lies to this day upon all Ministers and people and all those Priests knew very well that this duty lay also upon them and that by a speciall command from God long before given them who had said that the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and that the people should seek the law will and good pleasure of God from their mouth Now then if all Christians and all the Servants of the Lord in all ages studied to teach their friends and families the knowledge and fear of the Lord as we see in Abraham and Jacob and Joshua and all the Patriarks and they had a speciall command also to do it as we see Deut. the sixt and Deut. the eleventh and when it was the practise of all people truly converted to do the same as I said before and we see it likewise in the woman of Samaria how quickly she brought her neighbours and fellow citizens unto Christ after shee was converted then I say we ought to think yea we ought much more to beleeve that these Priests being thus wonderfully converted spent their strength and might now to gain Disciples unto Christ and that by how much the more they had been his enemies and persecutors And the people without all controversie would be the readier by far to give heed unto what they taught them because they knew that they were learned and in that they had a command from God himself to seek the law of God from their mouths who said that the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and wisdome Yea Christ himselfe sent the lepers at any time when he had cured them to the Preists and the Scriptures sufficiently declare that the Priests were in great esteem among all the people and that they did mightily prevaile with them so that they could perswade them to do any thing they would have them Now when the people saw that their Priests in great companies were converted without doubt they still followed their Pastors and waited upon their Ministry and the law of love binds us to beleeve that abundance of the people also were dayly converted and added to the Church by their Ministry and Preaching and this ordinary reason and dayly experience will perswade every man to beleeve for we see here amongst us what mischiefe a few whibling and unlearned fellows that were Ministers have done in seducing of the people after they revolted from the truth upon whom they still depend and what distractions among all sorts of men and women a few unstable and unconstant Presbyters hourly make when for base ends they fall from their principles and turne Independent Praedicants and Itinerany Preachers we see I say that they have in a very short time with the leaven of their doctrine with their sottish wicked and groundlesse opinions sowred the whole lump of the sweet truth of the Gospell and seduced many thousands both of men and women if their gloriation be true Now if a few illiterate seducers in these our dayes have misled and perverted such multitudes with their novelties and that without any miracles without all controversie that great company of Priests that were converted preaching then unto all the people the truth of God and the glorious Gospell of glad tydings and not their own fantasies and the people seeing it also dayly confirmed unto them with such stupendious miracles they prevailed greatly to the converting of thousands for the example of such men as the Priests were wrought very much upon the people yea we see how it has been in all ages when great and rich men whether Magistrates Ministers or people imbrace any new opinion what way they go the common people ordinarily follow whether it be truth or error rather following example then precept as we may see it When Moses was but gone up into the Mount and that Aaron had built them a calf they all began to dance about it and when Jeroboam set up his calfâ—s ten tribes revolted with him yea it is said Hee caused all Israel to sinne And we may observe it daily amongst us if these grolls seduce but any giddy-headed Gentlewoman that is rich or but any inferior Lady and make them but turne Independents what a noise there is by by through the Kingdom of it and how staggering other poor unstable women begin to be But if any great Noble man or Courtier or Parliament man or some of our temporizing Presbyterian Ministers but turn Independents or is but rumor'd to favour that way we see what revolt amongst unsetled and ungrounded people their examples make in many places Whereas the truely godly such as are well grounded know that the stars shall fall from heaven and that they usually chang themselvs into Angels of light and seem to be the Ministers of righteousnee that they may the better seduce yet I say such as fear God and are rightly instructed are not moved but they abhor the evill of their wayes and cleave the faster to the truth and are of such discerning spirits as they can well perceive that it is for base ends and worldly respects that many have turned Independents and it is well known and can be proved That the Independents have perswaded many if they would prosper in the world that they should turn to their party for that was as they said the thriving way And it is taken notice of also that very few but Independents are either greatly countenanced or preferred or at any time rewarded for any service they have done their Country Now every generous spirit especially a constant well grounded Christian detests and abominates all such base dealings and such base fellows as will be of any religion for earthly fading momentary and uncertain things and therefore stand more stoutly to the truth and their ancient principles yet such as have a mind speedily to get into the chayre of preferment or to be in any Office or to grow rich they turn Independents and I am most confident that whereas the Independents brag that many of the Lords are Independents they notoriously belye them but this I dare presume that if Sir I. S. can from his great and rich Independent friends procure a yearly and certain pention to be confirmed upon my lord Tapps that upon that condition he would turn independent and so then they should be sure to have one lord of their party and then also Sir I. S. might haply attain unto the honour to be my lord Tapps his Chaplain which he is very fit for and might also reside in Cambridge where he may so indoctrinate his plumbeous cerebrocities as he may speedily be able to divisinate a snayle pye or a mushrome into two particles But to be serious if a few obscure Presbyters here amongst us that were never really guilty either of learning or honesty revolting once from the truth through covetousnesse and other base ends have notwithstanding with their fayned holinesse and under pretence of their long prayers devoured so many widowes houses
and the way have lost them both and are now turned Seekers to the dishonour of God and their eternall shame and misery too if they speedily repent not For God in the 30. of Deut. ver 11. saith there This commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far of it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldst say who shall goe over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it See saith the Lord I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evill Now if in the dayes of Moses the truth was so near unto them that the Lord says there unto his people that he had set it before their eyes yea that it was in their hearts so that they had then no need to run from land to sea and from sea to land to finde it how much more obvious is it now may every rationall man conclude when it is so gloriously set forth and that through the whole Scripture of the New Testament And how inexcusable will all such be found that complain the truth is not yet clear unto them So that it may be an astonishment to all men to hear any that have read the holy Word of God say that they are yet in the dark the truth doth not appear unto them And yet such men there are who declare unto the world and professe it that they are expectants and seekers and many have often said unto me when I have been in familiar discourse with them That as yet the truth was not made out unto them concerning the Presbyterian way and therefore they could neither communicate with our Assemblies nor yet joyn with those of the new gathered churches Now that all those who have wandred and strayed from the old way and those that are at a losse and seek it may find it and the truth which they have a command from God to buy and purchase and that they may all clearly perceive that they are in the by-path of error that are still Scepticks and doubting about the way I shall at this time endeavor to be their guide nothing doubting but by the grace of God and his speciall assistance if they will bring docible hearts and willing minds to follow the thred of his Word and be directed by that unerring line of the same they may speedily be led and come into the right way and find the truth and with it peace and comfort to their own souls in life and death I will first therefore dissipate and scatter those mists that have been cast before their eyes by which the truth hath been clouded and remove all those stumbling blocks that have been put before them and then I doubt not howsoever it be thought a difficult work yea an unpossible thing but to make the truth evidently appear unto them and bring them into the right way from which some have wandred and strayed and others yet doubt of And I hope so to clear up the light of the truth that the way of it shall not only be plain to them but to every man and woman that have not lost the eye-sight of their reason or have not sacrificed themselves to error and vanity And therefore that the truth concerning the Presbyterian way may the more elucidately appear to every intelligible man I will here briesly state the question which is fully handled in the following discourse and shew What hath been the principall cause of putting so many out of the way and keeping and deterring others from it and withall I will set down the ground and rise of the Independent tenent shew upon what as a foundation they lay the whole Fabrick of this their new Babell which I hope to make evident to be nothing but a meer chimera and phansie in their own brain and that there is not the least warrant for it in the whole book of God And all that I now say I am confident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discover to all those whom the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the clear sunshine of the Gospell of Truth Those that call themselves by the name of Independents and have separated themselves from our Congregations and Assemblies counting us such Saints as Job would not set with the doggs of his flocke calling us the sons of Belial proclaming us to be the enemies the Lord Iesus Christ and his Kingdome for this is their language concerning us all those I say pretend that they have both the Word of God and the example of the Primitive Churches especially that of Jerusalem for the maintenance of their Independency and for these their unbrotherly proceedings whose opinion and doctrine is this That the Church of Ierusalem that Mother Church consisted of of no more beleevers at any time then did ordinarily meet altogether in one place and Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and they teach withall that this Church consisting of no more had an absolute soveraignty within it selfe Independent without reference to any other Church and from the which there might be no appeal for the redresse of any conceived wrong and they moreover affirm that the constitution of this conceited forme of government is the true Gospel forme of Church government and is for ever to be a patern to all Churches in all succeeding ages to doe the same and to exercise the same authority within themselves severally that they imagine this Church did though they consist but of twenty or thirty Members apeece yea fewer This is the opinion of all the Independents saving my Brother Burton who in this differeth from all his brethren beleeving yea acknowledging that there were many Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem by which he hath overthrowne their opinion whiles notwithstanding hee labours with all his might to maintaine it as will appeare in its due place whereas all the other Independents as I said before confidently assert that there were no more Beleevers in that Church at first and last then could all meet in one Congregation to communicate in all the Ordinances Now the Presbyterians on the other side and that upon very good grounds as will in the sequell of this discourse appeare hold and beleeve that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that all those severall Congregations made but one Church within its pracincts and were all under one Presbyterie and that the government of this Church consisting of many Congregations combined together under the government of a Colledge of Presbyters is a paterne of government to all Churches in succeeding ages to the â—nd
Argument I may gather that the Christian Churches now through the world at least all the reformed Churches may as well be called nationall Churches as the Jewish Church was especially if we looke unto the requisites that make a nationall Church for two things are required for the making of a nationall Church first a nationall agreement in the same faith and worship Secondly a nationall union in one Ecclesiasticall body in the same community of Ecclesiasticall government as now the Church of England Scotland and Ireland have all by covenant bound themselves to maintaine the same faith and worship and by a nationall union and agreement they have accorded to be under a Presbyteriall government and this they all acknowledge to be Gods Ordinance and a way appointed by him of governing his church and that the Presbyterian government is Gods Ordinance the Independents themselves doe acknowledge but they hold only a congregationall Presbyterie and we hold and that from all reason and from the good word of God and from many presidents both Citie classicall provinciall and nationall Presbyteries and oecumenicall also upon occasions for of these kinds of Presbyteries both the Word of God and many Ecclesiasticall Histories doe furnish us with some presidents and therefore for the one wee have divine institution for it and many examples in the Booke of God but wee have neither precept nor example of that of the congregationall way and therefore it is none of Gods institutions nor none of his devices nor composures that I may use some of I. S. his Rhetoricke but a meere figment of their own braine But now I am to answer to something my Brother Burton hath to say concerning the Presbyters of the Church of England who pag. 6. 7. of his Booke If you saith he have not a good Presbyterie where shall hee viz. that is scandalized or offended goe to complaine Hee may goe and appeale higher you will say and what if the higher the worse Good Brother saith hee either provide the people of the Land an honest godly Presbytery that may be as so many Angels to gather out of Christs Kingdome every thing that offends or else let there be a tender care of tender consciences and some provision made for them that they may not be scandalized by being forced to be the companions of the scandalous Thus my Brother Burton Here is a double If propounded meerly to amuse the people for it is not unknowne to all men that the Parliament the great Councell of the Kingdome endeavoureth to cast out all scandalous Ministers so farre as their power extendeth through the Kingdome if by information and sufficient witnesses they can be proved to be such so that every conscientious and intelligible man may see there is very small ground for the doubts and feares either of my Brother Burton or any of that Fraternity that there will not be a good Presbytery set up and as little when they cannot deny but the godly if offended may goe and appeale higher for either he himselfe or they to make such a supposition what if the higher the worse If I should conclude that these doubts were conceived nourished and brought forth out of the wombe of faction my Brother Burton with his complices would call it rayling therefore to avoid ifit be possible their unjust censures I onely say thus much that both hee and all his brethren use an uncharitable way of arguing which is the best construction can be made of it for thus they may traduce any man yea any government or any way of God at pleasure with a detracting if But here lies the mysterie the onely way my Brother Burton and his associats have to advance Independency is to cloud the truth of God under darke expressions and to eclypse those shining Lights the faithfull godly Ministers throughout the kingdom that the Lord hath set up in his Church that so the people may not heare the voice of God speaking in them by which meanes the understandings of many are wrapped up in error obscurity and darkenesse as in a mantle and the ungrounded and unwarrantable notions of Independency are received by them as new Lights they being very pleasing to flesh and blood for man naturally hath an ambitious boundlesse spirit and from the beginning would not be limited by God himselfe and the Independent doctrine being without bounds teaching that it is free for men to beleeve practise and preach abroad their severall opinions calling it liberty of conscience this is such a Light that all the sons and daughters of darkenesse will willingly walke in But should the Independents obtaine their desire whereever this new Light were set up it would prove no other liberty then that which our first Parents Adam and Eve gained for their Rebellion against Gods command which was to inslave themselves and all their posterity to sinne and Satan and most certaine it is that such a liberty as the Independents doe teach seeke and joyning with all sort of Sectaries and Libertines plead and stand for would bring confusion and an irrevocable curse on those Kingdomes and countries as shall tolerate so great abominations and cause the Lord who hates Laodicean Lukewarmenesse in Religion to spue them out of his mouth Revel 3. 15. 16. But before I passe on I will take this liberty to say unto my Brother Burton that whatsoever with his Ifs hee can plead against our Presbyters may be said with much more and with farre better reason against the independent Presbyters if they be wicked or hereticall for from them there is no appeal for reliefe by any amongst them never so much wronged and therefore all such kinds of arguing against our Presbyters is as altogether uncharitable so but trifling But my Brother Burton cals upon me to provide the people of the Land an honest and godly Presbyterie from whence it appeares that in his and his brethrens account all the Orthodox faithfull and godly Presbyters in the Land at this day who differ from the opinions they have lately received are neither honest nor godly for if there be as most certaine it is there are many honest godly Presbyters provided for the people of the Land it is strange he should speak in such a manner as if they were altogether wanting for so his words doe intimate for why otherwise should he make such a request to me of providing an honest godly Presbyterie if he or they beleeved wee had a godly Presbytery already who notwithstanding he knows hath no power to performe it Truly all his Argumentations are very uncharitable no way beseeming a Brother for charity is kind and thinks no evill 1 Cor. 13. 4. 5. But were it so that it might be taken pro confesso that ther were not any such set up in this land which were to deny the Suns shining at noon-day did hee and the Independents indeed and in truth unfainedly desire such a Presbyterie should be set up established why
SCOTLAND then we should be abundantly thankfull to God and to the Parliament and we would rest satisfied for ever This to my knowledge was the language of all the Independents and all that I now say can be proved by a cloud of witnesses Now I desire all men to take notice how these men are satisfied with that Reformation which they so ambitiously desired and that is now established amongst us when God and the Parliament hath granted them all they could or did then desire and crave for they are yet as unsatisfied and as covetous for more things as that Doctor was of more money and so for ought I can conceive no state in the world will ever be able to satisfie their vast and unlimited wishes I may truly say of them that an unthankfuller generation both to God and authority never appeared in the world then these Sectaries are but withall I shall ever beleeve that their Teachers and Itinerary Predicants have been the principallest cause of all their unsatisfiednesse and of all their destractions and especially those Homothumadon brethren those fugitives that ran into Holland and New-England that cowardly left the cause and since have brought over their New Lights here amongst us to the darkning of the truth it selfe and disordering of all things and hindring of Reformation for they chiefly and those that have followed those ignes fatuos that they set up have occasioned these miserable distractions and divisions that are now every where through the Land which if they be not speedily lookt unto will bring desolation upon the three Kingdomes all the which giddy-headed unstable men I can compare to nothing more fitly then to the Turkish Drums Trumpets and Whissels and that in two respects They that have read but the History of the holy War shall find that when the Christian Princes went up to fight for the Sepulcher that many thousands of them found graves there for themselves which happened unto them not from any want of valour in the Christian Army but by the disordering of their ranks and files which gave occasion to the Saracens and those barbarous people to break in upon them and to cut off many thousands of them which disorder happened unto them upon this occasion The European horses being onely acquainted with the warlike musick of their own holy Army never having heard so much as the very sound either of the Turkish drums trumpets or whiffels those unsanctified instruments when the Christians and Infidels came to joyn battell and that the Armies approached one to another the Turkish drums trumpets and whiffels made such a barbarous noise in the European horses eares that they were so scared and affrighted that they began to run like madd and brake through all their own ranks and files and so disordered the whole Army that it was a thousand to one they had not been all cut apieces at the first encounter And even after the same manner have the Homothumadon brethren and all their disciples those their I tinerary Tub men like so many drums trumpets and whiffels with their barbarous noises out of their severall Tubs in the ears of poor creatures both men and women that were acquainted with no such musick as is exercised by those of this new militia as that of the Congregationall way and Church fellowship and the Church way and the way of the Saints and of new Lights and new borne Truths and of the great things of eternity which come only out of the womb of God and from between his leggs from Gods immediate hand by providence not to be explained just as a lot c. For these with many such are the noises they have now made in the ears of the poor silly creatures that they have made them all run madd to the disordering of all things and disturbing of the whole Christian Army that might by the power of God if we had been well ordered without these divisions and distractions they have made amongst us been able to have encountred with the whole host of Antichrist but there is this difference onely between the Turkish drums and whiffels and these our whiffellers that they onely scared a few horses and made them madd but these have made men and women madd amongst us with these their new and barbarous sounds of those their new wayes and this is the first thing wherein they are like the Turkish drumms and whiffels Now as those Turkish instruments though they made a terrible noise yet there was nothing in them but wind and ventosity so these our whiffellers Tubmen for the most part if they be but looked into there is nothing in them but meer vapour and frothy windiness which they spread blow abroad in the ears of simple creatures perswading them that the Presbyterians will be more tyrannicall and lordly then ever the Prelates were and that they are an Antichristian brood the sons of Belial the enemies of Iesus Christ and his Kingdome and that the people ought not nor cannot lawfully hear them or read any thing they write or publish to the world perswading them that all they write or preach tendeth to nothing but the disthroning of Christ the setting him up as a Pageant King but indeed all their indeavour is but while they cry hail Master to crucifie him as the wicked Jews did and with such uncouth barbarous noises as these they have put the people generally into such a heat fury and distemper against all the Presbyterians as they have deterred many thousands from so much as hearing them or coming into their presence yea if at any time any of them but accidentally happen into their company they find them more barbarous towards them then the very Turks were toward many Christians even when they had them at their mercy and I am confident were the Presbyterians at their mercy they would find lesse courtesie from them then from the very Saricens and I have very good grounds for this my perswasion from that insolent behaviour I my selfe have seen them exercise towards all sorts of Presbyterians but principally towards the Ministers whō they affront often and that in an unseemly manner in the very Churches whiles they are in their Ministery and when they go and passe along the streets and when they passe but through the Towns where there are any store or company of them for they cannot ride by any of them without some reproachfull calumny or other or without some uncivil behaviour which would not be tolerated in very barbarous Nations And as for my selfe it is well known that neither mywife nor my poor children can passe quietly by the streets for them without some contumelious disgracefull language from them and for my own particular though I never wronged them I can truly say and can also prove it that I have and that often after they heard I differed from them in opinion suffered such inhumanity from many of them as scarce ever any man did from
more evident then yet it hath been viz. That Diotrephes was the primate of the Independents and of all those of the congregationall way But first I will set down Mr Knollys his words at large to take away all occasions of their calumniating tongues who ordinarily use to say That we keep from the world their Arguments that we may the better delude the people and hold them in ignorance His words therefore by way of answer to that Argument are these Now let the reader judge saith he whether the Doctor be not much mistaken in his commentary exposition and application of this place of Scripture And let me give you to understand that Saint Iohn saith verse the 9. I wrote unto the Church But seeing no mention is made of any particular congregation how can the Doctor so confidently affirme that it was his particular congregation Now the reader may see plainly that the Doctor can expound those brethren and their Elders or Presbyters which the Scripture calls a Church to be a particular congregation And what it was which Saint Iohn had written to the Church is not in this Epistle nor in any other Scripture delcared except it was to receive those brethren which he saith ver 8 ought to be received and ver 10 whom Diotrephes would not receive how then doth the Doctor say that Diotrephes assumed that power to himselfe which belonged unto the Colledge and Councell of Presbyters without whose joynt and mutuall agreement and common consent nothing ought to be done or transacted of publike concernment is the receiving of brethren or casting out of brethren a power which belongs to a colledge of Presbyters and neither the one nor the other may be transacted by the Elders and Brethren of a particular congregation unlesse the Court or common-councell of Presbyters conjoyntly consent unto it Let it be also considered that D otrephes opposed the brethren and forbad them that would have received those who Saint John saith vers the 8. we ought to receive yea and cast them out verse 10. of the Church to wit excommunicate them Doth it hereby appear that Diotrephes would have his congregation Independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it selfe No but Diotrephes would lord it over the Church and have the preeminency above his brethren whether fellow-Elders or fellow Saints Diotrephes loving the primacy amongst them he would be the Primate and Metropolitan of the Church and have the preeminency of all the Presbyters in it and brethren of it The Doctor could have urged this Scripture against the domineering Prelates and why should he marvell that his brethren should now urge it against the Court of Presbyters It is confest that Diotrephes did that which was evill in usurping authority over the Church and those brethren he cast out of the Church But that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian government or that he did affront a Court or common councell of Presbyters it is more then I know or the Doctor can prove For had Diotrephes done so why was he not convented before them Surely the Apostle Saint Iohn would rather have written to the colledge of Presbyters if there were any such then to the Church or in writing to the Church would tather have sent him a summons to appear at some consistory before the Court and common-councell of Presbyters then to warne them to take heed of hiâ— evill that they did not follow it And doubtlesse St John would have writen thus Diotrephes loves to be a Primate amongst you wherefore when the Presbytry that is to say the Magistracy or Signiory of grave solid learned religious and wise Divines and Ministers come to keep order and meet together in a Court and common-councell I will remember his deeds and informe or complain to the Court and common-councell of Presbyters that he prates against us the Presbyters with malicious words But the Apostle Saint Iohn did not know any Court or Common-councell of Presbyters neither Classicall nor Synodicall to appeal unto Nor can the Doctor make good those appeals he mentioneth page 10 to be according to the Scripture of truth to wit that every particular man as well as any assembly or congregation may have their appeals to the Presbytry of their Precinct hundred or division under whose jurisdictions they were and if they found themselves wronged there that they have appeals to some other higher Presbytry or Councell of Divines for releefe and justice I only aske the Doctor how he can prove those appeals by Scripture and if he could whether that higher Presbytry or councell of Divines especially if they may say the Holy Ghost and wee be not as Independent as these brethren and their churches against whom the Doctor hath written And if so then such a high Presbytry or councell of Divines is not Gods Ordinance by the Doctors own confession and affirmation Therefore the Apostle writes to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a Member and an Elder whom he knew had power to judge him as well as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and therefore might as warantably admonish Diotrephes as the Church of Colosse might Archipus Coloss 4. 17. And if nothing of publike concernment ought to be done or transacted without the joynt and mutuall accord or agreement and common consent of the Presbytry Iohn the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farr as to take upon himselfe this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults and to say he would remember him and sharply reprove him and teach him to prate against the Presbytry with malicious words which belonged unto the Court and common-councell of Presbyters But I shall have a just occasion to say more touching this matter in the answer unto the third question and therefore passing by the objection with his answer mentioned page 19. to the 29. unto its due place I shall desire seriously to consider the Doctors proof of his first proposition which he laboureth first by producing such Scriptures as he conceiveth make for the manifestation of the truth and from thence frames and formeth his arguments Thus Mr Knollys in way of reply speaketh to my argument concerning Diotrephes and of his intention what he will do in the insuing discourse to all the other arguments I have here set down his words at large omitting only the greek and latin texts which he School-boy-like scribleth to little other purpose than to shew his own vanity and to perswade the ignorant people that he is some-body in the Greeke and Latine tongue which kind of learning notwithstanding the most of his fraternity generally despise and contemne I have therefore omitted them especially having learned this lesson from Saint Paul 1 Cor. chap. 13. vers 19. rather to speak five words to the understanding of the people that I might teach others then ten thousand words in an unknown
leaving the poore sheepe in the wildernesse I say when all these things are evident out of the holy Scripture it necessarily followeth when Diotrephes was an Elder and Presbyter in that Church Saint Iohn writ unto which Master Knollys confesseth that he had there his particular congregation and therfore there was no neede of making any mention of it for very common reason will dictate thus much to any man that if any great grasier have ten or twelve thousand sheepe and many severall walks and places of pasturage to feed them in and hath severall pastours to looke unto them all as not a few Shephards can feede ten or twelue thousands sheepe and gives them all a charge in common of looking to his sheepe and feeding them although all those severall pastours are to have a generall care of all those sheep that have his marke upon them and that are within the limits of his severall walks and grasing places yet it is to be understood that every one of them hath his severall flocke committed to him in speciall for he must not be idle over the which he is to have the particular inspection and care for the well ordering of it with this limitation that he may not wrong the flocke or do any thing contrary unto his Masters pleasure or to the dammage or prejudice of his other fellow Pastours or their flocke All this I say good reason will dictate to any rationall man and dayly experience will confirme it In the same manner things were ordered in the primitive and Apostolicall Churches all whose Elders and Pastours in them had the charge of the severall flocks committed to them in common all the which they were to governe communi consilio presbyterorum as it is by all the Independents themselves confest for all those Churches were Aristocratically and Presbyterianly governed and therefore according to the wisdome and common councell of their Elders this Presbyter had the charge of the sheepe of such a ward or walke committed unto his care and that Elder had such a Circuit committed unto his charge and a third Elder had such a precinct committed to his cure and so of the rest with this proviso alwayes that all things of publicke concernment and that tended to the common good both of sheep and Pastours should be ordered by the joynt and common councell of the severall and respective Presbyters in an orderly and well regulated way for all things in the Church were to be done in order and decency and uniformitie which could never have been if every Pastour and Presbyter and every particular congregation under them severally would have governed as pleased themselves without any reference to the Colledge or common counsell of all the Presbyters which was the failing of Diotrephes here for which he was greatly blam'd by Saint Iohn And that all those Churches were to be governed by their severall Presbytries and that the people were not to intermeddle with the government of them Master Knollys himselfe in the third page of his pamphlet and in the eleventh of the same doth accord who citing my words in my introduction to my booke deduceth from them foure conclusions which I shall by and by set downe after I have related the grounds of them Before saith he the Doctor comes to proove his four particular Propositions he saith it will not be amisse in generall to take notice that all the Churches we read of in the new testament were aristocratically and Presbyterially Governed and were all Dependent upon the severall Presbyters and produceth divers places of Scripture to prove the same and two sheets are spent wholly in proving thereof from the 12 page to the 29. These words Mr Knollys quoteth out of my book Now hear his answer All which saith he should it be granted onely proves First that in every City or Church there was a Presbytery For they Ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 14. That thou Ordain Elders City by City Tit. 1. v. 5. Secondly that as there were Apostles and Elders in the church of Jerusalem so there were Elders in the church of Ephesus Acts the 20. ver 25. and in the church of Corinth and in the church of Galatia and Philippy c. Thirdly that those severall churches were dependent upon their several Presbyteries and they were to obey them who had the rule over them Hebr. 13. 7. 17. 24. Who were their guids obey your guids Fourthly that this Presbyterian church Government God hath appointed as his Ordinance to be continu'd to the end of the World the which whosoever resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God These are the foure conclusions Master Knolleys gathereth out of my arguments but with all adds saying that all this doth not prove that this Presbyterian Church government is dependent upon a supreame judicature to the Decrees of which they must submit themselves and their churches This saith Mr. Knollys doth not follow but of that in its due place In the mean time it will be much to the purpose a little to consider his expressions All which saith he should it be granted proves First c. to wit the four conclusions now layd down in this place I intreat the Reader to behold the vanity of the man in so speaking all which shâ—uld â—t be granted as if he did me a great courtesie and favour to yeeld unto me that which the holy Scripture in exâ—resse woâ—ds declareth o be the will and pleasure of God and that which I had out of the blessed word of truth sufficiently ev need and which no man can deny except he will deny the Scripture and Word of God which hath perspicuously and in fo mall termes set own that there was a Colledge Presbyte ie of Elders orda ned and constituted in very Church or City who were to have the rule over the people in their severall congreâ—ations within their â—râ—cin â—s w ch M Knollys himself consenteth unto as is evident by his 4 conclusions So that if ever there had been any time of denying or not granting that all the Churches of the New Iestament were all Arâ—stocratically and Presbyterianly to be govern'd and were so many severall Eccle aâ—â—icall Corpo ations and that all those Scriptures I had produced for the proof of the same had not been rightly applyed and alleadged now had been the time when this businesse was in question and agitation for Mr Knollys to have shewen his skill and to have produced the reasons of his dislike and gain-saying but when he confirmed what I proved as is manifest from his four conclusions it is a great folly in the man to say all which should it be granted when he himselfe acknowledgeth as much and in expresse terms in the eleventh page of his book hath these words It is not denyed saith he by the brethren meaning the Independents that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the Government of the Churches in which they were Elders These are
it I am so well assured that it is Gods Ordinance as I am of any point in Religion But as I said before if men may argue after this way The Presbyters in the Apostles times did miracles and sâ—ake with strange tongues and their Schollers and Disciples did the same doe you likewise and then we will acknowledge you to be true Presbyters otherwise wee will not Thus the Jewes might have argued against all their Prophets as against Isaiah Ieremy Ezekiel c. Moses and Elias fasted forty dayes and forty nights and did many miracles do you so and then we will beleeve you are true Prophets and sent to us of God otherwise we will not beleeve you to be true Prophets Yea all the wicked and ungodly men of these times may argue thus also God gave unto his Church Apostles Evangelists Prophets c. and they spake all strange tongues and divers languages and did many miracles but you and your Congregations have neither Apostles Prophets nor Evangelists nor ye have not the gifts of Tongues nor yee can do no Miracle Ergo you are not the true Church The Primitive Christians and the servants of God in those times had the gifts of Tongues and Prophesie and the holy Ghost came down upon them and they spake by direction from God his infallible truth and Gospell whose speeches were not tyed to time and to one speaker but many spake one after another by Interpreters as it is at large set down in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 14. vers 27. 28 29 30. c. So that they spake infallible truth by direction from God But you have none in your Congregations so miraculously inspired with sundry languages and divers tongues nor ye do not speake infallible truths by direction from God nor you cannot cure diseases nor do miracles Ergò your religion is not the same Religion nor your Congregations the true Church shew us these miracles and then we will beleeve you to be the true Church otherwise we may not we dare not acknowledge you to be the true Church Again they may argue thus The Apostles and Primitive Pastors and Teachers preached freely and laboured with their own hands and were helpfull to the necessities of others and were not burthensome and exacting from others and spake ex tempore by direction from God but your Ministers in your Congregations do not preach freely nor labour not with their own hands nor are not helpfull to to others necessities but are rather burdensome and exacting from others nor they do no miracles nor speake not immediately by inspiration and ex tempore but by Study and out of their Bookes and are confined to time and speake not in strange tongues and languages one after another by Interpreters Ergò Your Ministers are not Gods Ministers nor your Congregations the true Church nor your people true Christians for you want all those things that the Primitive Christians and the Primitive Churches had There is a Pamphlet lately come out and highly esteemed and prised amongst many full of such consequences as these which if they hold good against the Presbyters they may also for ought I know be of equall validity to overthrow not onely all Christian Congregations but indeed all Christian Religion But briefly to answer We look upon the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters as men miraculously and extraordinarily gifted and as wonder-working men for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospell to all succeeding ages and we consider in them and in the Christians of those times something extraordinary and temporary as their working of miracles and speaking of strange tongues and gifts of healing c. And those we conceive were to continue no longer in the church then for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospel Christ himselfe proclaiming those blessed that believe without seeing of miracles speaking unto Thomas Iohn 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me saith he thou believest blessed are they that have not seen and have believed So that miracles now are not ordinary and we are tied to the written Word But we consider likewise in the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters that that was permanent and to continue in all Ministers and Presbyters in succeeding ages to the end of the world and that was the power of order and preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which is not denied by the most learned of the Independents themselves and this I have proved by the Word of God to be transacted over to all Christian Churches whose Presbyters have that power given unto them neither will the Learned Brethren deny it whatsoever the ignorant may do Yea the very name of a Presbytery as I said before if we look through the whole Scripture signifieth a Magistracy or Signiory or Corporation invested with authority of governing and ruling and such a counsell and company of men as upon whom the government under Christ is laid and to be extended so far as their jurisdiction extendeth and as far as by common consent it may make for the good and edification of the church and for the safety of the same And such was the government of all those churches of the New Testament which were as so many Committees their limits and bounds prefixed them as at this dayall Committees through the Kingdom have in their severall Hundreds Rapes Wapentakes and Cities to whom the ordering and government of those places that are under them are committed so that all that is done or transacted must be done by the joynt consent and councell of the whole Committee not any particular man or any two of them severally considered by themselvs can make an order but that order onely is binding which is made by the joynt consent and common agreement of them all or the greatest part of them assembled together Even so all those particular Congregations that are within the compasse and jurisdiction of the severall Presbyteries are to be ordered and governed by the common and joynt councell of the severall Presbyters or the greater part of them For this was the order the Apostles established appointing in every City a Presbytery and when they had so ordered the Churches they set them all to their severall imployments the Presbyters to command and all the people and particular Assemblies and Congregations under them to obey neither is it ever found in the holy Scriptures that the people were joyned with the Presbyters in their Commission So that they that oppose this government resist Gods Ordinance And if we looke into all the Epistles writ by the Apostles to the severall Churches we shall finde in them That they enjoyne all the severall Congregations to yeeld obedience to their Pastors and Rulers over them and signifie unto them that they owe unto them double honour especially such as labour in the Word and Doctrine that is they must yeeld unto them not onely due reverence and subjection and obedience to their councell and just commands in the
doctrine to prove this their opinion to be legitimate So that in this point of their beliefe the Papists and the Independents agree against all the current and the whole Schooles of all the most Orthodoxe Protestant Divines who hold they were Christians Secondly they agree in this also that both of them hold that the forme of a church must ever be visible and apparent So that were their never so many Assemblies of Christians in a city or country and all beleevers if they be not cast into such and such a mold and forme then theyare not churches properly so called but in their dialect they are either Heritickes or no Christians but proclaimed enemies of Iesus Christ and his Kingdom So that according to the Papists doctrine all those Christians that are not within the limits compasse and bounds that they have circumscribed their church with and are not under that visible forme of government they have appointed they accompt them all Heritickes and no churches as all men know And in the same manner do the Independents unchurch all churches in the world but such as in their opinion are cast into a church mould according to the New Testament forme and have their distinct Officers and Members united into one body respectively That is to say speaking in their owne language all such congregations and assembles as are fluid and are not joyned and united together by an explcite particular Covenant fixed in their officers and Members having a Presbytery of their own with absolute Soverainty and power within themselves Independent they are no churches and all those Christians that are not within the compasse and limits of this their new mould or modell they proclaime them enemies of Iesus Christ and his kingdome and accompte of them as a company of infidels and affirme that they are no true churches nor churches properly so called So that we see that both the Papists and Independents agree in this that they bound and limit all churches to such and such an externall forme so that wheresoever that is wanting according to their dialect though otherwise they have the preaching of the Gospel the right administration of the Sacraments and the true invocation of God they are no churches properly so called And both of them farther accorde and agree in this that the forme of their churches consists in the distinction of their Officers and members and the uniting of them into one body respectively they must not be fluid as they speake but they must be fixed in their Officers and Members and having a Presbytery of their owne with absolute soverainty and jurisdiction within themselves Independent But in this the Papists deale far more honestly then the Independents for they have in many large volumes fully set downe the modell of their government and what it is and shew how they are fixed in their Officers and Members and for their chiefe Officers they say they are the Pope and his Presbytery at Rome the Cardinals Patriarchs Primates Metropolitans Archbishops c. and we know where to finde them and what their modell and government is to a hare But what the Independents modell is or will be no man could yet ever learne but by conjecture which I must confesse seemes a wonderfull thing to me that they should thus at pleasure unchurch and unchristian all churches and Christians as not formed into a church mould after the New Testament forme and yet never declare what that forme and mold is And yet this is their daily wicked practice So that all men may see if they will not put out their eyes that in this and many other of their tenents and opinions the Independents are but a company of Mungrell Papists and would have all men belieeve with an implicit faith as their Churches believe and take all they speake as Oracles though it be never so groundlesse But we have learned Christ better then so who is the Prophet and King of his Church and who hath commanded us to heare him Matth. 17. and to obey his voyce Iohn 10. and not to give eare unto strangers And from his blessed Word we have learned these two lessons the first that wheresoever the Gospel of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ is faithfully and truly Preached by Ministers sent by him and where this Everlasting Gospell is imbraced and believed and yeelded obedience unto by the people and where there is the right Administration of the holy Sacraments and the true invocation of God they are a true church or churches although they be fluid and be not fixed in their Officers and members and have not that externall forme either the Papists or the Independents speake of and for this our faith we have warrant from Gods holy Word Secondly we are taught out of the holy Scriptures also that there may be a true church or churhes in many nations and kingdomes where they injoy not all the Ordinances in a publicke manner nor where their very meetings together are not allowed unto them by authority for all such as confine a church or churches to these externall formes they speak of they confound the essence and substance of a church with the adjuncts and Accideuts of it whereas churches may be true churches and yet want the externall forme of Government as may by innumerable places of holy Scripture be proved as for instances In Israel where God had set up his owne worship and established a forme of Government and commanded that it should punctually be observed yet we read in the 2 of the Chron. chap. 15. ver the 3. these words Now for a long season Israel was without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without law So that from this place we may gather that their did not then appeare any externall forme of a church no not in Israel when the true God was not publickly known amongst them and yet notwithstanding God had there his true church amongst them yea in the greatest height of Idolatry when all the Prophets were persecuted and lay hid in Caves yet at that time also God had seven thousand that never bowed knee to Baal So that it is evident that it is not the externall forme that is absolutely required for the making of a true church but it may be a true church without that externall appearance they speak of For a church is one thing and the outward forme and discipline is another And truly if a man will not suffer himselfe willingly to be deluded with appearances and naked shaddowes for the truth it selfe and will but consider the great variety and change of the church in respect of the outward alteration of the government of it in all ages after God himself had set it up in Abrahams Family and consider it in all its peregrinations and pilgrimages and that after God had given unto Abraham and his seed such directions for the setting up of his worship wheresoever he and his posterity should come and
and all men and no women and another consisting of three thousand more of which he makes a scruple saying that amongst them there might be some women So that if the five thousand were all men and there was yet another company of three thousand more besides amongst which there might be some women as Master Knollys saith then this three thousand was a distinct company from the former now three thousand amongst the which there might be some women and five thousand all men makes up full eight thousand so that Master Knollys by his whibling againe and againe Volens nolens confirmes my assertion that the full number of those converts by these two miracles Sermons was eight thousand and for ought any thing can be said to the contrary they were all men besides women and children and this is all he gaines by his fond caviling and contention to prove himselfe a very jangler and one like that wicked servant that condemns himself by his own mouth And this shall suffice to have spake for proofe of the number viz that there were eight thousand besides women and children And now I come to his second reason by which he labours to evince and prove they were not converts beleevers which I hope to make appeare to be not only groundlesse but to be most impious and wicked as giving the Spirit of God the lye and indeede destructive to their own tenents and principles His words are these These five thousand saith he are onely called men and not converts not believers for howbeit many of them hearing the word believed yet it is not said the five thousand men beleeved And the truth is the text well considered only holds forth that the number of men was made up five thousand Thus Master Knollys For my owne particular I stand astonished at the vanity senslesnes and wickednesse of the man for his words are not only against the light of reason and the judgement of all the learned and the very opinion of the Independents themselves who hold that they were all converts and beleeves but they are contradictory to the Spirit of God giving the holy Ghost the lye as I said before for the Scripture saith notwithstanding all the resistance and opposition made by the enemies of the Gospell to hinder the work of the Ministry and notwithstanding all the persecution that was raysed against them for this very end I say notwithstanding all their indeavour the holy Ghhst saith that many of them which heard the word believed and the number of men was five thousand Here are two truths evidently laid downe contrary to Master Knollys his errors The first is that they are not only called men but beleevers for saith the Scripture they that heard the word believed Secondly the number of those that believed is there in terminis set downe to be five thousand and the number of the men viz. that believed saith the text was five thousand So that from this testimony of Scripture and from all my arguments deduced from thence these two conclusions do follow evidently The first that Master Knollys is a very wicked man that thus at pleasure can give the Spirit of God the lye and oppose the truth it selfe upon all occasions The second that there were more believers in the Church of Ierusalem then could possibly all meete in any one place and congregation to partake in all acts of worship and that in its very infancy for here we read of eight thousand more cnoverts besids women and children for the Scripture maketh mention of no women nor children newly added to all those that were converted by Iohn the Baptist and by the ministry of Christ and his Disciples in Christs life time and all they were innumerable for all Jerusalem went out unto them and were baptised besides the many other thousands that the Scripture recordeth were daily added to these all which I say could not possibly meete in one congregation to edification And the truth of these conclusions I am most assured will appeare so cleare in the judgement of all the learned as they wil gather that Mr. Knollys his complices that thus sottishly oppose it ought severely to be punished for these their wicked practices who for the upholding of their own errors and for their base lucre and gain for worldly ends care not what they say or do to the disturbance of church State for the seducing of the poor people and hindring of the work of reformation so much to be desired But before I passe on to Master Knoylls his other Cavills I shall desire the reader a little to consider what I have yet in this place to say to him These five thousand saith he are called men and not converts not believers for howbeit many of them hearing the Word believed yet it is not said the five thousand men believed And the truth is the text well considered only holds forth that the number of men was made up 5. thousand From hence I gather if these words of his may be credited that it may be a very well formed Church after the new testament forme for this Church at Ierusalem was such an one by the confession of all the Independents although they be not all visible Saints but many of them unbeleevers Iewes and Infidels and be not true converts and that for the moulding up of a true Church after the new testament forme it is not absolutely necessary that they should be all visible Saints for here Master Knollys says they were mixt good and bad together it is not said saith he the five thousand men believed and yet they were all members so that by his doctrine some of them were unbelievers and notwithstanding they were all moulded up into a Church body so that they were not all visible Saints and yet the true Saints and believers made no separation from the other but they all continued together in Church fellowship both Saints and infidels and communicated in all Ordinances Now whether or no Master Knollys by this doctrine of his doth not fight against the opinion of all his brethren and utterly overthrow all the new fabricke of Independency I leave it not onely to the judgement of the learned of the congregationall way if there be any such but to the censure of the seven new churches of which he is one of the pastours and an other Saint Diotrephes who if they do not punish him for this his Grollery I will say they deserve censure and punishment themselves But this is not all I have here to say to Mr Knollys I have this also to adde that if any credit may be given to his words there will then be no certainty in any thing the Scripture relateth unto us For he saith That those five thousand that were added to the Church are called men and not Converts and Beleevers and howbeit many of them believed yet it is not said the five thousand believed So that if he may
assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven given them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the end of the world and that whatsoever they loosed on earth should be loosed in Heaven and whatsoever they bound on earth should be bound in Heaven and that his spirit also should leade them into all truth the which Ministers likewise taught them whatsoever Christ had commanded them and that dayly in the Temple and in every house Ergo all and every one of those Assemblies and Congregations respectively and severally taken were true and compleat churches properly so called For the Major no well grounded Christian will deny it especially the Independents cannot gain say it for if two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name make a true visible church as those of the congregationall way hold and teach then much more where two or three hundreds are met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and in the which also they partaked in all the saving and sealing Ordinances as in the preaching of the Word and Prayer and in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that by lawfull Ministers and Officers appointed and sent by God himselfe I say by far better reason such a congregation is a true and visible and compleate church properly so called as all rationall and intelligible men will easily conclude and therefore this cannot be denied by the Independents especially when as I noted before it is their owne Doctrine taught in all their writings and Preached by every one of the congregationall way and confirmed by their own daily practice And to passe by many books writ of late by the Ministers of New-England and some of the Independent Ministers here amongst us I will only at this time pitch upon one who hath in my opinion dealt more candidly then any of his brethren for he kepes no reserves Donec ad triarios redierit res but sets downe plainly what they hold I will make bold therefore with his new blasing lights lately set up upon that learned Beaken called Truth gloriously appearing from under the sad and sable cloude of obloquy In the which treatise pag. 22. and 23. the author in the name of all the Independents declares their judgement concering this businesse whose words I will set down at large desiring to deliver their minde in their own expressions rather then in mine that they may not hereafter accuse me to have pickt and chose what made most for me and against them and left the rest His words are these Object It may possibly here be objected how will it appeare that so small a number as two or three joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell do constitute a visible Church Answ It will appeare evident by this insuing argument Christ hath given his power and promised his presence to two or three ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell therefore two or three so joyned together do constitute a visible church The Antecedent is proved from the Words of Christ Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it if he refuse to heare thee take two or three if he heare not them tell it to the church if he neglect to heare the church let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican I say unto you whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven Loe Here 's their power given them by Christ The presence of Christ is promised by them vers 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them The consequent cannot be denied for what people in the world may be called a church if they may not to whom Christ hath given his power and promised his presence If the gifts of Christ be of any force if the power of Christ be of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Neither is this destitute of learned men who have given their suffrage to it Humfred de religione vera conservanda pag. 24. Ecclesiam cum dico non unum aut alterum sacerdotem aut ministrum sed legitimum ac Christianum catum nomino et innuo Besides the definition of a visible church will prove the consequent A visible church is a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the members be Saints called out of the world united together into one congregation by an holy covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances This definition though it properly looke upon a compleate church it is appliable to two or three that are joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospell 2 Object But is it like that two or three there is taken for the church mentioned vers 17. to which Christ hath given his power Answ I do not say that it is alwaies so taken for because the church doth frequently consist of many but this I say that it may be so taken as the very coherence of the words shews Beside it will further appeare thus if two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power and honoured with Christs presence then two or three may be the church mentioned vers 17. but two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power for they meet in his name as the text speakes 1. e. clothed with his power for name signifieth power in severall Scriptures Prov. the 18. 10. Philip. 2. 10. and honoured with his presence and therefore two or three may be the church there mentioned 3. Object But such a company being destitute of Officers can be no church Answ If it had been said they could have been no compleate church I would have consented But to say that they are not a compleat church therefore they are no church is a Non sequitur A man that wants a hand or foot or both is notwithstanding a man though a maimed man Officers do not concurr to the esse or being of a church but to the bene esse or well being of a church for otherwise put case the Officers of a church dye then must the church be unchurched and so Toties quoties as such a thing happens which in times of mortality may be often Againe a company of believers ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell hath the matter and forme of a church even before it hath any Officers and therefore is a Church without them it hath the matter of a Church a company believing 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 1. and it hath the forme of a Church viz. a combining and uniting of themselves together into one body by the bond of an holy Covenant I have spoke some thing the more in this particular to strengthen
himselfe his good Friend his Lord and Master the King of Saints and King of Kings the mighty Potentate the sole and only head and Lawgiver and Governour of his Church I say if he had not been in very great haste indeed and giddy withall in his brain or in some distraction He would have taken notice of Christ and have thought him and his blessed Apostles and seventy Disciples and those likewise that were baptized by John with Christs Mother Brethren and Sisters worthy to be esteemed a formed Church or Churches yet he and his brethren passe by them all saying we take no notice of them as formed into a Church or churches so that it is no wonder they at this day take no notice of our Churches and that they absolutely deny them to be formed into a church or churches after the New Testament forme when they do the same to all the beleevers in Christs time Surely that Subject that should passe by his King and Soveraign and all his retinue and Courtiers and take no notice of him and them and should yeild him no reverence would be thought crased in his brain especially if he should in a slighting manner say He tooke no notice of them And all men that should hear such an expression from him would not onely judge such an one a very unbred man and an uncivill fellow but that deservedly he ought to be taught better manners And without doubt a King that should understand of such a Subject if he at any time had need of his favour would reply unto him Sir you woud take no notice of me and my servants go now to those for help that you think worthy to be taken notice of As the Lord said unto the Israelites who when they were oppressed by their cruell enemies and came then flying unto him for his assistance Go saith he to your gods that in your prosperity yee served and seek help from them And truly if the businesse be seriously considered this my brother Burtons and his associates dealing with Christ and his Disciples and Followers is not altogether unlike the dealing of the Israelites with the Lord at least in words For in plain termes they say we take no notice of them as formed into a church or churches so that Christ and his Disciples are very little beholding to those of the congregationall way Certainly the man was in very great haste when he uttered these words or exceedingly distemperd in his brain for otherwise Christ had been worthy to have been taken notice of if his followers had not Our Saviour speaks of some that at the last day shall say unto him Lord Lord have we not preached in thy Name and in thy Name have we not done wondrous works Mat. 7. ver 22 23. To whom Christ saith he will reply Depart from me I know you not And doubtlesse if my brother Burton and his complices deeply repent not of these their words and of all their evill dealing in seducing and mis-leading of the poor people and of making rents and schismes in Church and State but shall still persevere in the errour of their wayes and will not yet take notice of those multitudes baptized by John the Baptist and Christs Disciples and of Christ himselfe and his Followers nor of their brethren at this day through all the Reformed churches as formed into a Church or Churches it is to be feared that whatsoever both he and those of his party shall pretend As that they have preached in his name and done wondrous works in gathering of new churches and preaching up the congregationall way and publishing of new truths and setting up of new lights and placing Christ upon his Throne I say whatsoever they shall in this kinde pretend Except they all repent of this their wickednesse and uncharitable dealing towards all their Christian Brethren it is to be feared that Christ will say to them as he professeth he will say to the others I know ye not depart from me ye that worke iniquity and they all likewise perish For what can any man that hath not resigned his understanding think lesse of this so weighty a businesse but that Christ may say unto them at that day You have taught it in your congregations and printed in your bookes set forth by authority by all your consents and that upon deliberation that you take no notice of all those multitudes that were baptized by John and my Disciples to be formed into a Church or Churches These will he say are your owne words and that in capitall letters nay you deny them to be Christians for so J. S. speaketh page 8 and 9. in the name of all the brethren giving many reasons there to the contrary asserting that by the baptisme of John they were not made Christians much lesse cast into a church mould according to the New Testament forme and least of all that they were all Members of one Christian church at Jerusalem These are his expressions For which he hath been much applauded by all of that fraternity who usually say of him when he rideth through the streets there goeth he that beat up Doctor Bastwicks quarters approving of this good worke of his in unchristianing all those that beleeved in mee and were baptized by the Ministry of my servant John the greatest Prophet that ever was borne of woman and sent by me and my father to baptize them And of Mr. Burton they never speak but in high praises blessing God that he hath answered Bastwicks Book which he writ in defence and maintenace of my honour and for the reputation of all that beleeved in me and were baptized in my name So that all those books that were set forth by those of the congregationall way to my dishonour and the disrepute of my followers are approved of by you all and in them you say you take no notice of those multitudes that were baptized by John as formed into a church or churches Now amongst those that were baptized by John I was one and my Disciples and my Mother and my Brethren c. So that you slight us all and take no notice of us as formed into a Church or churches that is in plain words you are ashamed of us and deny us Now those that are ashamed of me and deny me before men and take no notice of me and my Disciples and of my Brethren and Sisters and Mother and of those that beleeved in me and followed me whiles I was upon the earth to be formed into a church or churches I will be ashamed of them and deny them and take no notice of them before my Father in Heaven to be formed into a church or churches For he that despiseth my Disciples and my Followers despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Yea whosoever shall despise one of these little ones that beleeve in me it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into
the midst of the sea This was one of my statute laws will Christ the King of his Church say Now you of the congregationall way take no notice of me nor of them that beleeved in me and were baptized in my name by John and my Disciples as formed into a church or churches for these are your own expressions I therefore will take no notice of you of the oongregationall by-path as formed into a church or churches not onely for these your hard speeches against me and those that beleeved in me but because in all my holy word I never appointed such a modell and forme of churches as you have erected amongst you I therefore in all these respects take no notice of you as formed into a church or churches I know you not depart from me this I presume any rationall man will be ready to gather will be the doome of those that take no notice of Christ and his Followers Of these their words and of this their dealing therefore except my brother Burton and his associates seriously unfainedly and speedily repent they must give a dreadfull accompt at the last day For if we must give an accompt of every idle word what an accompt then must be given of such expressions as these are which despise Christ himselfe and his blessed Apostles and all his Followers and all that beleeved in him when he was upon the earth and take no notice of them as formed into a church or churches And what a dreadfull reckoning must he and his abetters give for all those erroneous impious and uncharitable opinions they have of late hatched and brought into the world the very naming of the which would be unpleasant to a true sanctified soule as this amongst the other that they take no notice of Christ and his Disciples and Followers and all those that were baptized by John to be formed into a church or churches Yea what a fearfull accompt must they at that day give for all their bitter and reviling speeches and malitious practises against all their Christian brethren through the Reformed churches who they have all unchurched Yea my brother Burton and his complices must also give a great accompt of this that whereas they should have taught the people the way of God truly and plainly and have delivered unto them the whole counsell of God they not onely professe they will keep a reserve Donec ad triarios redierit res contrary to the command of God who hath injoyned all his servants to be ready to give an accompt of their hope to whosoever shall demand it 1 Pet. 3. and preach it publickly and upon the house topp whatsoever he taught his Disciples in secret and privately but blame all churches but their own of the congregationall way as not rightly formed according to the New Testament forme and yet would never set down to their brethren the modell of that forme and shew it unto the people and Saints of God that they might all be undeceived if in an error although they have bin often again sollicited thereunto and although also they by promise had ingaged themselves to deliver in their modell by such a time and by this their unjust and unrighteous dealing have kept the people of God and many pretious souls in ignorance of many principall truths if their doctrine be true and caused the people by that means exceedingly to erre and to remain still in darknesse when notwithstanding they glory that they set up every day many New Lights which is in them all a most fearfull and abominable sinne and of the which as of all their hard words against their brethren and of all their calumnies and reproaches and bringing up an evill name and report against the Presbyterian government as the wicked Spies did against the good Land of all these things I say as of all their errors scismes and heresies and especially of their taking no notice of those multitudes baptized by John and Christs Disciples to be formed into a church or churches they except they speedily repent must give a dreadfull accompt at the great day and my brother Burton especially for he is one of the principall Leaders and Captains in this Militia and new Modell of Ill-dependency If some yong Sprigge that had been turn'd about with every stream of opinion and carryed about this way and that way with every wind of doctrine had spake such words only and had bin the author of such novell opinions and of such double dealing and jugling I should never have wondred at it knowing how unstable youth is but for an old Tree in which the sap of youth should now be well dryed up and which should be stiffe and unmoveable and for ever to be settled for such a one I say as my brother Burton was expected to be to be unstable thus tossing and tumbling about with every stream of new doctrine or every novell blast of any windy opinion it sheweth that it is either founded upon a sandy ground or a brittle foundation or rotten at the very root and that if it be not speedily looked unto and underpropped that it will suddenly fall and that the fall thereof will be very great which that it may not happen to my brother Burton and that the Lord would give him and his associates repentance for all their unthankfulnesse to God and for all their evill dealings and uncharitablenesse towards their brethren and especially towards my selfe it shall be my earnest prayer for them all who they have so much despised and â—ilified And this I thought fit to speak concerning my brother Burtons reply to whatsoever he had to say in way of answer concerning my first four propositions and the whole first part of my booke What he hath to reply to my arguments about the second question touching the gathering of churches shall be answered in their due place after I have spake alittle according to my promise concerning the Independents definition of their Church which occasionally I met with when from their owne Principles I confirmed my arguments that if any thing it might make them more specious in the Independents eyes or at least that they might not be so inraged against me hereafter when they shall take notice that I spake nothing but what I ratified and made good from their own grounds Their definition of their church is this A visible Church is say they a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the Members Saints called out of the world and united together into one Congregation by an holy Covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one an other in all his holy Ordinances Before I discover all the errors of this definition and come to shew that according to this their description of a Church there has never as yet beene a true formed church and that none of the congregationall churches themselves if this their definition bee good be true formed churches and which is more that they must of necessity
Which the Lord preserve his people from and put it into the hearts of the great Councell of the Kingdome and all cordiall and understanding men to oppose with all their might as they love the peace of Church and State and the establishing of the true religion in these three Kingdomes and the propagation of the Gospell to the worlds end all the which the whimsicall opinion of Independency will hinder which indeed tendeth to no other end but to bring in an Anarchy and a confusion of all things and the setting up of Athisme or a Pantheon of all Religions to the great dishonour of God and the disturbance of our Church and State and the alienating of the nighest allyes one from another and to the distraction of all men as our small and little experience of that way hath by wofull tryall and dayly experience taught us And this shall suffice to have spoke of the second branch of their definition in discovering the absurdities of it and the impossibilities of attaining such a church as that sets down and the great inconveniences with the unsupportable bondage that would necessarily ensue upon it to all such as should subject themselves to such a Government as the Independents would bring into the world I now come to the third part of their definition viz. Their particular explicite holy Covenant which they not onely call the form of a Church but make it an holy Ordinance which it cannot be for the reasons above specified as having no warrant from God our father nor no example in any of the primitive Churches who had no other but the generall Covenant which all the Presbyterians allow as it is authorized by God himselfe though they reject that particular explicite Covenant brought in by the Independents as being an humane Ordinance which all Christians in Gods service ought to abhor as not commanded and injoyned unto them by the King of his Church Christ Jesus whose voyce onely they are bound to hear and who alone they are to set up as King upon his Throne who is their Lawgiver and mighty Councellor and the sole governour of his Church and Kingdome And should it be accorded and granted to the Independents That this their particular explicite Covenant were indeed the forme of a Church as they would perswade the people then all the primitive and Apostolicall Churches as well as all the reformed Churches at this day in the world besides their own congregations were not true formed Churches which were a great wickednesse and impiety to aver and maintain But besides this their unwarrantable Covenant which they make the forme of a Church they require of all such as will enter into Church fellowship with them many other pretty things which they hold not onely requisite but Gods Ordinance also as First That they should walk some weeks moneths and perhaps years with them for a proof of their conversation and for the tryall of their behaviour and manners and except they can please the whole church there can be no admittance at last Secondly after their good liking of their carriage they injoyn them to make a publike confession of their faith and if that dislikes them they cannot be admitted Thirdly after this they require of them to bring in the evidences of their true conversion as the time when the place where and the manner how all which if the congregation approve not of as sufficient they cannot be yet admitted Lastly they that are to be admitted must have the consent and approbation of the whole congregation both of men and women or else by their Charter they cannot be admitted into Church-communion with them All these things as I am able to prove they require in some of their Congregations before any can be admitted as joynt members amongst them never a one of the which conditions or injunctions not withstanding hath either precept or president for it in all Gods holy Word And therefore it is an unsufferable flavery that they impose upon the people besides this their particular explicet covenant which they make the form of the Church which should they onely require without any of their o'her grolleries were a bondage too unsufferable for in that their Covenant as I have been informed by some of them when in familiar manner and in the time of our friendship I desired to know the method of admitting of their joynt members and especially what the Covenant imported and what they promised in it and what by it they were tyed unto and for answer they replyed that three things were contained in this their holy explicite Covenant First That they promise and by this Covenant binde themselves to each other in all Church fellowship as to be helpefull one to another in all things and especially to their Pastors and to stand one by another without desertion of each other and that in the greatest dangers and difficulties and to yeeld obedience and willing subjection and conformity not onely to those truths that are now imbraced and entertained amongst them but also willingly to submit themselves to all such New Light for the future that God shall by his Word and by the Ministry of their Pastors discover unto the Church This as I have been informed by the Independents is the first thing they require of those that are to be admitted as members and which they promise and Covenant to performe The second thing contained in the Covenant is That if they be single persons either batchelors or maidens widdows or widdowers they may not marry without the consent of the Church The third thing contained in this their holy Covenant is That they may not remove their habitations and dwellings though never so advantagious unto them for their traffick and tradings into any remote place from them without the consent of the Congregation and some other things there are comprised under this Covenant which they keep among themselves as arcana regni as secrets of their Kingdome all the which if they be seriously looked into contain in them so many mysteries of Iniquity yet all of them exceedingly advantageous unto themselves they all tending to the strengthning of their partie and the more corroborating their combination as those that are judicious have well observed But were there no other slavery and bondage in their whole religion but this of their covenant and of the appertinances belonging thereto as amongst others their blind obedience there was never yet a greater yoak of servitude put upon poor people under Antichrist himself and the truth is as the Papists oft times scoured over old holy dayes with new ceremonies and solemnities and put them upon the people to be observed as new ones even so the Independents furbush over old errors with new varnish to make them more specious to the deluded people and bring them in as new truths and set them up as new Lights when they are nothing else but ancient errours and very Popery it selfe in a new attire as
Religion neither is the true Religion nor that it leads men the true way to salvation And affirmes that hee groundedly and absolutely denies that either the Church of England is or ever was a true Church innumerable more such sentences might be produced out of this Pamphlet to this effect and from many such premises as these hee exhorts all good people that are in the bosome of the Church of England as they love their own inward peace and spirituall joy to withdraw their spirituall obedience and subjection from her Now here againe I appeale to all judicious Christians what the Devill the Accuser of the brethren could have spake more raylingly and falsely against the faithfull servants of God both Ministers and people then what Iohn Lâ—lburne in the name of all those of his Fraternity hath uttered against them all Surely if any Enemies Persecutors Raylers and Revilers of the people of God and false Accusers ever lived upon the earth they are those of the congrâ—gationall way and therefore they are no Sâ—ints Yeâ— when they write most mildly against the Presbyterians they call them Lyons Beares Wolves Tygers and in their ordinary language in towne and countrey they never see almost any Minister passâ— by them but they call them Baals Priests the lims of Antichrist the Antichristian brood the Devils Ministers Presbytyrants with a thousand other words of conâ—umely and of all their Presbyterian brethren both Scots and English they speake of them most shamefully upon all occasions terming them sonnes of earth sinners carnall people enemies of Christ Jesus and his Kingdom nay they revile us in the open streets when we passe by them and all that I now say the Independents themselves cannot deny to be most truly related by mee and their very bookes and all their Pamphlets are now in the hands of the people and daily read by them and they all can witnesse for mee that I have wronged them in nothing by all which that part of my Minor is sufficiently proved that all the Independents are notorious Raylers Revilers and false Accusers and therefore no Saints nor good Daemons but such as ought to be separate from and not to be communicated with in holy things as not formed into a church or churches after the New-Testament forme which ought to consist of all visible Saints And that they have caused divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine of Christ is also apparent and that from the great rents schismes and factions they have causelessely made amongst their brethren in church and state having neither Precept nor President in the whole Booke of God for any of their practises and proceedings in their new congregations and therefore this truth also being by the sad experience of all men notoriously knowne wee have a command to shun them and take heed of them as of a company of Seducers and false Teachers who so long as they persevere and continue in these their ungodly wayes they proclaime themseves to be no Saints nor good Daemons but a Generation of vipers and serpents and such as all godly soules ought to have no communion with whatsover their pretences of holinesse and sanctity be And that they are notorious covenant breakers it is most evident and apparent to all that will not wilfully shut their eyes for they have entred into a solemne covenant and oath and that made in the presence of God to labour for a through reformation of Religion in the Kingdome of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship and Discipline according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and in expresse words also they have vowed and covenanted in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to performe the same as they shall answer it at the great day that they will without respect of persons indeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse lest they partake in their sinnes and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagnes They have vowed also with all faithfulnesse to indeavour the discovery of all such as have beene or shall bee Incendiaries Malignants or evill Instruments by hindring the reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdomes from an other or making of any factions or parties amongst the people contrary to thâ—s league and covenant And all the Independent Ministers in the Reverend Assembly did faithfully promise unto their brethren and under their owne hands by writing confirme it that they would preach such doctrines publickly only as tended to Faith Repentance and Salvation and that they would not trouble the people with any of those controversies concerning Discipline and Church-government till they saw what Plat-forme of Discipline the Parliament and the Assembly should set downe and solemnly promised also by such a time to bring in their modell and others of the Ministers of the congregationall way when they came out of New-England entring into serious discourse with some of their brethren the Ministers of the Church of England that had suffered much under the Prelates tyrannie and that indeed had indured the brunt and undergone the heate of the day of their cruelty and persecution and of whom they had experience for their faithfulnesse and constancy in the truth I say some of these fugitive Ministers after their returne entring into communication with them and demanding of them what Discipline and Government they intended now in place of the Prelaticall usurpation to establish and set up for answer they told them that their indeavour God assisting them should be to set up a Government according to the word of God as nigh as they could after the example of the best reformed churches in Scotland France Germany and Low-countries whereupon they immediately replying said if this be indeed your reall intention then in the presence of God wee give you the right hand of Fellowship resolving to stand to you and by you faithfully unto the death All that I now relate can be proved by an Iliad of witnesses Notwithstanding all these Covenants Promises and serious ingagements and that in the presence of God they have all of them blake all these covenants and promises made both to God and man and have violated them all and every one of them and have not only neglected to bring in their modell of government though promised by them and againe and againe urged to it but made factions rents and schismes in the Church and preached up the congregationall way and brought an odium and hatred of the Presbyterie amongst the people and most shamefully continually inveighd against their brethren the Presbyterians and all their proceedings and have laboured also with all their might and power to hinder the reformation of Religion and to breake the union betweene the two nations Scots and English and to bring in a toleration of all
Religions under the name of liberty of conscience which tendeth to nothing but profanesse and all licentiousnesse which is against the power of godlinesse and against their solemne vow and covenant made before God and men and therefore all they that doe these things as all the Il-dependents daily doe they are no Saints in Gods Dialect nor good Daemons but a Generation of wicked and ungodly men with whom all good Christians ought to have no communion with in holy things as not being churches after the New Testament form But will some say though some of the Independents should bee guilty of all these crimes yet they are not all to be condemned as equally guilty For answer here I shall make use of my Brother Burtons Learning pag. 16. where indeavouring to make all the Conformists guilty of Persecution hee hath these words the most of the Conformists saith he if not all have had their hands lesse or more either by acting or assenting or by silence or connivence in the persecution of those godly Ministers and people which stood out against the Antichristian usurpation over their consciences inferring from thence that they were equally guilty I have made choyce of his words though it bee a truth and doctrine set downe in holy Scripture and confirmed by the light of nature and by the practise of all nations both Jewish Christian and Heathenish who adjudge Consentors Connivers and Abettors and all the complices in any treason conspiracy wickednesse and malefice as equally guilty as the Actors Plotters or Contrivers as all Histories both divine and humane doe declare and for some examples out of holy Scriptures wee find that although Iezabel was by name the principall agent in killing and persecuting of the Prophets yet all the Israelites are accused as guilty because they connived and assented by their silence unto their death and therefore the holy Prophet saith they have slaine thy Prophets and have brake downe thy Altars and so all the Jewes are adjudged guilty of the death of Christ as well as Herod and Pontius Pilate as consenters and allowers of it and so Christ himselfe accuseth all the Jewes as guilty of the death of all the holy Prophets in that they allowed of their Fathers doings by building the Monuments of the Prophets by which their action our Saviour saith that they allowed of their doings and in expresse words chargeth them as equally guilty the same hee said of them concerning the death of Iohn the Baptist ye saith hee have done to him whatsoever seemed good unto you whereas it is related in the Gospel that it was Herods act who only is said to have commanded that Iohn should be beheaded yet this wickednesse is laid upon all the Jewes as connivers and by their silence consenters unto it and Paul in like manner accuseth all the Gentiles in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and all the Jewes in the second chapter of all those sinnes hee layes to their charge though they were not many of them actors and committers of these haiuous crimes but in that they connived at them and by their silence allowed of them or hindred them not or by punishing the offendâ—rs prevented them not which was the sin of old Ely in not punishing his sonnes for their wickednesse So that by all these examples out of the word of truth and by my brother Burtons own words and learning it is apparently evident thaâ— all such as by their silence connive and assent unto any wickednesse persecution rayling or covenant-breaking they are as â—qâ—ally guilty as the actors and contrivers Now when all the Iâ— â—â—pendents as well Ministers as people in any of thâ—se wayâ—s or in all of them are guilâ—y of rayling reviling seducing and Covenant-breaking and making divisions contrary unto the Doctrine of Christ and of hindring Reformation and of breaking the Union between the Nations of England and Scotland in as much as in them lies it followeth thâ—y are neither visible Saints nor good Daemons and that those Churches that consist of such Members are not true formed Churches after the New Testament forme for they are to consist of visiâ—le Saints and therefore they oughâ— to be separated from and all good Christians ought to have no communion with such Churches in holy things as being mixt Congregations and tagg ragg and such Saints as â—ob would not set with the doggs of his flock And this shall suffice to have spoke for the proof of my fiâ—st Argument My second Argument is this Those Congregations and Assemblies whose Members contrary to the example of all the holy Prophets and Servants of God who were ever humble in their own eyes continually falsly and pharisaically and upon all occasions boast themselves of their owne righteousnesse so much condemned in holy writ calling themselves the pretious and holy servants of God the godly party the praying people the onely men of Gods right hand the Saints the generation of the Just hating and despising their poor brethren and are ever plotting against them accounting them as Heathens and Infidels and departing from them as more holy then they all such I say are neither visible Saints nor good Daemons as being by Christ himselfe and the holy Scripture condemned and therefore are not true Churches after the New Testament â—orm whose Members ought to be all visible Saints but are mixt Congregations with whom truly godly souls ought not to communicate in holy things But all the Congregations and Assemblies of the Il-dependents are such as consist of such Members Ergo they are neither visible Saints nor good Daemons and therefore ought not to be communicated with in holy things but to be separated from by all the truly godly souls For the Major proposition no man can deny it now if the Minor be confirmed then there is no man that will doubt of the truth of the conclusion for that will necessarily insue from the premises The parts of the Minor are these The first That it was ever the practice of all the holy servants of God to be humble in their owne eyes The second That God did ever condemne such as justified them selves and boasted of their own righteousnesse The third That the Il-dependents do both falsly and pharisaically boast themselves when they call themselves the pretious and holy servants of God the godly party the praying people the onely men of Gods right hand the Saints and the Generation of the just The fourth That they do despise their Christian brethren and separate from them as being more holy then they By all which they declare themselves to be neither Saints indeed nor good Daemons nor a Church or Churches after the New Testament forme and therefore ought to be separated from I shall now prove all these parts in order beginning with the first by which the conclusion will be the more obvious to every judicious Reader and I hope to many of the Il-dependents themselves if they will
Church we read of is Acts the second that consisted onely of visible Saints and yet had neither Deacons nor Presbyters at that time nor distinct Officers and Members united into one Church body respectively and wanted that part of Discipline also of casting out corrupt Members as my brother Burton asserteth pag. 10. So that by this it evidently followeth That those Congregations that consist of visible Saints though they have not distinct Officers within themselves and want Discipline may be true formed Churches after the New Testament form as the Church here of Jorusalem was which at that time it was a true formed Church by my brother Burtons confession had no Deacons nor Elders nor dictinstion of officers members nor that part of Discipline for casting out corrupt Members and yet I say notwithstanding it wanted all these things by their own concession it was at that time a true formed church that because the Members of that Church consisted of visible Saints from all which I may draw these two infallibleconclusions The First that all such congregations as consist of visible Saints such as beleeve the Gospel and make profession of the Christian Faith and are baptized and continue stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles in breaking of bread and in prayer are true formed Churches after the New Testament forme although they want both distinct Officers and Members united into one Church body respectively and although they want that part of discipline for casting out of corrupt Members This first conclusion I say I infallibly gather from the Independents doctrine The second is this That whatsoever Congregations and Assemblies they be that have both distinction of Officers and Members and Church discipline and all other outward performances if the Members of them bee not visible Saints they are not true formed Churches after the New Testament forme for all true formed Churches after the New Testament form are such as consist of visible Saints without which they are but shadows of Churches and no true churches for substance but all the Independent congregations are such as only glory in outward performances consist not of visible Saints Ergo. And this shall suffice to have spake to all that Mr Knollys I. S. my Brother had to reply against all my Arguments for the proof of my first Proposition viz. that there were many Congregations and severall Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem in the which they injoyed all acts of worship and all the saving and sealing Ordinances amongst themselves and that before the persecution and under the persecution and after the persecution And now I come to what Master Hanserdo I. S. and my Brother Burton have to answer to my second third and fourth Propositions insuing and after I have dispatched that worke I will then in like manner reply to whatsoever either Master Knollys I. S. or my brother Burton have to say to all my Arguments concerning the gathering of Churches and touching the liberty of conscience or the toleration of all Religions and because they are not so large in their answers to them as they were to my fore-going reasons and to speake the truth speake little to the purpose but for the overthrowing of their owne opinion and for the corroborating of mine I shall be the briefer in them But first I will set downe my Propositions and shew how farre the Jndependents assent unto them and I will then also faithfully relate their owne words so far as they are for their purpose or any way make against my Arguments or are in any respect advantagious to their cause My second Proposition now followeth viz. That all these congregations and severall Assemblies made but one Church And for proofe of this I shall not need to use many words or any great dispute for the brethren themselves acknowledge that all the beleevers in Jerusalem were all Members of that Church and they accord farther that it was but one Church And it is manifest out of the holy Scripture for it is said they that were converted were added to the Church and therefore Members of it and that they continued in the Churches communion and in the Apostles doctrine and put their estates in the Churches common treasury and â—hose Officers for the Church and all this I say our brethren doe acknowledge and take this fellowship of these Members for a paterne of ordinary Church-communion and therefore this my second assertion is without controversie it being in expresse words set downe in the 2 3 4 5 6. chapters of the Acts and many places in the same Storie and assented to by the brethren To this Proposition and the Reasons of the same Master Knollys in the eleventh page of his Pamphlet thus replyes To which J also saith hee consent but the brethren have not acknowledged neither bath the Doctor by Scripture proved that in this one Church of Jerusalem there were divers Congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers and therein I must manifest my dissent from the Doctors opinion promising him if he shall soundly prove it in expresse words of Scripture which he hath undertaken I will acknowledge it This is all Master Knollys hath to say to this Proposition I will first therefore reply to him and in doing that insert my brother Burtons answer to it with what I. S. hath to say and answer to them all in order Now whereas Master Knollys affirmes that the brethren have not acknowledged nor the Doctor by Scripture proved that in this one Church of Jerusalem there were divers Congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in all hee saith I am most assured all that shall without prejudice reade my fore-going Arguments and seriously weigh and consider what my Brother Burton Master Knollys and I. S. have written will conclude That Master Hanserdo is a man of very shallow capacity and of as little honesty and no way to be credited in what either hee saith or writeth Neither ought Master Knollys in this controversie especially when the debate is yet sub Iudice to bee both party witnesse Iury and Iudge in his owne cause as all wise men will gather and therefore I leave it to the judgement of the learned whether or no I have not by Scripture sufficiently proved there were many congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in that one Church and whether I have not by expresse words of Scripture and from my brother Burtons and Master Knollys his owne words abundantly evinced it all this I say I leave to the judgement of all impartiall and understanding Christians who I am confident will grant that I have sufficiently proved there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and therefore I challenge Master Knollys his promise and expect that hee should acknowledge his error and so relinquish his fond opinion of Independency which if he doe not hee cannot be an honest man and a true Saint as not keeping his word for David describing a
to be regarded for all they of that fraternity are generally so given to tell untruths that for my part I never believe them neither when they say true nor when they ly for they wil ly by the day by the night But out of my brother Burtons and Hanserdoes words and that in the name of all their brethren I desire the Reader to observe what they both grant And first to consider my brother Burtons expressions for he in them accordeth to these three things viz. First That the Church of Ierusalem was but one particular Church Secondly He acknowledgeth that there were divers companies of Beleevers and that in severall private houses in that Church which did dayly communicate in Gods Ordinances severally Thirdly He asserteth that all those companies in those severall private houses were but so many branches in that one and the same particular Church Now in the second place I shall desire all men duly to weigh Saint Hanserdoes words in his reply to my second proposition and there he aaknowledgeth that the Church of Ierusalem was but one Church notwithstanding in the same page he granteth that that Church consisted of diverse Congregations for he acknowledgeth that they had a congregation in the Temple that is one place and he grants also they had an Assembly in Solomons Porch that is another place and he acknowledgeth moreover that they brake bread from house to house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domatim and thus they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quotidie day by day Here Hanserdo assigneth innumerable places more then the Temple and Solomons Porch wherein the beleevers at Ierusalem communicated and partaked in all acts of worship and that every day and those places were as he assignes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from house to house or in every house for so it is translated by all interpreters and confessed by Mr Knollys So that when Saint Hanserdo hath acknowledged that the beleevers in Ierusalem were in such multitudes that besides the Temple and Solomons Porch wherein they met every day to heare the word they brake bread and heard the word dayly also from house to house and in every house then he in this doth accord with my brother Burton that there were divers Congregations and severall Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem which Master Knollys neverthelesse denyeth affirming that the brethren have not acknowledged it nor the Doctor by Scripture proved it when Saint Hanserdo neverthelesse Vna fidelia duos parietes hath done both For first he acknowledgeth there were many Congregations there Secondly he proveth it by Scripture as out of the first 5 chapters of the Acts So that Master Knollys I hope will not hereafter say that the brethren have not acknowledged that there were many Congregations in Ierusalem But I do verily beleeve that Master Knollys and all the brethren of the Congregationall way when they shall duly and maturely consider what my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo have acknowledged will give them little thanks for their paines for their doctrine is not onely contrary to all the Independents principles but totally subverteth and overthroweth the tenent of the Congregationall way For all the Independent Ministers through the World preach up and publish in all their Pamphlets that in all the Primitive Churches there were no more beleevers in any one of them no not in the very Church of Ierusalem it selfe then could all meet together at one time and in one place to communicate in all Acts of Worship And this doctrine they have broached to all people wheresoever they come perswading them that this is Gods way and the Gospell way and the right way of gathering Churches and therefore they call it the Congregationall way affirming that all the Apostolicall Churches we read of in the holy Scriptures each of them in their severall Cityes and Precincts consisted but of as many as did all meet in one Congregation and this they call Gods Ordinance And many of the brethren both assembled and not assembled have been heard say and promise that if it could evidently be made appear unto them that there were many Congregations and diverse Assemblies of Beleevers either in the Church at Ierusalem or in any other of the Apostolicall Churches that then they would relinquish their opinion of Independency and acknowledge that the Congregationall way had not any warrant and footing in Gods word and that the opinion of the Presbyterians concerning the combining of many Congregations under one Presbytery and their Dependency upon it and their making of a subordination of many Assemblies under one Aristocracy to be governed by the Common Councell and joynt consent of many Elders was Gods Ordinance This I say all the Independents that I have ever talked with or or by relation heard of have promised and by protestation engaged themselves that if it could be made appear unto them by the word of God that there were many Congregations of Beleevers either in Ierusalem or in any of the Primtive churches that then the controversy amongst the brethren would be at an end Now although I have in the foregoing treatise sufficiently evinced and made it evident that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were all dependent upon that one Presbytery yet because it is the chief point of controversie between us and the which being sufficiently cleared is that that will put an end to the whole debate and because also Mr Knollys hath so peremptorily affirmed That the brethren have not acknowledged that there were divers Assemblies of Beleevers there for his farther satisfaction and for the satisfaction of all those of his party and for the satisfaction of all men and that at last the brethren may be the more fully convinced of the error of their wayes and that the simple people also may be undeceived I shall desire them all seriously to weigh and consider what both my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo are forced to confesse though I must needs say thus much of them both That they withhold much of the truth in unrighteousnesse as I shall by and by make appear but this I say I desire all men advisedly to weigh what they are both constrained to acknowledge First therefore I will again set down my brother Burtons words and in the second place I will repeat Saint Hanserdoes expressions For my brother Burton his words are these They were saith he constrained to sever themselves into diverse companies in severall private houses to communicate and which is more he granteth That those severall companies were but so many branches of that one and the same particular Church c. thus he Master Hanserdoes words are these All the beleevers saith he in the Church of Ierusalem met together with one accord in one place to wit the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house and that day by day these are Saint Hanserdoes own words Now I
his Throne all such as these are I say make Christ a Pagent King and salute him with haile Master as the Jews did to usurpe some of their own rhetorick and learned elequence but indeed they disthrone him For what is it to disthrone a King if writing of Warning Peeces and Pamphlets against Kings service and Kings-honour be not And what I pray is it to disthrone a King if this be not to passe all acts of Government in the peoples name and to send out all their warrants and mandates in the peoples name and to command all their officers to manage all their imploiments in the peoples name never so much as mentioning or taking notice of the King in a publique act of Government Are not all these actions and passages to any rationall creature a sufficient demonstration that the King in that Kingdome is either absolutely disthroned or is but a King to them in ludibry as Christ was to the wicked Jews I am confident that all understanding men will so conclude Now when in all the new congregations those new gathered churches the Ildependents there have such amongst them that write books and that with their approbation against Iesu-Worship that is against the Worship of Iesus who is the eternall King of his Church and when every day in all their particular churches they exercise all the acts of Government in the name of their churches and not in Christs the Kings name and that against the command of Christ and his Apostles I affirm and by the grace of God I hope ever to make it good that all this is not onely a robbing Christ our Lord and King of his due honour but a blasphemous and more then a Papall usurpation and derogating from his Kingly dignity and royalty yea it is indeed a plain disthroning of Christ their King and thrusting him out of his place and putting themselves in it which whether or no it be not the highest point of contumacy rebellion and blasphemy I leave to the judgment of others as for my self I know not what either of these things be if they be not blasphemy for when I learned Divinity I was taught that blasphemy consisted in this either to give unto God that that belonged not to him and to the excellency of his Majesty divine nature or to detract from him that that peculiarly belonged either to the essence persons or glorious attributes of the diety or to give the honour properly and peculiarly due to God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost or to any person in the glorious Trinity to any creature or malitiously or wickedly to speak evill of God his essence attributes word works c. or to do or act any thing obstinately and wilfully that is or may be derogatory to the dignity and honour of the Divine Majesty of God blessed for ever any of these things when I studied Divinity were thought blasphemy and worthy of severest punishments and those that perpetrated any of those crimes were reputed unworthy to live and proclamed blasphemers and men unsufferable and yet there are many such kind of creatures in our new gathered Churches who are guilty of all that can be called blasphemy and that rob Christ the Lord of his Worship and write against Iesu-worship blaspheme the holy Scriptures and deny the diety of Christ and the blessed Trinity c. and disthrone Christ in their new Congregations whiles they cry hail Master exercising all acts of Government amongst themselvs in the name of the Church never so much as mentioning the name of Christ the King and many more intolerable insolencies they dayly commit against the Soveraign Majesty of heaven and earth the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and King and all these notwithstanding are counted Saints that commit these vices and malifices and great books are writ in defence of all these wicked blasphemous wretches and both their errors and their persons are countenanced and that by their great Rabbyes and Champions all which notwithstanding are in Gods dialect and in his holy Word both old and new counted abominable creatures and men unholy and displeasing unto God and the acters and abetters and countenancers of all such blasphemies and wickednesses were thought equally guilty and great and fearfull judgements were denounced against them all as it is apparently evident out of Gods holy Word and yet these great evills are counted but the infirmities of the Saints amongst our Independent masters Now then I say when the Illdefendents are guilty of all these crimes as partly acting them partly tolerating such as are both actors and abetters or conniving at them and countenancing them pretend they what they will of setting up Christ upon his Throne I hope to be ever able to make it good that they all of them disthrone Christ manifest to the world that as much as in them lies they would not have him raign over them and so make themselves guilty of that crime they lay to the Presbyterians charg whom they dayly accuse to be enemies of Jesus Christ his Kingdom and such as would not have Christ rule over them when notwithstanding the Presbyterians do and ever will by Gods divine assistance set up Christ King upon his Throne and shall ever desire that all honour and glory and praise may be given for ever and ever to the King eternall immortall invisible the only wise God the King of Saints and King of Kings and that he may solely rule for ever and that all his enemies and such as rob him of his honour and dignity may be made his footstoole in the number of which the greatest part of the Sectaries are and all such as comply with them And this shall suffice to have spoken concerning the first part of my undertaking against I. S. which was to set forth the wickednesse of the Independents and to shew how by their doctrine they rob Christ of his honour and Kingly dignity when they pretend they set him upon his Throne which is an unsufferable blasphemy in them And now I come to prove against I. S. that I undertook in the second place to make good viz. that by their doctrine they not only rob Christ of his honour but all Christs blessed Apostles Ministers and Servants of their power and leave them nothing but the name and shadow of authority which is a horrid injustice and wickednesse in the Sectaries and Independents to do which although I have briefly proved before yet I shall here again for the more full elucidation of the truth and for the better setting forth of the Ill-dependent wickednesse a little further expatiate in this business and answer to all that I. S. hath materially or with any colour to speak in behalfe of his cause where I presume he hath spake as much as he and his complices thought and conceived made for it and for which their vain and impious jangling they must one day give a dreadfull account I undertake therefore now to prove
esteemed of to be godly as walking unblameably being also diligent hearers of the word before they knew them yet after their acquaintance with them being first by their meanes seduced from our Churches after some time they fell from their congregations also into wicked and desperate opinions and in a short time after became so prophane and beastly yea so atheisticall as it would exceed ordinary beliefe to relate and truly if I had not very good witnesse to prove what I say besides my owne knowledge and experience I would not have mentioned it but because if occasion serves I shall be able to produce many Presidents of fearefull Apostasies even amongst those that were their Schollers and the Disciples of the Independent way I am the willinger to speake of it that I might arme all men with some caution in reading their Pamphlets which they write against the Presbyterians for they never deale candidly neither with them nor with their own brethren for first they either wholly disswade them from reading our bookes or else by their emissaries and rayling Libels they most shamefully vilifie and belye them so that they come prejudicated to them and then they send their owne putrid and corrupt scriblings amongst those of their Fraternity whom they miserably cozen and abuse with their fraudulent jugglings and that against all the Lawes of piety and common honesty to the disturbance both of Church and State This I thought fit I say to speake before I come to my second question and severall Queries arising from it concerning the gathering of Churches and their answers unto them wherein they rather trifle then dispute as will by and by appeare I shall therefore in my replying unto them first set downe the question fully with all my queries and then answer to all the materials of their fond cavils and evasions with their silly responsals to them and after I have done that I will set downe Gods method and the Apostles practise in the gathering of Churches with the manner of their admitting of Members and then reply to whatsoever they have to say against my Arguments and Reasons deduced from holy Scripture and for further confirmation of the truth I will adde many more Presidents and them undeniable ones of the Apostles receiving of Members and that into Churches formed after the New-Testament forme according to their owne description besides those that were received into the Catholike visible Church and all without any of those conditions they now require of their Members and I shall by Gods assistance evidently make it appeare that God by his holy Apostles and Ministers uses but one way of admitting of members into the church whether it be the catholike visible church or any particular presbyterian church whether they be admitted in an ordinary or an extraordinary way I say by thegrace of God I shal clearly elucidate this truth that God useth one and the same method in gathering his people out of all nations into Church fellowship and the communion of the Saints which ought to all Ministers to be a rule to walke by in the receiving in of Members into their Congregations Having thus set downe what order I will proceed in I come now to the second question betweene us and the Brethren which is concerning the manner of gathering of Churches and admitting of Members and Officers viz. Whether Ministers of the Gospel may out of already congregated Assemblies of ` Beleevers select and choose the most principall of them into a Church-fellowship peculiar unto themselves and admit of none into their society but such as shall enter in by a private covenant and are allowed of by the consent and approbation of all the Congregation And this question brancheth it selfe into these severall Queries The first whether for the gathering of Churches there bee either Precept or President in the Holy Word of God that the Preachers and Ministers of the Gospel did ever leave their owne ordinary charges to which they are called and whereto they are fixed with a command not to leave them and under pretence of a new way or a new borne truth or a new light did runne about and alienate the minds of the people well affected formerly to their severall Ministers as of duty they were bound as who had converted them to Christ by their Ministery and fed them still with the sincere milke of the Word and built them up in their most holy Faith I say the first Quere is whether there be precept or example in the Word of God of any true Ministers so doing and whether it was ever heard of in the Apostles and Primitive times that any beleeving Christians were in great numbers congregated from among other beleeving Christians and moulded into severall Congregations and Assemblies as separate and distinct bodies and Churches from them and who had no Church-fellowship with the other Congregations nor communicated with them in the Ordinances but were independent from them and absolute among themselves and whether this way of gathering of Churches was ever heard of before these dayes and whether this be to set Christ upon his Throne to make divisions and schismes in Churches and among Beleevers and brethren and that upon groundlesse pretences The second Quere is whether for the making of any man or woman a Member of the Church it be requisite or necessary to the beleeving and being baptized that they should walke some dayes weeks moneths perhaps yeares with them that they may have experience of their conversation before they can be admitted and after that a confession of their faith should be publikely made before the Congregation and the evidences of their conversion as the time when the place where the occasion how they were converted should likewise openly be produced for satisfaction to the Church before they can be admitted to be Members and if any either men or women shall except against their evidence that then they are not to be admitted this is the second Quere The third is whether for making any man or woman a Member or an Officer of a Church the consent of the whole Congregation or the greater part of them besides the Presbyters and Ministers be requisite The fourth Quere is whether for the admission of any one into Church-fellowship and Communion a private solemne Covenant be requisite or necessary for the making of any one a Member the neglect or refusall of the which makes them incapable of their Member-ship and admission There is no question betweene us and the brethren about a publike covenant for we have Presidents of that in holy Scripture in all publike reformations The fifth Quere is whether the women and people as well as the Presbyters and Ministers have the power of the Keyes and whether the women have all their voices in the Church both for election and reprobation of Members and officers as well as the men and whether the consent of all the women or the greatest part of them bee requisite for
you say Page 115. As Gods command to all Ministers was that they should admit all such into the Church as beleeved and were baptized upon their desiring it without any confession either private or publike Here saith my brother Burton I leave you to reconcile your own contradiction upon their profession and without any confession For Answer I assert that my words are so far from a notable contradiction to any men that know what a contradiction is that there is not at all so much as a very similitude of a contradiction in them For what contradiction I pray is there in these expressions The Ministers of the Gospell are to receive all such as beleeve and are baptized and that upon the profession of their faith and repentance c. Gods command to all Ministers is that they shall admit all such into the Church as beleeve and are baptized upon their desiring it without any confession c. Here as all the world may see is no contradiction But if I had in those places expressed my selfe thus viz. the Ministers of the Gospell are to admit none into the Church but upon their publike confession of their faith And in the second place if I had said God commands all Ministers to admit all such into the Church as beleeve and are baptized without any confession of their faith Then my brother Burton might have had a poor occasion of making observations but if upon a conceipt of so small a thing as a contradiction he will call for the attention of the whole world and cry out a notable contradiction how would this man vapor if he could get some great advantage against me without doubt he would cry Victoria Victoria I do beleeve that Saint Cretensis would not more radomontadoe it over even to be honoured Master Edwards then he would over me But as I said before and as all the judicious wil observe there is no contradiction in those two expressions for to describe one and the same thing in a various manner is no contradiction which as the learned know consists in denying and affirming of one and the same thing which the saying upon their profession and without any confession does not for profession is one thing and confession is another they are two distinct things and therefore there was no denying and affirming of one and the same thing and therefore no contradiction But by such triflings as these are my brother Burton â— S. and Hanserdo Knollys like those evill workers Saint Paul speaks of Phil. 3. 2. whom he commands all Christians to beware of they squander away their pretious time to delude and deceive the ignorant people whereas they might better by far imploy themselves if they were all now this hot weather in the Butchers shambles a killing of flyes And this shall serve in way of Answer to his first observation of a notable contradiction And now I come to his other observation in the same page but to what it hath relation I know not nor how he brings it in to be an answer nor what he intends by it for the man is very rambling but thus he speaketh there Secondly saith he I answer that in these dayes of professed and covenanted for Reformation there is required the profession or confession of one speciall point of faith which in words none dare but in practice most do deny touching Christs Kingly office and his absolute sole soveraignty c. Thus he there expatiates but against whom or what he makes that answer I know not For thus much I can say in the behalfe of all the godly and learned Presbyterians there are no men upon the earth that more endeavour both in word and deed to professe and confesse that speciall point of faith touching Christs Kingly office and his absolute soveraignty as by all their practices they declare then they as all their learned Sermons and Writings can witnesse and on the other side concerning all the Illdependents and Sectaries I can truly say thus much that never any people made a greater noise in words of advanceing Christ and setting him up naked upon his Throne for so they speak then they do and yet never did any people more dishonour him or disthrone him then they as in the foregoing discourse I have sufficiently proved And therefore if this his second Answer concerns any it belongs to the Independents and it highly indeed concerns them all to consider their erroneous wayes and now at last to seek after the wayes of Truth Peace and Love and not thus with their tongues and penns to set the whole world on fire and then to warm and heat themselvs by the light of it like those that danced about their calfe who did eat and drink and rose up to play And this shall serve for answer to that And so now I go on to my third observation out of the Apostles Commission The third thing we may observe is that this commission was delivered only to the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel and that it was their place only who had the Keys delivered unto them to open and shut the doors of the Church to admit such as they thought for their faith knowledge and repentance were sufficiently qualified and fitted to be made Members and to refuse such as they conceived not fit to be received into the fellowship of the Church either for their ignorance or other sins and offences and to cast such out of the Church as through their malversation declared themselvs to be no beleevers for the commission was only delivered unto the Apostles and Ministers that they should admit whosoever beleeved and were baptized and they that beleeved not and would not be baptized were not to be admitted This Commission I affirme was only given to the Apostles and Ministers and it was and is that office that peculiarly belongeth unto them And if we looke into the method of Gods dealing with his Church in all ages under the Law and under the Gospell both for the admitting of any into the Church as Members and Officers or the casting out of any and to all the practice of the Prophets and Priests of the Old Testament or the practice of John the Baptist and the blessed Apostles in the time of the New Testament we shall finde that they that were admitted into the society and fellowship of the Church were by the Ministers onely under both the Testaments received and to them the people by God himselfe were sent and they sent unto the people for this purpose And for proofe of this I now say I will first begin with the Old Testament a few testimonies of the which may serve for the confirmation of that truth as that of Malachi 2. ver 4 5 6 7. And ye shall know that I have sent this my commandement unto you that my covenant might be with Levy saith the Lord of hosts My covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave them to him for
their own and therefore if the name of Presbyters be odious in the Ministers of the Church of England no reason can gainsay it but that they also should be as odious to the people as their brethren for they also are Presbyterians But that the truth may the better appear whether the Ministers of the Church of England or the Independent Ministers be most guilty of all the accusations laid to their charge it will not be a misse to compare the practice of the Ministers of the church of England and the proceedings of the Independent Ministers together and that both for their doctrine and discipline and in their severall studies and endeavours for the advancing of Christs Kingdome and by so doing it will be easie for any to judge which of their governments and which of the Ministers are more intolerable and which of them are most guilty of those foule reproaches the Ministers of the church of England are aspersed with by their Brethren for he hath a shallow understanding and a very dim sight that cannot discern whether those that advance Christs their Kings Word and Laws onely and follow his commission and the example of the holy Apostles in their Ministeries and that of John Baptist and the primitive Preachers or those that set up their own inventions and prefer them before the Laws of Christ and have neither precept nor president for their doings in all the holy Word of God He I say that cannot judge which of these most advance Christ for their King either those that obey Christs Laws or those that observe their own neglecting Christs is of a very shallow capacity But now let us compare them together the Ministers of the Church of England preach faith and repentance the Law and the Gospell according to Christs commission given to his Apostles and they receive all into the Church that beleeve and are baptized and such as but desire to be admitted they demanding of them what they should do to be saved and in their so doing they have both precept and presidents For Christ in his commission unto them hath given them authority so to do Neither did he ever say unto his Apostles and Ministers admit none into the church although they beleeve and are baptized without they walk with you some dayes weeks moneths or years that you may behold their conversation and manner of life and after you have had some tryall and experience of them see then that they make a publike confession of their faith before the church and give in the evidences of the truth of their conversion before the congregation and enter into a private and solemne Covenant and be admitted by the consent and approbation of the Church or otherwise if they will not submit themselves to this Law and come into the Church upon these conditions receive them not into your Assemblies nor admit of them for members Here is nothing of all this in Christs Commission nor in his holy Word nor any president of the same in sacred Authority and therefore John the Baptist and the holy Apostles and primitive Ministers admitted all that came unto them and such as but demanded of them what they should do to be saved and baptized them and received them into the Church without any gainsaying or question as we may see in the third of Luke and in the seventh chapter of the same book and in the second of the Acts and no sooner did the Eunuch desire baptisme but Philip granted it the Goaler did but aske Paul and Sylas What they should do to be saved and they said Beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house and it is related that the Goaler and all his were streight way baptized Acts 16. vers 31 32 33. that is they were forthwith admitted into the Church without either walking any time with the Church for their approbation or without either making a publike confession of their faith before the Church or giving in evidences of the truth of their conversion to the congregation or entring into a private covenant and without the consent and allowance of the Church And Christ notwithstanding was imbraced by them as their Lord and King and was preached by Paul and Silas as the Lord and King of his Church and was set up upon his Throne as King by them as well as he is in any Independent Churches and yet they had none of all their new borne truths and they could then see how to set up Christ upon his Throne without their new lights and as Christ was then by Paul and Silas and the other Apostles set upon his Throne as King in all those primitive Churches so he is at this day in all the true Protestant Churches through the world as well as in any of the Independent Assemblies and yet they were and are all ignorant of their new way so that any understanding christian may gather that all their new borne truths are no way requisite for the setting up of Christ as King in his Church nor for the advancement of Christs Kingly government for if they had Christ would have put them into the Apostles Commission and the Apostles who were led into all truth by the holy Ghost who brought whatsoever Christ had taught them concerning the Kingdome of God Act. 1. into their memories would have suggested all these things The new way the new borne truth the new lights to them that they might have been recorded if they had been necessary for the setting up of Christ upon his Throne but when neither Christ nor the holy Ghost nor the blessed Apostles have prescribed any of all these to the church nor called for them nor required them of any that desire to be saved or made Members of the church whether this be not a great temerity in any men to preach all these things as the lawes of Christ I leave it to the judgement of any ingenuous minded christian and whether this be not to preferre their own inventions and traditions before the commandements of God and the lawes of Christ the King of his church and whether this be not rather to set up themselves than Christ I referre it also to any judicious and impartiall christians to weigh and consider I shall now demand of any moderate christian therefore and let him answer me candidly whether of those Ministers and people most advance the Kingdome of Christ and acknowledge him to be their onely Lord and Law-giver that both in their teaching and beleeving follow his commission and Word and teach nothing nor beleeve nothing as they are injoyned but what Christ their King commands them or those that to the commission and commands of Christ adde their own inventions and traditions and preferre them before the lawes of Christ the King and Law giver of his Church I am confident if he will deale impartially he will answer me that those Ministers and that people most advance Christ for their King
and most set him upon his Throne that own his Law and that onely for the rule of their faith and obedience for Christ himselfe hath said it Iohn 10. My Sheep hear my voiyce they will not listen unto the voyce of a stranger Christs voyce onely the King of his Church is to be heard and they onely that obey it advance him for their King and set him up on his Throne which when the Ministers and Beleevers in the Church of England doe and the Independents do not they more advance Christ for their King than they for the Independents to Christs Law and Commission adde their owne traditions and inventions and enjoyne all that will be admitted as Members into their congregations besides their beleeving and being baptized to walke with them some time for approbation and to make a publike confession of their faith before the Church and to bring in the evidences of the truth of their conversion and enter into a private and solemne Covenant and not to be admitted as members without the consent of the Church all which Christ the King of his church never commanded and those that will not submit themselves to these their traditions they will not permit or suffer to enter into their church as joyned members which they call the onely true Churches of Christ and count of all others that differ from them as enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and as men without the covenant and if this be to set up Christ upon his Throne then the Pharisees set up Christ upon his Throne who preferred their own traditions before the commandements of God yea the Pope himselfe and the Prelates set up Christ upon his Throne who preferred their owne traditions and idolatries before the Lawes of Christ Now if all the traditions of the Papists were justly abhorred and cast out of the church as things deâ—ogatory to the Kingly and Propheticall dignity of Iesus Christ and as things repugnant to his Royaltie I see no reason but all other popery under whatsoever name or title it be intruded upon the people should be eliminated and cast out of the church and whether this be not a new kind of Popery to bring in new wayes and new borne truths and new lights and impose them upon the people as the commands of God and to excommunicate and unchurch all churches in the world but their owne assemblies I referre my selfe to the judgement of any intelligible christian Saint Paul writing to the Galatians blames those false Teachers amongst them that would have joyned but the ceremoniall Law with the Gospel and cals it a perverting of the Gospel of Christ and wishes that such Teachers were cut off Gal. 5. v. 12. and blames likewise those Galatians that received their doctrine saying Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth and yet they onely urged the ceremoniall Law which God by Moses had appointed to remaine till the fulnesse of time but was now abrogated they were not their owne traditions they were no new borne lights no new wayes no new truths Now if Paul was so displeased or God rather with the Galatians both teachers and hearers the one for bringing in or joyning the ceremoniall Law to the Gospel and the other for admitting of them how highly would God have beene displeased with them if they had set up their owne inventions for the Lawes of God and had brought in new borne truths and intruded them upon the people as necessary to salvation and for the setting up of Christ upon his Throne Without doubt the Apostle would most sharpely have reproved them and have given speciall caveats against them as hee did in his Epistle to the Colossians the second chapter of the which is chiefly spent in condemning all humane traditions yea in his first chapter of his Epistle to the Galatians verse 8 9. Hee chargeth them that though the Apostles themselves or an Angel from Heaven should preach unto them otherwise than that they had received they should count him accursed and as J said before saith the Apostle so say I now againe if any man preach unto you otherwise than that you have received let him be accursed But none of the Apostles ever taught the Church that christians and beleevers though baptized should not bee admitted as members into the Church unlesse they had walked some time in church-fellowship with them and had first made a publicke confession of their faith and had brought in the evidences of the truth of their conversion and entred into a solemne private covenant and were admitted by the consent of the church none of all this did ever the Apostles teach or the christians of those times embrace or beleeve and therefore such doctrines as these ought not to be received In the first of the Corinthians in many places he reproves those that made schismes and brought in heresies and sects into the Church and in the fourth chapter and sixth verse under his owne and Apollo's name hee sets an example before them that they should containe themselves within the limits and bounds of that doctrine and manner of preaching prescribed and set downe in the Word of God and used by the Spirit of God and commands them that they should learne in the Apostles not to presume or to be wise above that which is written and enjoynes all christians to reject all wayes of teaching that have not Gods Word for their warrant Now in all Gods Word there is nothing of all this written that after men beleeve and are baptized they should not yet be admitted into the Church without they had walked some time with them for their approbation and without they had made a publike confession of their faith before the congregation and brought in the evidences of their true conversion and had entred into a private covenant and were admitted by the consent of the church none of all this is written in Gods Word and therefore wee ought not to imbrace it And in the 2 of the Corinths c. 11 v. 4. the Apostle signifieth unto the Corinthians that no man can teach the Gospel the things of of heaven more exactly than he and the other Apostles have taught them nor set before them a more perfect Doctrine of Jesus Christ than that that they have taught them for the converting of any unto Christ and for the setting up of Christ as King upon his Throne and for the making of them Members of the Church and for the building of them up in their most holy faith and commands the Corinthians to take heed of all false Teachers whatsoever piety and godlinesse they make shew of calling them deceitfull workers and such as transforme themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvaile saith he for Sat an himselfe can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and therefore it is no wonder his Ministers transforme themselves as though they were the Ministers of righteousnesse Now if men will
consider what those false teachers were wee shall find them to be no other but such as under shew of holinesse and piety taught their owne inventions and grolleries and abused the simplicity of the people for their owne advantage and brought them into bondage and devoured them verse 20. as the Phatisees did the Widowes houses under pretence of their long prayers which our Saviour Christ sharpely reproves them for and denounces a woe against them for their so doing after the same manner did these false Teachers amongst the Corinthians who made their owne traditions joyned Members with the Gospel as if they had had a more fine neat eleganter way of gathering of churches and admitting of Members than Paul and the other Apostles But the Apostle bids the Corinthians take heed of all such how glorious soever they seeme to appeare and tels them they cannot teach the way to Heaven and happinesse better than hee and the other Apostles have done and yet neither Saint Paul or any of the Apostles in preaching of the Gospel taught them that they should admit of none to bee joyned Members of the Church although they beleeved and were baptized except they walked sometime in fellowship amongst them that they might have approbation and tryall of their conversation first and after make a publick confession of their faith before the church and did give in evidences of the truth of their conversion to the congregation and entred into a solemne private covenant and were admitted Members by consent of the church Not a word of all this in the Gospel that Saint Paul and the other Apostles taught and therefore all that teach their new wayes their new-borne truths and set up their new lights are wise above that which is written and teach otherwise than Christ and his Apostles have taught or the christians of the Primitive times had received and therefore ought by the Apostles command Gal. 1. verse 8. 9. to be accursed Saint Iohn also in his second Epistle to the Elect Lady verse 9 10. saith Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ hee hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any unto you that bringeth not the doctrine of Christ receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for hee that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evill deeds Now the doctrine that the Independent Ministers teach for the gathering of churches and admitting of members and joyning and jumbling of them together was never taught by Christ nor any of his Apostles for they themselves confesse it is a new way and a new borne truth and a new light and therefore not the doctrine of Christ and therefore such novelties are not to be entertained nor imbraced nor the teachers of them if we will be obedient to Apostolicall precepts I desire therefore those of the Independent brethren to produce any one testimony or any one president out of the Word of God where these things following are taught or have beene practised First that although men and women beleeve and are baptized they are not yet to be admitted as joyned Members till they have walked sometime in fellowship with the church for approbation of their conversation this is the first thing I desire of the brethren either a precept or an example for this in Gods Word The second where it is commanded that those that beleeve and are baptized should not be admitted as Members of the church whithout a publike confession of their faith before the church The third where it is enjoyned that to their Faith and Baptisme they should bring in the evidences of the truth of their conversion before they can be capable of their membership The fourth where it is commanded that they should enter into a solemn and private covenant before they can be admitted to church-fellowship The fifth where it is imposed upon those that beleeve and are baptized that they should not be received into the church without the consent of the congregation Sixthly where it is commanded that the Ministers of the Gospell shall run about from their own places and charges into the sheepfolds of their fellow-shepherds and separate and pick out all their best sheep and bring them into their own folds and debar them from all church-fellowship and communicating with the other beleevers in Gods holy Ordinances and Sacraments or where ever it is commanded that the Preachers of the Gospel shall gather beleeving Christians from among beleeving Christians and separate them from the other sheep into Independent congregations and shall proclame all that are not thus moulded up after this new modell to be people out of covenant and to have no right to the seals of the new covenant neither they nor their children though beleevers All these things I desire the brethren by evident places of the holy Scripture to make good and to confirme or by any president or example to declare to have been practised either by Christ or his blessed Apostles for I look for a law from Christ the King of his church who was as faithfull in the house of God as Moses was and hath not left the ordering and disposing of his church to the will of men but hath commanded the church to hear his voice who is the great Pastor and Bishop of our souls and the teacher of his church his Word therefore I look for for a warrant for the ratifying of all these doctrines and I have good ground and reason to demand of them a warrant and authority out of Gods Word for what they both teach and practice for we are taught by Christ the onely Prophet of his church that they that serve God after the precepts of men offer him a vain worship and it stands with all good reason that if all humane traditions though of never so ancient standing and of never so long antiquity were all cast out of the church because they had no footing or ground in Gods Word that all novelties or new inventions of men which notwithstanding are imposed upon the people as the ways of God should be abrogated and nullified and cast out of the church It is recorded in holy writ Ioshua 9. that the Gibeonites deceived Ioshua and the people of Israel under pretence that they came from a farre country and for proofe of that they produced their mouldy bread and their tattered botles and their old shooes and they taking what they said pro confesse and not consulting with the mouth of the Lord as it is fully related in that chapter were deceived by them and entred into a League with their enemies And thus the Papists and Prelates for these many hundred years have deluded the world under pretence of their mouldy antiquities and tattered raggs of traditions and in all this time they prevailed to mislead the poore people because they consulted not with the mouth of God nor examined things
once delivered to the Saints and against the wayes of Men and such as were brought into the Church by the cunning craftinesse of some and thrust upon the people as the Lawes and Ordinances and wayes of God when they are but their owne inventions and tend to no edification but to the trouble and disturbance of Church and State and such as already have brought a confusion upon us all and if the Lord do not speedily from Heaven send his helping hand we can expect nothing but desolation and all from these divisions that their new wayes have brought in and therefore it is high time for all good christians and such as love the peace of Sion more exactly to examine all these new wayes and to put them upon the proofe of them But that the Brethren should complaine of persecution amongst us and of evill usage it is against all reason and humanity and sheweth little gratitude in them to all the christians both thorow citie and countrey for if they remember when they came over though they had deserted the cause when they had most need of them they were more honoured then any of those famous and learned Ministers that had undergone the labour and heat of the day and they were preferred before them all and setled in the prime Lectures of the Kingdome and had more honourable maintenance then was usually given to any Lecturers before them and therefore they deale not brotherly in any of all their proceedings nor humanely so to asperse them as they ordinarily doe both publickly and privately I am confident there is not such a president in the world of humanity as that shewed here to them it is well knowne and their books practices declare it that they preach new ways new-born truths as they call them and set up new lights Now where was it ever heard of either in the Christian or Pagan world that it was ever permitted unto any Ministers or Preachers to have all the Pulpits in any nation to preach a diverse doctrine to that which is set up by authority and such as tends to make a faction and division amongst the people I doe most assuredly beleeve that there cannot the like president be produced Amongst the Heathen the Iewish Religion in many countries was tolerated but they were confined to their owne Synagogues they might not come in the Heathens Pulpits to preach up the Iewish worship amongst them or to set up another service contrary to the custome of the Nation It was an abomination to the Egyptians that the Iewes should sacrifice in their land they would not have suffered them then to have preached up their Religion in all their Pulpits In Turkey at this day Christians in many places have the liberty of their consciences amongst themselves and have their places for worship to assemble in but they are not so much as permitted to come into their Temples much lesse to preach up their Religion in their Pulpits In France the Protestants are permitted to preach but it is only in such places as are appointed for them they may not preach in Popish Pulpits thaâ— is not permitted unto them In the Low-Countries there is liberty of conscience which they so much plead for of which afterwards and yet the divers sects that are there are not suffered to preach out of those places assigned unto them or to preach publikely in any of their Pulpits against the Religion established by authority neither are they permitted to unchristian them or unchurch them and publikely and in print to proclame them enemies of Christs government and if any should dare attempt such a thing or go about to disgrace their Ministers and Church-government or in the least intrench upon the Magistrates authority they would be made slie like lightning before thunder And yet the bâ—ethren â—mong us have the liberty of all the Pulpits thâ—oâ—h the kingdome without controule and vent all their new wayes and their new borne truths and setup their new lights without any moâ—estation and have all respectfull usage and the onely esteeme of the peoâ—le and are more followed than all our learned godly and painfull orthodox Ministers and yet they cry out of persecution and unchurch and unchristian us all and proclame both Ministers and people all enemies of christ and his Kingdome and count of us little better than of Infidels and keep our children from Baptism and debarre us from Communion with them and exercise a kinde of absolute Lordship over all their brethren so as Diotrephes never did the like nor the Pope moâ—e and yet they cry out of persecution against the aints and lay odious aspeâ—â—ions upon their brethren and fellow Presbyters perswading the people that the Presbyterian way will be as bad or worse then thaâ— of the Prelates But if we as duly examine the manner of the Independent government and compare it with the Presbyterian as we have done the manner of their preaching with theirs we shall finde there is little reason why they should so vilipend the Presbyterian and magnifie their own and why they should make it so hatefull and odious to the people laying aside therefore all pâ—ejudice let us examine things with deliberation and then it will be soon evident that the Presbyterian government is not as bad or worse than that of the Prelates nor so lordly as that of the Independent government which is also Presbyterian and they as well Presbyters as their brethren It is well known that the Prelates assumed and arrogated unto themselves to be the onely Pastors of their Diocesses and ruled all the Ministers and people under them by their own authority and spoiled all both Ministers and people and the severall congregations under them of their liberty and made them all both Ministers and people their vassals and slaves and from whoseâ— ourts there was no appeal Whereas the Presbyterian manner of government is not as that of Lords and Masters oâ—er Subjects and Servants but social as between equalls between brethren friends and collegues who all judg are alâ— judged according to the Word of God where no congregation is above another congregation no Minister is above another Minister but only for order-sake where every Presbyter is left to enjoy the whole office of a Presbyter and each congregation to the freedome of a congregation and what belongs unto them and they able to performe it and the classes to corroborate and strengthen them And if any man be wronged by the Presbytery he may have the benefit of his Appeal and be cleared by more righteous Judges a course ever followed by the Churches and agreeable to the light of nature so that I say if men would without a prejudicate opinion weigh and consider all things and compare the government of the Prelates with that of the Presbyterian they would speedily be undeceived And again if they would compare the Presbyterian Government Dependent with the Presbyterian Government Independent they would have more honourable
that if those of their nighest relations should go about to intice any to Idolatry or to the worshipping of false gods or the true God in a false manner or should endeavour but to bring in another Religion than that the Lord had appointed that then they should bring them forth and have justice done against them so that God abhorreth that any Religion amongst his own people should be tolerated or set up besides that he himselfe hath commanded and he had forbid in his law that any man should make to themselves any graven Image or set up any way of worshipping him but that which he himself had ordained and injoyned and commanded that they that should attempt any such thing should be put to death We see likewise what Ioshua did according to the commandment of God who ought to be a pattern to all Christians and all Christian Magistrates chap. 24. verse 14 15 16. Now therefore saith he fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Aegypt and serve ye the Lord and if it seem evill unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell but for me and my house we will serve the Lord And the people answered and said God forbid that we should forsake the Lord and serve other gods for the Lord our God is he that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage c. Here we may observe first that Ioshua injoynes them to serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth and that they might do that to put away all their idols he gives no toleration of all Religions and the like may be said of Ioshua Ioshua 24. 15. and that they might with the more alacrity yeeld obedience to God's command he sets his own example before their eyes with his resolution which was that both he and his houshold would serve the Lord onely and set up his worship and all the people likewise assented to do the same and gave their reason why they would serve the Lord and tolerate no other Religion because say they the Lord hath brought us up out of the land of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage and made us his peculiar people and therefore they resolved to serve him onely and tolerate no other service amongst them but that which God himself had commanded and appointed And this example of Ioshua and the people of Israel is left to all the people of God to all ages for imitation whose duty it is to set up the true worship of God only amongst them and none but that which Christ their Redeemer King and Law-giver hath injoyned them and therefore all such as would have all Religions tolerated do exceedingly forget themselves and are highly unthankfull to Christ their King and Redeemer And if we look into the story of the Judges the book following that of Ioshua when this generation was dead and that they had forgot their covenant and began to tolerate all Religions amongst them they brought down all those plagues upon themselves by it that were written in the law of Moses and for no other cause saith the holy Scripture but for that they set up those Religions the heathens had served their gods by as is manifest from the sixth chapter for when the people cryed unto the Lord because of the Midianites the Lord sent a Prophet unto them first who told them that the cause of all the judgements was because they had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord but had served the gods of the nations which he had forbidden them and afterwards he sent an Angel unto Gideon and commanded him to break down the Altar of Baal which his father had made and to cut down the Grove that was by it and to set up an Altar to the Lord In the first place Gideon was enjoyned to root out idolatry and then to set up Gods true worship onely here we finde no toleration of any Religion but the true Religion when they set upon the work of reformation and when the men of the City made inquiry after him that had broken down the Altar and cut down the Grove and would have put him to death it is related that Ioash the Father of Gideon said to all those that stood against him Will ye plead for Baal will ye save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death whiles it is yet morning if he be a god let him plead for himselfe because one hath cast down his Altar Here we finde no toleration of Baal's Religion but that they that would plead for him should be put to death and surely those that will plead for a toleration of all Religions do no lesse than fight against God But now let us see what Elias did 1 King 18. ver 21. who was counted as the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel with Baals Priests and what he said to all those of his times How long saith he to the people will ye halt between two Religions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be God then follow him The holy Prophet would not admit of a toleration of all Religions but when God had miraculously manifested from Heaven that Elias his Religion was the true Religion and which God in his holy Word had established all Baals Priests were put to death and that by Elias his command who said Take the Prophets of Baal let none of them escape and they took them and Elias took them and brought them down to the Brook Kishon and slew them there And so upon all reformations all other Religions were cast out but the true Religion as we may see through the whole Scripture as in the stories of the Kings and Chronicles and those of Nehemiah and Ezra and through all the Prophets and the Lord in the second of Ieremiah complaineth against his people That they had forsaken the fountain of living water that is they had forsaken the true God and served other gods and forsaken their maker and had been more unconstant than the very Heathen who had not forsaken their idoll gods and therefore for this their Rebellion and ingratitude the Prophet denounces all those plagues that were written in the Law against them as all the other Propheâ—s did for there is not any sinne in all the old Testament that the Lord more complaines of than that of Idolatry and the toleration of many Religions amongst them as is most abundantly set down both in Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezechiel Daniel and in all the other Prophets all which were written for our learning so that if the people of God shall imitate them in their sinnes they must look to partake with them in their
sowed good seed in his field that whiles the men slept his enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat and went his way which place is worthy to be taken notice of For in terminis it is said that whiles the men slept this I say is to be taken notice of for their dishonour that is to say after they had so wen the good seed and published the truth the Ministers and Preachers grew carelesse and like the people of Laish Judges 18. ver 7. and 10. Where they lived secure and the Magistrates were negligent in their place putting no man to shame for any evill they did which was the cause of their overthrow as it is there recorded and will be of ours and the ruine of the whole Kingdome if not timely prevented as being guilty of the same crime This indeed through the craft of the enemies hath bin one of the principallest occasions of the overspreading of this leprosie of all the heresies that now swarm through the whole Kingdome that the Ministers have not been so zealous and servent against them as they should have been and so valiant for the truth in the which guiltinesse Master Edwards is not involved for he hath all this time stood valiantly to the truth and shew'd himselfe a man of â—ourage and that against all opposition for which he deserveth especially to be honoured and all those likewise that have seconded him in discovering the danger of those devillish and damnable doctrines which have so poysoned the people every where that if the Lord of his infinite goodnesse do not speedily send helpe and put into the hearts both of Magistrates Ministers and all the people now at last to rouse up themselves and shew themselves valiant for the truth once delivered to the Saints which they are commanded to contend for Jude 3. they will but the more provoke the Lord to indignation against the Nation And in this good work they should set before their eyes the good example of all those worthy Kings and Governours whose names are recorded in holy writ to their everlasting honour for their diligence and care in suppressing of Errors and Idolatries withall they should lay to heart and consider that it highly concernes them if they desire the good of themselves and the welfare of their posterity and the peace of the whole land all which they will be deprived of if they speedily labour not to prevent them which a toleration of all Religions can never do for that must needs provoke the Lord to jealousie against us all for if we but duly weigh what the holy Ghost hath made known unto us in many places then that I now say will be out of doubt but omitting many places I will pitch upon one or two Judges 5 and 8. it is said there They chose new gods then was warr in the gates Here we see when all Religions came to be tolerated then was war in the gates And in the second of the Chronicles chap. 15. ver 3. 5 6. Now for a long season saith the holy Ghost Israel hath been without a true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Country And Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vex them with all adversity Now the cause of all these miseries and calamities that did come upon all these people was for their corrupting of their Religion And this we shall find through the whole Scripture to be the cause of the wrath of God upon the Nations for the corrupting of their wayes and for the tolerating of Idolatry and the adulterating of the true Religion amongst them as is sufficiently manifest both from the places above specified and from the second and third of the Revelations where the Lord denounceth Judgements against the Church of Pergamos and Thyatira c. for but conniving at and tolerating of the false doctrines amongst them in the which places as the Lord sheweth he is the same in the time of the New Testament not changeable so it should lesson both people and Ministers but especially the Magistrates now to add their helping hand for the suppressing of these damnable and wicked doctrines that are now every where too much divulged and published They should also consider what the Lord saith Zachariah 13. ver 3. And it shall come to passe saith the Prophet that when any shall yet prophesie then his father and his mother that bare him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakst lyes in the Name of the Lord and his father and mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth Here we may take notice that the nighest alyes and kindred of any false Prophet are not to spare him and there is most excellent reason for it for if the taking away of the naturall life of any wan or woman deserveth death by the law of God and Nations how much more is that punishable in any man that shall labour to destroy and poyson the soules of the people which all false teachers do when they spread heresies and damnable doctrines amongst them And for this place out of Zachariah it is acknowledged by the very Independents themselves that it is a Prophecy pertaining to those that are under the Gospell and belongeth unto all Christians as instructing them in their duty what they should do for the suppressing of false Prophets and they also do acknowledg that the establishing of pure Religion and the Reformation of corruptions in Religion do much concerne the civill peace confessing if Religion be corrupted there will be war in the gates and where Religion rejoyceth the civill state flourisheth all this I say the Independents themselves accord unto But they referre it and that truly unto the civill Magistrate partly by commanding and by stirring up the Churches and Ministers thereof to go about it in their spirituall way partly also by civill punishments upon the wilfull opposers and disturbers of the same Yea they apply that place out of Zachariah quoted by me to the times of the New Testament as I said before and confesse that it is prophesied there that in some cases capitall punishment shall proceed against false Prophets and that by procurement of their neerest kindred And moreover they say that the execution thereof is described Revel 16. v. 4 to the 7. Where the Rivers and Fountains of waters that is the Preists and Jesuites that convey the Religion of the Sea of Rome throughout the Countries are turned to blood that is have blood given them to drink by the Civill Magistrate These are the very expressions of the Independents themselves Now if this in their opinion doe hold true against the Priests and Iesuits whether it doth not also hold true against all the erroneous and blasphemous Sectaries and hereticall Teachers that by
murthering the soules of many thousand innocent people send them to the Devill that I leave to the grave consideration of all those that are zealous for the glory of God and valiant for the truth and to all such as desire to contend for the truth who ought ever to set before their eyes the example of all those godly Princes and Magistrates the names of which are recorded in holy Writ and in speciall it will be good to consider what Asa and the people of his time did whose prayses are set downe and what good followed upon it to the whole Land 2 Chron. 15. verse 12 13. it is said there That they entered into a Covenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soule that whosoever would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman and they swore unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets and all Judah rejoyced at the oath for they had sworne with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and hee was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about Here wee may take notice of these two things especially The first that this their covenanting against all such as should goe about to corrupt Religion for the punishing of them with death is left not onely for their eternall honour and praise and for our imitation but that it did so please the Lord that he was found of them The second thing observable is that hee did in a peculiar manner blesse them and gave them rest round about so that from thence wee learne that if Magistrates who are Gods Ministers and whose place it is will execute judgement against all Seducers and blasphemous Teachers by this they shall bring glory to God and procure peace and welfare to their Countries and safety to their dwellings And truly Magistrates should consider their places who are called gods and therefore as God hath set them an example both in Exod. 32. and Numb the 25. the places above cited in punishing Idolators so they also should follow him and the example of good King Asa in so doing They may remember also they are called nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers and therefore as nursing and tender Fathers and Mothers will not suffer corrupt and poysonous food be given to their children but kill Serpents and Scorpions and such venemous creatures and destroy them that may hurt them so they likewise should labour in their particular places to root out all that Generation of Vipers that poyson the people with their hereticall and blasphemous doctrine The Magistrates should remember also that they are called Pastors now no godly and carefull Pastors will suffer Wolves to come into their folds to worry and destroy their sheep how diligent ought they likewise to be to keep out those ravenous wolves though they come in sheeps clothing out of their severall Pastures that would destroy the soules of all their sheepe all these things I say all Magistrates should lay to heart and duly consider for their place it is to whom God hath committed the sword and who ought to watch over the people for good and whose neglecting of their duty will be laid to their charge and who are to answer for it before God if through their con nivence or negligence any evill happen to the people But if they should wilfully suffer the corruption of the true Religion and allow of a toleration of all Religions how much would this provoke the Lord to anger against the nation Wee may see how zealous good Nehemiah was in his time and how undauntedly hee stood to the cause of God saying should such a man as I am fly he was resolved to maintaine Gods truth which was his Honour to Eternity and for all Magistrates imitation Nehemiah the 13. verse 23 24 25. who but seeing that the Iewes had married wives of Ashdod of Ammon and of Moab and but hearing their children speake halfe â—in the speech of Ashdod and could not speake in the Iewes language but according to the language of each people it is related there that hee contented with them and reviled or cursed them and smote certaine of them and pluckt off their haire and made them sware by God saying ye shal not give your daughters unto their sonnes nor take their daughters unto your sonnes or for your selves did not Solomon King of Israel sinne by these things who was beloved of God neverthelesse even him did out-landish women cause to sinne Shall we then hearken unto you saith he to doe all this great evill to transgress against our God in marrying of strange wives Here wee have an example and patterne for all Christian Magistrates and such as are in authority to follow For this was pend for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come This example of Nehemiah was wont greatly to be urged upon Christians for imitation and that by those of the congregationall way and therefore I hope they will not now be displeased that I make use of it upon the like occasion and Magistrates were called upon by them to follow the patterne of noble and glorious Nehemiah in making a through Reformation in all things and for suppressing of all errors and innovations in Religion and in that hee would not suffer or tolerate any strange Religion amongst them for hee but hearing they speake the language of Ashdod cursed them and reviled them and smote them and beate them also for it and tore off the very haire of their faces so that hee laid severe corporall punishment upon them for it Now if hee would not suffer them in his sight and hearing to speake the language of Ashdod hee would never have granted them a toleration of all Religions for hee was another Ioshua fully resolved that hee and his houshold and all that were under his command should serve the Lord and him onely and that after his way and hee sufficiently there declareth his detestation against a toleration of all Religions or of giving the people an indulgence to serve God which way they thought best and to use the liberty of their consciences for hee made them all to imbrace the true Religion and to worship God according as hee had commanded in his holy word which is meant by that hee made them sweare by God which as all the learned know is ever in the holy Scripture to be understood of the true worship of God Now we see godly Nehemiah not onely urges them to imbrace the true Religion and to serve God according as hee himselfe hath appointed by Arguments and Reasons setting before them the miseries and calamities that came upon the whole land by Solomons tolerating of all Religions amongst them but gallant Nehemiah reviled them as if hee said you rogues doe you speake in the language of Ashdod and then cudgels them
they would have done the like and that they were men worthy of death which made them I say as equally guilty as their wicked Iudges and Executioners as wee may see also in those that assented unto the High-Priests and to the Scribes and Pharisees in putting to death the Lord of Life they made themselves all guilty of his blood and by that meanes brought the curse of God upon them and their children by it to this day as well as the High-Priests themselves a fearefull sinne though the world take no notice of it and which all these Kingdomes have yet to repent of Saint Paul also makes himselfe as guilty of Stephens blood as they that stoned him saying When thy holy Martyr Stephen was stoned I stood by and assented unto it and held the garments of those that stoned him By which hee acknowledgeth himselfe equally guilty and so all those that assented to all the cruelty done to the people of God in these Kingdomes and were approvers of their tyrannie are as guilty as the actors of it for consenting unto any treason or conspiracy or with any malefactors and all their complices both by the Law of God nature and nations makes them all guilty before God and men and as liable to justice and punishment as those that acted in those malefices and therefore those that but assent unto a toleration of all Religions a sinne so highly displeasing unto God are as guilty as the Actors of it and if but consenting make them guilty how guilty are they then that use Arguments to bring in a toleration of all Religions and abuse the Scriptures to this end and plead for it and would have it established by a Law surely they are offenders against divine Majesty in an elevated nature and have a great deale to answer for it before God especially when they doe it in a most scurrilous and rayling manner by which they manifest to all the world that they are more verst and better acquainted with the doctrine of Billings-gate then with the language of Canaan But this may seeme a wonderfull thing to all judicious men that that people which within these six yeers were afraid of a Surplice and of the crosse in Baptisme and of any popish ceremony or of any of their vaine traditions and will-worship which was their honour then should now plead for the toleration of the body and soule of Popery and for all other both Iewish and heathenish Religions and all manner of sects so destructive to that Religion which the King of Saints and King of Kings and the onely King of his Church the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe hath taught us and to the peace and quietnesse of the Land this I say must needs seeme a monstrous thing to any moderate minded Christian Nay how unreasonably doe these men deale with their brethren they plead for a toleration of all Religions here in England and yet in New-England banish men into Ilands from amongst them for dissenting from them in their new modell of Church-government and for but dissenting from them in their opinions about Religion and hâ—re amongst us what impious and rayling bookes doe they make against the Ministers for endeavouring to establish that Religion and that Church-government that God himselfe in his holy Word hath set downe and what approbrious names doe they give the faithfull and painfull Preachers and Pastors of the Church of England calling them Baals Priests the profest enemies of Iesus Christ and his Kingdome the lims of Antichrist false Prophets the brood of Babylon terming some particular men of them Rabshekes others Bauds others Black mouths legall Preachers and stiling all of them the cursed enemies of Iesus Christ and thinke of them as men not worthy to live and in expresse words professe it and yet these men plead for a toleration of all Religions when both by their words and deeds they manifest if it were in their power the first worke they would doe should be to root us all out of the Kingdome so that all men may see they say one thing and mean another that they would tolerate all Religions but onely that which is the true Religion and so by that meanes have no Religion at all but one of their owne making which by their new lights they have of late found out which they call the straight way to Heaven and the onely way of setting up Christ upon his Throne which is nothing else to say the truth but to dis-throne him and set up themselves and their new modell for who doth not see how already they lord it over all good Christians not admitting them to the Sacraments but upon their owne termes nor suffering their children to be baptized amongst them nor so much as suffering any they call Presbyterians to preach in their new congregated Assemblies and if this be to give a toleration of any Religion but their owne let all the world judge but I say and will ever by Gods assistance be able to make it good in that they plead for a toleration of all Religions they are guilty of hainous and foule sinnes being complices as well as they that are Actors Now then when the Presbyters of the Church of England seeke and endeavour in all their proceedings to establish that Religion which Christ the King of his Church hath taught them and his blessed Apostles and labour to set up that Government that was ordained in all Churches to be perpetuated to the end of the world in their so doing they imitate all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and in that they doe more advance Christs Kingdome than the Independents who under pretence of liberty of conscience would bring in a toleration of all Religions and confusion upon us all Surely if ever any Ministers deserved well from the people the Ministers of England now do who by all their endeavours shew that they seek to bring them to the knowledge of God and of his Sonne Jesus Christ and to the knowledge of themselves which is life eternall For what could men do more than that which they have done who have Petitioned the House of Lords and Commons now sitting in the great Councell of the Kingdome that they might be armed with authority from them in their severall charges to have the examination of such as shall be admitted to the Sacraments that they may be rightly informed in the knowledge of those holy Mysteries and that â—one that are either ignorant or scandalous in their lives may be suffered to communicate at the Lords Table by which their endeavour they shew the Christian care they have of their eternall welfare for which the people are ever bound unto them and by the which also they take away all scandall and occasion of offence to others which formerly pretended that the cause of their separating from our Congregations and Assemblies was in regard they could not communicate with doggs and swine and with the tag ragge and bobtaile of all the Malignants
because they are Presbyterians refused in private to pray or joyn in prayer with them and for such who hold and do pronounce all that walk not in their way to be enemies of Jesus Christ c. These Independents by their opinions and practices do sufficiently prove the truth of what I said in the forecited words and therefore you with all that hold such an opinion must disclaime that Independent principle if you denie the veritie of them otherwise you will declare to the whole world that you are not so zealous for Gods glorie nor love not the Lord so sincerely as his faithfull servants have formerly done and withall you will manifest to all men that you are more studious to preserve your own honours and reputation then the glory of God For whereas you with most of the Independents that I know doe hold and maintaine in your bookes intituled Vindication and Vindiciae veritatis That the Presbyterians are enemies to Christs Kingly office that instead of finding Christ set upon his Throne in their Congregations you find there no more but an Image such as Michael had made up instead of King David 1 Sam 19. or as those that in mockery made of Christ a Pageant-King striping him and putting on him a scarlet Robe and on his head a Crowne of Thornes and in his hand a Reed saluting him with Haile King of the Jewes with which title over his head they crucified him That the Presbyterians neither professe nor confesse Christ but say with the wicked Iewes we will not have this man to raigne over us Luke 19. 14. That they are at the best but Converts in part c. which is to say they are in King Agripas condition but almost Christians Act. 26. 28. or like Simon Magus still in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity And if this great charge against the Presbyterians be true which you so confidently affirme in your books truly all the Presbyterians are in a more cursed condition then the wicked Iewes were for why they know and say they doe beleeve that Iesus Christ is God and man the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth Iohn 1. 14. who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to bee the Sonne of God with power according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 3. 4. The Redeemer of his Elect and chosen ones Ephes 1. 4 5 6 7 8. The Saviour of all that beleeve in him Ioh. 3. 15 16. The blessed and onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. 15. Now the Presbyterians knowing and professing that they doe beleeve these Gospel truths which the Iewes did not know nor would not beleeve if they notwithstanding are enemies to Iesus Christ and refuse to set Christ upon his Throne but in mockery set up Christ as a Pageant King in their Congregations and doe as those who saluting him with Haile King c. yet reiect him saying wee will not have this man to raigne over us Then the Presbyterians sinne in the height of aggravation sinning against their owne knowledge and professed beliefe and all such cannot but hate Iesus Christ and are haters of God for the Lord Iesus Christ hath said Hee that hateth mee hateth the Father also Ioh. 15. 23. So that consequently you make them the children of the Devill For if God were their Father they would be so farre from being enemies that they would love the Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God this the Lord and Prince of life hath declared and He makes it his Argument to convince the unbelieving Jewes that God was not their Father saying If God were your Father yee would loue mee for I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of my selfe but hee sent me If the Presbyterians therefore are enemies to Christs Kingly office and make a mâ—â—ke King of him who proceeded forth and came from God and was sent by him as you have once and again published in print then it must needs be granted they are not the children of God but the cursed children of the Devil Anathema maranatha because they love not the Lord Iesus Christ And from what hath bin said this is further necessarily implyed that either you with all that are of your judgement herein have falsely accused the Presbyterians as indeed you have to be enemies to Christs Kingly office otherwise if you and they are a holy people and such as doe advance Christ upon his Throne then I say I am perswaded the Independents doe hate the Presbyterians yea it were an hainous offence in them to love such whom they hold and judge to be enemies to Christ and so haters and enemies to God for to love any that hate the Lord is a wrath provoking sinne this the Prophet sheweth plainely when reproving King Iehosaphat hee said unto him shouldst thon helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord 2 Chron. 19 2. wee find it in sacred Writ that Mordecai a holy man was so farre from loving any of Gods enemies that notwithstanding all the Kings servants that were in the Kings gate bowed and reverenced Haman for the King had so commanded concerning him yet Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence Esth 3. 2 3. I suppose none will give way to such an uncharitable thought as to thinke that Mordecai would run the hazard of his owne ruine and the destruction of all the people of the Iewes for want of giving an outward Complement for that had beene but pride in him so rebelliously to transgresse the Kings Commandement But he knew Haman to be an Agagite of the stock and raze of the Amalecks who were enemies to God of whom the Lord had said that hee would utterly put out the remembrance of Amaleck from under heaven And had sworne that hee would have warre with Amaleck from generation to generation as hee will with all that are his enemies Exod. 17. 14. 16. and withall hee well remembred how much the Lord was displeased with King Saul for sparing and honouring Agag the King of the Amalekites in so much that hee rent the Kingdome from him for it and gave it to David and only for favouring his enemies and not destroying him according to Gods command therefore Mordecai one of Gods peculiar people and his faithfull servant looking on Haman as hee was an enemy to God hated him and would not so much as bow nor doe outward civill reverence unto him Indeed maliciously and implacably to hate any is a sinne that cryeth loud in the eares of God and of this crying sinne too too many Independents are deeply guilty as is very evident by their raising up false reports to defame those who indeavour to walke in the wayes of Gods Commandements without hypocrisie but to hate Gods enemies is no sinne for it is the fruit of true grace and