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 been practiced First that although men and women beleeve and are baptized they are not yet to be admitted as joyned members till they have walked some time 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 without 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 solemne 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 Gospel shall run about from their own places and charges into the sheepfolds of their fellow-shepheards and separate and pick out all their best sheep and bring them into their owne folds and debarre 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 amongst beleeving christians separate them from the other sheep into Independent congregations and shall proclaim all that are not thus molded up after this new modell to be people out of covenant and to have no right to the seales 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 practiced either by Christ or his blessed Apostles for I looke for a law from Christ the King of his church who was as faithful 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 has commanded the church to heare his voyce 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 vaine 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 wayes of God should be abrogated and nullified and cast out of the church It is recorded in holy writ Joshua 9. that the Gibeonites deceived Joshua 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 boots their old shooes and they taking what they said pro confesso 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 Prelats for these many hundred yeers have deluded the world under pretence of their mouldy antiquities tattered ragges 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 by the Word of God and the holy Scripture as the noble Bereans did Now whatsoever was written was written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come and therefore as it was the errour of the Israelites that they received things barely upon report without consulting with the mouth of God and as it was the honour and praise of those noble Bereans that they searched the Scriptures to see whether the preaching of Paul were according to the holy Scripture so if we shall receive these new borne truths these new lights these new wayes without consulting with the living Oracles we shall offend as the Israelites did in beleeving the Gibeonites upon their words and shall degenerate and be unlike to those the renowned Bereans who would not receive Paul's doctrine though an Apostle without searching the Scriptures whether things were so or no as he taught them and surely now much more ought we to try all things by the Word in these erroneous times whosoever they be that preach them unto us and if they be not evidently proved unto us out of the Scriptures we may not admit of them for it will be not onely a sinne but for our immortall shame to be deluded with novelties much more than it was our ancestors disgrace to be deceived by pretended antiquities And therefore it is the duty of every christian seriously to consider with themselves that these are matters of God and concerne no lesse than our eternall welfare and in that regard we may not call mens wayes Gods wayes but we are to seek for the old wayes Jer. 6. we are to examine Christs and his holy Apostles wayes in gathering of churches and making of members and if we find no footstep in all Gods Word of these new wayes we ought to relinquish them and turne againe into the pathes that God has commanded us to walk in wherein we shall be sure to find rest for our soules and comfort in life and death and it will be no disgrace to any to be undeceived for they are deceived and that greatly and dangerously that thinke or beleeve that any men mortall can shew or teach a better way to Heaven or set downe a better way of converting soules and of gathering of churches and making of members and of setting up Christ as King upon his Throne than that which Christ himselfe and his blessed Apostles have taught and set downe to all posterity and from the which rule we ought not to swerve though an Angel from Heaven should teach us otherwise Gal. 1. ver 8 9.
canst not do it Ergo. So in like manner these men argue except say they the Presbyters by the imposition of their hands upon their Disciples can inable them on a sudden to speak with strange tongues to foretell things to come and heal the sick c. we will not acknowledge them to be true Elders but let them do all these things by the imposition of their hands and then we will acknowledge them for a true Presbyterie See the vanity of these men and the instability of their faith by their own confession miracles will make them believe any thing if we may credite their own words though never so contrary to their judgment and to the faith once delivered to the Saints It is well known to the Learned that the Apostles and those Primitive christians had extraordinary and wonderfull gifts that ravisht the world then into admiration and it is confest also by all understanding Christians that those wonder-working miracles were but temporary as the miraculous feeding of the people with Manna in the Wildernesse where they were fellow-communers with the Angels and continued but till they came into the Land that flowed with Milk and Honey So those miracles of the Primitive christians continued but for a time till the Gospell and the truth of the Christian faith and doctrine was confirmed and established which being once done and the holy Scriptures which were to be the rule of faith to the end of the world being left to posterity and to which we are tyed and commanded not to be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 and forbid in Gal. 1.8 9. to believe otherwise then we have been taught though the Apostles or an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise after I say the Doctrine of the Christian Faith and Religion was confirmed the ordinary working of Miracles ceased And it is said of Antichrist in 2 Thess chap. 2. That he shall come with strong delusions and lying wonders and with all deceiveablenes in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved So that I cannot sufficiently wonder to see the dealing of these men who in these dayes expect and look for miracles to confirme their faith when notwithstanding we are forwarned to take heed of all false delusions and cōmanded to the contrary Shew us some miracles say they and then we will believe you are true Presbyters So dealt the Jewes with Christ What signe shewest thou that we may believe in thee But when Christ had shewed them signe upon signe and miracle upon miracle were they ever the more convinced Did those miracles create belief in them No surely but rather hardned them and made them blaspheme When he cast out Devils they say he did it by the Prince of Devils So without doubt if the Presbyters had those gifts of miracles that they could gratifie these men with daily prodigies and works of wonder they would then say they came with lying wonders and with the working of Satan and they would make the world abhor them the more There is an old saying That he must rise early and never go to bed that will please all men and truly it would be not only difficult but an impossible thing for any State or great Councell were it never so wise to please all the people under them God himself nor Moses nor Aaron his servants could please the Israelites though they saw never such wonders continually before their eyes to confirme their authority yea they told Moses and Aaron to their faces that they took too much upon them And afterwards they cast off Gods own government and God himself as the Lord complains to Samuel in 1 Samuel and would set up a government after the modell of their owne brain as it is at large set down in that Book And not long after they changed the manner of Gods worship in Jeroboams time and taught the fear of God as the Lord complaineth Isay 29. after the precepts of men and rejected Gods Commandements as Christ saith Matth. 15. and Mark 7. So that what they thought best in their own eyes that was ever best pleasing unto them They would not content themselves with the written Word though they were never so often by Moses and all the rest of the Prophets commanded to cleave unto it saying to the Law and to the Testimony Isay 8. Even so it is now in these dayes they content not themselves with that ordinance that is set down in the written Word but say Come shew us some miracles and then we will believe you are a right Presbyterie Our Saviour speaking to the Jewes concerning S. Iohn the Baptist and Himself Iohn saith he came neither eating nor drinking and ye say behold he hath a Devil the Sonne of Man came both eating and drinking and ye say he is a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners So that whatsoever method or way God used to convert them they cavil'd against it and were never satisfied alwayes resisting the Spirit of God as Stephen told them in Acts 7. So now in these our times they look for miracles and a new way of teaching But all good Christians are forbid to listen after or to give heed to miracles and are sent unto Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. and are commanded to search the Scripture Iohn 5. Yea our Saviour himself in the person of Abraham Luke 16. saith That if men wil not believe Moses the Prophets they wil not be perswaded by miracles and I am confident that could the Presbyters do al those miracles these men desire they wold the more reprocah them and exclaime against them affirme they wrought by the Devill as the Jewes told our Saviour he did I must confesse I am of a contrary opinion to these men not only in the matter of miracles but in all externall performances for I am instructed in the holy Scriptures that the Devill can transforme himself into an Angell of light and that the Deceivers and false Teachers shall come forth in sheeps clothing and for outward appearance shall equallize if not exceed the faithfullest and truest Pastors and Ministers of Christ and therefore we are in speciall commanded to take heed of such and for my particular if any men whatsoever of never such seeming sanctity sufficient abilities unblameable life should come forth and teach any other Doctrine of Faith Manners or Government then that I have been taught in the holy Scripture and should confirme this their doctrine with never so many miracles I will still continue stedfast in the Doctrine of the Apostles and cleave unto the written Word and will never believe contrary to that though I should undergoe the greatest misery or be exposed to the greatest want by it that any man ever saw for I know that all these momentary trials and afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that shall be revealed And for this very point of the
mouthes against Iohn the Baptist From all which places and many more that might be produced to prove that there were so many Believers in Jerusalem as could not all meet in one place or room or in one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship I thus argue Where there was an infinite multitude or a mighty City of Believers there they could not all meet together in one place or room or in one Congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Churches 1 Cor. 14.26 but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies and divers divisions that they might be all edified and partake in all Ordinances But in the Church of Ierusalem by the very baptisme and preaching of Iohn there were infinite multitudes and a very City of Believers Ergo they could not all meet together in one place or room or in one congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Church of God but of necessity must be distributed into severall congregrtions and assemblies and divers divisions that they might all be edified partake in all ordinances For the major it is clear by the very light of nature and all reason for there is no one place or house that can contain a whole City or infinite multitude of Believers and if any great place could contain them they could not all be edified and partake of all the acts of worship For if the very great raw-bon'd building of Pauls it self were cramm'd full of people and had a Preacher of the strongest lungs in the City half the people could not hear and be edified as daily experience teelleth us so that of necessity if they would be edified and partake in all the Ordinances they must be distributed into divers congregations and severall assemblies I am most assured that there were such multitudes of Believers in Jerusalem that five such buildings as Pauls could not have contained their very bodies within their wals much lesse receive them or entertain them for edification So that for the major I am confident there is no intelligible man will doubt of it For the Minor it is manifest from the places above produced for our Saviour saith excepting the Pharisees and the Lawyers which were but a little handfull all the people or the generality of them justified God and were baptized and were Believers So that the conclusion from the premises doth necessarily follow But from the former places I argue yet further after this manner Where there was such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept a tyrannicall King in awe and all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a fear and terror into them all that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it There of necessity the number of the Believers must be so great as they could not all meet together in one place or room or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all the acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies But in Ierusalem there were such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept Herod himself the tyrant in awe and all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a fear and terror into them that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it Ergo of necessity the number of the Believers was so great as they could not all meet together in one place or room or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies For the Major and Minor of this Syllogisme besides the force of reason and common understanding which were enough to convince any rationall creature of the truth of them the holy Scripture it self as from the places above specified is manifest prove them So that none can doubt of the truth of the conclusion but such as will call in question truth it self I might out of the severall places above mentioned draw many more Arguments to prove the conclusion but because I study brevity these for the present shall serve to prove That by the very baptisme and Ministery of Saint Iohn the Baptist there were such an infinite company of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem as they could not all meet together in one place or congregation for the injoying of all the Ordinances I will now therefore go on to shew the increase of Believers that was made by the miracles and preaching both of Christ and his Apostles and from the severall places out of the holy Scripture frame my Arguments as out of the former to prove the same conclusion Iohn 4.1 2. Now when the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more Disciples then Iohn though Iesus himself baptized not but his Disciples here observe that where there was a mistake in the relation there the Evangelist forthwith shewes it to rectifie mens understandings as where it was reported that Christ baptized he shewes it was a mistake for his Disciples only baptized but where it is said that Jesus made more Disciples then Iohn that is taken pro confesso and it was true for Iohn himself in Chap. 3. vers 30. had said He must increase but I must decrease Christ therefore made many more Disciples and Believers then John and added daily to the Church that was then in Jerusalem such as should be saved for he came to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel and he received all that came to him Iohn 6.37 And as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe upon his Name Iohn 1.12 and these were infinite multitudes as we shall see by and by In Iohn 7.31 it is said That many of the people of Ierusalem believed on him and in Vers 40. they said Of a truth this is that Prophet And in the same Chapter when the High Priests sent the Officers to apprehend Christ and returning without him and the High Priests demanding the reason why they had not brought him the Officers replyed saying That never man spake as this man Vers 47 48. Then answered the Pharisees are ye also deceived Doth any of the Rulers of the Pharisces believe in him but this people that knoweth not the Law is cursed Take here notice of the confession of the very Pharisees exceping themselves and the High Priests they acknowledge that the generality of the people believed in him Here was increase upon increase of Christians and Believers all the people generally believed in him certainly one place could
not have contained them all And which is yet more to be observed that whereas the Pharisees said none but the cursed people believed in him and none of the Rulers in this very Chapter we finde one Ruler one Nicodemus Vers 50. none of the least of the Rulers And in Iohn 12.42 it is affirmed That among the chief Rulers many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue And in Verse 11. of the same Chapter it is asserted That many of the Iewes went away and believed on Iesus here was multiplication upon multiplication of Believers And in Vers 19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves perceive ye how ye prevaile nothing behold the world is gone after him These words the Pharisees spake in private among themselves deliberately and confest that the world of men were turned Christians all Jerusalem swarmed with Believers without doubt all these could not meet in one place And indeed through all the Evangelists we shall reade of infinite multitudes that believed in him and the reason is given Matth. 7.29 Because he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes and did such works of wonder and wrought such miracles as in Iohn 7.31 they confest none could do but Christ and in Chap. 12. Vers 11. it is related that the raising up Lazarus from the dead made many believe on him and was the cause that such multitudes of people followed him and did so highly honour him and magnifie him and did receive him comming into Jerusalem with such an acclamation crying Hosanna as in this 12 Chapter is specified and is more largely set downe in Matth. 21.8 where it is related That a great multitude spread their garments in the way and others cut down branches and the people that went before they that came after cryed Hosanna said this is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth they all believed in him and confessed him before the world Now our Saviour saith He that shall confesse me and own me before men I will confesse and own him before my Father in Heaven Here is a whole City of Believers and Confessors Yea the very children believed in him and openly and in the Temple cried Hosanna And Christ himself allowed of their testimony and avouched they did well and accordingly as was written And in Luke 19.47 48. it is said That he taught dayly in the Temple but the chief Priests and Scribes and the Elders of the people sought to destroy him and could not finde what they might do for all the people were very attentive to hear him The universality therefore of the people by all these places were believers and such as followed Christ So that a man may wonder how that Jerusalem it self though it were a mighty City could containe such multitudes of people as believed in Christ so far improbable it is that any one place or congregation could containe the hundreth part of them And we may also gather that the great miracles at his Suffering and at his Resurrection and the apparition of so many that rose from their graves and went into the holy City made a great increase and addition of Disciples and new Believers so that the number was daily augmented we finde no diminution but if some that followed Christ for bread that were but Hypocrites left following him yet in those places we read again and again of numberlesse companies that daily came in and believed in him And to all this we may adde that Iohn the Baptist and his Disciples a little before his death and Christ and his Disciples by reason of the increase of the multitudes of Believers were forced to baptize in severall places For so it is in Iohn 3.23 After these dayes came Iesus and his Disciples into the land of Iudea and there he tarried with them and baptized and Iohn also was baptizing in Enon neer Salim because there was much water there they came and were baptized And very reason will tell all men that of necessity there must be an innumerable multitude of beleevers for none were Baptized but beleevers that must take up an hundred preachers or thereabouts for our Saviour had twelve Apostles and 70. Disciples as we may see in the 9. of Luke and in the 10. chapter of the same book and Iohn had also many Disciples though not so many as Christ and all these were imployed in preaching the Gospell and many of them in working miracles and wonders so that the very Devills were subject unto them as they rejoycingly confest to Christ when they returned to give him an account of their Ministery And without doubt if these miracles wrought so with the very Disciples they prevailed much more generally with the people to make them beleeve so that infinite multitudes of people came in and were Baptized as the Scripture it selfe informeth us And of necessity so many Ministers must have severall places to Preach in and severall congregations and Assemblies to Preach to and severall places to Baptize in for otherwise there would have been great confusion for but one of them could speak at once and all these Disciples were taken up in their severall Ministeries and had their hands full as the Scripture it self sufficiently declareth in expresse words for it is said That Christs Disciples Baptized in Iudaea and Iohn in Enon neer Salim because there was much water there It seems there was too little water to Baptize them in in other places which expression is worthy to be taken notice of And amongst those that came to be Baptized multitudes of them came from Ierusalem And if we compare times with times which will make much for the evidencing of the truth and consider the divers passages in the holy Scriptures we shall finde the like division of the people in those dayes some standing for Christ and Iohn Baptist and speaking in the justification of them and their Ministery and others that were of the Pharisaicall faction and of the high priests company as is even in these our dayes between them they call Caviliers and those they call Parliamentiers Now what twenty or thirty places in the City of London can contain all the Parliamentiers to partake in all acts of Worship Or what ten places can hold all those of the Prelaticall faction that contend for their Bishops and Service and all their other trumpery and accoutrements And yet although they be in divers and sundry Assemblies they are still the Prelaticall party and all of them of the Malignant Church and as the diversity of the places changeth not their complexions so it altereth not their faith nor manners but they continue still Malignants and remain all members of the Malignant Church And as in these dayes all that wish well unto the true Religion through both city and kingdome and love their Country stand for the Parliament so in those dayes those that loved Zion and
that time met together were capable of an Apostleship and such as were the most eminent of all Christs followers and such as were best instructed in Christian Religion as having been bred up in the doctrine of Saint Iohn the Baptist and under the Ministery of Christ himself the Prophet of his Church and therefore they were the Teachers of the Church and people who were their flock which they all fed in common And from thence it argueth that the multitude of Believers in Jerusalem was not only a distinct company from them but that it was exceedingly great and numerous that had so many Pastors and Teachers over them for if they had been but so small a company as is here mentioned and that the whole Church had consisted but of sixscore names then the Pastors exceed the number of the flock which is not only absurd to think but against the evident truth of the holy Scriptures which relate unto us multitudes upon multitudes that were daily converted by the ministery of Iohn the Baptist and of Christ and his Apostles and added unto the Church before this their meeting So that by this I have now said it is most clear and evident that all or most of these were the most eminent Ministers of the Gospell and the Presbytery of the Church But in this that our Brethren do acknowledge that this assembly here spake of were the Church it makes as much against them and greatly for us for it is manifest from the Text that they were the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel and in that they give them the name and title of the Church it followeth that the representative body and Presbytery is a Church and that to them only belongs the power and authority of the Keyes according to that of our Saviour in Matth. 18.17 18. Tell it unto the Church c. and whatsoever ye binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven By which words all authority is put into the true Ministers hands so that they only have the power and authority of ordaining Pastors and Presbyters among themselves as Paul sufficiently declares in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus and that they have not only the title of the Church but a Charter and Warrant also granted unto them of ruling and governing the Church and of ordaining Church-officers and that by joynt and common consent among themselves without the help and assistance of the people and congregations under them which by God were never joyned in commission with them And howsoever Paul in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 6. For the taking away the scandall in going to Law before unbeleevers gave them liberty to make choyce of some that were least esteemed in the Church for the deciding of their controversies yet that did not authorize them to make choyce of all other Church Officers for he limits them to go no farther then to the choyce of such as are of least esteem And howsoever likewise the Apostles in the 6. of the Acts to free themselves from all impediments that they might the better attend upon their Ministeries and that without interruption they might Preach the Gospell gave them liberty to chuse their Decons and Deconesses yet they prescribe the Rule by which they shall chuse them and keep the authority of ordaining them still in their own hands Look you out among you say they men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and wisedome whom we may appoint over this businesse and when they had chose such saith the Scripture They put them before the Apostles and when they had prayed they layd their hands on them So that howsoever they gave unto them a Liberty to chuse yet it was with limitation not an absolute liberty for if they had chose men that had not been of approved honesty well gifted and wise and qualified as they appointed it was arbitrary in the Apostles to reject their choise for they keep the power of Ordination still in their own hands and to them it did belong to ratifie their Election so that the people had not the power of Ordination then nor have not to this day no not of the meanest Deacon or Deaconesse that belongs onely unto the Presbytery much lesse have they power of ordaining Presbyters Indeed for the deciding of controversies and differences they have a liberty given them of making choise of some petty men amongst them and that they may do without the Presbytery but they have no power of Ordination Neither did I ever yet read in the Sacred Scriptures that the people or Congregation had any hand at all in choosing of Ministers and Presbyters neither were they fit for that imployment for it is one thing to judge of a mans externall carriage and manners and another thing of his sufficiency for his indowments and abilities of learning and that men of learning and knowledge onely can do and the Sons of the Prophets and it is in speciall given in charge to the Presbyters and Ministers as it is manifest in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus 1 Tim. 4.14 Tit. 1. And they onely know how rightly to examine them in the knowledge of the tongues and Sciences and such Arts as are requisite besides the knowledge of the holy Scriptures all which are little enough for the making of a Minister compleat and fit for that Sacred imployment And all the Primitive Churches in the Apostles times willingly submitted themselves to what the Presbytery then did and assented to their choyce as in the 14. of the Acts vers 23. it appeareth But I say in that our brethren do acknowledge this company this hundred and twenty names to be a Church and in that it is also sufficiently manifest that they are considered in a distinct notion from the people which also in the holy Scriptures when they are joyned with their Ministers are called a Church as is frequently to be seen through the acts of the Apostles and in that it doth abundantly appear by what hath formerly been spoken and will yet in the following discourse be farther elucidated that there were many congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were all governed by the joynt consent and Common Councell of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom the Apostles themselves were subject who were sent this way and that way by their direction and to whom they were to give an account of their Ministry as we see in divers places in the Acts and were ordered by them what they should do and also made their appeals unto the Apostles and Presbyters in any businesse of common concerement I say in all these respects it is evident that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies and was yet but one Church and that governed by a Presbyterian Government and by a Common Councell of Ministers to whose order all the severall Congregations
were to submit themselves And therefore this their Argument maketh much against them and greatly for us And this shall suffice to have answered to this their first Objection which to speak the truth is that that carrieth the most appearance of any Argument they produce to prove their Assertion and tenent for all their other Objections raised from the severall meetings of the Apostles and people and from the multitude comming to them about the ordaining of Deacons by which they would perswade the world that the company of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem was not so numerous at any time but that they might all meet in one congregation or in one place to partake of in acts of worship they consist most of them in Homonymies and meer Paralogismes which indeed beseem not the gravity of reverend men and in the weighty matters of Divinity would be undecent in a sucking Sophister and therefore are much more blameworthy in them who by such fallacies labour to amuse the people to the disturbance of the whole Church and Kingdome and alienating the affections of Brethren one from another I shall briefly run over them Acts 2.46 where it is related that the Believers and new Converts continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house From these words the Brethren conclude that the multitude of Believers was not so great but that they might all meet in one congregation and in one place to partake in all acts of worship for here in expresse words the place where they met is specified and it is said to be the Temple I appeale to the wisdome of any learned man or but of a rationall Christian whether this be a candid or ingenuous way of arguing That because three thousand Christians might meet together in the Temple of Jerusalem Ergò all that believed in Jerusalem that were converted by Iohn the Baptist and all that believed by Christs ministery and miracles and all that were converted by the Apostles and the seventy Disciples before Christs sufferings and all that were after his Resurrection converted for twenty years together by the Ministry of all the Apostles and all the other Ministers of the Gospell they might yet all meet in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and to edification I refer this I say to the consideration of any Learned man or any intelligible Christian whether this be an ingenuous way of arguing I believe if one should argue against them after the same manner they would laugh at him If one should thus dispute within these seven years all the Independents continued daily with one accord in such a place and they all met together in one congregation Ergò there is but one congregation and but one Church still of Independents in London and they all meet together in one congregation Would not the Brethren make themselves as merry with such a way of disputing as they have made others sad with their way of arguing yes doubtlesse The truth is their way of arguing is not to their own honour to speak but favourably of it as will appear For should I grant unto them that at that time this place of Scripture speaks of there had been no more Believers in Jerusalem but those hundred and twenty names specified in the first Chapter of the Acts and these three thousand new Coaverts and accord also unto them that all these did meet together in one place and in one congregation and did partake in all the Ordinances which notwithstanding I cannot grant them for divers reasons for in the same place it is said that although they continued daily in the Temple yet they brake bread from house to house that is to say some of them did daily meet to hear the Word in the Temple and then followed their severall imployments and others in private and they had the holy Communion or Sacrament in severall houses from which it is manifeltly evident that then when there were newly added to the Church but three thousand Believers they had many and severall congregations and assemblies and without all doubt as the multitudes of Believers increased they were still distributed into more congregations for it is said They brake bread from house to house that is they had their assemblies and meetings in severall houses and places besides the Temple and in those severall houses they had not only the preaching of the Word and Prayer but the administration of the Sacraments and communicated in all the Ordinances which they could not do in the Temple as afterward will appear and all that I now say is evident from the 41 Verse of the same Chapter to the 47. But I say should I silence my own reason and suffer it to speak nothing and should I grant to our Brethren that there were but three thousand and that these three thousand Believers might all meet in one congregation and partake in all the ordinances to edification would it follow that when ten thousand were added unto them and twenty thousand more to them and thirty thousand more to all these and it may be in a short time many hundred thousands more would any man think or believe that ten thousand men can meet in one congregation to edifie and to partake in all the Ordinances much lesse when there is so many thousands more added to them that they could still meet in any one place or congregation I think no man that hath not abdicated his understanding will so conclude So that all men may see not only the weaknesse of this argumentation but the strength of truth For this very weapon with which they had thought to have defended themselves and wounded the Truth they wound themselves and overthrow their own tenent as God willing I shall more fully by and by make appear But out of Chap. 5. our Brethren conceive they have a very strong invincible Argument where it is related that after Ananias and Saphira were miraculously taken away for lying unto the Spirit of God It is said That great fear came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard these things And by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders wrought among the people and they were all with one accord in Solomons Porch Ergò say they the number of Believers in Jerusalem was not so great but that they might all meet together in one congregation for the place where they did meet is set down viz. in Solomons Porch and it is further specified That they were all with one accord in that place This is their Argument faithfully and truly set down and with the best advantage for their cause But to speak the truth this kinde of arguing hath no force in it neither doth it beseem grave men to trifle thus in the matters of God and Religion For should I grant unto them that all the Believers that then were in Jerusalem and had been converted by John
Apostles then was before which notwithstanding was then so numerous as they could not all possibly meet in any one place and roome Ergo there was a greater number of Believers after the Persecution then before and therefore of necessity they could not all meet in any one place or roome to communicate in all the Ordinances but must be distributed into severall congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified For the Major I conceive it is so evidently clear as no man of ordinary understanding will not see the truth of it For the Minor the Text proveth it and if we will compare Scripture with Scripture the truth of it will by and by be out of controversie for in the 15 of John verse 16. Our Saviour speaking there to his Disciples saith I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine that is I have chose you to preach the Gospell and convert men which is the fruit of preaching the Word and causeth the multiplycation of Believers for Faith commeth by hearing Romans 10. Now this Scripture is here fulfilled for it is said that the Word of God grew and multiplyed that is it brought forth the great fruit and increase of multitudes of Believers and converted many notwithstanding all the persecutions that were raised against it and the Church So that the conclusion must necessarily follow from the premises and it is most apparent that there were many congregations of Believers in Jerusalem after the Persecution But in the 21 Chapter 20 Verse there is a place that putteth an end to this Controversie and with the which I will conclude my first assertion In these words Thou seest Brother saith Saint James and the Presbyters of Jerusalem to Saint Paul how many ten thousands for so it is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Jewes there are which believe and they are all zealous of the law In this place the Evangelist speakes of the Inhabitants of Ierusalem that were Believers and had their abode there and not of strangers as our Brethren suppose and such as they conceive were come up to Jerusalem at that time to the feast of Pentecost at which they thinke Paul then was which opinion of theirs might be confuted with many reasons if it were necessary some of the which I shall briefly set down as first it is well knowne that the feast of Pentecost lasted but one day and that in the time of Wheat-harvest when ordinarily but few came to Jerusalem Besides none of the Jewes that lived out of the Countrey of Judea and the confines of Israel were injoyned to come to that feast or any other of the feasts so farre as I remember neither indeed could they dwelling in such remote countries except they spent all their time in running about So that as I conceive it was arbitrary in the Jewes that dwelt in other countries whether they would come or no to all those severall Feasts though I have this opinion of some of the most zealous of them and best ablest and richest of them and that had time and leasure that they would spare neither paines nor costs so they might enjoy the Ordinances and the society of their Brethren Besides we reade but of very few strangers that were at Jerusalem at this time when Paul was there and they were them of Asia which were persecutors rather then believers as the story relateth verse 27 28. Now the multitude of which there is mention made in this place in the 22 verse they were all Believers and were inhabitants and such as were well knowne to Saint James and the Presbyters and were all strangers to Paul and such as had onely heard that Paul taught all the Jewes that were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses c. And therefore none of these many ten thousands were of the believing Iewes amongst the Gentiles for they are clearly distinguished from them for it is said that those Myriads of believing Iewes were informed that Paul taught all the Iewes among the Gentiles c. They then were informed that Paul had taught others The Jewes among the Gentiles were they who Paul had so taught and how could they be in the number of them that were informed Had they need to bee informed by others what St. Paul had taught themselves Therefore they must needs be the believing Jewes of Jerusalem and the inhabitants and dwellers there So that out of the Text I thus argue Many ten thousands of Believers could not all meet at any one time or in any one place or congregation to enjoy all the Ordinances to edification but of necessity must be distributed into diverse and sundry congregations and assemblies if they would partake in all acts of worship and be edified But in the Church of Jerusalem after all the persecutions there were many ten thousands believers Ergo they could not all meet together at any one time or in any one place or congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship to edification but of necessity must be distributed into diverse and sundry congregations and assemblies if they would partake in all the Ordinances and be edified For the major all reason will assent unto it for the minor the text it self confirms it neither doth that word ever expresse lesse then tenne thousand as might out of many places of Scripture be proved and divers Authors And truly to any man but of an ordinary understanding it would seeme strange yea an incredible thing that Jerusalem the theater of so many miracles and where there were twelue Apostles and the most of them for the most part resident and so many famous Preachers and Presbyters and who at the first beginning of the Ministry after they had received the guift of the Holy Ghost by their powerfull preaching and a few miracles had in a short time converted about eight thousand people besides great multitudes both of men and women besides Priests and who preached daily in the Temple and from house to house and that for above twenty years together as most of the Apostles did without interruption that in all this time of the Gospels spring and that in so populous and numerous a City that all these famous Ministers should convert no more to the faith then might all meet in one Congregation I say all this will seeme strange to any rationall man and as it is against all reason so it is against the expresse Word of the holy Scriptures as hath out of many places in the foregoing discourse been sufficiently made appeare and out of the place last cited which doth affirm that there were many ten thousands beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem after all the persecutions all which could not meet in any one place to injoy all acts of worship no not in a few Whether therefore it hath not by this and the many other testimonies of holy Scripture and the arguments out of both
the earth shall be blessed in him for I know him that he will command his children and houshould after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to doe Justice and Judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him c. In these words we have Gods testimony of Abraham in the which he gives this witnesse of him that he would command his children and houshold after him that they should keep the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgement Then it is manifest that Abraham tolerated neither in his children nor in his houshold any Religion contrary unto that that God had taught him nor suffered no Idolatry nor sects in his family for this had not been to walk uprightly before God for it had been unjust dealing with God so to have done for Abraham and his seed were to walk perfectly and sincerely before God and therefore he would never tolerate all Religions or the worshipping of a false God or the worship of the true God after a false manner which also is idolatry for this had not been to doe justice and judgement but Abraham set up the true worship of God wheresoever he came as the whole story of his life doth abundantly declare And so did Isaac after him and Jacob after him as in the 33. of Gen. doth appeare where Iacob said unto his houshold and to all that were with him put away the strange gods that are among you and be cleane and change your garments and let us arise and goe up to Bethel and I will make there an Altar unto God who answered me in the day of my distresse and was with me in the way which I went and they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods that were in their hands and Jacob hid them under the Oake that was at Sechem and the terrour of God was upon the cities which were round about them and they did not pursue after the sonnes of Jacob. In these words we have a president for imitation with the fruit and benefit that doth redound to al those people Nations that set up the true worship of God and root out all idolatry and false worship out of their families countries for Iacob gives no toleration in his house nor amongst his people for all Religions or for any other but that which God himselfe had appointed he sets up the true worship of God and that onely within his Jurisdiction and buries all the Idols of what price and how rich soever they were and he found the comfort and benefit of this his so doing for the Lord for this his faithfull service blessed him and protected him from the fury of all his provoked enemies for the terror of God was upon them all so that they durst not pursue him And if we take notice in our reading of the holy Scriptures we shall find and that through the whole Word of God that the Lord ever followed that people and those Kings and governours and their whole Kingdomes and countries with speciall blessings and singular favours that purged their country from idolatry and all false worships and struck a terror into all their enemies round about them neither did they ever purge their countries from idolatry and root out idolaters but the anger of the Lord was presently appeased by it and it is alwayes recorded to the eternall praise and honour of those Kings Rulers and Judges that were most forward in reformation and that set more throughly upon that good work of reformation and those that did things but to the halves in reformation have not so honourable a testimony in holy Scripture as the other and that God has ever been pleased when idolatry has been rooted out and idolaters put to death there be many presidents of it in the Word of God Amongst others that in the 32. of Exodus how highly was God displeased there with the making of that Calfe and how well was he pleased when execution was done upon the contrivers and authors of that idolatry that place sufficiently declareth yea in the 13. of Deuteronomie the Lord declaring how much he detesteth idolatry all false worship giveth a dispensation to children for disobedience to their parents who by his law they are bound to obey in Gods matters so that if those of their nighest relations should goe 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 Riligion 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 owne 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 himselfe had ordained and injoyned and commanded that they that should attempt any such thing should be put to death We see likewise what Joshua did according to the commandement of God who ought to be a patterne to all christians and all christian Magistrates chap. 24. ver 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 Egypt and serve ye the Lord and if it seem evill unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom yee 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 yee 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 Egypt out of the house of bondage c. Here we may observe first that Joshua 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 Joshua Jos 24.15 and that they might with the more alacrity yeeld obedience to God's command he sets his owne 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 doe 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 himselfe had commanded and appointed And this example of Joshua and the people