from Christ and his Church and not by Command and Authority from Pope Councel Synod or civill Magistrate the Church of Christ being his spirituall Kingdom consisting of a company of Saints or holy people Rom. 1.7 Cor. 1.1.2 Pet. 1.1.16 called out of the world John 15.19 Rev. 5.9 By the preaching of the Gospel Mat. 28.19.20 Mark 16.15.16 by a free voluntary consent Ps 18.43.44.110.3 Acts 2.41 13.48 17.11 entring into Covenant Psal 50.5 Zep. 2.1 Acts 3.23 to 26. Heb. 8.8.9 to discharge duties to God one to another Iohn 4.24 Phil. 3.3.1 Pet. 2.5 1 Cor. 12 12. to 28. putting on Christ by Baptisme or dipping Gal. 3.26.27 for ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus for as many of you as have been dipt into Christ have put on Christ compared with Ephes 4.4.5 There is one body one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one dipping one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all This is Christs spirituall house under the new Testament whereof he is Lord as Hab. 2.20 Heb. 3 6. head Eph. 1.22.23 King Isa 33.22 and Law giver James 4 12. and prophet Deut. 18.15 Mat. 17.5 Being that Priest Alter and Sacrifice by which all that believe and obey are for ever sanctified and perfected Heb. 10.14 and 5.8 9. for it is not the voice of the Church much lesse the voice of the Synod or Parliament that we are to hearken unto in spiritnall worship but Christs voice in the Church and that in all things whatsoever he shall say unto us Tim. 1.3.15 he speaking in his Servants as Luke 10.16 he that heareth you heareth me and he that heareth me heareth him that sent mee These where ever gathered together under Heaven in the name of Christ according to his order consisting of Jewes or Gentiles Col. 1.18 have power from him their head to receive in deale with or cast out of the Church by the only Lawes and Statutes of King Jesus heir only King and Law-giver as Isai 9 6. and 33.22 Acts 2.41.42 Mat. 48.15 to 20. and 1 Cor. 5.4.5 and 2.2.4 to 9. They being under Christ their King the freest Independant Corporation or state under Heaven Iohn 8.36 If the Sonne therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Cor. 1.3.5 6 7. compared with Isai 2.17 The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Now the parochiall Churches or Elderships that are appointed by Statute Lawes or Ordinances of Parl. and thereby forced thereunto cannot be Jure Divino Churches of Christ by his will and appointment but all the people of God are as truly called out of such Assemblies as out of Babylon of old to the free voluntary worship of the Gospell To the second quaerie I answer The Parish Churches or Assemblies being not gathered according to the Commission of Christ in that great Charter of the Gospell and by his Ministers and Servants but by the Authority of the civill Magistrate through the importunity of Austin the Monck sent over from Gregory the 7. from which roote and foundation the nationall Ministry now extant still retaines their Ordination having still kept their first state and constitution although reformed in divers particuler Doctrines whereby they cannot be Jure Divino Churches of Christ by his will and appointment but are constitutions of men through the subtilty of the man of sin or beast rising out of the earth to wit by his earthly inventions who by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse they lye in wait to deceive having 2. horns like a Lamb but speakes like a Dragon exercising all the power of the first beast c. Rev. 13.11 having a shew of wisdom in will worship and humility Col. 2.23 of whom the Apostle bids the Saints beware of being spoiled through their philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men after the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ in whom dwells the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and ye the Saints to wit believers dipt are compleat in him c. and Mat. 15.9 Christ saith in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men from whence it appeares as the Churches so the Members also are none of them Jure Divino Members of any Church of Christ by his will and appointment To the 3. I answer for any supream Authority of Assemblies or Elderships viz. the Classicall provinciall or nationall whether they are Jure Divino or no. In all the Gospell I do not find any more jurisdiction of Churches over Churches then there is of brethren over brethren but the contrary is clearly proved Mat. 23.8.9 10. but be not ye called Rabby for one is your Master to wit Christ and all ye are brethren and call no man your Father upon the earth for there is but one your Father which is in Heaven be not called Doctors for one is your Doctor even Christ and Cor. 1.5 4 5. That Church of Corinth had power as to cast out the Incestious person so upon his Repentance to receive him in again without the authority of any other Church or any others contradiction James 2.1 he saith my brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons and Chap. 3.1 he saith my brethren be not many Masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation but this spirit of pride is no new thing for it began in the Disciples Luke 9.46 when there arose a reasoning amongst them which of them should be the greatest but Christ perceiving the thoughts of their hearts answereth them by setting a little Child in the midst of them to teach them humility there being too many now a dayes of their spirit v. 46. 47. 48 as he taught them against persecution vers 54.55 56. when they would have had sire come down from Heaven to consume the Samaritans saying ye know not of what spirit you are for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them c. Therefore these supream Assemblies are not Jure Divino by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ but are all by humane Authority not known in Scripture being against the freedom which every Church of Christ hath given them which they ought to injoy none being before or after another in their priviledge or prerogative which liberty and freedom every protestator and Covenanter is sworn to stand for and maintain To the 4. Concerning Appeales from Congregationall Elderships to the Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Assemblies The parishionall not being proved Iure Divino but of humane Authority appeales to them and from one unto another must needs be unlawfull Besides how contrary is this to the primitive practice as Acts 15. when there arose a difference about Circumcision in the Church of Antiochia they sent up to the Church at Ierusalem for
between the 2. brethren therefore Mat. 22 16. to 21. when the Pharices took Councel how they might intangle Christ asking him whether it was lawfull to pay tribute to Caeser or no 〈◊〉 â—aith unto them shew me the tribute money saying whose Image or superscription is this they say unto him Caesars he saith unto them render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods and Rom. 13.1 to 7. the Apostle injoynes obedience from the Church unto civill Magistrates or higher powers not only to Christians but as they were Magistrates though Heathens which they then were shewing that they are of God ordained of God as Mrs. of our flesh and that those that resist them resist the Ordinance of God whether Christian or Heathen such as resist shal receive to themselves damnation for Rulers are not to wit appointed of God a terrour to good works but to the evil wilt thou theÌ„ not be afraid of the power do that which is good but if thou do that which is evill be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Servant of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill wherefore ye must needes be subject not only for wrath but for Conscience sake Now what this evill is the Apostle shewes to wit not Heriticks and Schismaticks as some fondly dream and would if they could maintain though with fire and sword although indeed more to uphold their own honour Kingdom power places greatnesse and benifices then the civill Magistrates as is clearly discovered to most men already whose eyes the Lord hath in any measure opened and may easily be proved to all that are not wilfully blind for in the Conscience concerning worship the Lord only raigneth as King and Lawgiver wherefore the Apostle saith The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the Law lesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane for murtherers of Fathers murtherers of Mothers for Man-slayers for Whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for lyars for perjured persons oh that the Ministers that prest the Protestation Covenant so cagerly would take notice of this and if there be any other thing that is contrary to wholsom doctrin according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed Ged which was committed to my trust c. 1 Tim. 1.9 to the 11. Now the civill Magistrates are called fathers of our flesh to whom in all these civill things we ought to be obedient But saith the Apostle shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits and live to wit to his laws given forth by his sonne the great prophet of his Church speaking from heaven Heb. 1 1. Deut. 18.15 Act. 3.22.23 Who hath given a rule for his people to walk by as Mat. 28.20 which rule the Apostle exorts the Galathians and in them all beleivers to observe as Gal. 6.16 they thus walking having the promise of peace and mercy upon them And Phil. 3.16 he exorts the Church to walk by the same rule and to mind the same things Thus I have made appear that the Congregationall or Parishlonall Elderships appointed by Ordinance of Parliament the members thereof or any of them the supream Assemblies or Elderships viz. the Classicall Provinciall oecumenicall or Nationall are none of them Jure Devino by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ Wherin I have also proved from the word of truth that the Civill Magistrate hath nothing to do as a Magistrate to judge of any cause in the Church of Christ it being there to be judged and tried by those servants and in that order and manner that is set down in his word by the will and appointment of Iesus Christ And what was required by the Parliament of the Synod or Assembly I have in some weak measure answered from the scripture set down the severall texts in the expresse words of the same according as was desired subscribing my self your honours and the Churches Servant in the Service of the Gospell of King Jesus E. Barber Consider of it take advice and speake your minds Iudges 19.30 Certain Quaeries propounded by the Author to the Assembly called Devines 1. Whether that Doctrine of obedience to Magistrats or higher powers which the Apostles taught Rom. 13.1 Pet. 1.2 13.14.15 c were true or no. 2. Whether it was not the Apostles duty to practice that himself which he taught and commanded others to do as Rom. 2.21.22.23 3. Whether the Magistrates or those higher powers which from the disciples he required obedience unto were of their Religion or in the Gospell practice yea or no 4. If not Whether it was lawfull for those Magistrates or higher powers to persecute Paul and the rest of the Church for their Religion 5. Whether Paul and the Disciples might plot against or persecute the Magistrate or any of his subjects by compelling or forcing their Conscience or otherwise though to the true worship God under the Gospel 6. Whether Magistrates as well as Subjects be not to be subjeâ—â— to the Lawes Statutes and censures of King Jesus only who as undeâ— the Law so under the Gospel is no respecter of persons Dent. 10.17 Rom. 2.11 1 Pet. 1.17 7. Whether it may not be conceived The Lord is now making inquisition for the blood that hath been shed in this Land and other parts of the world of the Jewes his ancient and peculiar people 〈◊〉 Isal 51.21.22 23. where the Lord saith heare thou this thou miserable and drunken but not with wine Thus saith the Lord God even God that pleadeth the cause of his people behold I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling even the dreggs of the cup of my weath thou shalt drink it no more but I wil put it into their hand that afflicted thee which have said to thy soule bowdown that we may go over and thou hast laid thy body as the ground as theâ—â— street to them that went over compâ— with Th. 1.2.12 to 17. Re. 18.24 8. The punishing some as the Catholicks c. more then with death to the unhumain quartering and hanging up their quarters also the ChildreÌ„ luffering for their Parents sin contrary to the expres word of the Lord Ezek. 18.4.20 that soul that sinneth it shall dye the sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the sonne the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon him also executing men for theft it being contrary to the Law of God 9. VVhether there ought not to be a Fast kept for all the innocent bloed that hath been shed in this Land not only of the Jews but also in Herry the 8. dayes Queen Maries and in Queen Elizabeths as Barrovvs Greenwoods Penries c. who dyed for opposing the Common Prayer c. 10. VVhether there be any Gospell rule by precept or example for compulsion of Conscience in matters of Religion taking of Oaths making of forst Covenants c. that so we being truly informed may prevent the reproof Ier. 23.10 once g ven to the Iewes the Land is full of Adulterers because of swearing the Land mourneth the pleasant places of the wildernesse are dryed up and their course is evill their force is not right Ho. 4.2 by swearing lying killing stealing and committing adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood Chapt. 10.4 They have spoken words swearing falsly in making a Covenant Thus Iudgement groweth as vvormvvood in the furrovves of the field 11. By what rule from the Gospell of Christ may Christians being Members of one Church as they professe under Christ their head kill one another or that they would distinguish what makes the one more then the other by Gospell rule or whether they ought not to excommunicate the unruly and disorderly walkers before they kill them and not let them stand Members of their Church though worthy of death and so kill them which the Church of Corinth might not though for a lâ—sâ—e sinne in which ther doings they come short of the Church of Roome FINIS
their advice not that they had any authority over them and they as humbly and truly sent their advice saying it seemed good to the holy spirit and to us to lay upon you no other burthen then these necessary things Now if these could say thus and would do as they did their Councell ought evangelically to be received in like sort by believers but these as they were never called and gathered by Christs Authority so have they not the promise of his presence by his spirit with them as his Churches have Mat. 18.17 to 20. 28.20 1 Cor. 3.22.23 1.5.4.5 Iohn 14.16.17 15.26.27 To the 5. I find no oecumenical Assemblies in Scripture under the Gospel to be of Gods appointing but an invention of the man of sin raysed by those Locusts that came out of the smoke that arose out of the bottomlesse pitt Rev. 9.2.3 who had power as the Sorpions of the earth have power that so by force As Eze. 34.4 flatteries as Dan. 11.21.22.34 And cunning crastinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive Ephes 4.14.15 Transforming themselves as the Ministers of righteousnesse Cor. 2.11.15 whose end shall be according to their workes by which meanes they cause all the world to wonder after the beast who had his wound and did live Rev. 13.3 to 7. for the first beast being those heathen bloudy tyrants who worshipped the Draggon which gave him his power to whom was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven c. This beast being thus wounded there ariseth another beast out of the earth to wit out of those earthly inventions of Popish assemblies counsells and Synods Re. 6 13.14 the Starres folling from Heaven to the earth they leaving those glorious institutions of Christ the dipping of actuall believers upon confessing sins and professing faith as also the volentarie contribution of the Saints or as Fox in his acts and monuments renders it the puer almes of the Church and bringing in baptizing or rather sprincklin of Naturall Infants and paying 〈◊〉 â—iths hereby raising national Churches wichout the which they could never have done it neither could they now retaine them thereby contradicting the Appostles rule Cor. 1.4.6 in presuming a bove that which is written but should these 2. pillars be taken away according to our Protestation and Covenant and a reformation set up according to the word of God as is pretended the Kingdome of Antichrist like the Philistins house will fall upon their heads as that on the Philistins upon Sampsons that glorious â—â—pe of Christs pulling away the 2. pillars whereupon the house stood Iudg 16.29.30 That whereas by the authority of the Civill Magistrate they having insinuated into there affections like Pharoahs froggs into his and his servants Bedchambers Exod. 8.3 4. by being their Chaplains as they call themselves a service not known in the Gospell of Christ for his ministers whereby the Magistrates being by them deluded give that power which was given theÌ„ of God for the punishment of evill doers but for the praise of them that doe well to the upholding of this beast and his Image and they having received it put it forth to the uttermost causing all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a marke in their right hand and in their foreheads and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name c. This second beast consisting of the whole state hirarchie or clergy as they call themselves with the Image even all that receive the ordination from that state there being not soe much as one of there names much lesse their practice or maintenance heard of in the Gospell of King Jesus from the Pope or Prelate to the Sexton and yet they do as that vile person spoken of by Daniel Dan. 11.21 That come in peaceably and obtaine the Kingdome by flatteries pretending they are the ministers of Christ yet are not content with his ordination nor maintenance and wages and therefore obtaine ordinances as doctor Burgis c. and Statute Lawes from the state though some of them had little need having enough before which have caused more breach of the protestation and Covenant and tedious suits in the Courts of Justice then any one thing in the Kingdom and therefore to say no more to this all appeales to them are humaine and not Iure Divino neither in the particular or generall To the 6. I answer The Lord Jesus Christ having satisfyed his Fathers Justice and thereby wrought everlasting rightcousnesse for all them that obey him it being testified from Heaven by the Father that he is his beloved Sonne in whom he is well pleased And having received all power both in Heaven and in earth by which Authority as then he sent forth his Servants so hath he also given and setled this power only upon and in his Church and that to the body not the Ministers consisting of a company of dipt Disciples not the Servants distinct from the Church as they new pretend and assume but as they derive it from the Church they giving it to them and therefore these Presbyters not being Members of any Church of Christ according to his institution and yet claiming such power as distinct from the Church have nothing therein but what they have from the man of sinne by tradition of men and not lure Divino by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ To the 7. There are no rules at all given in the Gospell of King Iesus in question giving power to the said Presbyters or Elderships or any of them for the putting in execution of any the power aforesaid seeing their constitution is not from God by Christ thaâ— great prophet of the Church but from their reverend Fathers the Prelates and so consequently from the Pope or civill state who hath no more power to Command or set Lawes in the Kingdom of Christ then the King of Spain or the French King hath in the Kingdom of England which is intire and Independant of it selfe But for a Church of Christ truly stated there are rules as to receive in so to deale with and cast out if need require as Tim. 2.3.16.17 All Scripture is given by inspirtaion of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes To the 8. We are to take notice that under the Gospel the Lord Jesus is not only a King but the only King and Law-giver to his Church Isai 33.22 Iames 12.4 Tim. 16.15 Rev. 17.14 and therefore the civill Magistrate under the Gospell ought no more to intrench upon his prerogative in Church Government then he did upon theirs in civill things as Luke 12.13 14. where he would not so much as divide the inheritance