto his divine Majesty as taking his right and authority out of his hand who is King of his Church and substituting themselves in his place which is the greatest injustice and unrighteousnesse in the world and therefore all that are the true Saints indeed and the generation of the just dare not attempt any such unjust thing for they work righteousnesse Again the true Saints in like manner work righteousnesse towards all men they yeeld all subjection to those that are in authority over them and they give the Magistrates their due honour and reverence yeelding unto them all the duties of obedience and subjection and veneration and they yeeld unto the Ministers and all their Brethren the duty of love and their true honour and so are fulfillers of the law of God They therefore that maligne their brethren and detract from their praises and hate them and speak evill of them and of those that are in dignity and authority and raile of those in the Ministry and as much as in them lies endeavour to make them odious to the world by their daily traducing of them and assuming the honour due to them unto themselves and all such as do assent unto them in this their unrighteous dealing they do not worke righteousnesse and therefore in Gods dialect they are not Saints indeed nor the generation of the just for it is great injustice to detract from any their due honour Now I appeal unto the judgment of any intelligible man whether or no those that write defamatory books and daily utter injurious and reproachfull words against the great councell of the Kingdome traducing them before all the people and accusing them of injustice and of exercising a lawlesse and an arbitrary government over the people proclaiming them tyrants and as bad as Strafford and the Bishop of Canterbury and guilty of the same crimes and that at pleasure can impeach any of the Parliament and accuse them to the people as traitors and such as keepe correspondency with the enimy and are betrayers of their liberties and those that do allow of such men favouring them and incouraging them by their countenance or connivance I say I appeal to the judgement of any whether they that do or assent to such doings do work righteousnesse when they do apparently
all occasions sacrifice to your own net by which practice you seek what lies in you to discourage the hearts and weaken the hands of the body of that Army and to cast secret Fire-brands which may break forth into flames of discontent and so cause hot and burning Emulations amongst our valiant and couragious Heroes when they hear and see themselves slighted and quite stripped of the honour and due praises that God hath made them equall shares of We read 1 Sam. 18. 6 7. When the women came forth to meet King Saul with joy and singing answering one another and as they chanted out their notes running division in their songs said Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands that their ascribing more to David then to Saul made him very wrath and the saying displeased him yea it wrought sad effects yet they did not ascribe all the honour of the victory to David for they allowed Saul his thousands But you deal not so impartially and ingenuously with that Army which God hath now made the Preservative of City and Country c. Certain it is such writings prayers and dividing practices are of a dangerous consequence if not of an Incendiary nature You proceed to double your Charge and in the 26. Page of your book thus expresse your selfe further say you to discover your spirit against those Worthies in the Army you go about to eclipse the glory of that famous victory at Marston-moore for speaking contemptuously of it you say some of the Independents stood to it in the Battell of York when others of them ran away for they ran as well as others and if they be not Lyars all the other Independents had ran away too and left the field if they had known what had happened in the other parts of the Army Then you make what construction your own fantasie frameth and dictates unto you upon those words in my Postscript Page 68. after which you go on in your discourse saying I can produce those that were actors in that Battell and are no Independents that affirme there was no running away at all of those whose valour you so vilifie yea though they did perceive how the matter went with some as when a whole body flies a thing with no great difficulty to be discerned So you Brother I entreat you take a view of what you have said and then consider the incongruity of your relation for can it be properly said that it is a discovering of my spirit against those Worthies in the Army and a seeking to eclipse the glory of that famous Victory at Marston-moor and a speaking contemptuously of it because I say some of the Independents stood to it in the Battell at York when others ran away Let all rationall men judge for surely there cannot be a greater contradiction nor more confusion of language What is it a discovering of my spirit against those Worthies in the Army to say they stood to it in the Battell at Yorke Doth it not rather crown their heads with Lawrell and speak honour to their persons who ever they were that did stand to it in the Battell of either party whether Presbyterians or Independents for as some of both parties did run away yet divine providence so ordered it that God alone might have the glory that some of both parties valiantly stood to it and thus much is in part acknowledged by your selfe when you say you can produce those that were actors in that Battell and are no Independents c. So that by your own confession they were not all Independents no nor the greatest part according to the relation of many who were also actors in that Battell by whom God gave us that famous Victory Then this is out of question I but say you those actors affirme that there was no running away at all of those whose valour you so much vilifie c. Brother judge not rashly but assure your selfe I have more man-hood in me then to vilifie true valour for I professe I do and ever shall honour a Valiant man whosoever he be But is speaking the truth and ascribing to all our Worthies their due honour without respect of persons become a vilifying of Valour with you this is Independent Rhetorick and so deep that every one as yet doth not understand it neither will I here undertake to unfold the meaning and Mystery of it onely give me leave without offence to tell you That if any do affirm there were no Independents that ran away when others stood to it in the Batell at York their affirmation is most false though happily unknown to them so to be now their ignorance herein may convince you of your errour and bring you to the knowledge of this truth viz. that one Wing of an Army may be discomfited and flying yet in the heat of the battle the other Wing being deeply ingaged at that present time may not know how it fareth with them nor see their flight and if a whole Body be worsted as the wind may set and drive the smoak the ingaged party cannot possibly presently discern it Thus it was at that famous battle at Marston-moore as I have been informed by such as were Actors in that Battle both Presbyterians and Independents And that some Independents did then run away as well as others and of them not a few nor all of the meanest rank and quality is a reall truth But if you will not give credit to what I say that you may not hereafter with such great confidence put in Print false informations as you too too often do I refer you to Leiutenant Coll Iohn Lilburne who was there at the beginning of that Battel and for your better satisfaction enquire of him whether some Independents did not run away and also whether I have spoken any thing concerning that Battell but what he himselfe knows and hath reported for a truth as can be proved I could tell you the names of some Independents that did run away those not a few and none of the least esteem amongst you but I forbear unlesse to cleer the truth I am inforced thereunto for I know that upon a discomfiture in the day of battell gallant men valiant and experienced souldiers have sometimes been glad to run And therefore what I there writ in my Post-script was not to vilifie any but to give to every man his due honour which you and others of your Judgement did then and still do most injuriously rob and wholly strip them of who dissent from your opinions and if ever you or any of your party shall so far prevail with the honourable Court of Parliament to question me for those words I doubt not but as formerly I have found Justice so then I shall finde the like and be cleered both by Lords and Commons from the reproach of being an Incendiary Truly brother Burton when I read your lines and see how much you ascribe unto men and how little you speak
a pattern of imitation to bind all Churches to the end of the world which both Master Knollys and my brother Burton learnedly inferre but as far as it makes for the advantage of the Presbyterian opinion and to shew that the Presbyters have the sole authority of admitting Members into Church fellowship from the example of Philip Ananias Paul in baptizing the Goaler and Lydia and Peters baptizing of Cornelius and admitting of him and those that were with him Members into Church communion by their sole authority without those conditions they propound and without the consent of the people then they cry out that they are extraordinary examples or meer extravagants Now whether this be not with the Papists to make the Word of God a nose of wax or a leaden rule that they may either work and mould it or bend it into what fashion they please I leave it to the judgement of the learned and experienced Christian But by the way also I desire the Reader to take notice what my brother Burton granteth viz. that the receiving of those Gentiles and the admitting of them by Peter into the Church by Baptism was to make them one Church with the beleeving Jews these are his own words From which it is sufficiently apparent that be men baptized and admitted into the Church either after an ordinary way or after an extraordinary it is sufficient to incorporate them into Church-fellowship both with the beleeving Jew and Gentile and to make them Members of Christs Church which is as much as I contend for So that it is most certain as those that are Members of any particular Church are by vertue of that Members also of the whole Catholique visible Church so in like manner those that are made Members of the Catholique visible Church may also by vertue of that be Members of any particular church for the Church of Christ is his Kingdome and it is but one Flock and one Sheepfold and there is but one Shepherd of it and King that governs it and therefore in whatsoever part of this Kingdome of Jesus Christ they are admitted Members and after what manner soever they be admitted whether in an ordinary or an extraordinary way they are Members of the whole Church and may communicate in all ordinances with any particular Church whatsoever as being subjects of Christs Kingdome and injoying all the immunities and priviledges that any of Christs subjects can challenge And all this I learn from my brother Burtons doctrine who so long as he holdeth out any truth unto me I will listen unto as he hath done in this point but no farther Again as all those viz. the Eunuch Paul Cornelius Lydia and the Goaler were admitted to be Members of Christs Church by the sole authority of the Ministers Evangelists and Apostles and without any of those conditions urged by the brethren so are all other Christians by the sole authority of the Presbyters to be admitted into church-fellowship and that upon Christs own conditions viz. Faith Repentance and Baptism Having upon the occasion of my brother Burtons and Hanserdoes words spake thus much I will now come to my Answer to them both And first whereas they peremptorily affirme from the interrogation of Peter to those that came along with him where he saith Can any man forbid water that these men should not be baptized c. that it doth imply that the brethren have power also of admitting Members into the church and ought to have their voices as in the receiving of them in so in the casting of them out It is a meer non sequitur and a very groundlesse illation and inference for the interrogation plainly manifests the contrary as will appear from other presidents and reason as for example in the eighth of the Romans ver 33. 34. Saint Paul saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Who is he that condemneth who shall separate us from the love of Christ All the which interrogations do not imply as the Apostle himselfe answereth that any creature can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect or that any creature can condemn or that any creature can separate the Elect from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Another instance to omit many we have of the same nature with that of Peter Acts 8. 35. Where the Eunuch said unto Philip See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized I demand of any whether or no this interrogation of his doth not imply as much as if he had said no creature now can hinder me from Baptism seeing that we have water that element that is appointed for it and I do beleeve And so much may be gathered from Philips Answer to him who saith nothing could hinder his baptism and admission into the Church if he did beleeve in Christ with all his heart whereupon the Eunuch answered I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he was forthwith baptized So that by this it is sufficiently manifest that that inference they would gather from Peters words cannot groundedly be made viz. that it is in the power of the people to hinder any as is yet more evident from Peters own words and reasons when he was questioned about this businesse in the 11. of the Acts the story whereof is there set down at large with Peters Answer to all their Objections Who told them ver 12. that the spirit bad him go with those that came from Cornelius nothing doubting c. saying in the conclusion of his discourse and that with an irresistible reason ver 17. For as much then as God gave them the like gifts as he did unto us who beleeved in the Lord Jesus Christ what was I that I could withstand God All the which discourse of Peter and this his reason do sufficiently prove that his interrogation saying Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptiâ—ed Doth not imply as my Brother Burton and Master Knollys would have it that it was in the power of those that were with Peter or any other to have hindred their baptism and admission into the church of Christ seeing they beleeved For if Peter himselfe should have refused it he had been disobedient to God himselfe and had doubted which he was forbidden and withall had resisted in as much as had been in him the spirit of God For so saith Saint Peter What was I that I could withstand God From which I gather and that by very good reason that all those of the congregationall way that will not admit all such as beleeve and are baptized into their new gathered churches without they walk some time with them and without the making of a publike confession of their faith and the bringing in of their evidences of their conversion and entring into a particular explicite covenant and without the consent of the whole church are all fighters against God and withstanders of his spirit And if they do
not speedily repent for all their wickednesse and relinquish their ungodly unchristian and unbrotherly practises the Lord from heaven will shew his wrathfull displeasure upon them all for he will vindicate his honour and the honour and priviledges of his people Shall not he avenge his own Elect and that speedily Luke 17. And this shall suffice for answer to that impious cavill of my Brother Burton and Hanserdo Now for that instance that Master Knollys bringeth it quite overthroweth their doctrine for it is point banke against it and their practise For although it be not denyed but that all true beleevers may at any time make their complaint to the Church that is to say to those that are in authority in the Church to wit the Presbyters as the extreamest refuge upon just offence yet it must ever be granted that it lyeth in the brest of those that are Iudges to determine of the busines according to the allegations and probations so that those that complaine may not be both Plaintifs and Iudges this I say is so known a maxime that none can deny it Besides we must take notice that we never read inall the New Testament that the disciples ever so much as questioned any that desired to be admitted into church fellow ship or refused communion to any but Paul the reason was as the Scripture relateth because they knew that hee had beene a mortall enemy unto them and had beene a great Persecutor and were then ignorant of his conversion and therefore it is said they were affraid of him and upon the like occasion I beleeve any of the brethren in any church may doe the same and they may feare such an one and suspect him and complaine of him and that is all they can doe but power they have none to keepe him out of Church-fellowship if upon the Ministers and Presbyters examining of the busines they find that the man is a beleever and converted from his sinfull courses for by their sole authority without their good liking or the consent of the people they may admit him into church fellowship and if the people should refuse to receive him upon his assaying to joyne himselfe with them hee may appeale from them to the Presbyters and Ministers who are Gods Stewards and who have the power of the Keyes to open the doore of the church to whom they conceive are fit and for this his so doing and for the Presbyters accepting of his appeale they have the Apostles and Presbyters of Ierusalem for an example for when the Disciples feared Paul and seemed to be unwilling to admit him into communion with them Hee forth with appeals to the Apostles who upon his appeale admitted him into church fellowship according to their commission which was that whosoever beleeved and was baptized hee should be received into the church and that without the consent of the people or any of those conditions the Independents now impose upon their Members as by this very example and instance of Mr. Knollys doth abundantly appeare which makes wholly against their doctrine and practise and utterly overthrowes their tenent for most certaine it is that the power of admitting of Members and casting out of offenders lies in those mens hands only and solely that have the power of the Keyes and are by God himselfe made Stewards and Over-seers and Guids of his Church his house which when they peculiarly belong unto the Presbyters and not to the people they onely and not the people ought to have the managing of the government of the church and this hath beene sufficiently proved by the receiving in of Members both in an ordinary way and in an extraordinary manner by all the examples I have produced and by this very instance of Saint Paul alleaged by Master Knollys himselfe who when hee was admitted into Church-fellowship not onely without the consent of the brethren but against their good liking it is abundantly manifest that the people have nothing to doe with the government of the Church but that it lyeth wholly in the Presbyters hands And all this I say is clearly proved out of the good Word of God within the wals of the which it is ever safe to abide and in the action of obedience to the which all men may promise to themselves perpetuall security and this shall suffice to have answered to all that Mr. Knollys and my Brother Burton had to say to all my Arguments And by all that I have now spoke I hope it doth sufficiently appeare that there is neither precept nor example through all the Holy Scripture to warrant the practise of these men in the gathering of their new Churches and if a man will but looke a little more upon the practice of Christs seventy disciples of all the Apostles in the gathering of Churches they shall not find one footstep through the whole Booke of God of the gathering Churches after the manner of their congregating of their assemblies as for Christs Disciples they were all sent to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel they went not to gather in converted men from amongst converted men for they were to bring the lost sheepe into Christs fold and wee are taught there is but one Shepheard and one sheep-fold wee never read that after they were once folded and brought into the Church that any true Pastors came into the fold and flocks of their fellow-shepheards and picked out all the best and the fattest sheep and the most wholsome and molded them into an Independent Fold by themselves as separate and distinct from the others and with the which they would have no fellowship and communion in the Ordinances this was never heard of before these dayes Paul was so farre from getting away of others sheepe that hee tooke it for a dishonour to him to build upon anothers foundation Rom. 15. and preached Christ in those places where they had never heard of him before and planted the Church of Corinth himselfe and left Apollo to water it and committed all the flocks that he had gathered as that of Ephesus to the charge and care of faithfull Pastors and commands both the flocks and the Pastors and in them all Shepheards and Folds to keepe unity and love one with another Ephes 4. verse 1 2 3 4. c. and forbids them to make separations and divisions and schismes betweene flock and flock and this method hee used wheresoever hee came yea as soone as hee was converted and entred upon his ministry as wee may see in the first of the Galathians hee went into Arabia and preached there among the poore Infidels hee got not other mens sheepe from them neither did hee ever make any separation of sheepe from sheepe yea even in those flocks and churches as that of Corinth Galatia and Colosse where there were many that walked disorderly and against the rules prescribed and taught false doctrine and heresies and made schismes in the Church and were very