Church at one time without all controversie it was impossible that they could all then meet together in any one place and for farther confirmation of this truth and for the putting of this controversie for ever out of doubt the Holy Ghost saith in the fifth chapter verse 14. And Beleevers were more added unto the Church multitudes both of men and women Marke I pray the expression multitudes Now by multitude all men know is to be understood and that in all Languages a very great Assembly or congregation or company whereupon the Scripture saith follow not a multitude to doe evill so that by multitude is ever understood some vast Assembly or Congregation of people and here the Scripture saith speaking in the plurall number that multitudes and that both of men and women were added to the Lord that is to say many great Congregations and Assemblies were added to the Church yea the expression doth as it were intimate that they came in so fast that they could not now any longer be counted as it were by retayle or enumerate companies as when they came in by small numbers as three thousand and five thousand at a time which might easily be told and reckoned but that now they came into the Church in such great bodies as they were forced to set them downe by whole sale and therefore the Holy Ghost saith that Beleevers were added unto the Lord multitudes both of men and women that is to say many great Congregations of Beleevers of both sexes yea and that there might yet be no mistake in this busines the Scripture saith in the last verse of this chapter for the great multitudes of them that the Apostles daily in the Temple and in every house ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ So that here by the testimony of the Holy Ghost wee are ascertained there were divers and severall Congregations of Beleevers at that time in the Church of Ierusalem for they had their meetings not onely in the Temple but in every house or from house to house which is all one that is to say they had many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers at that time in severall private houses as well as in the Temple so that this truth being confirmed unto us not onely by reason but by the mouth of so many infallible witnesses as that out of the second chapter where it is said they brake bread daily from house to house and two more witnesses also in this fifth chapter where it is recorded verse 14. that multitudes both of men and women that is to say many great Congregations of Beleevers of both sexes were added to the Lord and in the last verse that there might be yet no scruple made of the busines the places of their meetings are also expressed viz. in the Temple and in every house so that all good Christians are bound to beleeve that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers at that time in the Church of Jerusalem and therefore more then could all possibly meet in any one place or congregation So that if I should say no more the truth concerning this point is so evidently apparent to all judicious and understanding men that they cannot doubt of it except they will deny the Scripture it selfe yet that the truth concerning this controversie may yet more fully be cleared I shall for the farther coroborrating of it and for confirmation of the same produce a few testimonies more In the sixth chapter verse 7. The word of the Lord increased saith the Holy Ghost and the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith Here wee find multiplication upon multiplication of Beleevers and more additions of them and that in Ierusalem and amongst these multitudes there was a great company of Priests that is a great company of their Ministers and learned Rabbies were converted and all these severall admissions of Beleevers into this Church of Jerusalem were without any of the conditions those of the congregationall way require now of their new Members for it is not said that they demanded of them that they should walke some time with them before their admission or that they should make any publicke confession of their faith or bring in the evidences of their conversion or enter into any particular explicite Covenant or come in by the consent of the people before their admission nothing of all these things were required at their hands in this Mother-church and therefore all the practise of this kind of admission in our new Congregations is without any president or example and therefore those of the congregationall way doe most wickedly to pretend they have the Church of Jerusalem for an example for their practise of admitting of Members But I say the thing chiefly to be observed here is the multiplication and the increase of many more Disciples to the former adding withall that amongst those Disciples and Converts that were added to the Lord there was a great company of the Priests now what an increase of Beleevers may any man suppose there must then needs follow when so many of their Ministers were converted without doubt when the people saw their Priests turne Christians and heard them also in their preachings give in their reasons for their imbracing of the Gospel and saw withall the daily miracles of the Apostles for the confirmation of this their doctrine they did infinitly multiply so that if there had beene no conversion of men before spak of yet the conversion of these very Priests in a short time would have procured the conversion of many more then could have met in any one place or a few and this all reason will perswade for wee find it by hourly experience how many hundreds are daily mislead and seduced by the error of a few temporising unstable Presbyters who are turned Independents and what a deale of mischiefe they have done here amongst us so that not a few places can containe their Proselytes and all this without the helpe of any miracles and we see daily if but any rich and crased Gentlewoman or any confounded Lady turne Independent or if but any unstable man of any eminency revolt from the Presbyterian way what a noyse there is by and by made at it and how many giddy headed men and women especially are seduced by it and that without any prodigies Now I say all reason will perswade any intelligible man that truth should much more prevaile then error and that in the hands of so great a multitude and of such learned Rabbies and those also in so great honour and esteeme amongst the people having withall the helpe of Miracles amongst them and that to the speedy conversion of many thousands yea the Scripture saith that the Word of God increased that is to say converted many and that the number of Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly not in a small manner and that a great company of the
wanted that part of Discipline I beeleeve they would exercise some more of their authority to teach such an one better manners or more wit Even so it was in the Church at Ierusalem they had discipline in that Church though wee reade not of the putting of it in execution as we do in the Church of Corinth and Ephesus neither wil any rationall man conclude that all the other Primitive Churches wanted that part of discipline because I say wee reade onely of the execution of it in the church of Corinth and that of Ephesus which is commended for it and some of the other seven churches are blamed for not casting out their corrupt Members and because they had not at that time exercised their authority neither reade wee of it in the churches of Galatia Colosse nor amongst the Thessalonians nor in the church of Rome nor Antioch nor in Samaria will any man therefore say that all these churches wanted that part of Discipline because wee reade nothing of it in them I am confident they will not be so fanaticall as to make such a conclusion from so brainsick a premise much lesse will any intelligible christian argue as my Brother Burton does saying wee reade not of that part of Discipline in the church at Ierusalem of casting out corrupt Members Ergo it had it not this would indeed prove a non sequitur and such a consequenct or conclusion could least of all have been made from the Church at Ierusalem upon such an Antecedent then from any of the other churches because the church at Ierusalem had not only the power of the Keyes within it selfe but a legislative power also who gave Lawes to all other churches both for the ordering and ruling of them and for the exercising of their Discipline in every particular and that by Gods appointment for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law saith the Prophet Isa 23. and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem So that the Church at Ierusalem the Mother church gave power to all the daughter churches and that both the power of Order and Jurisdiction the power was radically in it and in that church was the fountain of all authority the streames of the which flowed to all the other churches of the world For out of Zion shal go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And can any rationall man thinke it gave away all its power and did not keepe a reserve donec ad triarios redierit res I beleeve that all the Independents will much blame my brother Burton for this his rashnesse in affirming the church at Ierusalem wanted that part of Discipline for casting out corrupt Members when the Apostles themselves had all power in their hands bequeathed unto them by Christ himselfe who said Mat. 28. verse 18. 19. All power is given to mee in Heaven and Earth goe yee therefore and teach all Nations c. and Iohn the 20. verse 21 22 23. as my Father hath sent mee even so send I you and when hee had said this hee breathed on them and saith unto them receive yee the Holy Ghost whose soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins yee retaine they are retained Loe here was plenary authority given unto all the Apostles who as they had the Keyes promised them in the sixteenth of Matthew here they now received them and therefore they had the power in their hands both of order and jurisdiction which the Keyes imported as all the learned know and the very Independents doe not deny now this power was not onely given unto them but unto all faithfull Ministers their successors to whom Christ made a promise as well as to the Apostles Matth. 28. that hee would be with them to the end of the world neither doe wee ever reade that the Apostles and Ministers in the church of Ierusalem did ever relinquish their power and therefore they wanted not that part of Discipline as my Brother Burton grollishly affirmeth who begins now to doubt when hee begins to dote but if there had been any just occasion without all controversie they would have put it in execution but that church consisting of visible Saints and having no scandalous persons amongst them had no occasion of the exercise of that part of Discipline which they wanted not though they exercised it not for it is to be believed that the Apostles would have discharged their duty in punishing offendors if there had beene any And I believe that the Independents would blame any of their Schollers and Members if they should say their new congregated churches wanted that part of Discipline of casting out of corrupt Members though they have not as yet in some of them put it in execution for they have learned to distinguish between the power of a Church and the execution of that power in a church for as it doth not argue that a Court of Justice hath not power of life and death when notwithstanding it is invested with the Authority of hanging and drawing though perhaps after it is erected they either have no occasion of executing that authority that is given or them out of Clemency will for a time shew mercy and use lenity towards offendors not taking the extremity of the Law the more with humanity and kindnesse to reclaime them even so in all well constituted Churches the not executing of the power given them by Christ or the not having just occasion of putting that power in execution doth not prove a want of that power and if any of the Members of the new congregations should so argue against their new church Officers I believe they would soone make use of their Keyes to shut such a Member out of their Church doores as my brother Burton falsly complaines that Truth was lately shut out of Aldermanbury Church doores And truly if one of their whibbling congregations have no want of that part of Discipline though they execute it not shall any man be so temerarious and unadvised as to thinke that the power of the church in Ierusalem was evacuated or enervated or that they had not that part of Discipline when there was greater power in it then in any church in the world all who had all the Apostles amongst them and as Christs and Iohn Disciples all of them armed with the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and when the Magazine and treasury of all power resided continually in that church and therefore that part of Discipline when all other churches derived their power authority and jurisdiction from that as the mother church And to this I now say I am most assured all judicious men will easily consent and agree And therefore my brother Burton affirming that the church at Ierusalem wanted that part of discipline of casting out of corrupt Members saying That neither the Church at Ierusalem was a perfect patterne nor none of the Primitive churches were compleat within themselves but that they must
succeeding ages to the end of the world that they may do the same in their severall and respective Presbyteries Neither is there any president or example in all the holy Scriptures of the new-Testament that any church had its peculiar Pastor and Teacher or Doctor alloted to it with but two or three Elders and a Deacon with a slender congregation of people of the which they only had the cure and care for the feeding and ruling of it and the which had absolute Authority within it self and from which there was no appeale the which notwithstanding the Independents assert is a true formed church after the new testament forme such a modell of a church I affirme can never be shewed or proved in all the new testament God saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 12. vers 28. hath set some in the church first Apostles Secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after Miracles then Gifts of healing helps in government diversities of Tongues are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. and in the 4. of the Ephesians vers 11. When Christ ascended on high he gave gifts unto Men c. and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints c. all the which places are to be understood concerning the Catholicke visible church So that to appropriate these places of Scripture to any particular church as those of the Congregationall way do is to abuse and pervert the holy Scriptures for the upholding of their unwarrantable proceedings for if these Scriptures are to be applyed unto every particular congregationall church then there must not only be a Pastor and a Teacher but many Pastors and many Teachers in each of them besides other church officers and then the Pastors and Teachers would be more in number many times then the flocke and if we looke upon all particular Churches founded by the Apostles which must be a paterne indeed to all churches then we shall finde that in all of them severally they had many Presbyters as in the 14. of the Acts and in the 20. of the same and in all the above cited Scriptures doth abundantly appeare So that there is no ground in all the holy Scripture of the new modell of the Congregationall way for following the expresse Scripture to use my brother Burtons owne words the first formed church we finde is in the Acts the second which consisted of many thousands and in that church there were no distinct officers and members united into one church body respectively for all the Apostles and Ministers of that church fed and ruled that church in common and therefore after the very same example and paterne may all Christian churches to the end of the world do the same and be well formed churches yet have neither a particular Pastor nor Teacher nor distinct officers amongst them for neither the church of Ierusalem nor any of the Primitive and Apostolike Churches had that distinction of officers amongst them and all and every one of them neverthelesse were well formed churches and therefore in this they be a paterne to all churches And as in the church of Ierusalem and in all the other churches all those that were converted and added to them were none of them forced to walke either Dayes or Moneths or years with them before their admission that they might either know the Saints and Members of that Church or be known of them noâ— were ever forced to make a publike confession of their faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion or to enter in by an explicite particular covenant and to obtain the consent of the whole church before their admittance So in this the Church of Jerusalem and the other Churches of the New Testament are to be a pattern to all other churches to the end of the World that they may follow the example of that Mother Church and all the primitive Daughter-Churches in admitting of their Members without any of these things for that was the first formed Church and yet shee required no such things of any that were added into her But of this in its due place And as the Ministers of the Church in Jerusalem the Apostles and Teaches only had the power of government and admitting of Members and did it without the consent of the people as wee may see in their first admission of Members who applyed themselves unto the Apostles onely saying men and brethren what shall wee doe and not unto the people and as in that Church when the people and Beleevers opposed any that desired to be admitted as they did Saint Paul Acts the 9. verse 26 27. of whom they were afraid not beleeving hee was a disciple and hee then appealing to the Apostles who upon hearing of the truth of the busines they admitted him comming in and going out without their consent in this also the Church of Jerusalem is to be a paterne to all Ministers and people in all succeeding Churches that it is the Ministers place onely to admit of Members and not the peoples and if they should gaine-say the admission of any upon either their feares or jealousies or out of other respects that then they may have their appeales from them to the Presbyters in each Church and giving them an account of their faith they are by them to be admitted notwithstanding the dislike and dissenting of their brethren for of this way of proceeding wee have the Church of Ierusalem for a paterne And as the Church at Ierusalem and all the other Primitive Churches never made any rents and schismes from the publike assemblies for some faylings but alwayes constantly frequented their publike meeting places notwithstanding the many corruptions of the Teachers both in Doctrine Discipline and Manners and had not only the example of the blessed Apostles but of Christ also in so doing who when he was questioned concerning his doctrine said I taught publickely in the Temple and in the Synagogue and not in corners and by places and he inioyned the people also to doe the same Matth. 23 saying the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses his seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not yee after their workes c. So likewise other Churches to the end of the world ought to imitate this Church as their paterne not to separate from the publike assemblies and those Churches for some faylings especially when they are found in doctrine and preach all saving truths needfull to salvation without any mixture of humane inventions and so much the rather all Churches ought to imitate the example of the church of Ierusalem and the other Primitive Churches in this not only because they have Christs both example and precept for it but because also separation is blamed by the Apostle Paul in the Hebrewes Heb. 10. and therefore forbidden who saith verse 23 24 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
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
like manner if they will still persist go on in these wicked and ungodly courses to seduce his people and pretend that they have authority from him for their preaching and practising of all these things notwithstanding they have neither precept nor example for them in all the holy Word of God that he may in justice let the devil loose upon them for the beating of them all out of their TUBS Certain I am they by all these their dealings highly provoke the Lord to jealousie and that daily so that if the Christian Magistrates do not take some speedy course for the vindicating of Gods Honor I do verily beleeve the Lord will from Heaven shew some fearful judgement upon this whole Kingdom and visit it with so many plagues and such sore calamities as all the Inhabitants thereof will desire wish that the Mountains may fall upon them and the Hills cover them from the presence of the Lamb and from him that sitteth upon the Throne the which that they may not happen upon this Nation shal be my daily constant prayer And this shal serve to have spake concerning the Church of Ierusalem the first formed Church and concerning the ordinary admission of members in it I will now come to the Church of Samaria and that of Corinth and Ephesus all formed Churches according to the Gospel-Form and briefly shew how members were admitted into them all and by whom and upon what conditions that all men may see there is no want of presidents to convince the Ildependents of their Grolleries In the eighth of the Acts it is related there that through the miracles of Philip and through his preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Iesus Christ they were baptized both men and women from the greatest to the least Verse 10 12. And were all admitted unto Church-fellowship and that by Philips sole authority and this his method of gathering of Churches was ratified by the authority of the Apostles Peter and Iohn and the whole Colledge of the Apostles at Ierusalem And this was a true formed Church after the New Testament Form For in this Christ himself had planted a Church and converted many as it is at large set down in the fourth Chapter of the Gospel of Saint Iohn and here it is said That the people with one accord gave heed unto those things that Philip spake and that there was great joy in that City Verse 6 8. And that they were all baptized both men and women Here we have neither any walking required at their hands for he better assurance either of Philip or the Church of the soundnesse of their conversion Here is no publike confession of their faith required before their admittance into Church-fellowship Here is no evidences of their conversion called for Here is no particular explicite covenant demanded of them Here is no consent of the people desired before their admission into Church communion and yet this was a Church established according to the Gospel-form So that according to the practice of the two Mother churches in Iudea and Israel all beleevers were admitted members and received into Church-fellowship without the conditions those of the Congregational way now require of all those of their new gathered Churches Whether therefore it be not a high presumption and arrogancy in all the Independents to slight the Laws of Christ the King of his Church and the example of Christ himself and the example of all the blessed Apostles I leave it to the judgement of all prudent and advised Christians I will now to satisfie my Brother Burtons desire visit some Churches of the Gentiles formed according to the New Testament Form and I will first in this visitation begin with that Church which he himself hath set before all Churches for a patern of imitation viz. the Church of Corinth In the eighteenth of the Acts it is recorded that when Silas and Timothy were come unto Paul to Corinth the Jewes refusing to receive the Gospel of Iesus Christ that hee shooke his rayment against them and said unto them your blood be upon your own heads I am cleare from hence-forth I will goe unto the Gentiles and departing thence hee entred into ones house named Iustus one that worshipped God and preaching the Gospel there it is said that Crispus a chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved on the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing beleeved and were baptized Here wee see in a Church put into a Gospel forme the Members of that church were admitted by the sole authority of Saint Paul and that barely upon their hearing and beleeving for the Apostle required no other conditions of them for their admission into church Fellowship hee said not unto those many that were baptized that before they could be made Members of that church they must walke some time with the church that they might have experience of the truth of their conversion neither did he injoyn them for satisfaction of the people to make a publicke confession of their faith or to bring in the evidences of their conversion or to enter into any particular explicite covenant or to have the consent of the whole church nothing of all this did Paul require of the Corinthians in this church after the Gospel forme but following Christ the Kings commission upon their Faith Repentance and Baptisme hee hy his owne and sole authority admitted them The same way of admitting of Members wee shall find in the Church of Ephesus as it is at large to be seene in the nineteenth chapter of the Acts where the manner of admission of Members there is fully set downe and that was a Church also my Brother Burton sets downe amongst those that must be brought in for the making up of a compleate paterne now in all those Churches they were all admitted upon Christs owne termes and by the Apostles and Ministers sole authority without either walking sometime with the Church or without any publicke confession of their faith to the Congregation or bringing in their evidences or entring into any private explicite Covenant or without the consent of the people How unsufferable a thing therefore is it now then in all those of the congregationall way to demand other conditions of all their Members before they can be admitted into Church-fellowship with them then those that Christ the King of his Church and all his blessed Apostles demanded If this be not the highest point of presumption that was ever heard of I leave it to the consideration of the very ruggedest Independents upon due deliberation desiting they may all seriously lay it to heart and timely repent of it for if they doe not they will indeed be found fighters against God and dis-throners of Christ the King when they shall slight both his Lawes and example and the example of his blessed Apostles and the practise of all those glorious Gospel formed Churches and set up new Lawes and
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
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
of Colosse and to all the other Apostolicall churches as Mr Knollys confesseth and laboureth to prove then these conclusions will necessarily follow from his argumentations The first that Saint Iohn could not be ignorant that there was a court and common-councell of Presbyters in that church to appeal unto for Mr Knollys saith that Saint John knew that that Church had power to judge Diotrephes and therefore in this contradicteth himselfe for in the sixth page he affirmed that Saint Iohn knew not any such court 2ly it follows that there was an Uniformity of government in all the Apostolicall and Primitive churches W ch wholy overthroweth the tenent of many of the Independents who hold the contrary so that one church had not one manner of government and another church another manner of government peculiar unto it selfe and distinct from the other but they were all governed alike by their severall Presbyteryes and had equall authority and power within their severall precincts as the church at Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth in all which there were many congregations and yet all of them made but each of them a particular church within their respective jurisdictions and were all to be governed by the joynt consent of there severall Presbytries And lastly that this order of government was to be perpetuated to the end of the world which when Saint Diotrephes laboured to violate in assuming it to himselfe and his congregation both hee and all these that follow his steps deserve severely to be punished for it as prevaricators against both precept and example of all well ordered churches and Christians And this shall suffice to have replyed by way of answer to what Mr Knollys had to say for proofe that Saint Iohn knew not of any Court or Common-councell of Presbyters either classicall or synodicall to appeal unto in his time And now I come to make good those appeals I made mention of page 10. which Mr Knollys thinketh a thing impossible for me to do to wit That every particular man as well as any assembly or congregation may have their appeal to the Presbytery of their Precinct Hundred or Division under whose jurisdiction they were and if they finde themselves wronged there then they have appeales to some other higher Presbytery or Councell of Divines for reliefe and justice These appeales Master Knollys saith I cannot make good to be according to the Scripture of truth although the having recourse by appeales from Inferiors to Superiors and from one Court to another is so evident by the very light of nature and approved of by the practice of all Nations and Churches in all ages and is also so apparent by the holy Scriptures both of the old and new testament as there is scarce any truth more obvious to all understanding men yet Master Knollys peremptorily asserteth that they cannot be made good out of the Scriptures of truth so that it is manifest to all men that be there any truth never so perspicuous he is resolved to beleeve nothing but what he conceiveth to be according to the Scripture of truth Therefore for the gratifying of Master Knollys and all such as with candour and ingenuity and without any prejudice shall reade the insuing lines I shall in this place adde something more fully and distinctly to that which I spake in the foregoing page for the proofe of those appeales I mentioned page 10. and sufficiently evince they are warranted by the Word of truth and for that purpose I shall first produce the authority of holy Scriptures and bring forth some Presidents out of the unerring word for the confirmation of the same and then I shall also ratifie the use of appeales by reasons and from the practice of all ages in all Nations And all this I shall the more willingly do in this place although it is done againe and againe in this treatise and onely because Master Knollys affirmeth that I cannot make good that appeales be according to the Scripture of truth And for proofe ofthis I will begin with that of our Saviour Matth. 13 vers 15. Wherefore saith he if thy brother shall trespasse against thee go and tell him of his fault betweene thee and him alone c. But if he heare thee not appeale higher to two or three more And if he shall neglect to heare them appeale yet higher tell it then unto the Church that is to the Court of Presbyters in that precinct So that from this place it is evident that appeales are warranted by the Word of truth for truth it self hath taught us the Doctrine of appeals And for Presidents of appeales there are many in the New-Testament to say nothing of the Old To begin with that in the 5. of the Acts which we finde recorded after Christ's ascension in the questioning of Ananias and Saphira whereas by conjoynt argrement it was appointed and ordered amongst them that all things should be common and that selling their possessions they should bring the price of them and lay it also at the Apostles feet which very expression signifieth and denoteth what great authority and power the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Jerusalem were then in and sufficiently declares that there was a Court there as all the carriage of that businesse doth abundantly prove I say therefore when they had made such an order by common consent and when it was found out that Ananias and Saphira his wife had not dealt faithfully in that businesse nor according to publike agreement but had consented together to deceive their brethren and by that had scandalized the Gospel the Church or people for the redressing of this abuse take not the matter into their owne hands nor challenge not any power unto themselves for the punishing of Ananias and Saphira as well knowing their place then and that the government did not belong unto them but to the Elders and Rulers over them they appeale therefore unto the Apostles and make their complaint unto them and exhibit their Articles against Ananias and Saphira as both guilty of the same crime whereupon they were convented before the Apostles as Delinquents Peter then being there president and chiefe judge and finding them guilty sentenced them both from God himselfe and punished them for their sinne with death by which we may take notice not onely of an appeale but that there was a standing Court of Presbyters in Jerusalem and that they had in it plenary power from Christ for the tryall and punishing of all offenders and of casting them out of the Church if Scandalous as well as the Church of Corinth and it stands with all reason for Jerusalem was the mother Church and therefore was inferior to none of the Daughter-Churches and to this Court of Presbyters were all appeales ever to be made by the people of that precinct as this one instance doth sufficiently declare And that other president in the 6. of the Acts where we have a second appeale upon an other publike
whether those Scriptures I cited with the Arguments deduced from them doe not speake and perswade such a thing I am confident all such as know any thing in learning will say they doe But for answer Master Knollys himselfe grants that very many were baptized by Iohn and Christs disciples and none were baptized then but Beleevers as he and all the Independents doe confesse and acknowledge but saith he the Scriptures quoted do not declare how many of those baptized persons were of the Church of Ierusalem for the Scriptures witnesse that there were Churches through all Iudaea as well as in Ierusalem and for ought saith he I know or the Doctor either many of those baptized persons might be of those Churches yea the most of them and but a few in Ierusalem it may be no more but those hundred and twenty mentioned Acts the 1. vers 13 14 15. If a bare denyall of any Argument with a senselesse Reason or two and an it may be were a sufficient conviction of a truth then Master Knollys would be a very precious Disputant and to say Bellarmine thou lyest would be enough to confute all the Papists But in matters of this nature and of so high concernement there is more required then bare denials and vaine evasions and may-bee's And therefore I will take this liberty to tell Master Knollis that hee trifles in Divinity and deales not like a serious nor learned Christian nor to the purpose for this is not in question betweene mee and the Independents how many of those baptized persons through all Iudaea and the Regions round about were resident in the Church of Ierusalem This I say was never controverted betweene us for no man that I know of ever doubted but that all those that came out of al Iudaea and the Regions round about to the Ministry Baptism of Iohn and Christs Disciples returned home againe to their severall habitations and there remained and aboad as those that came out of Ierusalem to Iohns Preaching and Baptisme after they were baptized repaired to their severall houses habitations in that Citie and remained there waiting upon the publick Ordinances this I conceive all men that have any understanding beleeve And the Scripture sufficiently declareth that the multitudes of Beleevers that came out of Ierusalem and were baptized by Iohn the Baptist to speake nothing now of the Apostles and seventy Disciples were numberlesse and therefore were more then the hundred and twenty names yea they were innumerable therefore more then could meet in any one place or a few And if the Reader will but looke backe to the Scriptures above quoted out of which I framed my Arguments and consider the insuing Scriptures and Reasons from them he will easily perceive that Master Knollys is a meere Quibler and a man no way fit for either disputation or any serious imployment The Evangelists speaking of the great concourses of people that came from all quarters to the Preaching and Ministery of Iohn and to be baptized to avoid mistakes doe specifie the severall places out of which they came with the numbers indefinitly set down that came from every place saying There went out to him Ierusalem and all Iudaea and all the Regions round about Iordan and were baptized of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes Mat. the 3. Here it is abundantly declared that it was an infinite company that came from Ierusalem as by the word Ierusalem is sufficiently manifest being metaphorically set downe and taken in that place as I said before synechdochically for a mighty part and multitude of people that came out of that City And Saint Marke confirmes this chap. 1. ver the 5. who saith there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the river Jordan confessing their sinnes And the same is further ratified by the words of our Saviour Luke 7. 29. 30. who saith that all the people that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized by the Baptisme of John but the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Councell of God against themselves being not baptized So that now by the mouth of three witnesses and by the testimony of Christ himselfe it is sufficiently proved That if Jerusalem and all the people of Jerusalem went out and were baptized by John except the Pharisees and Lawyers that there was an innumerable multitude and therefore more then could possibly meet in any one place or a few and many more then the hundred and twenty names spoke of in the first of the Acts which fond conceit of Mr Knollys is yet more evidently refuted out of the second of the Acts where it is related that there were at that time Inhabitants and Dwellers at Jerusalem devout men that is true Worshippers and Beleevers from out of all the Nations under Heaven To say nothing of Nicodemus and of Joseph of Arimathea and of many other Rulers and of all the people and children that cryed Hosanna and that received Christ into the City with all their acclamations and believed in him the most of which were Inhabitants aud Dwellers in Jerusalem and such as had their aboad there so that by this I have now said the folly and vanity of Mr Knollys and his cavill is apparantly manifest and this truth sufficiently clear to all that there was an infinite number and a very City of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem besides those that were of the other Churches in Judea and therefore could not all meet in one place For the Scripture saith that Ierusalem and they of Ierusalem went out and were baptized by Iohn the Baptist and therefore all good Christians I am confident will ever beleeve the Scriptures and give credit unto the word of God rather then unto Mr Knollys and if they will beleeve the Scripture of truth then they will not onely beleeve there was an infinite number and a very City of Beleevers in Ierusalem and that by the very ministry and preaching of Iohn but that Mr Knollys is a very wicked and blasphemous creature as who giveth the spirit of God the lye and opposeth also all good reason For the spirit saith Jerusalem and all they of Ierusalem except the Pharisees and Lawyers were baptized by John and all these were inhabitants at Jerusalem and Mr Knollys affirmeth the contrary and confuteth all the Evangelists whether therefore he be not a very precious disputant I refer it to the judgement of all sober-minded Christians that love sincerity truth and plain dealing And this might suffice to shew the vanity and wickednesse of the man and what a vain caviller he is that thus abuseth pretious time to abuse himselfe and miserably to delude ignorant people But for the farther confirmation of my Minor I will produce one or two testimonies more out of the eleventh of Mark where there is mention made of two great companies and parties of beleevers and those all Inhabitants in Ierusalem the
The summe of my Arguments is this Where there was an infinitemultitude or a mighty City of beleevers there they could not all meete together in one place or roome or in one congregation to injoy all acts of worship for edification but in the Church of Ierusalem by the very baptisme and preaching of Iohn there was an infinit multitude and a very City of believers ergo they could not all meete together in any one congregation This is the sum of my first Argument The second is this 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 terror into them all as they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies there of necessity the number of them must be so great as they could not all meet together in one place or congregation to partake in all Acts of worship But in the Church of Jerusalem there was such a company of believers by the very baptisme of Iohn ergo they could not all meete together in any one place or congregation This is the summe of my arguments which I made good out of the Word of God and from sound reason as they that have read my booke with judgement I am confident will acknowledge Now heare how J. S. setteth them downe with his answer to them pag. the 8. and 9. of his booke The Doctors first proposition is saith he that there were many Congregations and severall assemblies in the Church of Jerusalem c. for proofe whereof saith he he bringeth the multitudes of Converts to Iohns Baptisme the people of Jerusalem all of them and all Iudaea c. whereby saith he all became Christians or members of the Christian Church for Iohns baptisme was into Iesus Christ and the very same with that of the Apostles Thus I. S. sets downe my Arguments which I affirme is not candidly done of him for the ignorant Reader cannot see into the strength of my arguments they being delivered in such obscure tearmes and set down also to the halves the whole truth not being specified For not one of ten thousand had ever seene or read my book I dare say not one of an hundred of the Independents had ever vouchsafed so much as to looke into it for I was made so odious unto them by their blasting language as they abhorred my very name with all howsoever they boasted at the first coming of it out that there were twenty pens at worke in answering of it yet not one of them ever appeared till three moneths after it was printed Now all the Copyes that were printed were all gone in one weeke so that the answers coming out so long after and my arguments not being known to the people and being in this obscure manner and in such darke expressions and but to the halves set down every vulgar understanding can never see into the weight and strength of them especially they having not my booke before them And to say the truth all the Independents ordinarily use this method in their pretended answers as first to let the bookes they reply unto be forgotten and after that to blurte out something against them concealing the truth and then they crow out as victors and conquerers that they have beate up our quarters and puld downe the pillars of our discourse as I S. doth vainly in this his Pamplet when it will appeare to all intelligible men that he hath onely cast a squib or two at them and then as a meere fresh water Souldier speedily ran away and left that worke to others as he unaduisedly in the tenth page and in his wise Epistle confesseth sayning indisposition of body when indeede it was his want of wit learning honesty and courage As I haveset downe the sum of my Arguments and compared his expressing of my meaning with it I will also set downe the summe of his answer to them which he giveth in the name of all the Independents saying we answerd to your reason and then set downe his own words in their full length that all men may see my faire dealing with him For I. S. doth not here deny my minor as Master Knollys did or accuse me of false Musters as he vainely and impiously doth in his answer to my second Arguments But plainly denieth that those that were baptized by Iohn Baptist were Christians to whom my brother Burton assenteth page 16. of his book saying that those beleevers that were baptized by Iohn Baptist into Christ to come according to the Papists doctrine were not formed into a Christian Church or Churches as after Christs resurrection Christians were These are my brother Burtons formall words who not only assenteth to I. S. in this his opinion but also bringeth in the authority of the Papists to confirme this their doctrine and so in this the Independents agree with the Papists to overthrow the truth and to maintain their abominable errors And this I conceive was the cause that moved my brother Burton in the ninth page of his booke in the beginning of his answer to say `as for your indefinite enumeration of those multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples we take no notice of them This is his expression there concerning the which in due place Surely if my brother Burton had thought them Christians he would have demeed them worthy to have been taken notice of but in this he agreeth with I. S. and the Papists Now I will give you the summe of I. S. his Arguments in way of answer by which he denieth that those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were Christians The first is because saith he they were baptised into Christ that was to dye and not dead therefore in his dialect they were no Christians The second they were not baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire therefore thy were no Chrstians The third they were no more Christians then the Iewes that passed through the red Sea but they were no Christians ergo they also that were baptized by Iohn were no Christians The fourth The baptisme of Iohn was not perfect ergo those that were baptised by him were no Christians The fifth those that were baptized by Iohn did not only hasitate but were scandalized at the true Messiah and under the forme of Iohns baptisme did fight against the true baptisme and baptiser the Lord Jesus ergo they were no Christians Sixthly they that were baptized by Iohn were not cast into a Church mould according to the New testament forme neither were they members of one Christian Church at Jerusalem ergo they were not Christians and this Argument is brought in by way of a corallary This must needs be the scope of his answer or else he sayth nothing to the purpose in denying my Arguments which were not only to prove that those
him up upon his throne but by this meanes they dis-throne him And therefore J. S. and all those of his fraternity that not onely unchristian and unchurch all those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Apostles before Christs death but at this day unchurch and unchristian all Christians and Churches but their own are guilty of high contumacy against the King of Saints and King of Kings and are most injurious to all their christian Brethren And truly there cannot be found scarse in the world such an example of temerity and unadvised rashnesse and want of charity and common wisdome as is every day to be observed amongst the Independents who are ever talking of a Church mould after the New Testament forme and excluding all from being true Churches that are not so moulded and yet never tell us what it is For in the holy Scripture we have never read of any other Church mould or of any New Testament forme but of publishing the Gospel and of preaching faith and repentance and of yeelding obedience unto it and of beleeving and repenting and being baptized which both John the Baptist and all Christs Disciples and the blessed Apostles and all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel had a commission to do and a command withall and a blessing annexed unto it that whosoever did repent beleeve and was baptized should not onely be admitted a visible member of the catholicke visible Church but should be saved The words of our Saviour Christ unto his Disciples Marke 16. ver 15 16. are these Go saith he into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Out of the which words and commission of our Saviour I evidently gather that when John the Baptist and Christs Disciples in their severall ministryes went according to their commission preaching from place to place and from city to city and publishing the glad tydings of the kingdom of the Messiah and baptizing such as beleeved they cast them into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and therefore made them all members not onely of the Catholique visible Church but of all those severall particular Churches and Synagogues through all the cities of Judaea and through the world where they preached the Gospel as well as at Ierusalem and that as many of Ierusalem as were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples were all members of that Church and as truly moulded into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and made as reall members and free denizons of Christs Kingdome as any of the new congregations at this day unlesse any will think and beleeve that John the Baptist and the blessed Apostles were ignorant how to gather Churches and nescient of the right mould and forme of the New Testament churches and had not learned their lesson so well as our Independent Ministers which were a piece of impiety and horrid wickednesse to affirme For then it would follow that those that were baptized by Iohn and by the Apostles and Christs seventy Disciples were never saved For I. S. denyes they were Christians and that they were cast into a church mould after the New Testament forme or members of the christian church and therefore by consequent they were in the state of damnation But if all this be wickednesse so much as to think then there is a way yet to Heaven and that a safe one which the Independents are ignorant of for they preach up their way as the narrow way to heaven proclaiming all those that are out of it to be enemies of Jesus Christ and his kingdome and in the state of perdition and yet Iohn the Baptist was ignorant of their way and cast not his Disciples into their mould and yet they went safely to the Kingdome of heaven yea they entred into it by violence as our Saviour speaketh And therefore by this that I have now said by way of answer all men may see the futility and impiety of I. S. and how groundlesse all his arguments are and may very well conclude That all those that were baptized by John the Baptist and by Christs Disciples before his death were members of Christs Church and true beleevers and that as many of them as came from Jerusalem were members of that church and they may also from the foregoing arguments gather That those that came out of Jerusalem to his baptism were in such multitudes for all Ierusalem went out unto him and were baptized as they could not all possibly meet in any one place or congregation or a few therfore I am confident that all those that shall read both what Mr Knollys and I. S. have fondly and impiously replyed to my arguments and what by way of answer I have here set down will adjudge that such unworthy wranglers and cavillers as these are ought by their severall Churches to be severely censur'd for this their ignorance and impiety And this shall serve to have replyed to these their exceptions against my first arguments concerning the multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist I shall answer to all their other severall cavills in their due places I will now therefore go on to shew the increase of beleevers that were 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 John the 4. ver 1 2. Now when the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Iesus made and baptized more Disciples then Iohn though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples Here observe that where there was a mistake in the relation there the Evangelist forthwith shews it to rectifie mens understandings as where it was reported that Christ baptized he shewes it was a mistake for his Disciples onely baptized but where it is said that Iesus made more Disciples then Iohn that is taken pro confesso and it was true for Iohn himselfe in the 3. chapter ver 30. had said He must increase but I must decrease Christ therefore made many more Disciples and Beleevers then Iohn and added dayly 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 John the 6. 37. And as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve upon his name John 1. 12. And these were infinite multitudes as we shall see by and by In Iohn the 7. 31. it is said that many of the people of Ierusalem beleeved on him And verse the 40. they said of a truth this is that Prophet And in the same chapter when the high Preists sent the officers to apprehend Christ and returning without him and the high Priests demanding the reason why they had not brought him
impossible thing that they should all meet in one place or a few I shall desire the Reader here to consider what Master Knollys and I. S. have replyed by way of answer to all these Arguments I will first set downe Master Knollys his Reply with his Reasons and give my answer to him and then in order come to what I. S. that learned Gentleman hath to gainesay Master Knollys denyes all the Minors of these Arguments as his manner is and gives some slender reasons and makes some sleight evasions and thinkes that enough His words are these pag. 8. As for the world of beleevers mentioned in these arguments drawne from John 12. 19. Behold the world is gone after him that Scripture doth not say they beleeved in him much lesse that there was a world of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem These are Master Knollys formall words and all the ground of his denyall of the minor of all my Arguments yea all that he hath to say against them And it is wonderfull to see how the people are satisfied with such delusions But by this kind of Disputing if it be sufficient for refutation to deny any Arguments grounded upon the holy Scriptures confirmed and corroborated by sound reasons then for ought I know men may not only confute the whole word of God and whatsoever is evidently proved from thence but indeed deny the Christian Religion But that all men may take notice of this mans ignorance and blasphemy for to say the truth he giveth the Spirit of God the lye whiles hee labours to maintaine his erroneous opinion that my answer may be the more satisfactory I will make these two Propositions evidently appeare First that the world here mentioned that went after Christ were such as beleeved in him Secondly that there was a world of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were inhabitants there both which if I make good then my Arguments will stand for ever immoveable and it will follow that there were more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem before Christs death converted by himselfe and by his Disciples then could all possibly meet in any one place or congregation or a few besides those that were converted by Iohns Ministry and that this deniall of Mr. Knollys is groundlesse vaine and impious For proofe therefore of my first Proposition viz. that the world here mentioned were beleevers it is manifest by the insuing reasons First from the manner of the Scriptures dialect and that in many places which intimate and prove that to follow Christ with love affection and approbation is to be his Schollers and Disciples and to beleeve in him Matth. the 16. vers 24. Marke the 8. v. 34. Luke the 9. verse 29. If any man saith Christ will come after mee let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse daily and follow me So that by these testimonies in Scripture language to goe aâ—ter Christ and to follow him in sincerity is to be Christs Scholler and Disciple and to beleeve in him For Châ—ist himselfe hath so taught us in the 12. of Iohn verse 26. whose words are these If any man will serve me let him follow mee and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve mee him will my Father honour So that to serve Christ and to follow Christ in Gods dialect is to beleeve in Christ Secondly this is so cleare a truth that the very blind Pharisees those Leaders of the blind did well perceive it and tooke the multitudes following of him in this sense that they beleeved in him which their very expression doth sufficiently declare For say they verse 29. Perceive yee not how you prevaile nothing Behold the world is gone after him out of which words of theirs it is sufficiently evident that they did not understand that like a company of giddy headed people they were gone after him to gaze and looke upon him as upon some novelty but that the multitudes aâ—d world that followed him were such indeed as adhered to him and beleeved in him for otherwise it had not beene a matter worthy of admiration and an Ecce and a behold for no man wonders at an ordinary thing to see a company of people run after an eminent man to view him and looke upon him for there is nothing more common nor of lesse admiration neither would such a spectacle have put them all in feare and upon a consultation how they might destroy him and take him out of the world if they had only thought or beleeved that the world went after him only to take notice of him and so to have gone home againe certainly such an opinion in the Priests Pharisees as this would never have so inraged them against Chrisâ— and have made them all lay their heads together which way to murther him Neither would it ever have extorted such words out of their heads as to say amongst themselves in private and that in a rage and out of indignation and in a serious way when they were in a deliberate consultation behold or perceive you not how the world is gone after him but when these words proceeded from them in private and when they were in a deepe debate and counsell it is manifest that they spake so out of malice envie and from very madnesse which arose from this that they well perceived that they that followed Christ beleeved in him which is yet more confirmed by many places of holy Scripture that might be produced but amongst others those testimonies in the seventh of Iohn where in expresse words it is related that many of the people beleeved on him and said when Christ cometh will hee doe more miracles then these which this man hath done and in the 40. verse many of the people said of a truth this is the Prophet others said this is the Christ and all this was in Ierusalem and vers 48. Have any of the Rulers and Pharisees say they beleeved in him but this people that knoweth not the Law is accursed out of the which place it is now abundantly evident that the world spake of in the 12. chap. were beleevers for here the Rulers and Pharisees make a distribution of the people of Ierusalem divide them into two parties and then they compare them together the one that beleeved in Christ and followed him and were his schollers and the other that professed they were Abrahams children and Moses his disciples yet they were Christs professed enemies and such as declared themselves not to beleeeve in him now here what the Rulers and Pharisees judgement was concerning this busines which was one of the parties who knew very well what they spake and the people of whom they spake and of themselves they spake thus have any of the Rulers and Pharisees beleeved in him but this people that knoweth not the Law is accursed So that being thus compared together the unbeleevers are the Pharisees and Rulers and their
complices only but all the other people of Ierusalem they beleeved in him in their esteeme and therefore they adjudged them accursed which they would never have done if they had followed Christ for no other end but to have looked upon him for their words doe import as much as if they should have said in plaine termes all the people or the greatest part of the people in Ierusalem saving the Rulers and Pharisees beleeve in Christ and there is none oppose him but they and that this is their very meaning and sense of the words as learned men may easily gather Thirdly the same is confirmed by Nicodemus his witnesse in private also who knew very well how the people of Ierusalem stood generally affected towards Christ and what opinion they had of him heare therefore what hee saith Iohn the 3. of whom the Evangelist speaketh thus There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a Ruler of the Iewes the same came to Iesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man can doe these miracles except God bee with him Here Nicodemus gives in testimony devideneâ— that the generality of those in Ierusalem and of the principallest of them as well as of the meanest that they beleeved in Jesus saying we know that is to say all the people know that thou art a Teacher come from God they knew it with the knowledge of Faith and approbation and did really beleeve that hee was come from God and he gives a reason of his and their faith saying that no men can doe those miracles except God bee with him and therefore they beleeved in him so that Nicodemus which was a Disciple of Christ though in secret and a great honourer of him would give in no false verdict nor make no false Musters and he knew very well the opinion and the esteeme the people had of him and he asserteth that both himselfe and the people knew that Christ was sent of God which is as much as to beleeve in him for the same confession did the Apostles make Matth. 16. and Iohn the 6. saying we know that thou art the Sonne of the living God So that to acknowledge Christ and to beleeve in him is all one in the language of holy Scripture and to follow and go after Christ out of sincerity and love and to beleeve in him is the same if the word of God may be judge in this controversie So that to goe after Christ then and to follow him cordially and without worldly ends both in the language of God and men is to serve Christ and to beleeve in him and therefore for all the above mentioned reasons the world that went after Christ the people and multitudes that followed him were all beleevers and the others that either tarried at home and followed their owne imployments or opposed him were unbeleevers Now then when a multitulde from Ierusalem followd Christ and when a world within Ierusalem went after him and when all the cursed people as they called them beleeved in him not only by the very testimony of the enemies of Christ but by the witnesses of the holy Scripture it is sufficiently apparent that the World spake of in the 12. of Iohn were all beleevers amongst the which also out of same Chapter is proved That many of the Rulers also believed in him So that Master Knollys denying all this is little better then an Infidell For an Infidell can do no more then deny the holy Scripture and the manifest truths discovered in them and by this that I have now said though I should not adde a word more it is manifest That there were more beleevers at that time in Jerusalem then could all meete in any one place to partake in all the Ordinances except a mighty city and a world of beleevers may all meete together in one roomâ— or Congregation to communicate in all Acts of worship to edification Which was yet never heard of nor never believed by any man that was not bereaved of his senses and all his wit But yet for farther Illustration and proofe of this truth that if it be possible I may undeceive the poore deluded people I will adde a reason or two more The Scripture is so cleare in this point that there were innumerable believers in Ierusalem as in the second of the Acts besides those that were natives there it is said there were dwellers in Ierusalem worshippers or devout men that is to say beleevers out of all nations under heaven And all these sayeth the Scripture had their dwelling there And without all doubt all these severall Nations had their severall Synagogues in Ierusalem where they heard the Word of God in their owne language as the Dutch and French and other Nations here in London have their churches And the multitudes of the inhabitants in Ierusalem at all times by the relation of the Historians of those dayes were scarse ever lesse then seven or eight hundred thousands and without all controversie the number was now increased because they daily and hourely expected the comming of the Messias whose appearing they every moment looked for and therefore all the believing Iewes out of all Countries repaired in multitudes to Ierusalem So that such numberlesse numbers both of the native Iewes and strangers required a mighty number of Teachers and a many places to heare and to be taught in and that there were above foure hundred Synagogues in Ierusalem which are churches in our dialect the pen-men and Historiographers of those times have recorded it and all this is probable from the numerosity of Preachers and Teachers there which the holy Scripture relateth as the Priests Levits Scribes Pharisees Lawyers which all sate in Moses Chaire and all of them diligently taken up in Preaching to the people and in instructing them upon whose Ministery by Christs command all the multitude and his very followers were to attend Matth. 23. vers 1. 2. 3. So that there was no separation then to be made from the publicke Assemblies where the Law and Gospell was taught nor no gathering of new Churches under pretence of easting them into a Church mould according to the New testament forme Christ and his Disciples were not then so deepely learned as to be in that high forme of Divinity Christs followers notwithstanding were all Gospell Christians and were all in a Church way and I am sure of it in the right way to heaven if the way the truth and the life could teach them the straight way thither and yet they all followed the old lights still Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles were all their Masters we heare then of no new lights nor new borne truths nor of new Church moulds and yet then the Kingdome of heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force Matth. 11 12. they went all well to Heaven as well and as cheerfully as any of our Independents with
their new lights and their congregationall way But this by the by Now I say if there were such multitudes both of Hearers and Teachers there was without all doubt many places for them seveally to heare in and it stands withall reason that the severall strange Nations had Synagogues by themselves and such men to Teach unto them in their own language as they could understand or else they could not have been edified and there is very good ground to induce men to beleeve that I now say For if there was a Synagogue in Ierusalem of the Libertines as there was that is to say of those that had beene slives and bond-men but were made free then can any man beleeve that all those severall Nations of the free-men that abounded also with wealth and honour or else if they had not had great riches they could never have journied so about from Country to Country and transported their families thither I say in all these regardes it stands withall reason that they had their particular Synagogues also and therefore that they were in mighty multitudes so that a few places could not containe them all to communicate in all Acts of worship and therefore of necessity in Christ his time they were distributed into many and severall Congregations and all this I say besides the holy Scripture very reason dictats to any man but Master Knollys and I. S. and their fraturnity who all deny that there were either in Christs life time or after his death more Christians and believers in the church of Ierusalem then could meete in one place or congregation notwithstanding the holy Scripture sayeth that there was a world of believers there and that all Jerusalem the very City was full of them I referre therefore that which I have now spake to the judgement of all the judicious and learned whether we ought rather to believe the Holy Scripture of truth which was indited by the Spirit of truth or Master Knollys who saith and writeth the contrary by the spirit of error And this shall suffice to have spake for proofe of my first proposion to wit that the world that went after Christ were believers which Master Knollys most fondly and impiously denyeth The second proposition remaining to be proved is this that there was a world of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were inhabitants there Now howsoever by the proving of my former proposition this latter also was included in it and proved likewise as all the places above cited do sufficiently shew for the place where the word that followed Christ dwelt is said to be Ierusalem and if we but consult with the holy Scripture especially the Gospell of Saint Iohn we shall again and again meet with many testimonies there besides those I have above quoted to prove the same so that it may be thought a needlesse work in particular to prove this second proposition seeing it is already evinced in the former yet because Mr Knollys hath made them two propositions and hath peremptorily delivered it that there was not a world of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem I will to gratifie him and to satisfie any that will be satisfied prove this proposition also distinctly and severally by it selfe viz. That there was a world of beleevers in Ierusalem and that they were inhabitants there For proofe of this the 12. chapter of Saint Iohn and the 29. verse declaâ—es it saying behold the world is gone after him This world was at Ierusalem and inhabitants there and well known to the Scribes and Pharisees which is yet farther ratified out of the 7. chapter ver 48. where the people that are called accursed had their dwelling for they were known to the high Priests Scribes and Pharisees which they could not have been had they not been Inhabitants which is yet more clear from the 21. of Matthew where it is manifest that not only the men of Ierusalem but that the very children cryed Hosanna to the son of David and it is wel known to all men what children do ordinarily in a publike way it was well approved of by their parents who likewise cryed Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord as it was here in London at the begining of the parliament when the king came into the city to seek for the 5 Members there was not a woman or a child that had a head as big as a crab but cryed for the Priviledges of Parliament commonly as the cock crows so crows the hen the chickens And by all probability it was at that time in Ierusalem in respect of Christ as it was then here in respect of the Parliament the generality of all the inhabitants believed in him and honoured him as the people generally in the city did the Parliament which is yet more evident from the great indignation and wrath of the Priests and Scribes who were displeased to see the wonderfull things he did and especially that they heard the children crying in the Temple saying Hosanna to the sonne of David by which they well perceived that the children spake no otherwise then their fathers would have them and that the whole city of Inhabitants were such as beleeved in him Yea the second of the Acts addes a great deal of strength to this argument where it is said That there were devout men dwellers at Ierusalem out of all the Nations under Heaven besides the Inhabitants that were Natives But the eleventh of Mar. puts all out of doubt for that chapter speaks plainly of all the Inhabitants and Dwellers in Ierusalem as well as of the strangers that came to the Feast where it is said there were two mighty parties either of which so awed the Scribes chiefe Priests and all the enemies of Christ that they durst not meddle with him and the one of them was such as adhered unto Christ and beleeved his doctrine so that although Christs enemies sought to destroy him yet they feared him because saith the Scripture ver 17. all the people were astonished at his doctrine that is all the people approved of it and beleeved in him for he taught as one having authority Matth. 7. The other party were Iohn the Baptists Disciples all beleevers too for it is there asserted that all men compted John that he was a prophet indeed ver 32. And this party also kept the chief Priests the Scribes and the Elders Christs capitall enemies in such awe as they durst not attempt any thing against Christ and all these were inhabitants of Ierusalem For it is said in the 28 verse that all the people were astonished at his doctrine and it is said ver 32. that all men counted John a Prophet indeed Now then if all the people of Ierusalem and all the men of Ierusalem these two mighty parties and both believers be put together and were inhabitants there as â—he Scripture relateth besides the strangers that came up to the Feast then there was a world
wrought upon the Impotent Man who was knowne to all the people to have bin a Cripple from his Mothers wombe and through the powerfull preaching of Peter who exhorted them to repent and to be converted that their sinnes might be blotted out when the time of refreshing should come from the presence of the Lord c. It is said that many which heard the word believed and the number of those new Believers is there specified to be about five thousand men which were also added unto the Church and joyned to all the former Beleevers so that wee have here eight thousand new Members added unto the Church in a very little time and this was a greater Miracle then the former So that the Prophesie in the 110. Psalme verse 3. was now fulfilled That in the day of Christs power his willing people from the wombe of the morning should be multiplied as the Dew upon the Earth And which is not tobe passed by without due notice It is supposed by the best Interpreters and the most orthodoxe Writers and there is good reason for it that these new Converts were Men not Women and Children And without doubt these new Believers endeavoured to convert their Wives Children Servants and Neighbours and there is good reason also why wee should be induced to beleeve that Truth with such wonders and miracles annexed to it should be as prevalent to convert Women Children Servants and Neighbours and whole Families as errours and novelties in these our dayes are able to misleade those poore creatures that are ever learning and never come to knowledge and the which are carried about with every wind of doctrine and beleeve every new-borne truth as they terme it and follow every New Light and every new-found way though it tend to the confusion of the Church and Kingdome It is said of that man of Sin that Sonne of Perdition that hee shall come after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiveablenesse and unrighteousnesse in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thess 2. But to see people so deluded without Miracles is a Miracle So that those poore Women that are carried about with every wind of doctrine from that truth that was taught by Christ and his Apostles and confirmed by so many Miracles and those that doe and have mis-led them have all of them a great deale to answer for But this I speake by the way conceiving that all those new Converts would endeavour as the good Samaritan Woman did after her conversion not only to bring their Wives Children and Families but their Neighbours also and whole Cities to the same faith And I have that opinion also of all the Women and people of that Age that they were as ready to imbrace the truth as the Women and people of this Age and in these our times are to follow errors But let us now see what effects the other Miracles wrought upon the people that are related in the 5. C. as of Ananias Saphira his wife who for tempting the Spirit of God were both stricken downdead and gave up the Ghost and the other Miracles wrought by the Apostles It is said in Vers 11. That fear came upon all the Church and to as many as heard these things that to the rest viz. the Scribes and Pharisees the Maglinant party durst no man joyne himselfe And Believers were added unto the Lord multitudes both of men and women Here come in the good Women now And in Verse 26. it is said that the Captaine with the Officers brought the Apostles without violence for they feared the people least they should have stoned them It will not be amisse briefly to take notice of the severall effects these Miracles wrought Thefirst is That great fear of offending God came on all the Church Gods own people which notwithstanding of the many additions of Believers is called still but one Church The second That none durst joyne themselves to the contrary party the Pharisaicall malignant crew The third That Believers were added to the Church and that multitudes no small companies both of Men and Women Here is a new increase and that a great one The fourth is that the very Captain and Officers were awed and kept in feare by reason of the multitude of Believers so that those that feared not God were afraid of his servants By which it may be gathered That the party of Believers did ballance the number of the incredulous and Pharisacall party if not by far exceed them And therefore by all probability must needs be an innumerable company and a mighty multitude and such a number as could not all meet in any one place or congregation to partake in all the Ordinances And to say nothing of the diversity of Tongues and Languages which were not given to the Apostles to be uselesse and of no profit nor to speake any thing of the divers Jewes that were then dwelling at Jerusalem devout Men and Women out of every Nation under Heaven which notwithstanding may be a sufficient argument to prove That they all had their severall meeting places and their severall Ministers to preach unto them in their severall Languages that they might be edified I say for the present to wave all this let us take notice what is positively set down in the last Verse of the fifth Chapter that is That the Apostles daily in the Temple and in every house ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ That is to say they preached both publickly and privately and the very places where they preached are set down as in the Temple and in every house So that of necessity there must be severall congregations and assemblies of Belivers in Ierusalem according to that in the 2. of the Acts vers the 46. where it said That they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking of bread from house to house which by all Interpreters is understood the administration of the Lords Supper and that the severall assemblies and congregations were wont usually to meet in private houses is frequently mentiond in the holy Scriptures as in the 16. of the Romanes verse the 5. and in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 16. vers 19. Col. 4. 14. and Saint Paul in the 20. of the Acts vers 20. saith That he kept back nothing that was profitable unto them but taught them publikely and from house to house so that they had their Assemblies as well private as publicke even in the Church of Ephesus where they did partake in all acts of worship and in that Church also they had many Presbyters and yet were but one Church But now I will passe on to the sixth chapter in the 1 2 3. and 7 verses it is said That in those dayes when the number of Disciples was multiplyed there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their
now living in these dayes of light and knowledge that should be either so ignorant or erroneous as to gainsay it and yet learned Master Knollys in his moderate answer as he calleth it pag. 8. and 9. replyeth and answereth to it by denying the Minor of my Syllogisme for very slender reasons as his custome is after this manner I will give you his owne words which are these There is no mention saith he in any Scripture quoted by the Doctor of eight thousand new Converts besides women and children Neither doth that Scripture produced Acts 4. 4. prove any such thing For the Reader may consider that the number of them there mentioned are but five thousand and albeit the Dr. make them up eight thousand by saying those five thousand men were added to the Church and joyned to the former beleevers pag. 57. Yet there is a two-fold mistake in the Doctors addition to wit first that some of the three thousand may be were women how then can the Doctor say there were eight thousand new Converts besides women secondly these five thousand are only called men and not Converts not beleevers For howbeit many of them hearing the word beleeved yet it is not said the five thousand men beleeved and the truth iâ— the text well considered only holds forth that the number of men was wade up five thousand These are Master Knollys owne expressions and all that hee hath to say against this Argument with his confused reasons or rather triflings What man but of ordinary capacity that had but cursorily read over my Arguments would not have observed the truth so plaine and evidently laid downe in them and confirmed with such reasons as hee would not onely have beene well satisfied therewith but would have judged it either great blockishnesse in any and apparent ignorance to have yet doubted of it or great temerity and contentiousnesse of spirit to have gainsayed such evident demonstration of verity And yet Mr. Knollys out of the sublimity of his learning being a confident Disputant not onely confutes mee but repels the very Scripture it selfe and resists the Spirit of God which is usually with him and his Complices and all out of the spirit of error and contention to maintaine their severall factions So that it may be admired that such men are not abandoned and abhorred of all people truly fearing God especially when they see their whole study and indeavour is to delude and seduce poore silly creatures But I desire the Reader here deliberately to weigh and consider what the man saith hee denyeth that there is any mention in any Scripture quoted by mee of eight thousand new Converts besides women and children whereas in the second Chapter of the Acts which I cited there is mention made of three thousand added to the Church by the first Miracle and Sermon of the Disciples and this Master Knollys himselfe doth acknowledge pag. 8. of his Pamphlet His words are these To whom were added viz. to all those that were converted before by Johns and Christs Ministry about three thousand soules c. Here hee confesseth there were three thousand soules added to the Church neither is there any mention of women amongst them and in the fourth Chapter hee likewise acknowledgeth that the number mentioned there is five thousand His words are these For the Reader may consider that the number of them there mentioned are but five thousand Thus hee Now all the world knowes that three thousand and five thousand are eight thousand and the Scriptures quoted by mee made mention of these eight thousand what so ever M. Knollys saith to the contrary So that no man of understanding can doubt of the truth of what I asserted For that which is confirmed by the testimony of the holy Scripture were it single and by it selfe ought by all Christians to be beleeved but that which hath both the holy Scripture and learned Master Knollys his owne witnesse to confirme it that hee cannot with any good reason deny but that there was three thousand soules at the first Miracle and Sermon of the Apostles after Christs Ascension added to the Church and five thousand after both the Holy Scripture affirmeth and Master Knollys acknowledgeth it Ergo there were eight thousand new Converts added unto the Church at Ierusalem for these were distinct actions or effects of the Ministry of the Apostles and produced at severall times and upon severall occasions from the Miracles and preaching of the Apostles for otherwise they would not have been taken such notice of as such wonders and have beene so distinctly set downe with all the severall circumstances both of time place and persons neither would there have beene such running and going questioning and consulting about that busines by the Magistrates and Officers as there was if some new and strange thing had not happend and falne out for men doe not usually wonder at ordinary occurrences Now when the holy Scripture relateth this new miracle in the 4. of the Acts as an unexpected thing and suddenly hapning as a matter of great admiration astonishment yea of terrour to the enemies from the curing of the Criple from the preaching of Peter Iohn asserteth withal that many which heard the word beleeved the number of the men was about 5. thousand v. 4. It is apparently evident that as this was a new act distinct from the former so that the conversion of these five thousand was a new effect and distinct one from the former and is of purpose set down by the holy Ghost by it selfe severally to be taken notice of as a matter of more admiration than the conversion of three thousand by how much it was a greater work of the Spirit of God by another miracle and Sermon to convert five thousand then three thousand And without all controversie it was thus recorded with all its circumstances for this very end that it should for ever be taken notice of as a distinct miracle and work of wonder from the former For the holy Ghost is very accurate in the relation of it and very carefull that there should be no mistake in the whole businesse for in expresse words and termes it is said Notwithstanding all the opposition that was made by the Priests and by the Captain of the Temple and the souldiers to hinder the preaching of the Word and to smother this miracle yet many of them that heard the word saith the Scripture beleeved And that there might yet be no mistake or fallacy in the story and narration the very sum and accompt of those that were converted and beleeved by reason of this last miracle and Sermon is specified particularized and set down in these words and the number of the men viz. that beleeved saith the Scripture was about five thousand So that the Scripture it selfe sets down the number and calleth them men and not women and children And it is very safe alwayes to speak as the
word of God teacheth us So that to any intelligible Christian there can be no doubt or scruple any longer left about this point For that which God himselfe hath dictated by his holy spirit and recorded in his holy word we may not gainsay but God hath dictated by his holy spirit and recorded it in his holy word that the multitude that was converted and believed upon that new miracle and preaching of Peter Iohn was about five thousand men Ergo it is not to be gainsaid but to be beleeved and received as an everlasting truth by all Christians For as I said before this was a new effect or a new act and distinct and different from the former and therefore these five thousand are to be considered by themselves and apart Now five thousand and three thousand put and joyned together make up eight thousand which were all added to the Church to all the former that were converted by the Ministery of Iohn the Baptist Christ and his Disciples in Christs life time and therefore there is no mistake in my addition as Mr. Knollys fondly and childishly concludes and his reasons by which he would prove my mistake are as vaine and senselesse For saith he some of the three thousand may be were women and how can the Doctor say there were eight thousand new converts besides women Take notice I pray of the vanity of his expression Some of the three thousand saith he may be were women and it may be they were not and it standeth with as good reason they were not as any he can bring to prove they were although I did not set it down as my own opinion but said onely That it was the judgement of many learned men that all those eight thousand that were converted by those two miracles and Sermons were men and not women and children and therefore Mr Knollys here commits a double errour first in making that my opinion and ascribing that to me which I onely then related as the judgement of others and then left it in medio that is his first error his second is worse for whereas the Holy Scripture saith that there were three thousand soules added unto the Church by the first Miracle and Sermon and five thousand by the second in the fourth of the Acts Master Knollys peremptorily affirmeth they were but five thousand in all so gives the Spirit of God the lye who declares there were three thousand at one time five at another added to the Church But if there were but 5. thousand in all as M. Knollys asserteth then by his own acknowledgement they were all men and not women and so then I had committed no error neither can M. Knollys convince me of an error if I had said it as my own opinion that al those that were converted by those two Miracles had been all men and not women and children For for the five thousand the word of God saith they were all men and not women the words are these in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the number of men according to Master Knollys his owne interpretation was five thousand and if there were five thousand men then not women And wee find in the Holy Scripture that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is alwayes taken for men as we may see it Matth. 15. verse 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they that did eat were foure thousandmen besides women and children So that amongst these five thousand by the testimony of the holy Scripture and in the judgement of Master Knollys by his owne interpretation they were all men and no women now then if all the whole number of Beleevers that were converted by those two Miracles and Sermons mounted in all but to five thousand as Master Knollys affirmeth they did not and were all men as hee accordeth to what purpose then doth hee rayse a new and needlesse cavill against mee because I said that it was the opinion of many learned men that those that were converted by these two miracles and sermons were all men and not women and children For I did not as I said before relate it as my owne judgement neither did I say there were no women amongst those eight thousand but that it was the opinion of the learned that they were all men only and not women and children But were I of as contentious a spirit as Master Knollys and that it tended to edification I could bring better reasons to prove they were men only and not women then either he or any of his Fraternity can produce to the contrary But Mr. Knollys himself seemeth but faintly to assert that there were any of them Women and Children for he saith it may be some of the 3. thousand were women thus he trifles in his answer to my first Argument saying it may be there were no more Beleevers in Ierusalem at the Feast of Pentecost but the hundred and twenty names Now all the learned know that to say it may bee there were some women makes no reall conviction of a mistake it is but a naked and groundlesse supposition of a mistake especially when there may be many solid reasons produced to prove they were all men and no women and children And therefore such kind of triflings are not sufferable in any that pretend to fear God for vain janglings and needlesse contentions about words is that that is condemned by the Apostle in all Ministers in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus and it troubles me not a little that I have to do with such vaine kind of creatures whose cheese bable is about words But notwithstanding I see a providence in it for in this the man shewes but his ignorance and whiles he would perswade the Reader that he is very acute he shewes himselfe to be a very child in the art of disputation There is an old saying give some men rope enough and they will hang themselves Even so it is here with Master Knollys whiles he takes that liberty to himself to run out in his discourse he intangles himself on every side as by the sequell will appeare as here He sayd that there was no mention in any Scripture quoted by me of eight thousand and he denyed withall that the Scripture doth prove any such thing and asserted moreover that the whole number of all those converts amouted but to five thousand and he said that all these were men and not women and yet here he confutes himself I desire all therfore to take notice of the vanity of the man He had confidently concluded there were but five thousand in all and asserted that they were all men and notwithstanding as it were in the same breath he makes mention of three thousand more of another company amongst the which he sayth some of them might be women So that by his own concession here is two distinct numbers or companies one consisting of 5. thousand
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
by the rest to make one entire platforme For the Scripture consists of many parts as so many Members in one body one Member cannot say to another I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12. Againe the Church at Jerusalem if it must be a paterne for all other Churches then in this that all other Churches must be subject to some one Church because Acts 15. things in question were there debated and determined and sent to other Churches to be observed But for as much as that Church at that time in those things was infallibly guided by the Holy Ghost wherewith the Apostles there were inspired in which respect their resolutions were with authority it pleased the Holy Ghost and us that which no particular Church since the Apostles could ever say it followeth that the Church then at Jerusalem remaines not in all things a paterne for other Churches for a paterne must be in all things imitable and perfect Lastly for Appeales so much agitated and pressed I have said enough before and else-where as in my vindication to vindicate the right use of that in point of Church matters And so I passe briefly from your first question to your second which is concerning the manner of gathering of Churches and admitting of Members and Officers I have set downe my Brother Burtons expressions at large that all men may see how fairely I deale with hâ—m â—s for his censure upon all my Arguments that went before by which I proved my first Proposition that they are rather words and tautoligies then arguments by which I toyled my selfe and my Reader I passe it by as neither regarding his pr yses nor sleightings who was never yet constant to the Principles either of Humanity or Religion but like the Camelion hee speaketh of page 3. receives impressions of sundry formes changeable according to the present condition And as it is said of King Henry the eight that hee never spared any man in his rage so it may truly be averred of him that hee never spared any in his fury passion neither living nor dead upon the least conceived displeasure against them no not those hee was most obliged to as all that have beene familiarly acquainted with him and his frothy Pamphlets and language can testifie for he spares not the King himselfe nor Parliament upon all occasions to the one of which notwithstanding hee was not onely obliged in all Loyaltie as a subject but as a speciall servant and to the other if ever any man was ingaged in all the obligations of duty and veneration hee was who is bound unto that great Councell for his Liberty which is the life of life and for his honour and good name which is better then life and yet hee hath spared neither but hath most unchristianly and undutifully and that publickly and privately aspersed them upon all occurrences and therefore if at pleasure hee can vilipend sleight traduce and speake evill of those dignities I may not thinke my selfe agrieved if hee most unbrotherly in his scriblings abuse me Yea I am so farre from being offended at him for this his so dealing with mee as I thinke my selfe honoured by it and account it matter of rejoycing having learned that lesson of my heavenly Master That when men revile me reproach me and speake all manner of evill of me falsely for his names sake that I should rejoyce and be exceeding glad for so they have done by all the Prophets Matth. 5. Luke the 6. and Paul tooke such dealing from the false Teachers of his time for matter of triumph 2 Cor. 12. verse 10. saying I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake for when I am weake then am I strong This I apply unto my selfe who have suffered as much from him and those of his party in reproaches in persecutions and in all manner of reviling and blasting language as their daily Pamphlets and words can witnesse as any man now living and for no other cause that I know of but that I maintaine the truth against error and oppose the novelties and groundlesse opinions of the times all the which will the more aggravate their judgement because they did as immoderately prayse me as can be proved before they knew my differing opinion from them as they doe now maliciously and causelesly vituperate mee and the Lord knowes that I am not changed in my opinion in any knowne truth from what I both beleeved and to my power practised above these thirty yeares neither had I any reason to vary from my Principles they being grounded upon the unerring word of truth and therefore for my brother Burtons and his parties sleighting of mee and my indeavours I wave them as meere Grolleries knowing that my bookes have beene read by more judicious men then either himselfe or any of his Fraternity and have had the approbation of learned men at home and abroad And now I come to his Argument for hee hath not so much candour and faire dealing in him as to lay downe my reasons that the Reader might see the grounds of truth but conceals them all and makes a Syllogisme of his owne or else hath borrowed it from some of his American friends and fetcht it out of the new World For I never read the like in either Europian or Asian Writer no nor in any African Author yet that Country was famous for Monsters and usually esteemed to be the Mother and Nursery of prodigious births and yet such a Syllogisme I never saw brought forth by any of that Nation as this of his framing and I am confident that every sucking Sophister will bee ready truly to say of it as hee falsely speakes of those multitudes baptized by Iohn Christs disciples that they were not formed into a Church or Churches the same I say will any but a Novice in the Art of disputation conclude of his Syllogisme that it hath neither forme mood or figure and that I could easily make evident were it not for mispending of precious time and that I desire not to displease the good old Father in discovering his nakednesse and infirmities who if hee were so highly offended with mee because hee conceived I meant him when I spake of a Basket-hilted beard how much would hee be inraged if I should discover his ignorance and make it appeare that hee is a meer stranger in the art of Logick which hee would perswade the world hee were so great a Master in But leaving that I will come the matter in hand which is of publicke concernment and in the first place I must needs blame him for his Sacriledge and unjust dealing who at one time robbs the Church of Christ of such multitudes of believers as were converted and baptized by the Baptist and Christs Disciples and by them added unto the Church of the Iews who were then the only visible Church upon earth and proclaimed by Christ himself Iohn 4. to be the
transgresse the law of God in speaking evill of their rulers I am most assured that upon due deliberation they will acknowledge that this is no righteous dealing And therefore they must conclude that they that work not righteousnesse are no true Saints nor the generation of the just in Gods esteem Again I demande of any man but of a moderate temper Whether those that with most opprobrious termes doe calumniate our Brethren the Scots and detract from their honour and due praises who came in for our assistance and helpe and for our ayd and deliverance and have beene under God one of the principall meanes of our preservation whether in their so doing they worke righteousnesse I demand further of any one but ordinarily principled either in Religion or Morality whether to speake evill of their Ministers and of their Presbyterian brethren and fellow souldiers with all manner of calumnies and reproaches and to defame them in word and writing through the world and to doe them all the evill offices their most mortall enemies can doe against them and who continually labour to make them and the Presbyterian government hatefull to the world and that will take great and chargeable journies and write large Letters and scurrilous Pamphlets to doe any of their Presbyterian brethren an ill turne and will also glory of it and that in Print I demand I say of any moderate minded Christian whether the doing of ary of these things or the hindring the worke of reformation and the labouring for a toleration of all Religions the assenting unto such be to worke righteousnesse and if he shall accord unto mee that these actions are unrighteous then hee must accord also that those that doe them are no Saints for the true Saints worke righteousnesse it is their trade to be so imployed Now whether the II-dependents bee not guilty of all these dealings I referre the Reader to all their Pamphlets especially to those of Iohn Lilburn lately set forth and those of my brother Burton his Vindication and his Vindicia veritatis and their daily practises and I am most assured if hee will but spend a day or two in reading over the writings and the sermons of the Ill-dependents they shall find little other then unrighteous dealing of all kinds against both Magistracy Ministry and all their Presbyterian Brethren and Fellow-souldiers For they slight them all and make nothing of all that ever they have done for all the Glory of all the famous victories they assume unto themselves and attribute the honour and glory of them to that Army they call the praying Army as if none of the Presbiterian Souldiers either prayed or deservedany share in the honour of those victories when it is most certainly knowne that amongst the Presbyterian souldiers there are many thousands that live as holy and godly and that pray as devoutly and earnestly for all good successe upon their undertakings and for a blessing upon their indeavours as any Independents in England and are as dearly beloved of God as any of them for with God there is no respect of persons but every one that worketh Righteousnesse Act. 10. of what nation soever hee be God heareth him yea and it is well knowne also that in the Army there is ten if not twenty Presbyterians to one Independent and all men know likewise that many of them are experienced souldiers whereas not twenty of them before these times ever saw the face of an enemy and it is likewise acknowledged by all impartiall men that they have ever fought as valiantly as any Independents and have stood to the Battell when many companies of them ran away as can be proved notwithstanding all these things the Independents ascribe the honour of all those victories to their owne party and say the Independents got this and that victory and onely because perhaps some of their Colonels and a few other Independent Commanders had the leading up of the Presbyterian forces and they that under God did the worke loose their due prayses amongst the people and the Independents arrogate the honour to themselves which is their daily practise and in its due place will appeare And therefore when the Independents doe upon all occasions derogate thus from their brethren the glory that belongs unto them and ascribe it to their owne Fraternity and when they are culpable and guilty of the foregoing charges they worke not righteousnesse and therefore unles7s e they timely and cordially repent of all their unrighteous dealing towards God and their brethren this character of Saints and the generation of the just will not belong to them for the Saints indeed and the generation of the just worke righteousnesse whereas the Ill-dependents worke unrighteousnesse But now to passe on to the other characters the third character of the Saints and Generation of the just is this Hee speaketh the truth in his heart saith the Psalmist and such an one is a Saint indeed all double dealing men therefore towards either God or men and such as have a heart and a heart and whose tongue and heart goe not together they in Gods Dialect are no true Saints which doctrine is confirmed by Saint Iames chap. 1. verse 8. who saith That a double minded man is unstable in all his wayes and therefore in the 4. chapter hee exhorting those of his time to draw neere unto God useth these words draw nigh unto God saith hee and hee will draw nigh unto you clense your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts yee double-minded they therefore that are double-minded speak not the truth from their hearts are unsanctified impure and are not Saints indeed whatsoever they pretend Now then all such as make the world beleeve that they will reveale the whole truth of God unto the people and promise they will give in their modell of governement and doe notwithstanding professe and that in expresse words that they will keepe a reserve donec ad triarios redierit res and will not speake the truth in their hearts nor communicate unto their brethren fully their wayes though God hath commanded them that whatsoever hee spake to them in secret they should preach upon the house top openly they are double-minded men and speake not the truth in their hearts and therefore in Gods esteeme they are not Saints indeed but such are all the Il-dependents Again they that in outward appearance before men shew a great deale of love to their Neighbours calling them brethren and notwithstanding plot all the mischiefe they can against them speake not the truth in their hearts according to that of Saint Iohn in his first Epistle chap. 3. verse 18. My little children sayes hee let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth There were it seemes such kind of creatures in his time as made faire semblances of love to others in tongue and word but did not really and in truth love their brethren which he condemnes for
possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need and that they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and that they brake bread from house to house and did eate their meat with Gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Thus the Holy Ghost describeth those three thousand converts unto us as not onely skilfull in the theory of church-fellowship but also exceedingly well verst in the practicall part of it whether therefore in this particular also in that J. S. saith it is suspicious that the three thousand converted at once were not so soone instructed in Church fellowship as converted when the Scripture reporteth the contrary it be not to give the Spirit of God the lye I leave it to the judgement of all the godly and impartiall Râ—aders who I am confident will give their verdict against I. S. For certainly there is no act of church fellowship that was omitted by them and although I love not such as will groundlessly be suspicious as I. S. is here and those of his Fraternity yet I am confident the Independnnts will never be induced to imitate the example of those three thousand and I have very good reason to make mee continue in this beliefe for what I already know in their daily practises and therefore they are rather to be suspected that they are not well instructed in church fellowship they make notwithstanding so great a noys about therefore whether this be not a great temerity in these men thus upon all occasions not onely to censure their christian brethren that live harmelessely by them but to suspect all those that were converted by the Baptist and the Apostles themselves before Christs death yea and to suspect even those three thousand also that were converted by Peter after Christs ascension and to adjudge both Pastors and people to bee all ignorant what church government and church fellowship was I leave it likewise to the judgement of the prudent advised Reader And yet this is the daily practise of al the Ill dependents thus to speake of them all as if they had not learned their lesson as well as the congregationall Predicants and their disciples and knew not how to cast them into a church mold after the New Testament forme and to instruct them concerning church fellowship when not withstanding it is recorded of those Ministers that they revealed the whole counsell of God and whatsoever was needfull to be knowne or practised by all christians to the end of the world Acts the 20. and therefore could bee ignorant of nothing that tended to edification and the building up of beleevers in their most holy faith But yet notwithstanding I. S. and his brethren are still full of suspicions and yet never satisfied in any thing that can be produced out of the holy Scripture to confute their erroneous novelties for although I had sufficiently confirmed my first proposition and proved by both Scripture and reasons that all those that were baptized by John and Christs Disciples were good Christians and true Believers and that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem yet I. S. page 11. sayes He is not satisfied by any thing that hath been alledged by me that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies and that upon the scruples before instanced And Mr Knollys in his 11. page affirmeth the same So that it is certain these men are resolved never to be satisfied though things be never so evidently proved unto them And it is no wonder that there is at this day such a brood of creatures in the world for there has ever been a generation of such men in all ages that will never be satisfied Christ the great Doctor of his Church with all his blessed Apostles and faithfull Ministers could never satisfie the Jewes but they ever resisted his spirit Acts 7. Neither can the holy Scriptures now satisfie all gainsayers but they will still be doubting amongst the which Sir I. S. and Saint Hanserdo with many of their fraternity may well be numbred But for all such Christians as whom the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the glorious light of the Gospel of truth I am confident they will be satisfied that I have sufficiently proved that there were many Congregations and several Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem from that satisfaction they will learn to abhor the errors of all the sectaries and straglers of our times and to decline shun their company and fellowship And for all such as they are that will receive the good seed of the word into good and honest hearts I desire ever to satisfie them and not those that are resolved to be ever scepticall and ever learning yet never attaining or coming to knowledge or at least withhold the truth from others in unrighteousnesse And for all such I shall not much study to give them satisfaction as being a company of unreasonable men from whom we ought daily to pray to be delivered for all such the Lord hath given over to strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye because they received not the love of the truth that they may be saved 2 Thess 2. Notwithstanding I say I have very little hope ever to satisfie any such and therefore may be thought to go about an impossible worke if I should indeavour it yet that all men may sâ—e my fairer dealing with I. S. because he saith that he hath not been satisfied with any thing alledged by me that the Church of Jerusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies I will therefore adde a few reasons more or at least call some of the former briefly to his minde which I am most assured if there were no other in the whole book would perswade any rationall man that there were many Assemblies and Congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem which if they cannot yet satisfie him I am confident they will satisfie and content others And to the reasons I shall produce I will also adde some testimonies of those of his own party for his farther satisfaction or conviction at least All such as have read I. S. his learned works know that he hath not only cut of all those that were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples before Christs passion and ascension from the Church of Ierusalem but razed them out of the Kalender and Roule of the Saints absolutely denying them so much as the very name of Christians all this I say those that have read his scruples very well know They know likewise that he granteth there were three thousand converted by the first Miracle and Sermon of Saint Peter though he uncharitably saith That it is suspicious that they were not so soon instructed in Church fellowship as converted So that here by his own confession we have a very ample Congregation consisting of three thousand and six score persons And in the same
chapter it is related that there were devout men true beleevers out of every Nation under Heaven all Inhabitants and Dwellers there and that the Lord added dayly to those such as should be saved and these were without doubt great numbers they being indefinitely set down And in the fourth chapter we finde a new addition of five thousand men more converted and withall I may tell I. S. that it is suspicious to use his own language that the three thousand first converts were all men likewise for so many learned men conceive of those converts but for the five thousand it is out of doubt for the holy Word of God saith in terminis that they were all men And by the law of charity we are bound to beleeve that all those converts were as zealous for the publishing and spreading abroad of the truth of this their Christian Faith and Doctrine as any other people ever were and therefore that they did make known the wonderfull things of God and what he had done for them to all their acquaintance and neighbours especially we are obliged to beleeve that they did teach and instruct their wives children and servants and their whole families in the nurtrature and fear of the Lord and in the knowledge of the Gospell And it is also to be believed that the women and all sorts of people were then as docible and intelligible and as ready to give attendance unto wholesome and sound words and to imbrace any truth of the Gospell as our giddy-headed people and women are now ready to imbrace and follow novelties especially we may with all reason be induced to beleeve this that they would then be the sooner perswaded to receive the doctrine of the Gospell in regard it came ratified and confirmed unto them with such mighty signes and wonders for the Iewes had often before desired signs and miracles saying unto Christ What signe she west thou that we may beleeve in thee intimating that if he could shew unto them any sign that then they would beleeve in him and so they said unto him when he was upon the crosse If thou wouldest have us beleeve in thee said they come down from the crosse and save thy selfe and then thou shalt perswade us that thou art indeed the sonne of God Now then when the Lord by his Apostles and Disciples did dayly gratifie them with such signes and wonders as that the very high Priests and Rulers themselves were forced to confesse upon the cure of the criple that no body could deny but it was a wonderfull miracle I say therefore when the preaching of the Gospell was concomitated upon all occasions with such mighty wonders it cannot be doubâ—ed but that the ordinary people both men and women were easily perswaded to beleeve it when the Magistrates themselves were astonished to see those wonders and therefore yeelded the more credit unto their husbunds and masters instructions yea we read of many women Luke 23. ver 27 28. that mourned for Christ when they carryed him to crucifying And if we look also into the story of holy writ we shall finde that there were many women that followed him in his life time those honourable ones which ministred dayly unto him Now then if we beleeve which we ought in charity to do that there were but as many beleeving women converted as men as we may for ought any thing can be said to the contrary then we have already sixteen thousand beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem according to the new stile of the Church Neither did the Church stand then at a stay For in the fifth chapter upon the dreadfull death of Ananias and Saphira and by reason of some other miracles Beleevers saith the text were more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women Now this word multitude as I shewed before in all languages it ever signifies some great company or some great assembly or concourse of people whether it be taken in a good sense or a bad therefore saith the holy Scripture follow not a multitude to do evil So that here many new great congregations of beleevers were added to the Church besides all those before specified and in the 6. chapter v. 7. it is recorded that the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith In the which words there is these four things observable The first that the word of God increased that is brought forth many children which were begotten to the Faith by the preaching of it Secondly in expresse words it is said that the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem the place it selfe where being specified that is to say they were increased and that in no small companies in that very Church and City of Jerusalem Thirdly it is said that they multiplyed greatly both the words having a great emphasis in them the number of Disciples multiplyed saith the Scripture and that greatly to shew the miraculous and wonderful increase of them as if the Scripture should have said that the number could not be set down Fourthly it is said also for the setting forth of the efficacy of the Gospell that a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith not a few but a great company also of the Priests those inveterate enemies of Jesus Christ every one of these words hath weight in it and being but a little pondered will create belief from any ordinary understanding man that there were by this means and after their conversion infinites of people dayly added unto the Church of Ierusalem not onely by the powerfull preaching and miracles of the Apostles but by the helpe and preaching of these Priests also of whom we ought to harbour this opinion that now they were as diligent considering the great love of Christ towards themselves to convert and bring men unto him as ever they were before to disswade the people from following him this I conceive the law of charity binds all men to beleeve that they being now converted would study to convert others For we see that as soon as Andrew had found Christ John 1. he brought his brother Simon to him And after Christ had called Philip unto him he finding Nathaniel bringeth him also unto Christ And if we observe it it is the nature of true grace that it is ever operative and fruitfull and will loose no opportunity of doing good and gaining friends unto it So that all those that are really and truly converted they will ever study and indeavour to convert others yea they are bound unto it according to that of Christ who when he related unto Peter that the devill soughts to winnow him as wheat and told him farther that he had prayed for him that his faith might not faile added withall this lesson unto Simon Peter saying When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren This duty lay not only upon Simon Peter but it
of their conversion or that they should enter into a particular explicite Covenant or that they should have the consent of the whole Church nothing of all this was required there neither had the people any hand in the admitting of them but the Apostles by themselves and by their sole authority managed the whole business for those that were converted and pricked in their hearts applying themselves unto the Apostles said Men and Brethren what shall we do and the conditions upon which they admitted them upon their repentance were these onely beleeve and be baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus the blessed Apostles were not acquainted with our new modell nor with the conditions of the new Congregations But by the way let me tell the Illdependents that the Apostles and Disciples had then a just ground of making such conditions if ever any had for they might with great reason have said howsoever these souls be not miracle proof but that they are wounded to the heart by them and by the Sermon of Peter yet we are not by and by to confide in them and to admit them into church fellowship unlesse they will walk some time with us that we may have experience of the truth of their conversion and unlesse also they will make all and every one of them a publike and particular confession of his faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion and enter also into a particular explicite covenant for observing all the Laws of membership and that they come in by the generall consent and approbation of the church I say if ever there was a time that these conditions might have been required by any it might then especially have been because all those had had their hand in crucifying of the Lord of life as Peter told them and therefore they might all be well suspected that howsoever for the present they were all struck into a trembling condition yet that they could not judge upon so short a time of the soundnesse of their conversion and therefore they might well have urged all the former conditions and chiefly because they had our Saviours own example freshly before their eyes in the second of John where it is related that he would not commit himselfe unto men which had been convinced by his miracles although they beleeved in him so that I say in that regard when Christ would not commit himselfe unto them the Apostles and Disciples might much more have pretended in all these regards that they had no reason to confide in these men until they had had better experience of them for the truth of their conversion But when neither the Apostles nor none of all the Disciples so much as urged any conditions upon them beyond the commission given them by Christ to wit Repentance Faith and Baptism the example of this church is for ever binding to all churches that they in the admission of their Members should do the same and they that propound other conditions do no lesse then accuse the Apostles of injustice and imprudency as of taking that authority into their own hands from the people and of so suddenly and without any deliberation admitting of Members into church-fellowship which ought according to my brother Burtons doctrine ever to be done with great caution who saith in his 14. Page Multa cautela non nocet adding moreover that in things weighty we cannot be too wary in regard they look not so much at circumstances in conversion as the substance and in regard also there ought to be a provident care for preventing inconveniences and scandalls seeing turpius ejiciâ—ur quam non admittitur hospes it is easier for a guest to be kept out then to be cast out by all which his expressions and by their dayly practice they do no lesse then proclame unto the world that the Apostles took too much upon them and were not so prudent in the admission of Members into church-fellowship and communion as they should have bin for if they did not accuse the practice of all the Apostles of deficiency why do they not follow their examples and why do they impose new laws of admitting of Members and other conditions then either Christ the King of his church God blessed for ever or his holy Apostles did Which whether or no it be not one of the presumptuous and blasphemous wickednesses both in the Ministers and the people that exercise this new Government that ever was in the world I leave it to the judgement of all consciencious and solid Christians This one example in the church of Ierusalem might be a sufficient president for all churches imitation for ordinary admission of Members into church-fellowship But I will produce other admissions in the same church that there may be no want of witnesses to corroborate this truth In the last verse of the second chapter besides this first admission in terminis it is said there that the Lord added dayly unto the Church such as should be saved Here we finde additions of Members upon additions for they were dayly added saith the Scripture and that by the Lord and King of his Church Iesus Christ and that upon the former conditions for we learn of no other viz. of repenting beleeving and being baptized Here we finde nothing of walking sometime before their admission here is nothing of publike confession of their faith nothing of bringing in of the evidences of their conversion nothing of a particular explicite Covenant nothing of the consent of the Church the Lord Jesus whiles the Government of his church whose yoke was easie and his burthen light lay upon his shoulders and as long as the rule lay in his own hands and before it came to my brother Burtons fine white fingers which he saith in his learned Epistle that some of his friends would not have him foule with me I say whiles the Government of Christs Church lay in his own hands and before it came to my brother Burtons fingers and into the paws and clutches of those of the congregationall way all Christs Disciples and pretious ones were admitted into church-fellowship without that heavy burthen of those conditions they have most arrogantly brought into the Church of God by which in as much as in them lies they have not only put the whole world in a combustion but most blasphemously dis throned Christ preferring their own vain traditions before his most holy Laws and doing all in the Churches name and inslaved his people whiles notwithstanding they pretend they set up Christ upon his Throne and they preach the liberty of the Gospell unto the people which is most impiously to juggle on all sides But now to go on to the other presidents of admitting Members in that Church In the fourth chapter we have it recorded verse 4. that many of them which heard the Word beleeved and the number of the men was about five thousand And all these were admitted into church fellowship and into the Communion
places so ought all men that are under obedience to learne their duty and not to take upon them that which God never gave unto them as to have their voice either in making of members in Churches or casting of them out or of ordaining of officers or of imposing laws upon others either of making publike confessions before the congregations or of producing evidences of their conversion or that they should walk with them some time that they might behold their conversation or of imposing a Covenant upon any that shall be admitted for all rule and government in the Church is put into the hands of the Presbyters and does not belong unto the people or multitude neither may the Presbyters usurpe authority but they also must exercise it onely according to the commission given unto them by Christ they may not transgresse it or go beyond it in the least thing and therefore when many of the brethren call for a publike confession of mens faith to be made in their new congregations and the evidences of their conversion to be produced and impose a Covenant upon them before they admit them to be members of their Church as if they had lived before in infidelity Who notwithstanding were known to be holy and godly Christians and as true beleevers as any that now live in the world and think them onely Christians and Beleevers that doe as they would have them and count of others that will not conforme themselves to their customes and novelties but as the off-scowring and refuse and no Christians I say it is an intolerable usurpation and a thing that was yet never before practised in the world in any Church either Jewish or Christian till these dayes and therefore they go beyond their commission in so doing for God in his commission to his Apostles and all Ministers bids them admit of all that come in and beleeve and are baptized he quencheth not the smoaking flax nor breaketh the bruised reed now then when they know thousands in this Kingdome that do beleeve and are men of unblamable lives and such as would lay down their lives for the faith once delivered unto the Saints and are baptized what have they to do to lord it over them and to hinder them from communicating in the Ordinances and to be admitted into Church fellowship with them or to debarre them from the communion of the Saints Me thinks the vision to Saint Peter in the tenth of the Acts should teach such men their duty when God said unto Peter rise kill and eat Peter said not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is common and unclean and the voyce said what God hath cleansed call not thou common And this saith the Scripture was done thrice that by the mouth of two or three Witnesses this truth might be confirmed to Peter and all other Ministers not to call those people common prophane and unclean and to count them but rubbish whom God hath graced with the gifts of his holy Spirit and hath sanctified and such as beleeve in Jesus Christ and are baptized as well as themselves and such as stood to the truth when they durst not shew their faces but ran from the Cause and deserted it or at least temporized and such as if the like occasions were offered would manifest unto the world by Gods assistance that their lives and all they have should not be dear unto them for the restimony of Jesus and yet such as these must be debarred from the communion in their Assemblies unlesse they will conforme to their new-born traditions for these are no traditions of the Elders but of the younger and if Christ in his time sharply reproved those that brake the Commandements of God through the traditions of men and deeply reproved the Ministers in those dayes for teaching the people to preferre the traditions of the Elders before the commandements of God and for teaching them the fear of God after the precepts of men What shall we think those Ministers will have to answer at the dreadfull day of judgement when they set up their traditions in the Church of God and preferre them before the Commandements of God and what can any man think of the condition of that people that account of such novelties as the Oracles of God and violate the law of Love and make rents and schisms in the seamlesse garment of the church through these traditions Surely whatsoever they may promise to themselves their condition is very dangerous for our Saviour saith Woe be to those by whom offences come Matthew 18 and whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea And whether this be not to transgresse the the Commandements of God through their traditions and to offend those little ones that beleeve in Christ when they will not receive such into the communion and fellowship of the church as beleeve and are baptized but count them as aliens and strangers yea infidels and rubbish I referre my selfe to any that is but of ordinary understanding For Gods command unto 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 publicke or entring into any covenant Now this command of God they trangresse by their traditions and keepe out many thousands of Beleevers through the Kingdome as unholy and as having no right to the Ordinances because forsooth they will not obey their new-borne Lawes and Traditions for where did ever God command that no Beleevers should bee admitted into the church except they made a publicke confession of their faith and walked some time in fellowship amongst them and then gave in the evidences of their conversion and entred into a private covenant and gave the Church satisfaction Or where was it ever practised by any of the Primitive christians either by those that were converted by Peters Sermons and the other Apostles or by Pauls preaching was Lydia when God opened her heart to beleeve Pauls preaching admitted into the church upon any such termes was the Goaler and his converted family forced to make a publicke confession to the church of their faith and to give in the evidences of their conversion and to enter into a private convenant before they could be made Members of the Church or was the Churches assent required before they could be admitted and made members of it or were ever any of these things they impose upon Christians now required at beleevers hands before these our times and therefore they are to be abominated as vaine traditions and such as by which they breake the Lawes of God making divisions in the Church and Kingdome and through all the families and houses of the same so that neither Masters of families nor parents have any rule over their wives children or servants
say I weighing all these things when I writ against erroneous and peace disturbing wayes which I tooke to be my duty yet so far was I your fellow sufferer from falling at odds with you as you seeme to intimate page 2. that in reproving sinne for which I have sacred Writ to be my warrant Levit 19. 17. I gave a reverentiall honour to the person and to manifest my respects unto your selfe because a sufferer I brought not your name upon the Theater error I confuted the danger of misapplying Scripture I declared and reprehended and so by Gods gracious assistance I ever shall and will not connive with any that hold and labour to maintaine a way that leads to error and faction But so tender I was of your repute and at so vast a distance from reproaching you with untruths to render you despicable to men that your name I spared to mention and for my description of a grave man with a white basket-hilted-beard a selfe denying man would have passed it over with silence and onely made use of it as a respectfull private reproofe For I beseech you lay aside your passion and consider a little are there not some others of your judgement that have as great white beards as your selfe which are basket-hilted beards in my Dialect a harmelesse word in it selfe and a word that you know in Love and Mirth I doe frequently use to my dearest and familiar friends and it was not counted scurrilous or offensive by any other nor by your selfe to whom I have often used this expression and you never reproved me nor were offended at it untill now because I cannot approve of your writings and way which God is my witnesse before whom I speak and who knows the secret intentions of my heart I would imbrace and walk in were there in Scripture any command precept or example for my so doing but you can never produce sound Scripture proofes for it Now Scripture clearly holds out that way I walk in practice and maintain Brother you were too too precipitate you need not have made a particular application in publike and then present your selfe to the view of the world in so great a passion as to let men see and know you are not able to disgest a merry word Alas thousands never saw your book and of them that have seen and read it happily every one took not notice of your uncharitable writings and opinions for untill you so unadvisedly rushed out and on the publique Theatre proclamed your selfe to be the man very few suspected you would have dealt so unbrotherly with your brethren who though they differ from your judgement yet are sincerely godly and have deserved well from you and layd out themselves freely for the good of you and yours above all other men as to pronounce them emenies of Jesus Christ or that you would unchristian all holy Christians and deny the saving work of grace in them true conversion because they dare not joyne with you nor approve of those opinions you have lately taken up you have not been so forward at other times to declare your selfe to be the man why now surely you conceit the subscribing your name again thereunto is a sufficient ground for men to believe that those passages and assertions are not erroneous and that it is a Piaculum in me to question the matter time season and manner of publishing such things if so you mistake your selfe exceedingly for this is an undeniable truth that you are a man subject to like passions and errors as other men are Jam. 5. 17. even your best friends being Judges And that I may discover your selfe unto your selfe I will sum up a few of your passionate expressions with your unbrotherly that I say not unchristian aspersions and slanderous accusations brought against me by name in your book that you intitle but how truly Vindiciae Veritatis which before ever I had seen or so much as heard of being in the Country when it came forth one having perused it briefly and lovingly reproved you and writ against many unworthy reproaches and slanders contained therein And I shall now again take a note of them and then clear those false accounts wherewith you have so deeply charged me which consist of severall particulars viz. You account me one that hath but fair flourishes of holinesse Page 17. An Adversary to Christs Kingdome and an open enemy and Persecutor of the Church Pag. 18. A Scandalous Walker to the shame of the very name of Christian Religion Pag. 20. Worse then a Heathen a base and barbarous man Pag. 21. One of the greatest Incendiaries in the Land Pag. 25. A dishonest man of a Serpentine practice Pag. 28. A hollow-hearted man of a shallow brain a man not onely whose heart is divided but whose head is c. Pag. 29. The reckoning in the full sum by your account amounts to thus much that I am an hypocrite an unbeleever a persecutor a profane wicked base and barbarous man an Incendiary a Knave a Serpent a Dissembler an Ignoramus a mad Man c. Oh that ever such a soul condemning heart accusing head dividing Charge should be drawn up and published by a Quondam Fellow Sufferer Is this no railing nor bitter speaking because cunningly uttered by an Independent If sober men who are godly without faction judge of this your method it will appear and by them be truly voted you have forgot the promise you made page the second for my part I leave it to the grave consideration of such And I shall now speak a little to your great charge of which a man might make a book in Folio to set forth the sinfull sinfulnesse that lies closely coucht therein with your furious smiting at my soul and body which inforceth me to say These are the wounds that I received in the house of my Friend Zech. 13. 6. Yet because from a friend and a Quondam Fellow Sufferer I presently bound them up and should have been very sparing in opening and discovering of them again could I have done it without prejudicing the life of my good name and obscuring truth but for the preservation of the one and the manifestation of the other I am constrained not to neglect to lay them open search their depth declare their danger and what evill effects may ensue and to poure in the soveraigne Balsome of a good conscience and lay upon them the plaister of innocencie which is the onely approved remedy for such desperate wounds Now for your Biâ—â— of Accusations and Defamations I here in the presence of God and before all men protest against it absolutely denying the whole charge and doe affirme that neither you nor any mortall creature can truly make any one of the least particulars thereof good against me although you have laboured hard and taken a great deale of paines to do it howsoever in the opinion of holy wise and learned men to little purpose But waving that busines a little
by and therefore you in this have not set him upon his Throne And to that hell-hatcht charge which you have brought against mee cunningly aspersing mee for a scandalous walker c. I answer that as the Devill spake in the subtill Serpent and belyed God himselfe to our first Parents so the Inventors of this notorious untruth who ever they be are of a serpentine nature into whom the Devill is entered and having a full possession speaketh in them being subtill and active Instruments to report Lyes and I am confident that upon due and just examination it will appeare they are some shamelesse infamous creatures set a worke by the Devill and prompted by Sectaries to defame mee that there by the Gospel my holy profession and the wayes of God might be scandalized in blemishing my good name and to have it with the more credit received hee hath so ordered That you must be the Herauld to proclaime their Devilish defamations yet notwithstanding my innocencie triumphs in the middest of blacke mouthes slanders being fully assured that God in his due time will make a cleare discovery of their wicked designe for hee is above the Devill And before the Lord that seeth the secret thoughts imaginations intentions of all men in truth and faithfulnesse I speake it I can I doe and by Gods grace ever shall wash my hands in innocencie yea I call upon the righteous Judge the God of Heaven and Earth who knowes my innocencie to judge betweene you and mee herein For God is my witnesse that I have indeavoured to walke before him with an honest sincere faithfull and upright heart ever since hee gave mee the knowledge of himselfe And during the time I was in the estate of nature God by his preventing and restrayning grace kept mee from living or delighting in such sinnes whereby any could truly charge me for a scandalous Walker Therefore in the presence of this great God who of his free grace hath Elected Called and Justified me through faith in his Son the Lord Iesus Christ not suffering me to turne aside neither to the right hand nor to the left out of the paths of truth and that lead to holinesse I solemnly protest and hold out my Protestation to the view of the whole World you have most injuriously wronged mee in proclaiming mee to be such an one For I am as blamelesse and free from your calumniations as Naboth was from wicked Iezabels desperate plot wherewith she tooke away his life 1 King 21. 8 9 10. c. and as innocent as Joseph from the false accusations brought against him by his wanton lascivious and shamelesse mistresse Gen. 39. 14 15 16 17 18 which makes me bold to say neither the Devill any of his Instruments no nor your selfe in the words of truth can prove the things whereof you have accused mee I shal here conclude my answer to this Charge with the Apostle Paul's words 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 5. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement yea I judge not mine own selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the Councels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God Brother I have been the larger in my reply to this particular because it is the foundation and main pillar that may seem to hold up all your other Calumnies for if you could prove me to be a Scandalous walker to the shame of the very name of Christian Religion then men might easily be perswaded to beleeve your whole Charg But the foundation being so rotten and unfound the superstructure cannot possibly stand I now proceed to the fourth particular and my Answer thereunto is that no man of truth worth and piety can justly taxe me either with basenesse or barbarism For the fifth particular it is elevated very high and because you have in this exceedingly bestirr'd your selfe I am necessitated for the clearing my self to vindicate the truth of what I have written to be somewhat large in my reply that I may fully answer the Charge you bring against me therein which is very great viz. You accuse me to be one of the greatest Incendiaries in the Land and to prove this you quote two passages in one of my bookes and you bring them as two witnesses for the confirmation thereof the first is in my Preface pag. 28. the second in my Postcript pag. 45. Now these two witnesses of your own say you want but a Judge judicially to pronounce sentence whether these words be not of an Incendiary nature and that in a high degree For who 's so blind as doth not clearly see these fiery flashes and flames to fly in the face of that Army which God hath honoured with many Crowns of admirable Victories both at York at Naseby and at Lamport with the recovery of Leicester Bridgewater Bath c. so as God hath made this despised Army the Preservative of City and Country the Repairer of the breach the Restorer of the pathes to dwell in Thus you Brother this accusation hath a Tower raised on the same Basis the whole Fabrick of your Charge is founded upon and the foundation being deep you dare build so high as if it were possible to over-top truth not fearing the fall of your Babel but God who is Truth it selfe seeing the evill of your intentions hath confounded your Language as he did those builders who sought to get themselves a name Gen. 11. 4 5 6 7. And therefore it will fall notwithstanding the height of its Tower O what a confused relation have you made to prove me an Incendiary I assure you in all you have said men of the clearest eye-sight nay were they Eagle-ey'd they can never discerne any truth where with you make good that Charge which you say is so conspicuous to the view of all men For those two witnesses that you produce thus they speak Preface pag. 28. saith They have the sword now in their hand and they think their party strong enough to encounter any adverse and opposing party and they professe they care not how soon they come to cutting of throats and speak of nothing but the slaughtering and bunchering of the Presbyterians and therefore there is just cause given us to think we may expect better quarter from the very enemies then from the Independents Postscript testifieth that the Independents boast they have such a party in the Kingdome if their own words may be credited as they now think by the sword to be able to make their own laws and have been frequently heard say that they had many abbettors in the Assembly and in both Houses of Parliament and in many parts through the Kingdome besides in all the Armies and they were
the great and deep Charge you have brought against me wounding truth thorow my sides upon the due deliberation thereof I plainly perceived without dishonouring God and being cruell to my self I could not be silent for that my taciturnity might cause truth the ways of God to be evil spoken of and give an occasion to censorious spirits to vote me guilty of those Malversations wherewith you so slily unjustly have accused me all which my soul hates and ever did utterly abhor therefore although I was forwarder to pity your passion and more desirous to pass by your miscarriages then to take notice of them or divulg the weaknesses and too too grosse failings of you my Brother yet your Charge being of a high nature and published in Print it necessitated me to reply lest I should seem to approve of the murthering of my good name So that meerly to preserve the life thereof you have extracted from me these lines that men may know it lies upon you to prove it for I stand upon my justification and protest against every one of your foul Calumnies as notorious untruths And likewise that all who fear the Lord may be fully assured however you have rendred me to the world as one who hath a name to live but am dead so that I may stink in the opinion of such as are holy yet I do live to my God who I doubt not will discover the bottome and mystery of this iniquity For herein you have dealt with me as the Papists did with Reverend and Learned Mr John Calvin raising and publishing untruths accusing him for a scandalous walker and as guilty of abominable sins making his very name odious And by their false reports they blinded the eyes of the people causing them stil to imbrace continue in Error and so hardned their hearts against him that they would not hearken unto nor beleeve those precious gospel-Gospel-truths which he maintained but as their wicked practices were discerned by all that with humble hearts received the truth in the love thereof that they might be saved so I am confident the Lord Jehovah will bring forth my righteousness as the light and my judgement as the noone day Psal 37. 6. And will cause mine adversaries to be clothed with shame and to cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle Psal 109. 29. that all the World may see and know your Charg hath no truth in it but is an Independent plot invented and spread abroad to defame me and cause the people to suspect slight and disregard those sound Scripture truths I hold forth and constantly maintain Thus far I have answered your false accusations And in the presence of God I solemnly protest this is a true answer Brother I would here gladly dismisse the Reader for willingly I over look many of your invectives without mentioning of them But I find two or three passages more to which you engage me to speak for the clearing the truth of what I have written in my Postscript Page 68. concerning Independents as also to answer a complaint you have made against me And lastly to resolve two quaeries which you have propounded unto me and in these I shall endeavour fully to satisfie you and all men But first as a Phisitian and a faithfull Friend avoyding all flattery I cannot but truly relate unto you the dangerous condition I find you in for I assure you I feel your pulse beates very high and I see you have a vein puft up with windy matter and I perceive you are swoln with pernicious and corrupt humors and that Choler exceedingly abounds in you insomuch as you breath forth â—â—rong revilings and defamings against those that never wronged you and make loud exclamations as if I were a man of no Religion Piety Wit or Learning because I have as for truths sake I was induty bound truly stated the Question of difference between the Presbyterians and Independents and made it appear that INDEPENDENCY is not GODS ORDINANCE nor grounded on the holy Scriptures and that the practice of Independents and the way they plead for will prove destructive to Church and State Now as I am grieved to see it so I wonder at the suddain distemper and great heat you are fallen into which makes you talk so much and that against me by name more then against others wherereas before I writ and since many have and one more especially in part discovered the sinfull practices of Independents the evill and unwarrantablenesse of their new way And how ever you are generally blamed for rushing out upon the Theatre to oppose him by name it being a work in the judgement of all wise men fitter for any other man to have undertaken then your selfe because of some more then ordinary tye of friendship between you and him yet you have bridled up your fury against his person although you say in your Appendix he ranks your words under the head of his first Section containing divers seditious scandalous libellous passages against the Authority and Jurisdiction of Parliaments Synods and temporall Magistrates in generall c. Now here is exceeding great wrong done unto you if your words are not of such a nature and might you be the sole Judge I am perswaded you would pronounce them not guilty notwithstanding you do not revile vilifie and falsly accuse the Author thereof But on me you have let loose your fury and have fallen upon me so passionately who was once a Fellow Sufferer with you that it hath sadded the spirits grieved the hearts and given great offence unto all that are truly godly who walk in that old way and the known paths of holinesse which Gods word doth plainly direct and lead them into and contrarywise you have opened the mouthes of the wicked and given cause of rejoycing to such as are without by your bitter expressions and false accusations brought against me one of your Quondam Fellow Sufferers But Pag. 26. you please to say that I have much exaggerated vilifications upon the Independents And notorious is that I say in my Postscript Pag 68. as by experience I know not any Indepâ—â—dent in England two onely excepted that do not as maliciously and implacably hate the the Presbyterians as the mortallest enemies they have in the world c. To this Brother I answer I vilifie none I have spoken the truth but because I see you take such great exceptions at these words I shall prove the truth of them from your own Tenents or make it appear you are not the only Saints for I have said nothing there but what the professed judgment of those Independents I know I still keep within the bounds of my own knowledg and their practise inciteth me to beleeve And if there be any Independents that differ from their judgement and practice I know them not two only excepted as I said before But for those Independents who being in the company of such as are truly godly yet
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