which words there likewise cannot with any reason be understood That Herod and Pontius Pilate with all the Gentiles and the people of Israel did all meet in any one place for all understanding forbids men so to argue or conceive or believe for they well know that there was no place could have contained them all together no not the thousand part of them besides they were all in their several Countryes and aboads and it is well known that before this time Herod and Pilate were not so loving one to another as to come together but it is related they were altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that wheresoever they dwelt or in what coasts or regions soever their habitations were they all agreed upon one and the same wicked design to be enemies of Christ in this wicked resolution they were epi tò autò that is they all wel accorded and assented together to put the Lord of life to death and to cast of his government So that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are to understand a mentall meeting together and not a topicall local and bodily meeting or convening of all those Kings in any one place by which in all their consultations they were resolved to carry on their wicked design and unlawfull businesse and in that regard they were said to be gathered together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in unum though they did it in severall places and this is the true meaning of epi tò autò there as when any men do carry on a good designe though they be in diveâ—s and severall places they may be said to be gathered together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as now with us the Lords and Commons and divers Committees in both Houses assemble themselves dayly epi tò autò and are but one Parliament though they meet in two severall rooms and more and so a thousand Congregations and Assemblies may be said to meet Homothumadòn epi tò autò every Lords day though they be in never so many distinct places in regard of their common design to serve God on that day So that all reason to any intelligible man from that I have said will clearly evince that by epi tò autò is meant nothing else but that the Apostles were met together with one accord upon the occasion of the feast of Pentecost with this deliberate design and for this very end and purpose to celebrate that feast unto the Lord which was the work of that day the Iews also through all Indaea and from the regions round about being come up to Ierusalem to that fâ—ast to worship God in it and to offer up that service that was due unto his Name and the which were taken up in the Temple and in their severall Synagogues and meeting places in the same imployment the Apostles were of all the which I affirme it may be as really and truly said that they all met Homothumadòn epi tò autò as of the hundred and twenty Names And yet no rationall man would from thence conclude that all the people did or could meet in one place No more can any understanding creature or well grounded solid Christian gather that because it is said the hundred and twenty names were all Homothumadon with one accord epi tò autò that therefore there should be no more beleevers in Ierusalem then did or could all meet in any one place or congregation to partake in all Ordinances as the Independents all gather from the words I assert that such a kind of arguing in any man would argue that he had little brains in his head and therefore I shall be ever able by Gods assistance to maintain against all the Sectaries and Homothumadòn Independents that by epi tò autò is to be understood either some designe whether it be taken in a good sense or a bad which the holy Scripture apparently holds out unto us or if otherwise that epi tò autò in the verse of the second chapter of the Acts is rather to be understood of the time of their meeting then of the place All this I say I undertake by Gods gracious assistance to make good against all the Independents and Sectaries and to prove withall that they do all of them most wickedly for the deluding of the people to gather and conclude from epi to auto that there were no more beleevers then or at any time after in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in any one place or Congregation for indeed to make such a conclusion as this from epi tò autò is not onely to fight against all the light of sound reason but to give the holy Ghost the lye and to resist the spirit of God and to withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse All which I shall by and by God willing briefly make appear But before I come to that should I for disputation sake grant unto the brethren that by epi tò autò in that text were meant in one place as they would have it because we cannot conceive if there be a meeting or convening of the persons of any people together but it must be in a place or at a place as we usually speak would it therefore follow that because any one place or room will hold a hundred and twenty names for they say there were then no more in that company to partake in all acts of worship that it will hold hundreds of thousands or that all the beleevers in Ierusalem did then meet there or that there were no more beleevers then in that Church then could meet in one Congregation or that for ever after there were no more Christians in Ierusalem then did ordinarily meet in one Congregation I am most assured that there is not any intelligible Independent but upon due deliberation would say that he that should so conclude speaks against the very light of all understanding that dictates the contrary and therefore he would not make that inference the Homothumadon brethren make viz. that there were neither then in Ierusalem nor at any time after more beleevers in that Church then could all meet in any one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship But now to shew the vanity and wickednesse of these men and that it may appear they in this may be rightly called Homothumadons in that they do with one accord and with one unanimous consent conspire together to trouble and disquiet the whole Church of God and to disturbe the peace of the three Kingdomes and are resolved to persist epì tò autô in that their wicked designe and that with one accord I shall here lay down some reasons which all that will vouchsafe to read the ensuing discourse shall see more fully set down afterwards I say therefore they extreamly shew their vanity and wicked purpose in this that they all conclude from epì tò autò there were no more beleevers at that time nor ever after in Ierusalem then could all meet in any one place or
envyings are of the flesh and they that do such things shall not enter into the Kingdome of God A double misery follows those that do these things misery here and misery hereafter it excludes men out of heaven The contemplation of the sad condition that will inevitably come upon that Land Kingdome and Church where those variances and heart-burnings are and where there is such diversity of opinions and by reason of them such difference in affection put me chiefely upon this imployment to see and try if by any possible meanes I could by shewing wherein the difference between the brethren lyeth be an instrument of a good accord amongst them resolving with my self by Gods assistance whatsoever others do to observe to the uttermost of my abilities the royall Law Jan. 2. 8. I do conceive that if there were a right understanding one of anothers opinions the world would wonder there should be such invectives in every pamphlet one against another and such varience among those that are joyned together and that with nighest relations The truth is the mis-understanding of each others opinions and the mis-prisian of each others intentions is the onely cause of this diversity of affection which to the dishonour of God and of our holy profession and indeed to the disgrace of Christian Religion every where too much venteth it selfe And therefore as Abraham said unto Lot so say I to all those that love the truth in sincerity and wish the Peace of Zion Let not us contend especially with evill language for we are brethren we have one father we worship one God we have one light one truth one way And this I professe to all the world That I contend not for victory but for that ancient light the faith once delivered unto the Saints Iude 3. For that truth which we have heard from the beginning 1 Iohn 2. ver 14. for the old way verse 6. The way the truth and the life Ioh. 14. and for the honour of that Church against which the gates of hell can never prevaile in the which there are all those undeceiveable marks as are able for ever to declare her to be built upon the foundation of Peter in which the Gospell of Jesus Christ is purely and sincerely both preached and beleeved and where the Sacraments are rightly administred and in the which there is the true invocation of God and all other requisites that make her a true Church and from which there is no just cause of separation That I have dedicated this Treatise to no man nor sought the patronage of any Authority no mortall creature I presume will blame me knowing my Reasons For writing in defence of the Prerogative Royall of Kings against Papall Usurpation I dedicated my booke unto the King of great Britaine France and Ireland supposing my selfe safe under his protection whose honour and imperiall dignity I maintain but all men know what misery to the ruine of me my wife and many small children came upon me by it through the power and exorbitant authority of the Prelates so that for my duty and Loyalty to the King I had a prison for my reward and the scornes and contumelies of the world to comfort me in it And when I most humbly petitioned his highnesse complaining against the injustice done me and most submissively supplicated his Majesty who was the Caesar to whom only I could then appeal that he would be pleased to grant me one of these humble requests either That his Majesty would be pleased but for one houre to give me a hearing of my just defence or if that could not be granted That at lest he would then grant me that liberty in his Kingdome that he denyed not to Crows and Kites and other Vermine that I might provide for my young ones and if his highnesse would not be pleased to condescend unto either of the former just demands That then he would give me leave to depart the Kingdom and to go into any other Country where I might enjoy my Liberty and provide for my poore distressed family I am most assured there was never a more equall Petition put up to any Prince in the world yet his Majestie vouchsafed not to yeeld unto any of these my requests nor to any other Petition put up either by my poor distressed wife or calamitous children so that without any wrong unto his Majesty I may truely say That Paul found more favour from a Heathen Roman Caesar then I had from a Christian King the defender of the faith After I saw all possibility of releefe was now taken from me I writ my Apology to the Bishops themselves discovering unto them their unjust proceedings in their Courts and their unrighteous dealings towards my selfe and gave them my reasons of all I spake without any offensive language and without any perturbation of Spirit and Dedicated this my Booke to the Lords of his Majesties Privy Councell expecting ayde and reliefe from them and indeed I had no hope of succour from any other nor knew none to whom I could better apply my selfe earnestly imploring their patronage but they as it is well knowne of Patrons became my unjust Judges and after they had made me a spectacle to Men and Angells and exposed me to the scorne and ludibry of the world sent me into banishment where I lived a living death and a dying life and suffered such intolerable misery of all sorts as would exceed beliefe to relate and I am most confident if all the particulars were truly known the world never heard the like and there I had ended my dolefull life had not God of his infinite mercy called this Parliament and put into their hearts to redeem me from my captivity for the which incomparable favour I do as of duty I am ever bound professe my selfe to the last drop of my blood to be their servant in the Lord and in all their most just and honourable imployments I hope with all fidelity to answer to the expectation of the world and shall in life and death shew my selfe to be one that without all by-respects shall ever aime at the glory of God the honour of them and my Country and the common good of all and shall never by Gods assistance do any thing in their concernment that shall be unbeseeming a Man and a Christian Now because by my sad experience I found that I could neither from King nor Nobles have protection I resolved never any more in Gods matters to shroud my self under any covert but Divine Providence and that I with an assured confidence promise my self especially when I now maintain the prerogative royall of the King of Saints King of Kings the Lord Jesus Christ Who is our Lawgiver upon whose shoulders the government of his Church is laid who is the wonderfull Counseller the Prince of peace whose dignity and royalty in all this dispute between me and Mr. Walter Mountague I have to the uttermost of my power maintained under the
shadow of whose wings I have ever found there is only safety whose blessed assistance in all calamities they that trust in him may be most assiâ—ed of His patronage now and his defence is my shield whose cause and the honour of whose kingdome at this time I contend for And howsoever in all my life in all humane learning I was never so wedded to my own resolves but upon better reason I could easily be divorced from them yet in Gods matters if an Angell should come from Heaven and teach me that that there were another way to happinesse then by that new and living way the blood of Jesus Christ who was the Lambeslaine from the beginning of the world I would count him Anathema Or if an Angel should tell me there were a new way of worshipping God and serving him then that which God himself hath set down in his holy Word I would account him accursed for I have learned to believe God and Faith upon their word and bond without any either Angelicall or Humane reason or the authority of Counâ—els and Fathers and whatsoever I finde a warrant in Gods Word for I have learned to cleave close to it against all humane reason supposing such men none of Gods nor Faiths truest friends that will not believe them upon their own word and bond except they have reason humane authority Councels and Fathers and â—aine traditions joyned with them for sureties Again if any man should go about to perswade me that there were any other government established in the Church of God then an Aristocraticall and a Presbyterian one I should notwithstanding all humane reason to the contrary submit my self to that kind of government as being most confidently assured that it is warranted in Gods Word which all Christians are bound for ever to make the Rule and Square both of our faith manners and government And here I must minde all those that shall read this Book that this is no new opinion of mine but that which I have once and again suffered for and if ever they have read my Elenchus religionis papisticiae or my Flagellum pontificis or my Apologie or any of my Latine Books in all those they will finde that the cause of all my sufferings was this and this only That I maintained that all Churches were to be governed by an Aristocraticall and Presbyterian government which in those Books I have clearly and fully through Gods assistance made good Yea in in my answer to the Bill of Information put up against me in the Star-chamber they shall have some reasons I gave there of this my tenent to the Lords of his Majesties Hrivie Councell and Judges in the Star-chamber so that I stand to my principles and am no starter And if then amongst Gods people it was thought an opinion worthy the suffering for and my Christian brethren deemed me worthy of honour for it and afforded me their prayers and shewed me and mine in all our distresses many curtesies when we found little favour from our own brethren which their humanity I must never forget but with all due thankfulnesse for ever acknowledge I say if then this my opinion was thought Orthodox and worthy of their applause I see no good reason why a truth then should not be counted a truth now for the Word of God out of which I had it is the same and if it were good then it is good now for the change of mens minds cannot change the truth but it must be ever truth but this my opinion I learned out of Gods Word then which shall be for ever by his gracious assistance the warrant of my beliefe and practice This Word therefore I desire all my Christian Brethren in the deciding of this question now agitated amongst Gods people and his faithfull servants concerning Church-government to take into their hands and with those noble Bâ—reans to sit down and examine whatsoever shall be said on either side according to the holy Scrigtures and I intreat them also to lay aside all passion which Religion has no need of and all vain-glory and bitternesse which is a dishonour to our holy calling and in the spirit of meeknesse and with a Virgin judgement not ravisht with any previous or anticipated opinion to come and approach to the Altar of truth and so consider and examine which of those two opinions the Brethren on both sides now sacrifice themselves unto be the offering that will best endure the firy-tryall 1 Cor. 3. 13 14 15. viz. Whether the Presbyterian government Dependent or a Presbyterian government Independent both now laid upon the Altar be the acceptablest service and best pleasing sacrifice This is granted on all sides and of necessity it must be yeilded unto that that Oblation is the best and most acceptable that is offered up by faith without which it is impossible to please God and that sacrifice only is offered up by faith which is according to his Word and has its warrant from his revealed will which is the rule both for worship and the government of his Church we are to be guided by The Brethren on both sides agree about the rule in deciding of this Coutroversie and make the written word the rule They agree also about the materials both acknowledging a Presbytery the difference between them is only about the mould and manner of the offering I will therefore state the questions between us and shew wherein we differ and then set down my own opinion with my reasons and after endeavour to be a Moderator for the determining of this unhappy difference which hath been an occasion of so much rejoycing to the common Enemy There is a two-fold question between us they call the Presbyterians and our Brethren they tearme Independents The first is concerning the government of the Church viâ— whether it be Presbyterian Dependent or Presbyterian Independent The second question is concerning the gathering of Churches but of that in its due place The first question is whether many Congregations or Christian Assemblies commonly called Churches in our dialect in the which there are all the acts of worship or all Ordinances as the pure preaching of the Gospell the due and right administration of the Sacraments the true invocation of God Discipline rightly executed and all other performances which make for the essence and form of a true Church and in the which assemblies likewise they have all such officers and helps of Government as in their severall places being rightly imployed may serve for the edification of the same and mutuall comfort and benefit of each other and the preservation ofall as Presbyters doth preaching and ruling and Deacons and all other Officers I say the question between us and the brethren is Whether all these severall Congregations and Assemblies may be accounted but one Church or make but one Church within their Precincts and be to be under the government and rule of one Presbytery or a Councell or Colledge of many
or sweare fealty to any King who is owned by the people and whole Kingdome to be their lawfull King as appointed and set over them of God and is openly proclamed through the whose Realm to be their King though at that time hee be in an other Countrey and but now comming to take the possession of his Kingdome I say I demand whether such subjects as take the oath of allegeance and sware fealty unto him before he comes and sits visibly upon his Throne be not by this their oath become that Kings subjects as truly and as really as if the King were bodily present I demand further when hee is in person come into his Kingdome and visibly amongst them saluted and entertained and owned by the people for their King whether or no those subjects that then take their oath of allegeance and promise by that their oath their subjection unto him bee not as really and truly his subjects as those that after hee is inaugurated and gone into one of his other Kingdomes take then the oath of allegeance and sware subjection unto him in all his just commands I am confident that all men that are but a little skilled in politicks or any good learning will acknowledge that either of the former subjects are as truly and really subjects unto him though they never saw him as many hundred thousands never did their Kings as those that tooke the oath when hee was gone in triumph into an other of his Kingdomes And thus it was with those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist that great Officer of Christs kingdome and the blessed Apostle those Stewards Secretaries privie Counsellors Embassadours of his Royaltie who all baptized those that came unto them into Iesus Christ the King and Messiah as well before his death as after and all they owned him as well then for their King as after crying Hosanna thou sonne of David and strowing their garments in the way saying Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord peace in Heaven and glory in the Highest Luke 19. vers 4. and therefore it is a senslesse reason yea contradictory unto it selfe that I. S. bringeth considering there is no difference for the substance of the matter though there be some variety in respect of the circumstance of time and in this fond error of I. S. is my brother Burton and the Papists who thinke there was a great difference between the Baptisme before Christs death and that after his death when indeed for substance there was none no more then was betweene the Sacrament of the Lords Supper before Christs death and after And therefore all those that received either of those Sacraments or both of them before his passion were as good Christians as those that received them after for hee was owned by them at that time to be the Lambe of God that was to take away the sins of the world of beleevers and to be the King of the Iews the Saviour of his people to be the anoynted Christ they took the Sacraments upon it which is as much as the oath of allegeance to any King which were sufficient to make them as good Christians as any that should come after them and therefore they that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist into Christ to dye which I. S. doth acknowledge they were all as good Christians as any now baptized by the Independents and therefore that hee faith to the contrary and in opposition to this truth is a meer babble and a contradiction of himselfe And this shall suffice to have spoke to his first answer to prove that those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were as good Christians as any other that were baptized after Christs death His second is as senselesse which is this To say saith he that the Baptisme of Iohn was the same with Christs and the Apostles is flat contrary to the assertion of Iohn himselfe and the Apostles Mat. 21. 25. Act. 18. 25. I baptize you with water saith he but there comes one after me who shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire These are the words of his second argument to prove that those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were no Christians In the entrance of this his answer he beats the ayre and fights with his owne shadow and falsifies my words for I never said nor thought it that the Baptisme of Iohn was the same with Christs for the Scripture relateth that Christ baptized not at all Iohn 4. vers 2. I said indeed it was the same with the Apostles and that is manifest out of many places of the holy Scriptures as out of the 3. of Luke ver 2. Iohn the 1. v. 33. where Iohn himself speaking saith hee that sent mee to baptize with water the same said unto me c. Yea one of those places quoted by himselfe Matth. 21. vers 25. sufficiently declares that Iohn had his Commission from God himself whose Prophet he was to baptize with water and the Apostles themselves before Christs death and Ascention baptized but with water and had no other Commission but that Saint Iohn the Baptist had and Iohn baptized with the Baptisme of Repentance saying unto the people that they should beleeve on him which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus Act. 19. vers 4. and the very Apostles Baptisme before Christs death vvas no other but the Baptisme of repentance and to beleeve in Christ yea faith and repentance was the summe of all the Preaching both of Iohn and of all the holy Apostles both before Christs death and after as wee may see Acts 20. vers 21. where the Apostle saith Testifying both to the Iewes and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ Now when the Baptisme of Saint Iohn and the Apostles both before Christs death and after was all one for substance and all into Christ as wee may yet further see Acts the 8. 16. where it is said they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus It was no error in mee to say that the Baptisme of Iohn was into Christ Iesus and the very same with that of the Apostles for the Holy Ghost which is the spirit of truth hath so taught mee and therefore all those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were as good Christians and beleevers as those that were baptized by the Apostles if repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ and being baptized into him could make good Christians which were blasphemy to gain-say and nothing else but to give the spirit of God the lye and therefore J. S. affirming that there was a difference between the Baptisme of Iohn and that of the Apostles and denying that those that were baptized by Iohn were Christians gives the spirit of God the lye for the holy word of God which was penned by his spirit asserteth the contrary And for that text that he citeth
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
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
may we suppose were then in the Church at Ierusalem when many more great congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers were dayly added to that Church and when the holy Word of God in expresse termes in the 21. chap. of the Acts saith There were many ten thousands of beleevers there without all controversie there must needs at that time be a mighty many of Assemblies and Congregations and yet in the very infancy of it and when there were but five thousand beleevers as my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo do both witnesse they then had divers Assemblies and Congregations and communicated in severall private houses and brake bread from house to house that is to say in every house And therefore I have now great hope that not onely Mr Knollys will confesse the brethren have acknowledged That there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem but that Sir I. S. his scrupulous conscience also will be satisfied about this point especially when it commeth ratified not onely by Scripture but by the testimony and witnesse also of my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo But if Sir I. S. shall still persevere in the error of his wayes and shall be so far from beleeving that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem as he will yet swear there were no more Saints there then could or did dayly all meet in one place or congregation then I will conclude of him that he is a gentleman very fit to be made a Knight of the post whether I send him to be whipped out of his grolleries Having for the gratifying Mr Knollys and Sir I. S. and for the undeceiving of all cordiall and well affected Christians and such as desire to know the truth been the more large in this controversie I shall now refer my selfe and all that I have said concerning my first and second propositions to the judgement of every indifferent Reader whether I have not sufficiently proved not onely that there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem but that it is likewise acknowledged by the brethren that there were many Assemblies of them there if any credit may be given either to my brother Burton or to Saint Hanserdo and if they shall judge that I have sufficiently proved it both from Scripture and Reason and from the testimony of two prime witnesses of the Independent party against whom there can be no just exception by any of the Congregationall way they being of their own fraternity Mr Henry Burton and Saint Hanserdo by name I shall again challenge Mr Knollys his promise who hath ingaged himselfe That if I could by the expresse word of Scripture evince there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem that he would relinquish his grollish opinion of Independency Now therefore when I have done it both by Scripture and the two witnesses above specified I say again I challenge his promise and if he notwithstanding all I have writ will not abandon this his error I shall never esteem him to be either a man of faith or common honesty and shall for ever hereafter proclaim both himself and all such teachers as he is fighters against God and his truth and resisters of his holy Spirit and such as withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse And so I conclude this second Proposition and come now to see what they have to say to the third My third Proposition is this viz. That the Apostles and Presbyters Governed Ordered and Ruled this Church consisting of many congregations and Assemblies by a common Councell and Presbytery This is my third Proposition which is evident out of many places of the Acts and sundry other places of holy Writ some of which with my Arguments I shall here relate in order as they were first set down in my book called Independency not Gods Ordinance the which Mr Knollys I. S. and my brother Burton indeavoured to Answer unto And after I have faithfully related the Arguments I deduced from those severall Scriptures by which I then made good my third Assertion I shall also truely set down the Answer of Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. to all those Arguments The places therefore of Scripture with my Arguments gathered from thence are these following Acts 11. 27. And in those dayes there came Prophets from Ierusalem to Antioch and there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth through all the world which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar then the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send reliefe unto the brethren that dwelt in Iudaea which also they did and sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Here in these last words we see that the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the Almes for it is said They sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul which sufficiently proveth That the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government as who had the Ordering and authority of appointing unto the Deacons how they should distribute those monyes that they might be best improved and disposed of which is an act of government as all men that know what belongs unto government will acknowledge Now should it be granted that these Presbyters here spoken of were the Presbyters of Iudaea which notwithstanding is not specified but onely the distressed brethren in Iudaea yet had it been in expresse words set down That the Almes had been sent to the Presbytery of Judaea the Presbytery of Ierusalem must necessarily have been included in it as being the Metropolis of Iudea and it was an ordinary thing for the Churches that were abroad and particularly that of Antioch to send to the Apostles and Presbyters of Ierusalem as we may see Act. 11. ver 22. and Act. 15. And by all probability Paul and Barnabas brought these Almes to the Presbyters of Ierusalem for he in the fifteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans maketh mention of a contribution that was made in Macedonia and Achaia for the poor Saints in Jerusalem Whether the Apostle saith he was going to Minister unto them and desired the Romans to pray for him that he may be delivered from the unbeleeving Jews and that his service for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints which by the learned Interpreters is generally taken that Paul speaketh of this time and that they were then sent to Ierusalem from Antioch But howsoever it should be understood that these almes were sent to the Presbyters in Iudea yet these two conclusions necessarily result from it The first that this expression comprehends also the Presbyters of Ierusalem as being the chiefe City of Iudea The second that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men to whom the government and ordering of businesses was committed and in whose hands the power and authority lay of
persons The third Essentiall part of soveraigne power in any state is this to make warre and peace at pleasure either forraigne or domesticall upon any just occasions and to have the managing of the Militia c. so that those only in whose hands this authority lyeth they are reputed and indeed are the supreme Rulers in that state The fourth Essentiall property of superlative power and authority in any government or state is this to have a Court of ultimate resort to the which all men may fly for reliefe and to the which all Appeales by all persons from all parts within their jurisdictions and from all inferiour Courts are made upon any unjustice done them there or upon any pressures or grievances by any one in authority and in whose power it is to end and determine all controversies and differences or to redresse all abuses and to relieve the oppressed so that in whose hands soever this authority resides they onely are said to exercise the soveraigne power and to bee the sole Governours and Moderators in that state The fifth and last paâ—t of supreme authority in any state consists in this that they have the power of pressing and stamping monies and coynes and setting the valution upon them or any other monies that are currant in their countries or have the disposing of the treasurie of those states in which they live and have the Exchequer in their hands and all the revenues of them and to whom all the tributes subsidies assessements customes benevolences and collections of the people that are gathered for the common reliefe and preservation of the whole countrey or state are sent and who have the disposing of them according to their wisedome in those mens hands I say that this power â—esideth of disposing the treasury or revenues they and they onely are the supreme Magistrates and Rulers in that state as at this day it resides with all the former essentiall properties in the hands of King and Parliament that great Councell of the Kingdome by all which it sufficiently appeareth that all soveraigne power resides in them onely and is soly exercised and managed by them so that if Master Knollys should say that it doth not prove that the government lyeth now in the hands of King and Parliament that great Court because the contributions collections and excises from all parts of the Kingdome are sent unto them and are now at their disposing I beleeve the great Councell would teach him a little more wit and all those his brethren that should joyne with him in this his argumentation a little better manners Now if wee will compare things together wee shall find that whatsoever can prove the soveraigne power in all secular governments to be in those mens hands which exercise it the same may be said concerning the Ecclesiasticall Government in the Church at Ierusalem and of the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church who were the chiefe Officers and men in authority in it that the government and soveraigne power in that Church lay in their hands onely So that it will then undeniably follow that my argument will for ever stand good against Master Knolly's fond cavils for the proving of these two truths viz. that the Presbyters in the Church at Ierusalem and in all other churches were the onely Governours in those churches and that from this reason because the almes were sent unto them and because they had the disposing of the treasury of the Church This I say will in the first place necessarily follow The second truth that will result out of the words is this that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled that Church by a common-councell and Presbyterie both which Master Knollys vainely denyeth will follow from my Argument But for the farther elucidation of this truth and that it may the better appeare unto all men I will briefly run over the essentiall properties and parts of supreme and soveraigne power that were exercised in that church and shew that they resided onely and solely in the Apostles and Presbyters hands who were the Governours of that church and that the people had nothing to doe with them and for the first to wit the legislative power it was in the church of Ierusalem and committed onely into the hands of the Apostles and Presbytery of that church as who had received the Keyes Matth. 16. and Matth. 18. For so saith the Prophet Isaiah chapter the 2. verse 2. out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and Acts the 1. vers 2. 3. it is said that Christ for the time that hee remained upon the earth after his Resurrection through the Holy Ghost gave commandements unto the Apostles whom hee had chosen speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God and commanded them that they should not depart from Ierusalem but waite for the promise of the Father which was that hee would send them the Holy Ghost the comforter which should teach them all things and bring all things unto their remembrance whatsoever Christ had said unto them and that hee should abide with them for ever Iohn 14. verse 26. and leade them into all truth and in the fifteenth Chapter hee cals his Apostles his friends telling them that hee had made knowne unto them all things that hee had heard from his Father verse 15. and hee promised that the Holy Ghost should bring all those things to their memories and in the same Chapter in the 26. verse Christ saith when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father hee shall testifie of me From all which places and from the 28. of Matth. verse 18 19 20. Mark the 16. verse 15 16 17 18. and Iohn the 20. verse 21 22 23. and many more that might be alleaged it is apparently evident that the Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Ierusalem were invested with a legislative power so that whatsoever they preached or writ that wee find recorded in the Holy Word of God they are all the Statutes and Lawes of the King of his Church Christ Jesus and by the which all Christs subjects to the end of the world are to be regulated and governed The Apostles and Presbyters in the Church of Ierusalem had power also to abrogate old Lawes and to enact and establish new ones as wee may see Act. 15. and Act. 16. yea they had power of life and death of which wee have one example in Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. yea they raysed the dead cured the lame and healed the sicke with their very shadowes and all this power was given unto them for the ratifying of their authority and to shew they were sent of God withall they had the power of erecting new offices and creating new Officers not onely in Ierusalem but in all the Churches as that office of Deacons in the sixth of the Acts and the
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
THE UTTER ROUTING of the whole Army of all the INDEPENDENTS SECTARIES with the Totall overthrow of their Hierarchy that New Bable more groundless than that of the Prelates OR INDEPENDENCY not Gods ORDINANCE in which all the frontires of the PRESBYTERY with al the quarters of the same are Defended against all Enemies And all the Forces of the three Generals and Commanders of the Sectaries Hanserde Knollys J. S. Henry B Burton are all dissipated with all their whibling Reserves and the field of Truth still kept viz. That the Presbyterian Government Dependent is Gods Or dinance and not the Presbyterian Government Independent Unto which is annexed an Appendix in way of answer to Henry Burton Clerk one of his quondam fellow sufferers in the which all his ca lumnies are wiped away by the sponge of innocency and the Postscript Vin dicated the honour also of all our renouned Generalls and Commanders is Vindicated the honour of the City of London the honour of our brethren the Scots the honour likewise of all the Presbyters through the Kingdome are Vindicated from the obloquie of all the Independents and Sectaries and their due prayses given unto them in their severall ranks and or ders as next under God to have been the principall and primary Repairers of our breach and the Restorers of our pathes to dwell in the honour of all which the Sectaries wholly and solely ascribe to their Party By JOHN BASTVVICK Captain in the Presbyterian Army Dr in Physick and Phisitian in Ordinary to all the Ill-dependents and Sectaries to sweat them with Arguments twice a year gratis spring and fall who discovering their distempers and malidies finds by the severall symptomes of their diseases that they are very unsound root and branch and therefore ought with their venemous and intolerable Toleration of all Religions to be shunned and avoyded as a company of infected per sons by all such as are sound in the faith Mat. 7. 15. Beware ... but inwardly ... wolves London Printed by John Macock and are to be sold by Michael Spark at the sign of the blue Bible in Green Arbour 1646. TO My dear friend D r Bastwick on the Frontispeice of his Book Intituled The Vtter Routing of all the Independent Army c. TO be a Captain in an holy War Doth well become a man of peace so far As he contending on Gods glory looks Which is the cause maintain'd in all thy books And now in this by Gods great might and power Thou wagest War against high Babels Tower The whole armour of God thou 'st thee upon Thy Loyns are girt with Truth the brest-plate on Of righteousnesse Thou hast thy feet are shod With Gospell-Peace prepared by thy God And above all the shield of faith in t' hand All fiery darts of Satan to withstand T' helmet of salvation the spirits sword Thou fightest with which is Gods holy Word A weapon that all battels will abide March on brave Captain God is on thy side S. B. TO My worthy and learned friend Doctor Bastwick on his book intituled The Vtter Routing of all the Independent Army c. THY former works I 'ave read and truly say They were a means I wandred not astray From Truth to Error But did pry into The new opinions which some say and do Pretend to be according to Christs mind But searching Scripture no such way I find The paths which Independents do walk in Gods Word shew'd me to be a way of sin And not the only way as they depone Christ to advance and set upon his Throne For they thereby Christs seamlesse Coat do rend And precious time in jangling quaeries spend Framing their notions only to make fraction To Christs dishonour and th' increase of faction By their means blasphemies are spred about All sorts of Sectaries the Land throughout Do preach up Error and so bold they grow To threaten such as will not let them fow Their tares amongst them nor let them mislead People from Truth who readily give heed To new opinions ways of Liberty Being pleasing Doctrine to delude them by And to make many follow them because 'T is naturall to reject Gods holy Laws Grief overwhelm'd my heart when I did see Poor souls seduc'd yet men so silent be At length I heard as thou hast heretofore Discover'd Error out of thy rich store Of heavenly wisdome which the Lord gave thee Thou plead'st Truths cause that All her worth may see In this thy Book To th' Presse I therefore went Perus'd so much as gave me such content That whil'st I read my spirits reviv'd again Seeing Error vanquisht and the Truth made plain Unto all men God so assisting Thee That those who read it o're resolv'd may bee Thy Arguments being prov'd by holy Writ None can deny but such who use their wit To wrest the Scripture reason to deride Thereby to gain Proselytes on their side For thou hast laid down Truth so clear I see That sincere souls will blesse the Lord for thee Of all false Doctrines I do now desire Good people to beware and this Book read What satisfaction any can require They will find here who love the Truth indeed Read meditate of God ask wisdome then Truth to discern from all false ways of men S. B. ON The approved transcendent worth of my dear and faithfull friend Dr Bastwick Which the Independents and Sectaries of our times do labour to obscure with their black mouth'd railings false accusings sinfull reproachings self-conceited slightings proud scornings unworthy and unchristian vilifyings of him TO set forth all thy parts Learning and skill It were a work too hard for Homers Quill And Virgils Poem excellent in Verse Would come far short thy vertues to rehearse Were they alive and should it take in hand Thy worth 's above their muse to understand For why in thee divine and heavenly grace To be admir'd do challenge the first place But they such precious graces never learn'd Nor could perceive b'ing sp'rit'ally discern'd To speak thy praises fully they would find A task not easie though both were combin'd To make a Record onely to declare Thy morall vertues eminent and rare As Justice Fortitude Wisdome Charity Temperance Patience Love Humility Thy knowledge They in Tongues might then commend And without doubt their muses would contend Thine Eloquence and Rhet'rick to set forth Yet could they never make known all thy worth Which they would see and so conclude thy praise By setting on thy head a wreath of bayes And yet all this were to eclipse thy glory Thy graces rare transcend so mean a story In morall vertues true Thou Ex'lent art But here 's thy praise thou hast an upright heart To God thy maker hating every sin Thou art a man all glorious within Let Sectaries rail raise Lyes Yet without fear Truth speaks thee one of Gods choyce Jewels dear As having been most faithfull to her cause When men presum'd to make their will their Laws And
him may also truly be said of Cretensis and all those of that fraternity whose words are swords and spears who all fight rather with their heels then with their heads and kick rather then argue and whip rather then answer Whether therfore such men as my brother Burton and his complices though they come to us in gray heads be found in the way of righteousnesse when their dealings are so palpably unjust and their opinions so schismaticall hereticall and erroneous I leave it to the judgement of all such as know what the way of righteousnesse is And now I come to my second quaerie viz. Whether the way of Independency be the way of righteousnesse My brother Burton writing in the name of all the Independents pretends unto the people and would make the world beleeve that they are all Dependent upon Gods Word for all their proceedings and affirmes moreover in the fifth page that all their new gathered Churches and severall Congregations are all Dependent one upon another both which assertions of his are most false as will evidently appear to all those that know their practices and will vouchsafe but to read the insuing discourse where they shall find that they have neither precept nor president for their way of Independency in all Gods holy Word and that there is not so much as one example in all the sacred Scriptures for any of their new practices wherein they differ from us and which is more that they all of them withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse How then can the way of Independency bee the way of righteousnesse when it is a deviation from that way as by their practices will be evidenced therefore for the confirmation of what I have now said I will briefly examine some of their proceedings and first whereas my brother Burton affirmeth that all their Churches are Dependent one upon another This I say is most false For all their proceedings in their severall congregations are carryed on in an arbitrary way whatsoever they publish in their writings and pretend to the people as all the learned and those that are acquainted with their method well know So that it lies in any one of their Churches breasts and is at their pleasure whether they will so much as confer or consult with each other and if they do at any time vouchsafe one another that courtesie yet it is stil voluntary whether they will give each other an account of either their censures or proceedings for they all pretend as absolute a soveraignty and jurisdiction within themselvs severally as any free-states or common-wealths have no authority one over another neither can they appeal for any reliefe if wronged one to or from another And if any Member in any one of those Churches or any one of those Churches divided amongst themselvs or upon some eminent received wrong should fondly complain to another neighbour Church that Church hath no power to relieve them no more then one private man can relieve another if he should be appealed to by another And if that Church should desire an account of the other Churches proceedings that Church may refuse it if it please them But if to gratifie their desire that Church should vouchsafe to condescend so far unto the other Church as to give them a reason of their proceedings all this is but gratis and out of their good nature they have still no power to call that Church in question that hath done the wrong if that Church stands upon its points and priviledges and saith that they have nothing to do with them And what then is to be done in this case Then forsooth they will withdraw communion from that Church which say they is the highest censure any one Church can proceed to against another Church Is not this I pray fine Dependency What more unrighteous dealing can be found in the world then this of the Independents to professe themselves Independents and yet to pretend a Dependency And when that comes to the tryall they have no more reall Dependency one upon another then we have with them Yea what a great unrighteousnesse is this to pretend a Dependency one upon another and a communion amongst their new gathered Churches when it is well known there is no more union and communion nor true friendship amongst them then was between Herod and Pilate they refusing the right hand of fellowship each to other in many of them Yea they are deadly enemies one to another as can sufficiently be proved although they all agree together to persecute the Presbyterians as Herod and Pilate did well accord to persecute Christ For I my selfe have heard the Independents protest against the Brownists Anabaptists Antinomians and Seekers and many other of the new fraternities proclaming them all Sectaries And on the other side I have heard those severall societies rail against all the Independents especially those Homothumadon dissenting brethren in the reverend Assembly saying that they had a better and a more charitable esteem of any of the Presbyterian Ministers then of them and they do unanimously accuse all the Ministers of New-England of as great tyranny as the Prelates And it is well known that many of the Independent congregations here amongst us have their different laws and customs every one of them dissenting more or lesse from each other in their severall new gathered Churches yea they are ignorant of each others practices For my Brother Burton and I. S. know not that the women in some of their congregations have their voices there and yet it can be proved that they also have Peters keyes at their girdles as well as any of their Presbyters And therefore their new Churches are not Dependent one upon another as my brother Burton asserteth Page the fifth when as they all of them exercise an absolute soveraignty amongst themselves Independent What unrighteousnesse then is this in my brother Burton and in all the Independents to affirme that in all their Churches there is a Dependent Independency or an Independent Dependency which is but a contradictory bull at best at the baiting whereof a man if he regarded not mispending his time might make far better sport then he did some years since in baiting the Popes Bull. The truth is as their Religion is but a meer Babell so all their language is confounded and they are divided in their opinions principles and practices they being all really Independent And therefore whether the way of Independency be the way of righteousnesse where they are so unrighteous in all their proceedings and when they say one thing and do and practice another and when they withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse as all the Independent Predicants do I refer it to the wisdome and judgement of the godly and consciencious Reader But the unrighteousnesse of their way will yet more perspicuously appear if we but look into some other of their practices which I shall by and by instance the very
and the way have lost them both and are now turned Seekers to the dishonour of God and their eternall shame and misery too if they speedily repent not For God in the 30. of Deut. ver 11. saith there This commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far of it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldst say who shall goe over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it See saith the Lord I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evill Now if in the dayes of Moses the truth was so near unto them that the Lord says there unto his people that he had set it before their eyes yea that it was in their hearts so that they had then no need to run from land to sea and from sea to land to finde it how much more obvious is it now may every rationall man conclude when it is so gloriously set forth and that through the whole Scripture of the New Testament And how inexcusable will all such be found that complain the truth is not yet clear unto them So that it may be an astonishment to all men to hear any that have read the holy Word of God say that they are yet in the dark the truth doth not appear unto them And yet such men there are who declare unto the world and professe it that they are expectants and seekers and many have often said unto me when I have been in familiar discourse with them That as yet the truth was not made out unto them concerning the Presbyterian way and therefore they could neither communicate with our Assemblies nor yet joyn with those of the new gathered churches Now that all those who have wandred and strayed from the old way and those that are at a losse and seek it may find it and the truth which they have a command from God to buy and purchase and that they may all clearly perceive that they are in the by-path of error that are still Scepticks and doubting about the way I shall at this time endeavor to be their guide nothing doubting but by the grace of God and his speciall assistance if they will bring docible hearts and willing minds to follow the thred of his Word and be directed by that unerring line of the same they may speedily be led and come into the right way and find the truth and with it peace and comfort to their own souls in life and death I will first therefore dissipate and scatter those mists that have been cast before their eyes by which the truth hath been clouded and remove all those stumbling blocks that have been put before them and then I doubt not howsoever it be thought a difficult work yea an unpossible thing but to make the truth evidently appear unto them and bring them into the right way from which some have wandred and strayed and others yet doubt of And I hope so to clear up the light of the truth that the way of it shall not only be plain to them but to every man and woman that have not lost the eye-sight of their reason or have not sacrificed themselves to error and vanity And therefore that the truth concerning the Presbyterian way may the more elucidately appear to every intelligible man I will here briesly state the question which is fully handled in the following discourse and shew What hath been the principall cause of putting so many out of the way and keeping and deterring others from it and withall I will set down the ground and rise of the Independent tenent shew upon what as a foundation they lay the whole Fabrick of this their new Babell which I hope to make evident to be nothing but a meer chimera and phansie in their own brain and that there is not the least warrant for it in the whole book of God And all that I now say I am confident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discover to all those whom the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the clear sunshine of the Gospell of Truth Those that call themselves by the name of Independents and have separated themselves from our Congregations and Assemblies counting us such Saints as Job would not set with the doggs of his flocke calling us the sons of Belial proclaming us to be the enemies the Lord Iesus Christ and his Kingdome for this is their language concerning us all those I say pretend that they have both the Word of God and the example of the Primitive Churches especially that of Jerusalem for the maintenance of their Independency and for these their unbrotherly proceedings whose opinion and doctrine is this That the Church of Ierusalem that Mother Church consisted of of no more beleevers at any time then did ordinarily meet altogether in one place and Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and they teach withall that this Church consisting of no more had an absolute soveraignty within it selfe Independent without reference to any other Church and from the which there might be no appeal for the redresse of any conceived wrong and they moreover affirm that the constitution of this conceited forme of government is the true Gospel forme of Church government and is for ever to be a patern to all Churches in all succeeding ages to doe the same and to exercise the same authority within themselves severally that they imagine this Church did though they consist but of twenty or thirty Members apeece yea fewer This is the opinion of all the Independents saving my Brother Burton who in this differeth from all his brethren beleeving yea acknowledging that there were many Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem by which he hath overthrowne their opinion whiles notwithstanding hee labours with all his might to maintaine it as will appeare in its due place whereas all the other Independents as I said before confidently assert that there were no more Beleevers in that Church at first and last then could all meet in one Congregation to communicate in all the Ordinances Now the Presbyterians on the other side and that upon very good grounds as will in the sequell of this discourse appeare hold and beleeve that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that all those severall Congregations made but one Church within its pracincts and were all under one Presbyterie and that the government of this Church consisting of many Congregations combined together under the government of a Colledge of Presbyters is a paterne of government to all Churches in succeeding ages to the â—nd
meaning as they put upon them for the words in the originall make not so much as mention of a place howsoever it crept in in our Translation All this by Gods assistance I undertake to make good and to evince this also that they lay that foundation of their new Fabrick onely in the ayre or chimera of their owne braine But for the words in Roman characters they are Homothumadon epi tò autò And now I will relate how Philip Nye a very busie Advocate pleaded the cause of Independency and what his testimony was who being desired by the Prolocutor to bring in his witnesse out of the holy word of God for the proving of their assertion hee flyes to the same place of Scripture saying they were all with one accord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo saith he there were no more Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in one place Then after him comes in Ieremy Burroughs a stout Advocate who being demanded to bring in his witnesses for the making of Affidavit to what they had pleaded hee also betakes himselfe to the same text of Scripture and with a great outice saith and they were all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo there were no more Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in one place Then comes in Sydrack Sympson a brave burly and well spread Advocate who being by the Prolocutor requested to bring in his witnesse produces the very same text of Scripture alleaged before crying out pleno ore pingui ore voce that they were altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo there were no more Beleevers in Jerusalem then could all meet in one place and congregation I will not mention the other Advocates for they were all at their Homothumadon and had nothing else to the purpose And thus did these brave Pleaders all and every one of them argue their cause giving in their reason also into the Court for the corroborating of their witnesse saying that the Holy Ghost had from first to last as on purpose shewed this as if his scope had beene before to prevent and preclude all reasonings to the contrary Thus they This place of Scripture with this their reason to speake the truth is all the ground and warrant for substance that all those restlesse spirited Rabbies have for this great warre and contention betweene us and for the proving of their doctrine of Independency and that their tenent of the congregationall way by which they have brought this distraction and confusion into the whole Church and State to the seducing and misleading of many thousand poore soules to the utter ruining of many of them and for the setting of the three Kingdomes on fire which with all their teares if ever the Lord should give them repentance not to bee repented of they could never quench and for the better deceiving of the people they have so accustomed their mouths to Homothumadon epi to auto that very Sagomour Will that has no more Greeke in him then a Horse upon every occasion comes out with his Homothumadon epi to auto and all of them in this great and weighty busines which concernes not onely the peace of the Land but is of everlasting concernment to us all they continually triffle and abuse the holy Scripture dealing with us as Cats usually doe one with an other who when they have spent all their strength with fighting and when they can neither scratch nor bite any longer then they spit one at another and make ugly faces even so doe these men with us when they have tormented themselves spent their Forces in wrangling having never an Argument left to maintain their groundlesse wicked and dividing opinion then they stand staring on us as a last refuge come out with their homothumadon epi to auto and thus spit a little Greeke in our faces which the deluded people not understanding beleeve that it is an absolute conquest gotten on the Independents side Now in regard the whole strength of their cause ye◠of their whole Army lies here and depends upon this Fort I meane these words of the heavenly Charter I will take the more paines for finding out of the true meaning of them that so I may the better discover unto the world the wickednesse and vanity for it is no better of all these Homothumadon imposters and so much the more willing I am to make some stay in explayning the mind and true sense of the same because they are as it were the Key and inlet for the opening and the better making way for the understanding of the whole Dispute so that every man that is but of ordinary capacity by the very light of his naturall reason may from the unfolding of them be sufficiently able to discerne the juglings of these ungodly men But first I shall give you in the answer of those reverend Iudges sitting in the Court I meane the reverend Assembly where this cause was fully heard and debated where the Homothumadons had liberty fully to speak for themselvs to bring in whatsoever made for their cause howsoever they have falsely given out to the contrary Now for answer to their reason above mentioned the Reverend Assembly replyed that they inclined to beleeve that the Holy Ghost intended rather to shew the early accomplishment of the promise Ier. 32. 39. of giving one heart and one way by his so frequent mentioning Homothumadon epi to auto as adjuncts of the first Christian Church meetings then as our brethren suggest to prevent and preclude all reasonings against this assertion of theirs viz. that the beleevers in Ierusalem were no more then could meet in one place and there is most excellent reason for this reply answer of the reverend learned Assembly to their wicked cavil for so I may truly cal it for it is nothing else but to abuse the Holy Scripture and for no other end but to deceive the people that they may the better make merchandise of them which is one of the horridst impieties in the world which all the homothumadon Ministers and Predicants and Itinerary Preacers are most deeply guilty of who make a prey of the people where ever they come and most abominably cheate them especially the silly women Now if we do duly examine the words of the Text and consider them in their native sense and true meaning it will most manifestly appear that the Answer of the learned and reverend Assembly was grounded upon most excellent and solid reason which all the slight of all the Homothumadons and their cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive simple souls will be made more oriently appear in all its colours First therefore I will set down the Text it selfe in its originall language and then give the true interpretation of it in our tongue Acts the second v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Translation is this When the day of
Priests were also added unto the Lord so that if there were a great Congregation and Assembly of the Priests as the Word of God relateth there must necessarily be many more Congregations of the ordinary people and all these are to be yet reckoned upon a new account and upon a new List so that there were numberlesse Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem if any credit may be given to the Holy Scripture and that in the very infancy of the Church so that I am most confident that this truth is now evident and perspicuous to all those that have but ordinary understanding But because this is the onely busines as the Independents say and that will put an end to this controversie betweene us for they have often said prove once but clearly unto us out of the Word of God that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and then wee will grant you the day I say in this regard I shall briefly adde some other Arguments to prove there were more Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all possibly meet in any one Congregation or a few for to these that were daily converted and added to the Church wee heare upon all occasions of additions upon additions and of increase upon increase of many more Beleevers for in the ninth chapter verse 31. it is recorded that the Churches having rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria they were multiplyed for so it is in the Oâ—iginall Now Ierusalem was the chiefe Church in Iudaea and therefore shee also multiplyed and increased in Disciples daily which being added to the former spake of it makes it an impossible thing that they could all meet together in any one place or a few And in the 12. chapter upon the miraculous death of Herod it is said verse 24. that the Word of God grew and multiplyed in Ierusalem that is brought forth great increase of ' Beleevers and made them exceedingly daily to multiply so that all these additions upon additions of Beleevers made it an impossible thing that the hundreth part of them could meet in any one place But omitting many Arguments that I could produce from the multitudes of their Preachers and the diversity of the nations and the infinit number of the Inhabitants and from the Miracles in Jerusalem that necessarily called for many Congregations and Assemblies that one place in the 21. of the Acts may for ever silence all Gain-sayers and abundanly prove unto rationall men that there were many if not numberlesse congregations of Beleevers then in the church of Ierusalem If we will but take notice what Saint Iames and all the Presbyters of Jerusalem spake unto Saint Paul who being all Inhabitants there and the Ministers and Preachers of the Word in that Church must all necessarily know not onely the condition of the Beleevers there but for the most part the number of them now I say it will be worth our paines and attention to observe and take notice what is there confirmed by the testimony of many witnesses yea a cloud of witnesses and all of them without exception there was Iames the Apostle by name and all the Presbyters of Ierusalem all Synodians whose witnesse was true and for ever to be beleeved and yet they give in this evidence to Saint Paul concerning the Beleevers in Ierusalem that there were many ten thousands of weake Brethren here how many ten thousands more may we suppose were there then of strong Brethren in the Church of Jerusalem seeing for the most part in all Churches where there are able and learned Ministers it is ever observed that there are three strong brethren to one weak one at least more strong brethren then weak ones Now when there was a whole Colledge of Apostles for the most part resident in that Church and a whole colledge of Presbyters fixed Ministers there and able Preachers besides a multitude of Priests and all painefull and laborious that preached unto them night and day instructed them all in their Christian Liberty and confirmed them in it with miracles and when they had also for a farther strengthning of them in that their Christian Liberty called a Councell and Synod in Jerusalem and ratified the abrogation of the legall Ceremonies and that from the Holy Scripture and the Spirit of God and did daily preach unto them all this their Christian Liberty we are bound by the Law of charity to beleeve there were many more thousands of strong Christians then weake in that Church yea our daily experience will perswade any man to beleeve this Doctrine Now let us heare what Saint Iames and all the Presbyters witnesse unto Saint Paul concerning this point verse 20. Thou seest Brother Paul say they how many ten thousands for so it is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Iewes there are which beleeve and they are all zealous of the Law out of the which words wee may observe that those Saint Iames and the Presbyters speake of were all Inhabitants in Ierusalem for they could witnesse nothing of strangers those that dwelt in other places neither could they have said thou seest them if they had not beene Inhabitants or if they had beene here to day and gone to morrow for then they could not have beene taken notice of but they speake of Inhabitants as by many Arguments may be proved and of all these they asserâ— these things First for the number of them that they were many ten thousands Secondly that they were all Beleevers Disciples and very good Christians yea very zealous ones Thirdly they doe witnesse that all these many ten thousands were but weake Brethren and therefore gave Saint Paul counsell yea an order somewhat to connive at their weaknesse for a time that hee might the better ingratiate himselfe into their favour the story is there fully set downe Now I say if there were many ten thousands of weak Brethren in the Church of Jerusalem how many more ten thousands of strong Beleevers may any rationall men suppose were then there in that church where there were a colledge of Apostles forthe most part and a standing Colledge of able Presbyters all miraculous Teachers and assisted immediatly by the spirit of God Surely a few hundred of houses or places could not possibly have held their very bodies much lesse could a few hundred of houses have held them to partake in all the Ordinances so that all men that have not absolutely resolved to give the Spirit of God the lye yea to wage warre against Heaven must acknowledge that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem especially when it commeth confirmed by so many witnesses of divine authority By which it appeareth that there were many Congregations of Beleevers there as in every house one So that for this point I am most assured it is now without controversie that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers
leaving the poore sheepe in the wildernesse I say when all these things are evident out of the holy Scripture it necessarily followeth when Diotrephes was an Elder and Presbyter in that Church Saint Iohn writ unto which Master Knollys confesseth that he had there his particular congregation and therfore there was no neede of making any mention of it for very common reason will dictate thus much to any man that if any great grasier have ten or twelve thousand sheepe and many severall walks and places of pasturage to feed them in and hath severall pastours to looke unto them all as not a few Shephards can feede ten or twelue thousands sheepe and gives them all a charge in common of looking to his sheepe and feeding them although all those severall pastours are to have a generall care of all those sheep that have his marke upon them and that are within the limits of his severall walks and grasing places yet it is to be understood that every one of them hath his severall flocke committed to him in speciall for he must not be idle over the which he is to have the particular inspection and care for the well ordering of it with this limitation that he may not wrong the flocke or do any thing contrary unto his Masters pleasure or to the dammage or prejudice of his other fellow Pastours or their flocke All this I say good reason will dictate to any rationall man and dayly experience will confirme it In the same manner things were ordered in the primitive and Apostolicall Churches all whose Elders and Pastours in them had the charge of the severall flocks committed to them in common all the which they were to governe communi consilio presbyterorum as it is by all the Independents themselves confest for all those Churches were Aristocratically and Presbyterianly governed and therefore according to the wisdome and common councell of their Elders this Presbyter had the charge of the sheepe of such a ward or walke committed unto his care and that Elder had such a Circuit committed unto his charge and a third Elder had such a precinct committed to his cure and so of the rest with this proviso alwayes that all things of publicke concernment and that tended to the common good both of sheep and Pastours should be ordered by the joynt and common councell of the severall and respective Presbyters in an orderly and well regulated way for all things in the Church were to be done in order and decency and uniformitie which could never have been if every Pastour and Presbyter and every particular congregation under them severally would have governed as pleased themselves without any reference to the Colledge or common counsell of all the Presbyters which was the failing of Diotrephes here for which he was greatly blam'd by Saint Iohn And that all those Churches were to be governed by their severall Presbytries and that the people were not to intermeddle with the government of them Master Knollys himselfe in the third page of his pamphlet and in the eleventh of the same doth accord who citing my words in my introduction to my booke deduceth from them foure conclusions which I shall by and by set downe after I have related the grounds of them Before saith he the Doctor comes to proove his four particular Propositions he saith it will not be amisse in generall to take notice that all the Churches we read of in the new testament were aristocratically and Presbyterially Governed and were all Dependent upon the severall Presbyters and produceth divers places of Scripture to prove the same and two sheets are spent wholly in proving thereof from the 12 page to the 29. These words Mr Knollys quoteth out of my book Now hear his answer All which saith he should it be granted onely proves First that in every City or Church there was a Presbytery For they Ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 14. That thou Ordain Elders City by City Tit. 1. v. 5. Secondly that as there were Apostles and Elders in the church of Jerusalem so there were Elders in the church of Ephesus Acts the 20. ver 25. and in the church of Corinth and in the church of Galatia and Philippy c. Thirdly that those severall churches were dependent upon their several Presbyteries and they were to obey them who had the rule over them Hebr. 13. 7. 17. 24. Who were their guids obey your guids Fourthly that this Presbyterian church Government God hath appointed as his Ordinance to be continu'd to the end of the World the which whosoever resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God These are the foure conclusions Master Knolleys gathereth out of my arguments but with all adds saying that all this doth not prove that this Presbyterian Church government is dependent upon a supreame judicature to the Decrees of which they must submit themselves and their churches This saith Mr. Knollys doth not follow but of that in its due place In the mean time it will be much to the purpose a little to consider his expressions All which saith he should it be granted proves First c. to wit the four conclusions now layd down in this place I intreat the Reader to behold the vanity of the man in so speaking all which shâ—uld â—t be granted as if he did me a great courtesie and favour to yeeld unto me that which the holy Scripture in exâ—resse woâ—ds declareth o be the will and pleasure of God and that which I had out of the blessed word of truth sufficiently ev need and which no man can deny except he will deny the Scripture and Word of God which hath perspicuously and in fo mall termes set own that there was a Colledge Presbyte ie of Elders orda ned and constituted in very Church or City who were to have the rule over the people in their severall congreâ—ations within their â—râ—cin â—s w ch M Knollys himself consenteth unto as is evident by his 4 conclusions So that if ever there had been any time of denying or not granting that all the Churches of the New Iestament were all Arâ—stocratically and Presbyterianly to be govern'd and were so many severall Eccle aâ—â—icall Corpo ations and that all those Scriptures I had produced for the proof of the same had not been rightly applyed and alleadged now had been the time when this businesse was in question and agitation for Mr Knollys to have shewen his skill and to have produced the reasons of his dislike and gain-saying but when he confirmed what I proved as is manifest from his four conclusions it is a great folly in the man to say all which should it be granted when he himselfe acknowledgeth as much and in expresse terms in the eleventh page of his book hath these words It is not denyed saith he by the brethren meaning the Independents that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the Government of the Churches in which they were Elders These are
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
it I am so well assured that it is Gods Ordinance as I am of any point in Religion But as I said before if men may argue after this way The Presbyters in the Apostles times did miracles and sâ—ake with strange tongues and their Schollers and Disciples did the same doe you likewise and then we will acknowledge you to be true Presbyters otherwise wee will not Thus the Jewes might have argued against all their Prophets as against Isaiah Ieremy Ezekiel c. Moses and Elias fasted forty dayes and forty nights and did many miracles do you so and then we will beleeve you are true Prophets and sent to us of God otherwise we will not beleeve you to be true Prophets Yea all the wicked and ungodly men of these times may argue thus also God gave unto his Church Apostles Evangelists Prophets c. and they spake all strange tongues and divers languages and did many miracles but you and your Congregations have neither Apostles Prophets nor Evangelists nor ye have not the gifts of Tongues nor yee can do no Miracle Ergo you are not the true Church The Primitive Christians and the servants of God in those times had the gifts of Tongues and Prophesie and the holy Ghost came down upon them and they spake by direction from God his infallible truth and Gospell whose speeches were not tyed to time and to one speaker but many spake one after another by Interpreters as it is at large set down in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 14. vers 27. 28 29 30. c. So that they spake infallible truth by direction from God But you have none in your Congregations so miraculously inspired with sundry languages and divers tongues nor ye do not speake infallible truths by direction from God nor you cannot cure diseases nor do miracles Ergò your religion is not the same Religion nor your Congregations the true Church shew us these miracles and then we will beleeve you to be the true Church otherwise we may not we dare not acknowledge you to be the true Church Again they may argue thus The Apostles and Primitive Pastors and Teachers preached freely and laboured with their own hands and were helpfull to the necessities of others and were not burthensome and exacting from others and spake ex tempore by direction from God but your Ministers in your Congregations do not preach freely nor labour not with their own hands nor are not helpfull to to others necessities but are rather burdensome and exacting from others nor they do no miracles nor speake not immediately by inspiration and ex tempore but by Study and out of their Bookes and are confined to time and speake not in strange tongues and languages one after another by Interpreters Ergò Your Ministers are not Gods Ministers nor your Congregations the true Church nor your people true Christians for you want all those things that the Primitive Christians and the Primitive Churches had There is a Pamphlet lately come out and highly esteemed and prised amongst many full of such consequences as these which if they hold good against the Presbyters they may also for ought I know be of equall validity to overthrow not onely all Christian Congregations but indeed all Christian Religion But briefly to answer We look upon the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters as men miraculously and extraordinarily gifted and as wonder-working men for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospell to all succeeding ages and we consider in them and in the Christians of those times something extraordinary and temporary as their working of miracles and speaking of strange tongues and gifts of healing c. And those we conceive were to continue no longer in the church then for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospel Christ himselfe proclaiming those blessed that believe without seeing of miracles speaking unto Thomas Iohn 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me saith he thou believest blessed are they that have not seen and have believed So that miracles now are not ordinary and we are tied to the written Word But we consider likewise in the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters that that was permanent and to continue in all Ministers and Presbyters in succeeding ages to the end of the world and that was the power of order and preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which is not denied by the most learned of the Independents themselves and this I have proved by the Word of God to be transacted over to all Christian Churches whose Presbyters have that power given unto them neither will the Learned Brethren deny it whatsoever the ignorant may do Yea the very name of a Presbytery as I said before if we look through the whole Scripture signifieth a Magistracy or Signiory or Corporation invested with authority of governing and ruling and such a counsell and company of men as upon whom the government under Christ is laid and to be extended so far as their jurisdiction extendeth and as far as by common consent it may make for the good and edification of the church and for the safety of the same And such was the government of all those churches of the New Testament which were as so many Committees their limits and bounds prefixed them as at this dayall Committees through the Kingdom have in their severall Hundreds Rapes Wapentakes and Cities to whom the ordering and government of those places that are under them are committed so that all that is done or transacted must be done by the joynt consent and councell of the whole Committee not any particular man or any two of them severally considered by themselvs can make an order but that order onely is binding which is made by the joynt consent and common agreement of them all or the greatest part of them assembled together Even so all those particular Congregations that are within the compasse and jurisdiction of the severall Presbyteries are to be ordered and governed by the common and joynt councell of the severall Presbyters or the greater part of them For this was the order the Apostles established appointing in every City a Presbytery and when they had so ordered the Churches they set them all to their severall imployments the Presbyters to command and all the people and particular Assemblies and Congregations under them to obey neither is it ever found in the holy Scriptures that the people were joyned with the Presbyters in their Commission So that they that oppose this government resist Gods Ordinance And if we looke into all the Epistles writ by the Apostles to the severall Churches we shall finde in them That they enjoyne all the severall Congregations to yeeld obedience to their Pastors and Rulers over them and signifie unto them that they owe unto them double honour especially such as labour in the Word and Doctrine that is they must yeeld unto them not onely due reverence and subjection and obedience to their councell and just commands in the
all the power in their hands in awe that they durst not so much as open their mouthes against Iohn the Baptist From all which places and many more that might be produced to prove That there were so many Believers in Ierusalem as could not all meet in one place or roome or in one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship I thus argue Where there was an infinite multitude or a mighty City of Believers there they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one Congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Churches 1 Cor. 14. 26. but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies and divers divisions that they might be all edified and partake in all Ordinances But in the Church of Ierusalem by the very baptisme and preaching of Iohn there were infinite multitudes and a very City of Believers Ergo they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Church of God but of necessitie must be distributed into severall congregations and assemblies and divers divisions that they might all be edified partake in all ordinances For the major it is cleare by the very light of nature and all reason for there is no one place or house that can contain a whole City or infinite multitude of Believers and if any great place could containe them they could not all be edified and partake of all the acts of worship For if the very great raw-bon'd building of Pauls it self were cramm'd full of people and had a Preacher of the strongest lungs in the City half the people could not hear and be edified as daily experience telleth us so that of necessity if they would be edified and partake in all the Ordinances they must be distributed into divers congregations and severall assemblies I am most assured that there were such multitudes of Believers in Jerusalem that five such buildings as Pauls could not have contained their very bodies within their wals much lesse receive them or entertaine them for edification So that for the major I am confident there is no intelligible man will doubt of it For the Minor it is manifest from the places above produced for our Saviour saith excepting the Pharisees and the Lawyers which were but a little handfull all the people or the generality of them justified God and were baptized and were Believers So that the conclusion from the premises doth necessarily follow But from the former places I argue yet further after this manner Where there was such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept a tyrannicall King in awe and all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a fear and terror into them all that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it There of necessity the number of the Believers must be so great as they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all the acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies But in Ierusalem there were such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept Herod himself the tyrant in awe all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a feare and terror into them that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it Ergo of necessity the number of the Believers was so great as they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers Congregations and Assemblies For the Major and Minor of this Syllogisme besides the force of reason and common understanding which were enough to convince any rationall creature of the truth of them the holy Scripture it self as from the places above specified is manifest proves them So that none can doubt of the truth of the conclusion but such as will call in question truth it selfe I might out of the severall places above mentioned draw many more Arguments to prove the conclusion but because I study brevity these for the present shall serve to prove That by the very baptisme and Ministery of S. Iohn the Baptist there were such an infinite company of Believers in the Church of Ierusalem as they could not al meet together in one place or congregation for the injoying of all the Ordinances To these first arguments of mine by which I proved that by the very Baptisme of S. Iohn there were more converted and made Christians and believeres in Ierusalem then could meete in any one place or Congregation Master Knollys answers by denying the minor of my Syllogismes and I. S. by denying they were Christians as we shall see I will therefore reply unto them both in order beginning first with Master Knollys whose words are these pag. 8. I do deny the minor proposition of these arguments saith he Neither hath the Doctor proved that there was an infinite number of beleevers nor a very City of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem The Scriptures quoted by the Doctor speak no such thing Those places in Matthew Mark and Luke tell us of very many who were baptized by Iohn and by Christs Disciples but doe not declare how many of those baptized persons were of the Church of Ierusalem and the Scripture witnesseth Act. 9. 31. That there were Churches through all Iudaea as well as in Ierusalem and for ought I know or the Doctor either many of those baptized persons might be in those Churches yea the most of them and but a few in Ierusalem it may be no more but those hundred and twenty mentioned Act. 1. 13 14 15. to whom were added about three thousand soules who continued in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of bread and prayers Acts the 2. 42 43 44. This is all Master Knollys hath to say by way of answer for the enervating of the strength of my Arguments and Reasons by which I proved there were more converted by Iohns Ministerythen could meet in any one place in Ierusalem Now here before I come to reply I referre my selfe to the judicious Reader whether from the forgoing places which I quoted out of the Holy Word of God from the Reasons and Arguments deduced out of it it was not sufficiently evinced That there were an infinite number of beleevers and a very Citie of them in the Church of Ierusalem and therefore more then could meet in any one place or Congregation I demand I say of any intelligible Christian
and accoutrements And yet although they be in divers and sundry Assemblies they are still the Prelaticall party and all of them of the Malignant Church and as the diversity of the places changeth not their complexions so it altereth not their faith nor manners but they continne still Malignants and remaine all Members of the Malignant Church And as in these dayes all that wish well unto the true Religion through both citie and kingdome and love their countrey stand for the Parliament so in those dayes those that loved Zion and the prosperity of Jerusalem cleaved unto Christ and the Gospel and stood for him and all his Ministers and by all computations though all the power and Authority was in the hands of the malignant Magistrates of those times who were swayed and guided by the Scribes Pharisees Elders and the high Priests yet to one Pharisee or Malignant Scribe or Ruler there was ten of those that beleeved in Christ and honoured him and all his Ministers and Disciples Yea the Pharisees themselves do acknowledge it not once but many times as is evident from the places above cited and many more that might be produced So that if I should frame no Argument out of them it is apparent that those new additions of Beleevers that were converted by Christ and his Ministry considered by themselves a part from those that Saint Iohn the Baptist converted were so great and numerous that they could not all meet in any one place for partaking of all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would all be edified much lesse could they all meet together being joyned to those that beleeved through the Baptisme and Ministry of Iohn But out of the former places above specified I thus argue Where there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers in a word the whole people and Citie of Ierusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed there they could not all meet at any one time or in any one roome or place and in one Congregation to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must bee distributed into severall assemblies and divers Congregations if they would all bee edified But in Ierusalem the Scribes and Pharisees and Rulers by their owne confession being excepted there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers and in a word the whole people and Citie of Jerusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must be distributed into severall assemblies and divers congregations if they would all be edified For the major no rationall man will deny is that hath but read the Scriptures or is but a little acquainted with the Histories of those times For the minor it is evident from the places produced and therefore the conclusion doth necessarily follow But I yet further thus argue Where there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place and office with infinite multitudes of men and children all the people they could not al meet together at one time and in one place and congregation to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers assemblies and severall congregations if they would all be edified But in the Church of Jerusalem there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place and office with multitudes of men and children and all the people Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would be all edified For the Major it is evident by the very light of nature neither will any rationall man deny it that hath not resolved to sacrifice himselfe to stupidity For the Minor the places above specified prove it for in expresse words it is said that the world followed him that is believed in him and that great multitudes entertained him with their acclamations and crying Hosanna the very children also seconding them And that the chiefe Priests Scribes and Elders soughâ— to destroy him and could not find what to doe for all the people were very attentive to heare him The whole people we see here or the generality of them except the Scribes Pharisees Elders and High Priests which in comparison of them were very few beleeved in Jesus Christ and were his Disciples and such as were converted by his Ministry and such a multitude there was of them as for that present they so awed the High Priests and Elders that they durst not destroy Christ though they desired it so that the minor stands firme and from the premises the conclusion necessarily followeth But out of the former places I yet further thus argue Where ther was such an increase of multitudes of Beleevers as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himselfe and his seventy Disciples and twelve Apostles and Iohn Baptist and all his Disciples were for the numerosity of them forced in severall places to preach unto them and baptize them there they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place or roome or in one Congregation to partake or communicate in all acts of worship but of necessitie were to be distributed into severall congregations or assemblies if they would all be edified But in Jerusalem there was such multitudes of beleevers that went out to the Baptisme of John and Christ as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himselfe and his seventy Disciples and his twelve Apostles and Saint John Baptist and his Disciples were for the numerosity of them forced to divide themselves into severall places and severall assemblies and congregations that all the people might partake in all acts of worship and be edified Ergo they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place but were of necessity forced to divide and distribute themselves into divers places and severall congregations and assemblies that they might all be edified For the Major and Minor of the Syllogisme they are so evident both by reason and the holy Scripture that no man that hath not resolved with himselfe to remaine incredulous and continue in his obstinacy can deny the truth of them so that the conclusion of necessity must from the premises be granted And all these multitudes of people were beleevers before Christs Suffering Resurrection and Ascension Now before I goe on to declare what infinite multitudes of beleevers were added to those that were converted by Iohns and the Disciples Ministry in the Church of Ierusalem after Christs death and ascension which makes it an
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
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
such as have built upon this foundation that upon the reading of any books or hearig of any arguments on the contrary side their hearts may not like the heart of Ahaz Isai the 7. 1. when he heard of the confederacy of Syria and Ephraim be moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde This is the discourse of that Author whose words I have related in their full length and extent not intending at this time to shew all the errors of them which would require a just volume though occasonally I shall meete with some of them and make it appeare that according to his discription of a church which he hath taken out of Master Cotteos booke of New England none of the congregationall churches at this day are compleate churches properly so called And if that also my brother Burton speakes be true then the very church of Jerusalem as I said before which he calles the first formed church was not a true formed church properly so called All this occasionally I hope to make evident In the meane time I will make use of such Arguments as the new lights from the Summer Ilands afforde me for the proving of my major proposition which was that All those Assemblies and Congregations met together in those severall houses at Ierusalem every one of them respectively and severally taken were churches properly so called And this I doe the more willingly because I conceive it will better sound in my brother Burtons eares and those of his party to heare one of their own great Rabbyes who they usually call Giants and tall fellowes then to heare me who at pleasure they stile a Pigmy and Dwarfe from his words therefore I thus argue If two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence doe constitute a visible church as he asserteth and laboureth to prove in the name of all the Independents then much more two or three hundred met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence having amongst them also their lawfull Officers and Ministers and injoying likewise all those saving and sealing Ordinances within themselves which the Independents confesse are sufficient for the constituting of a Church properly so called then I say and that with far better reason that such a company doe constitute a compleat visible Church or a Church body properly so called but in the Church of Jerusalem there was not onely two or three met together or two or three such Assemblies and Congregations but at least twelve if not halfe twelve score yea innumerable in all and every one of the which they met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence and in all and every one of the which respectively and severally they had also their lawfull Officers and Ministers and injoyed all those saving and sealing Ordinances which the Independents confesse arr sufficient for the constituting of a Church properly so called Ergo all and every one of those Congregations severally and respectively considered were Churches properly so called This Argument is grounded upon the Independents owne Principles and upon their very words and corroborated with their owne reasons For what people say they in the world may bee called a Church if they may not to whom Christ hath given his power and promised his presence If the gifts of Christ be of any force if the power of Christ bee of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Thus the Independents speake and therefore without they will renounce their owne Principles and abjure all reason and the very light of understanding given them of God they must acknowledge those severall congregations in the Church of Jerusalem to be Churches properly so called as having in every one of them whatsoever they thinke requisite and sufficient to constitute a formed Church for there were in each of them respectively such Ministers and Officers as to whom Christ had given his power and promised his presence and that to the enâ— of the world Matth. 28. vers the last They had also in all those congregations all those Priviledges Immunities and Ordinances the injoying of the which the Independents thinke sufficient to make any one of their new congregations a compleat and formed church or church body properly so called as for their Ministers and Pastors they had all the blessed Apostles amongst them and Christs seventy disciples and many other Preachers abundantly furnished with al gifts as who had gone in and out with Christ from the very beginning of his and Iohns Ministry the meanest of which was thought fit to be an Apostle as is manifest from the first of the Acts and they had amongst them also in their severall congregations many Beleevers and Saints and all of them extraordinarily gifted and qualified and such as continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers therefore they were visible Churches I doe not with the Author say mysticall bodies the Members of the which were visible Saints such as were called out of the world and united together in their severall congregations and that with the holy covenants of Baptisme and breaking of bread to worship the Lord in all his holy Ordinances and therefore they were so many compleat churches and churches properly so called as being joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospel and having in all those assemblies and congregations severally and respectively both for matter and forme that which the Independents hold ever sufficient to constitute and compleate churches properly so called for the matter of those congregations they were visible and miraculous Saints not ordinary ones as being inspired with the Holy Ghost and having amongst them Officers and Ministers of incomparable sanctified transcendent indowments viz the holy Apostles al the which were led into all truth by the Spirit of God who spake in them and by them infallibly who had all and every one of them the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven viz. the power of order and jurisdiction by which they preached the Gospel and ordained and constituted all other churches and gathered and formed churches both in Ierusalem and in all other cities and countries wheresoever they came And as in all those congregations and assemblies they had the materials both for Officers and Members of true compleate formed churches so tâ—â—y had likewise that which the Independents call the forme of compleate churches properly so called to speake in their owne language for they were all united and combined together in all and every one of those severall congregations by the bond of an holy covenant or covenants as that of Baptisme and breaking of bread those sealing Ordinances and they had the preaching of the Word and prayer amongst
and pleasure of God in them and accordingly determined that difference and question by the written Word and from thence commanded that the Decrees of that Councell should be observed in all Churches After the very same manner in this their so doing the church of Ierusalem is a paterne to all other churches upon the like occasions it any difference of opinion rise amongst the churches or if any new heresies spring up tending to the subversion of the soules of the people how holy and godly so ever they seeme to be that broach them and what pretence so ever they make that they have them from divine Authority I say upon the like occasions in Imitation of the Apostles and Elders in the church at Ierusalem Kings and Princes and Christian Magistrates and those that are in Authority may call a councell or Synod of Divines together and as the Apostles and Elders there debated things by dispute and reason and by searching the holy Scripture found out the truth and determined the question and sent their Decrees which were binding to all other churches so I affirme also in this their so doing that church is a paterne of imitation to all churches in all Nations and Countries and Christian churches in them that Ministers out of severall Presbyteries in a representative body may meet together by the appointment of their Magistrates and dispute those questions by reasoning and discourse and finding by searching of the Word of God what his good will and pleasure is may determine the question accordingly and give out their decrees grouned upon the written Word with authority to be observed by all those churches under their severall Jurisdictions and as the people then did patiently wait till the determining of that difference without making of any rents schismes or separations one from another and did then yeild obedience to those decrees without any reluctation but observed them all willingly after the debate so ought all people in imitation of them and following their example with patience to wait without making any rents and divisions till things are fully discussed and determined in any such Synode or councell and then willingly and cheerfully submit themselves and yeild obedience to them and in their so doing they have the church at Ierusalem for a paterne and the Apostles and Elders of that church and the other churches for an example of imitation so long as they injoyne nothing contrary to the Word of God For this way of governing the church by Synods and Councells upon differing and dissenting opinions betweene church and church and upon occasion of any new Heresies sprung up in Christian Countries or any old ones revived as it hath its paterne from the church at Ierusalem and that of Antioch which is left for our imitation that all churches upon the like occasion should follow it So this way of ruling is grounded upon most excellent reason as most agreeable both to the Law of God and nature and the practise of all Nations and Kingdomes of which we have many presidents in the holy Scriptures besides this councell at Ierusalem and some others For as all Nations and Kingdoms have been ever governed by generall councells and have ever had their severall appeales from inferior Courts and councells to Superior upon either publicke grievances or upon any differences betweene Province and Province and County and County or betweene Corporation and Corporation or City and City or upon any Pressures or oppressions or impeachments or incroachments of each on the others liberties or through injustice or injuries done to each of them from some that are in power and authority So the church of Iesus Christ which is his Kingdome is inferior to no other Kingdome upon earth but in that also the severall Corporations that are under it which are so many Presbyterian churches have in like manner the liberty of their appeales upon any of the aforesaid or above named occasions And although they all injoy equall priviledges amongst themselves as the severall Provinces Counties Corporations and Cities in any kingdome do so as they cannot severally and by themselves considered give a Law each to other yet as in a generall councell in Kingdomes and Common-wealths when the Knights and Barons and Burgesses of each of them are all met together in their representative bodies in a Parliament or Diet may being so Assembled together not only redresse any abuses and punish Delâ—nquents but also for the better government of those severall Doâ—inâ—ons for the future give Lawes to each Province County City and Corporation yea and unto the whole Country And enact penall Statutes both to them and to the whole Countries under them according to the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdomes and Countries In the same manner it is in the visible Catholicke church which is Christs Kingdome although in it the severall Presbyteries and churches considered by themselves and as having equall Authority amongst themselves cannot give Lawes to each other severally and by themselves considered as the Church of Corinth and that of Antioch and Ephesus and the other could not prescribe to each other a rule or Law to walke by with Authority but only in an examplary way by well doing yet all these severall churches ioyning together in a generall councell as they did at Jerusalem Acts the 15. and having from each of them deligated and sent their Presbyters and Ministers as so many Burgesses of their severall cities and Corporations and they being all met together upon any grievances and having by debating of the matters and differences in question by dispute and by disquisition found What is the good will of God and what is his pleasure in his good Word and in the holy Scriptures which are the Fundamentall Lawes of his Kingdom may in any Christian councell so called and ordering their businesse as the councell and Synod of Ierusalem did give out their Decrees and those binding ones to all those severall churches that are under their jurisdictions and all these severall churches ought to yeild obedience to them And in this their so doing they have the church of Ierusalem and the other churches a president and a paterne For I say in all these respects the church at Ierusalem is a paterne to all other churches And as in the church at Ierusalem Corinth Philippi Samaria Ephesus c. the Apostles Evangelists and the Presbyters in every one of those churches had the charge of each of those churches committed to them in common as is manifest from all the places above quoted and through the holy Scripture and as they fed them all and governed them all in common so in that also both the church at Ierusalem and all the other churches according to my brother Burtons doctrine who saith they must all come in for the making up of a compleat platforme I say as all the Presbyters and Ministers fed those severall churches in common so they are a paterne to all churches in all
Which the Lord preserve his people from and put it into the hearts of the great Councell of the Kingdome and all cordiall and understanding men to oppose with all their might as they love the peace of Church and State and the establishing of the true religion in these three Kingdomes and the propagation of the Gospell to the worlds end all the which the whimsicall opinion of Independency will hinder which indeed tendeth to no other end but to bring in an Anarchy and a confusion of all things and the setting up of Athisme or a Pantheon of all Religions to the great dishonour of God and the disturbance of our Church and State and the alienating of the nighest allyes one from another and to the distraction of all men as our small and little experience of that way hath by wofull tryall and dayly experience taught us And this shall suffice to have spoke of the second branch of their definition in discovering the absurdities of it and the impossibilities of attaining such a church as that sets down and the great inconveniences with the unsupportable bondage that would necessarily ensue upon it to all such as should subject themselves to such a Government as the Independents would bring into the world I now come to the third part of their definition viz. Their particular explicite holy Covenant which they not onely call the form of a Church but make it an holy Ordinance which it cannot be for the reasons above specified as having no warrant from God our father nor no example in any of the primitive Churches who had no other but the generall Covenant which all the Presbyterians allow as it is authorized by God himselfe though they reject that particular explicite Covenant brought in by the Independents as being an humane Ordinance which all Christians in Gods service ought to abhor as not commanded and injoyned unto them by the King of his Church Christ Jesus whose voyce onely they are bound to hear and who alone they are to set up as King upon his Throne who is their Lawgiver and mighty Councellor and the sole governour of his Church and Kingdome And should it be accorded and granted to the Independents That this their particular explicite Covenant were indeed the forme of a Church as they would perswade the people then all the primitive and Apostolicall Churches as well as all the reformed Churches at this day in the world besides their own congregations were not true formed Churches which were a great wickednesse and impiety to aver and maintain But besides this their unwarrantable Covenant which they make the forme of a Church they require of all such as will enter into Church fellowship with them many other pretty things which they hold not onely requisite but Gods Ordinance also as First That they should walk some weeks moneths and perhaps years with them for a proof of their conversation and for the tryall of their behaviour and manners and except they can please the whole church there can be no admittance at last Secondly after their good liking of their carriage they injoyn them to make a publike confession of their faith and if that dislikes them they cannot be admitted Thirdly after this they require of them to bring in the evidences of their true conversion as the time when the place where and the manner how all which if the congregation approve not of as sufficient they cannot be yet admitted Lastly they that are to be admitted must have the consent and approbation of the whole congregation both of men and women or else by their Charter they cannot be admitted into Church-communion with them All these things as I am able to prove they require in some of their Congregations before any can be admitted as joynt members amongst them never a one of the which conditions or injunctions not withstanding hath either precept or president for it in all Gods holy Word And therefore it is an unsufferable flavery that they impose upon the people besides this their particular explicet covenant which they make the form of the Church which should they onely require without any of their o'her grolleries were a bondage too unsufferable for in that their Covenant as I have been informed by some of them when in familiar manner and in the time of our friendship I desired to know the method of admitting of their joynt members and especially what the Covenant imported and what they promised in it and what by it they were tyed unto and for answer they replyed that three things were contained in this their holy explicite Covenant First That they promise and by this Covenant binde themselves to each other in all Church fellowship as to be helpefull one to another in all things and especially to their Pastors and to stand one by another without desertion of each other and that in the greatest dangers and difficulties and to yeeld obedience and willing subjection and conformity not onely to those truths that are now imbraced and entertained amongst them but also willingly to submit themselves to all such New Light for the future that God shall by his Word and by the Ministry of their Pastors discover unto the Church This as I have been informed by the Independents is the first thing they require of those that are to be admitted as members and which they promise and Covenant to performe The second thing contained in the Covenant is That if they be single persons either batchelors or maidens widdows or widdowers they may not marry without the consent of the Church The third thing contained in this their holy Covenant is That they may not remove their habitations and dwellings though never so advantagious unto them for their traffick and tradings into any remote place from them without the consent of the Congregation and some other things there are comprised under this Covenant which they keep among themselves as arcana regni as secrets of their Kingdome all the which if they be seriously looked into contain in them so many mysteries of Iniquity yet all of them exceedingly advantageous unto themselves they all tending to the strengthning of their partie and the more corroborating their combination as those that are judicious have well observed But were there no other slavery and bondage in their whole religion but this of their covenant and of the appertinances belonging thereto as amongst others their blind obedience there was never yet a greater yoak of servitude put upon poor people under Antichrist himself and the truth is as the Papists oft times scoured over old holy dayes with new ceremonies and solemnities and put them upon the people to be observed as new ones even so the Independents furbush over old errors with new varnish to make them more specious to the deluded people and bring them in as new truths and set them up as new Lights when they are nothing else but ancient errours and very Popery it selfe in a new attire as
Religions under the name of liberty of conscience which tendeth to nothing but profanesse and all licentiousnesse which is against the power of godlinesse and against their solemne vow and covenant made before God and men and therefore all they that doe these things as all the Il-dependents daily doe they are no Saints in Gods Dialect nor good Daemons but a Generation of wicked and ungodly men with whom all good Christians ought to have no communion with in holy things as not being churches after the New Testament form But will some say though some of the Independents should bee guilty of all these crimes yet they are not all to be condemned as equally guilty For answer here I shall make use of my Brother Burtons Learning pag. 16. where indeavouring to make all the Conformists guilty of Persecution hee hath these words the most of the Conformists saith he if not all have had their hands lesse or more either by acting or assenting or by silence or connivence in the persecution of those godly Ministers and people which stood out against the Antichristian usurpation over their consciences inferring from thence that they were equally guilty I have made choyce of his words though it bee a truth and doctrine set downe in holy Scripture and confirmed by the light of nature and by the practise of all nations both Jewish Christian and Heathenish who adjudge Consentors Connivers and Abettors and all the complices in any treason conspiracy wickednesse and malefice as equally guilty as the Actors Plotters or Contrivers as all Histories both divine and humane doe declare and for some examples out of holy Scriptures wee find that although Iezabel was by name the principall agent in killing and persecuting of the Prophets yet all the Israelites are accused as guilty because they connived and assented by their silence unto their death and therefore the holy Prophet saith they have slaine thy Prophets and have brake downe thy Altars and so all the Jewes are adjudged guilty of the death of Christ as well as Herod and Pontius Pilate as consenters and allowers of it and so Christ himselfe accuseth all the Jewes as guilty of the death of all the holy Prophets in that they allowed of their Fathers doings by building the Monuments of the Prophets by which their action our Saviour saith that they allowed of their doings and in expresse words chargeth them as equally guilty the same hee said of them concerning the death of Iohn the Baptist ye saith hee have done to him whatsoever seemed good unto you whereas it is related in the Gospel that it was Herods act who only is said to have commanded that Iohn should be beheaded yet this wickednesse is laid upon all the Jewes as connivers and by their silence consenters unto it and Paul in like manner accuseth all the Gentiles in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and all the Jewes in the second chapter of all those sinnes hee layes to their charge though they were not many of them actors and committers of these haiuous crimes but in that they connived at them and by their silence allowed of them or hindred them not or by punishing the offendâ—rs prevented them not which was the sin of old Ely in not punishing his sonnes for their wickednesse So that by all these examples out of the word of truth and by my brother Burtons own words and learning it is apparently evident thaâ— all such as by their silence connive and assent unto any wickednesse persecution rayling or covenant-breaking they are as â—qâ—ally guilty as the actors and contrivers Now when all the Iâ— â—â—pendents as well Ministers as people in any of thâ—se wayâ—s or in all of them are guilâ—y of rayling reviling seducing and Covenant-breaking and making divisions contrary unto the Doctrine of Christ and of hindring Reformation and of breaking the Union between the Nations of England and Scotland in as much as in them lies it followeth thâ—y are neither visible Saints nor good Daemons and that those Churches that consist of such Members are not true formed Churches after the New Testament forme for they are to consist of visiâ—le Saints and therefore they oughâ— to be separated from and all good Christians ought to have no communion with such Churches in holy things as being mixt Congregations and tagg ragg and such Saints as â—ob would not set with the doggs of his flock And this shall suffice to have spoke for the proof of my fiâ—st Argument My second Argument is this Those Congregations and Assemblies whose Members contrary to the example of all the holy Prophets and Servants of God who were ever humble in their own eyes continually falsly and pharisaically and upon all occasions boast themselves of their owne righteousnesse so much condemned in holy writ calling themselves the pretious and holy servants of God the godly party the praying people the onely men of Gods right hand the Saints the generation of the Just hating and despising their poor brethren and are ever plotting against them accounting them as Heathens and Infidels and departing from them as more holy then they all such I say are neither visible Saints nor good Daemons as being by Christ himselfe and the holy Scripture condemned and therefore are not true Churches after the New Testament â—orm whose Members ought to be all visible Saints but are mixt Congregations with whom truly godly souls ought not to communicate in holy things But all the Congregations and Assemblies of the Il-dependents are such as consist of such Members Ergo they are neither visible Saints nor good Daemons and therefore ought not to be communicated with in holy things but to be separated from by all the truly godly souls For the Major proposition no man can deny it now if the Minor be confirmed then there is no man that will doubt of the truth of the conclusion for that will necessarily insue from the premises The parts of the Minor are these The first That it was ever the practice of all the holy servants of God to be humble in their owne eyes The second That God did ever condemne such as justified them selves and boasted of their own righteousnesse The third That the Il-dependents do both falsly and pharisaically boast themselves when they call themselves the pretious and holy servants of God the godly party the praying people the onely men of Gods right hand the Saints and the Generation of the just The fourth That they do despise their Christian brethren and separate from them as being more holy then they By all which they declare themselves to be neither Saints indeed nor good Daemons nor a Church or Churches after the New Testament forme and therefore ought to be separated from I shall now prove all these parts in order beginning with the first by which the conclusion will be the more obvious to every judicious Reader and I hope to many of the Il-dependents themselves if they will
their proceedings and being carried on with a blind zeale conceive they can never doe too much for them and therefore upon all occasions stirre up their Husbands and friends to advance the cause as they call it and to the uttermost with their power and purses to promote it and hence arise those factions on all sides every one of them in their particular places seeking the maintenance of their party hence it is that there are so many dayes amongst those of the congregationall way set apart for the seeking of God for that is their language for the gaining of some great wealthy personages into their new gathered Churches which they call the conversion of them when indeed it is nothing but the perverting and misleading of them into the by-wayes of their errors I could if need were instance many a Godly Family that were knowne to bee of approved Integrity Piety and Holinesse before these men appeared in the world and yet are now reputed the holy people and Saints and onely for being of the congregationall way The truth of this thing is so apparent as some of the Independents themselves have uttered it that they well perceive that many of their Ministers seeke themselves whiles they pretend they seeke the good of others yea they seeke the world whiles they perswade others to abandon it Saint John sayes 1 Epist Love not the world nor the things that are in the world for he that loves the world saith hee the love of the Father is not in him It is an impossible thing in Gods Dialect to serve two Masters they cannot serve God and Mammon for the friendship of the world is enmity with God saith Saint Iames. Now then when it is evident by all the practises of the Independents that they for the greatest part of them gape after the world and are chiefly imployed in those things that worldly men are taken up in as in biting and devouring one an other in hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings c. It is manifest they are not the only holy spirituall people if Pauls doctrine be true Gal. 5. ver 15. 20 21. and that the Independents are too too busie in these imployments daily and sad experience teacheth us neither is there any truly iudicious and impartiall Independent that can gainesay what I now write Besides the holy people of old as Abraham Jacob Ioshua Cornelius c. were such as with their whole houses served the Lord they would have none in their Families but such as were of one and the same Religion they would neither connive at indulge or tolerate any Religion in their houses but that God had appointed as all the holy Scriptures testifie they at their uprising and lying down at their goings out and comings in Deut. 6. and Deut. 11. instructed their children and families in the statutes and commandements of the Lord they with their Men-servants and Maid-servants and the stranger within their Gates Exod. 20. tooke care that all of them under their roofes should sanctifie the Sabbath and keepe all the commandements of the Lord they thought it their duty and their place to see that they should serve the Lord with one shoulder and with one lip they left them not every one to the liberty of his owne conscience but according to the expresse rule exacted obedience from them to the commandements of the Lord and this they esteemed to bee the holinesse well pleasing unto God not their owne fained conceits Now in this thing also most of the Il-dependents are fayling in their duty as can be proved who leave their Families to their owne Genins in the serving of God so that they may goe whether they please on the Lords day and bee of what Religion and Sect they like best and therefore they follow not the example of the Godly Party and holy Saints and servants of God of old In all these regards and many more that might be specified it is apparantly evident that those Churches of the congregationall way doe not consist of all Saints as being but mixt assemblies as well as the congregations of their brethren that they separate from and therefore they are not the only holy people as not being crucified unto the world and the world to them as the holy people of old were when they are wholy for the world and this shall suffice to have spake concerning the first title they dignifie themselves with above their brethren calling themselves in all their preachings and writings the holy people and godly party whereas the truly holy people and Godly Party were ever humble in their owne eyes and thought basely of themselves counting themselves wretched and miserable sinners Neither doth the other title truly and onely belong unto them when they call themselves the praying people for our Saviour hath said Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven but hee that prayeth according to his will for so Saint Iohn asserteth in his first Epistle chap. 5. verse 14. this is the confidence wee have in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth us So that it is not the meere praying of any people that will procure audience from God but the praying according to Gods will for Christ hath said Matth. 6. that men are not heard for their much babbling for that is a thing displeasing unto him but in that they pray according to his direction and will so that of necessity it followeth they onely are the praying people properly so called that in all their supplications and requests follow the rule set downe by Christ himselfe the only Prophet of his Church and who knew best what the will of God was and what the meaning of the Spirit of God was for he onely it is that must helpe our infirmities in prayer for wee of our selves know not what to ask Rom. 8. It wil not be amisse therefore briefly to run over some of those Petitions that the Lord hath set downe for an everlasting rule for all the truly praying people to square their prayers by the which whosoever in prayer swarveth from they cannot properly be called the truly praying people Our Saviour teacheth us Matth. the sixth vers 9 10 〈◊〉 13 saying when ye pray say Hallowed be thy name So that they that pray aright desire that the name of God may be glorified and in so praying they desire that whatsoever hinders the glorifying and hallowing of Gods name may be taken away and removed now the toleration of all Religions under pretence of liberty of conscience which all the Independents not onely pray for but with all their might labour for will not make for the hallowing and glorifying of Gods name but greatly to his dishonour and the unsanctifying of his holy name and be a meanes of bringing in of profanesse and atheisme and all manner of abominations and damnable heresies as the very connivence at them already teaches
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
office of Elders or Presbyters in the 14. chapter where it is said that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every Church and therefore they appointed them first in the Mother-church Jerusalem for out of Zion saith the Prophet shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem yea they gave those Officers their names and invested them all with power to execute their severall Offices as is manifest Acts the 6. and in the 20. of the same booke and in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus They also had the power of making warre and peace with the Nations and all the Inhabitants of the earth for they preached and published the glad tydings of peace to all such as received the Gospel and denounced warre and death with all manner of judgements to those that obeyed not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 1. verse 8. and to the Apostles and Presbyters in Ierusalem likewise as to their ultimate and extreme refuge and reliefe and helpe all appeales were made as we may see in the fifteenth of the Acts and in the 6. and in the 9. and in the 15. of the same booke as to the supreme Tribunall upon earth in Gods matters in whose hands all the highest power and soveraigne authority for Ecclesiasticall matters then resided and whose place it was not only to hear the controversies and differences of greatest concernment in Christs Kingdome his Church but also to decide and determine them and put a finall period unto them the which example of theirs was left as a presiâ—ent of imitation to all succeeding ages for Ministers to doe the like upon the like occasions as in that controversie that arose among the Christians at Antioch through false Teachers by whom that heresie was broched viz. that it was necessary to salvation that the ceremoniall Law should be observed and that Beleevers could not be saved without it by which great scandall was given to the weak lewes who by this meanes were alienated from the beleeving Gentiles because they did neglect those Ceremonies whereupon there arose a great schisme and rent amongst the brethren to the disturbance of the Church of God Now for the deciding and determining of this controversie the Christians of Antioch appeale to the Apostles and Presbyters at Ierusalem as knowing that all power was given unto them both Dogmaticall Diatacticall and Criticall yea authoritative and commanding who entring into a Councell and Synod and there debating the busines by Reason Arguments and Disputation and finding by disquisition of the whole matter what was the good will and pleasure of God what hee had revealed concerning the Gentiles and the New Covenant under the Gospel they determined the whole matter according to the written Word of God not pretending any new Revelation or new light or any extraordinary or superlative assistance in the deciding that debate but only exercised that ordinary soveraigne power in the church of God which God had invested them with and given unto them in his holy Word the rule and square of all Doctrines and not onely unto them but to all his faithfull Ministers his servants to the end of the world and in the deciding of this controversie they first shewed and put forth their dogmaticall power confuting and convincing the heresie and vindicating the truth Secondly they declared their diatacticall authority making a practicall Canon or Law for avoyding of scandall and abstaining from such things as gave occasion of it Thirdly they exercised their criticall power and judiciary authority verse 24. condemning and branding those Teachers with that infamous and blacke marke of Lyers subverters of soules and troublers of the Church Fourth and lastly they sufficiently manifested their imparative and authoritative power in sending those Decrees unto the Churches of the Gentiles with doe this and live v. 29. for so much the words imports all which are acts of soveraigne power and authority in all governments whatsoever as the learned know which when they resided in the Apostles and Presbyters of the Church at Ierusalem and were exercised by them there it is sufficiently manifest that all the power of government likewise remained and resided wholly and solely in the Apostles and Presbyters hands and that they exercised it by joynt consent and the Common-councell of them all for all acts of government ever run in the name of all the Apostles or in the name of the Apostles and Presbyters Lastly they had the disposing of the treasury of that Church in their hands as all the Presbyters of all the other Churches had for they brought the monies alwayes to the Apostles and laid them downe at their feet as it appeareth Act. 4. and afterwards all the monies and almes were sent to the Presbyters through all Churches as in whose hands the soveraigne authority lay which they never gave out of their hands or relinquished but upon all occasions gave directions to their severall Deacons how to distribute them for the good of the church and for the common emolument of the poore Saints for otherwise to what end should the almes and benevolences of the Gentiles be sent unto the Presbyters in the churches in Iudaea if they had not beene the men in authority in those churches and to whom the government of them belonged and who only and wholly had the disposing of them Now then when the contribution and releefe was sent unto the Presbyters of the church in Ierusalem as wel as the other churches it followeth that they and they only had the power and authority in that church which they ever exercised by the joynt consent and common councell and agreement of them all for it was sent unto all the Presbyters in every church and therefore they were in common to dispose of them Now before this reliefe was sent thither and long after that as the story of the Acts declareth most of the Apostles resided there and all the Apostles were Presbyters as the Independents themselves doe acknowledge and the same Scripture that relateth that the almes and reliefe were sent speaking in the plurall number saith they were sent unto the Presbyters now they were all Presbyters and therefore they were sent unto them in common and if wee observe the Dialect of holy writ through the whole story of the Acts wee shall find for the most part if there be any mention made of any act of government that either all the Apostles or some more of them are ever made mention of to be the chiefe Moderators and prime Agents in the busines which was never carried by any one of them or by the multitude or people and it it is credibly beleeved that most of the Apostles resided in Ierusalem or in Judaea till after the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. and for the Apostle Saint Iames it is the opinion of most of the Ecclesiasticall Writers that hee continued President of the Presbytery in Ierusalem his whole life time
esteemed of to be godly as walking unblameably being also diligent hearers of the word before they knew them yet after their acquaintance with them being first by their meanes seduced from our Churches after some time they fell from their congregations also into wicked and desperate opinions and in a short time after became so prophane and beastly yea so atheisticall as it would exceed ordinary beliefe to relate and truly if I had not very good witnesse to prove what I say besides my owne knowledge and experience I would not have mentioned it but because if occasion serves I shall be able to produce many Presidents of fearefull Apostasies even amongst those that were their Schollers and the Disciples of the Independent way I am the willinger to speake of it that I might arme all men with some caution in reading their Pamphlets which they write against the Presbyterians for they never deale candidly neither with them nor with their own brethren for first they either wholly disswade them from reading our bookes or else by their emissaries and rayling Libels they most shamefully vilifie and belye them so that they come prejudicated to them and then they send their owne putrid and corrupt scriblings amongst those of their Fraternity whom they miserably cozen and abuse with their fraudulent jugglings and that against all the Lawes of piety and common honesty to the disturbance both of Church and State This I thought fit I say to speake before I come to my second question and severall Queries arising from it concerning the gathering of Churches and their answers unto them wherein they rather trifle then dispute as will by and by appeare I shall therefore in my replying unto them first set downe the question fully with all my queries and then answer to all the materials of their fond cavils and evasions with their silly responsals to them and after I have done that I will set downe Gods method and the Apostles practise in the gathering of Churches with the manner of their admitting of Members and then reply to whatsoever they have to say against my Arguments and Reasons deduced from holy Scripture and for further confirmation of the truth I will adde many more Presidents and them undeniable ones of the Apostles receiving of Members and that into Churches formed after the New-Testament forme according to their owne description besides those that were received into the Catholike visible Church and all without any of those conditions they now require of their Members and I shall by Gods assistance evidently make it appeare that God by his holy Apostles and Ministers uses but one way of admitting of members into the church whether it be the catholike visible church or any particular presbyterian church whether they be admitted in an ordinary or an extraordinary way I say by thegrace of God I shal clearly elucidate this truth that God useth one and the same method in gathering his people out of all nations into Church fellowship and the communion of the Saints which ought to all Ministers to be a rule to walke by in the receiving in of Members into their Congregations Having thus set downe what order I will proceed in I come now to the second question betweene us and the Brethren which is concerning the manner of gathering of Churches and admitting of Members and Officers viz. Whether Ministers of the Gospel may out of already congregated Assemblies of ` Beleevers select and choose the most principall of them into a Church-fellowship peculiar unto themselves and admit of none into their society but such as shall enter in by a private covenant and are allowed of by the consent and approbation of all the Congregation And this question brancheth it selfe into these severall Queries The first whether for the gathering of Churches there bee either Precept or President in the Holy Word of God that the Preachers and Ministers of the Gospel did ever leave their owne ordinary charges to which they are called and whereto they are fixed with a command not to leave them and under pretence of a new way or a new borne truth or a new light did runne about and alienate the minds of the people well affected formerly to their severall Ministers as of duty they were bound as who had converted them to Christ by their Ministery and fed them still with the sincere milke of the Word and built them up in their most holy Faith I say the first Quere is whether there be precept or example in the Word of God of any true Ministers so doing and whether it was ever heard of in the Apostles and Primitive times that any beleeving Christians were in great numbers congregated from among other beleeving Christians and moulded into severall Congregations and Assemblies as separate and distinct bodies and Churches from them and who had no Church-fellowship with the other Congregations nor communicated with them in the Ordinances but were independent from them and absolute among themselves and whether this way of gathering of Churches was ever heard of before these dayes and whether this be to set Christ upon his Throne to make divisions and schismes in Churches and among Beleevers and brethren and that upon groundlesse pretences The second Quere is whether for the making of any man or woman a Member of the Church it be requisite or necessary to the beleeving and being baptized that they should walke some dayes weeks moneths perhaps yeares with them that they may have experience of their conversation before they can be admitted and after that a confession of their faith should be publikely made before the Congregation and the evidences of their conversion as the time when the place where the occasion how they were converted should likewise openly be produced for satisfaction to the Church before they can be admitted to be Members and if any either men or women shall except against their evidence that then they are not to be admitted this is the second Quere The third is whether for making any man or woman a Member or an Officer of a Church the consent of the whole Congregation or the greater part of them besides the Presbyters and Ministers be requisite The fourth Quere is whether for the admission of any one into Church-fellowship and Communion a private solemne Covenant be requisite or necessary for the making of any one a Member the neglect or refusall of the which makes them incapable of their Member-ship and admission There is no question betweene us and the brethren about a publike covenant for we have Presidents of that in holy Scripture in all publike reformations The fifth Quere is whether the women and people as well as the Presbyters and Ministers have the power of the Keyes and whether the women have all their voices in the Church both for election and reprobation of Members and officers as well as the men and whether the consent of all the women or the greatest part of them bee requisite for
godly conscionable and learned Ministers as they did thus meet together so they have ever since laboriously searched the Scriptures to find out what is the good will and pleasure of our God herein and they have not concluded of any thing but what they bring their warrant for out of Gods word being taken from the example practice precepts and commands of the holy Apostles and the Churches in their times for that government which they stand for and humbly desire to have setled aud established in the Church of God Now can it be justly said that if men waite patiently while these truths are discussing which have beene the longer by reason that daily opposition and many cavilling argumentations that have beene brought against that truth which they hold forth by some irresolvable spirits that this is to tye them to waite on the Synods finall Resolution no surely for to waite on the meere resolves of men the wisedome of the State would never permit to tye any man but to waite on Gods word and those warrantable and unquestionable truths which by the Synod are clearely demonstrated out of the same concerning Church-government and this is a truth cannot be denyed or gain-said that it is better and the safest way for men to waite see and seriously consider of what God shall out of his word reveale to his faithfull servants the Ministers who are met together in his name and feare for this very end and purpose diligently to seeke and find out his good will and pleasure in this particular then for men to tye themselves to the private opinions and wayes policie of some particular men who under the pretence of going before others in Reformation set up what government they please and cause people to enter into a Covenant of their owne framing for all which when matters are rightly stated and tryed by the ballance of the Sanctuary there is not any colour nor warrant out of Gods word nor in the solemn Covenant which we have taken therefore in the judgement of all who are humble and low in their owne sight and who sincerely aym at the glory of God Zions peace it is not thought any usurpation upon our Christian Liberty nor diminution of the Scriptures authority nor retarding of the worke to waite and see what God shall make cleare to the Synod out of his word upon their debates consultations and answers to all opposing parties for this is a way to make truth perspicuous and as wee are exhorted to try all things and hold fast that which is good so those that are godly and will not be deluded with shewes they bring all these results to the Touch-stone of Gods word and if they find that they indure the teste then they dare not but receive and hold them fast being the words of sound and wholesome truths so that the finall Resolution for Church government which men waite for is not from the Synod further then they hold it forth and make it manifest to be agreeable to the Scriptures and to that rule all men are bound to submit and we ought to waite and see what the Synod doth conclude of out of Gods word as the Church of Antioch and other Churches did Acts 15. where we have a President for our imitation set before our eyes in the which wee may observe that the Christians of those times were as well instructed as any in the new gathered Churches or any of the dissenting brethren whether assembled or not assembled and yet all those holy and godly Christians thought it no usurpation upon their Christian Liberty nor no diminution of the authority and sufficiency of the Scripture nor no dangerous retarding of the worke of reformation and of setling their Church-government to waite upon the Synod at Ierusalem for their finall resolution about that question there in debate and which had caused so great a schisme betweene the Jewes and Gentiles I say these glorious and truly precious Christians had none of these panicke feares the Ill-dependents of our times are troubled with but willingly and cheerfully waited upon that Synod and Councell without making in the meane time any rents and separations from their Christian brethren and this their doing was left for our example to teach us to doe the like and not under a semblance and shew of going before others in â—reformation to make rents and schismes in the Church and State and to gather new Churches and separate Assemblies and this shall suffice in way of answer to have spake to all my Brother Burtons cavils against my first Querie and for answer likewise to the question propounded by him to mee and now I come to see what my Brother Burton hath to say concerning my second Querie viz. touching the requisites in those that are to bee made Members the Reader may looke backe to the querie by which hee will the better discerne the Grollery of the man As for I. S. hee answers to that querie although it be the practice of many of new gathered Churches that hee knowes none such who hold it so so that it seemes I. S. is but a Catachumenos in the Independents doctrine whiles hee undertakes to instruct others in it But my Brother Burton he is well verst in all the Ill-dependent discipline both for the Theory and Practick who answers thus to my second querie page 14. I pray saith he what harme is in that that none are to bee allowed of but by the consent and approbation of all the congregation for answer I say very much harme in regard they impose a Law upon their brethren that Christ the King of his Church never laid upon his people by which they deprive them of that Christian Liberty Christ hath purchased for them and in the which they have a command to stand fast Gal. 5. 1. which is not to bee intangled with any yoake of humane bondage But it will not be amisse to heare his reasons They saith he who are to walke together should first be agreed together as Amos the 3. 3. an two walke together except they be agreed If therefore any one of the Congregation can object any thing as a just cause of non-admittance of a Member hee ought to shew it not onely for his owne peace but the peace of the Church c. A second reason is this to know those well saith hee that are to be admitted abundans cautela non nocet in things weighty we cannot be too wary nor do we so much look at circumstances in conversion as the substance This is all my brother Burton hath to answer to my second quâ—ry which he calleth a caption But for answer I expected that he should have produced some command or example out of Gods Word for the ratifying of this their practice in their new congregations for that is ever to be the rule of Christians obedience and where our King Christ Jesus hath ceased to command there all his servants must cease
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
by the Word of God and the holy Scripture as the noble Bereans did Now whatsoever was written was written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come and therefore as it was the errour of the Israelites that they received things barely upon report without consulting with the mouth of God and as it was the honour and praise of those noble Bereans that they searched the Scriptures to see whether the preaching of Paul were according to the holy Scripture so if we shall receive these new borne truths these new lights these new ways without consulting with the living Oracles we shall offend as the Israelites did in beleeving the Gibeonites upon their words and shall degenerate and be unlike to those the renowned Bereans who would not receive Paul's doctrine though an Apostle without searching the Scriptures whether things were so or no as he taught them and surely now much more ought we to try all things by the Word in these erroneous times whosoever they be that preach them unto us and if they be not evidently proved unto us out of the Scriptures we may not admit of them for it will be not only a sin but for our immortall shame to be deluded with novelties much more then it was our ancestors disgrace to be deceived by pretended antiquities And therefore it is the duty of every Christian seriously to consider with themselves that these are matters of God and concerne no lesse then our eternall welfare and in thâ—â— regard we may not call mens ways Gods ways but we are to seek for the old ways Jer. 6 we are to examine Christs and his holy Apostles ways in gathering of Churches and making of Members and it we find no footstep in all Gods Word of these new ways we ought to relinquish them and turn again into the pathes that God hath commanded us to walk in wherein we shall be sure to find rest for our souls and comfort in life and death and it will be no disgrace to any to be undeceived for they are deceived and that greatly and dangerously that think or beleeve that any men mortall can shew or teach a better way to Heaven or set down a better way of converting souls and of gathering of Churches and making of Members and of setting up Christ as King upon his Throne than that which Christ himself and his blessed Apostles have taught and set down to all posterity and from the which rule we ought not to swerve though an Angel from Heaven should teach us otherwise Galatians 1. ver 8. 9. When therefore the Ministers of the Church of England follow Christs and his Apostles way and method in their teaching and for the converting of men and hear only the voyce of Christ their King and the Christian Beleevers through the Kingdome under their Ministeries do all faithfully cleave unto the written Word and square both their faith and obedience according to that rule there is no just cause why the Independents should proclame them all enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and such as oppose his royalty and preach up themselves and their congregations as the onely people of God and his Saints and account all those that dissent from them as opposers of Christs government telling the people in their Sermons that they come over from beyond the seas thinking that they would have set up Christ upon his Throne and that they would have embraced him for their King and would have established his government and have gone on in a church-way and have set up the ways of God but they find it otherwiise that they deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government and persecute the wayes of the Lord Christ so that they can find more favour from moderate Papists and common Protestants than from them by which their dealing say the Brethren they have so taken off the edge of Gods peoples affection from them that the Saints and servants of God cannot pray for them proclaiming themselves the Saints and people of God as if all the other beleevers through the Kingdome dissenting from them in their opinions were no Saints nor people of God Nay they affirme it in their Pulpits and in every Pamphlet that both Ministers and people are enemies of Iesus Christ and his Kingdome and all such as will not joyne with them in their new wayes And one of them not long since affirmed unto me that the church of England was a Strumpet and an arrant Whore and that shee being once a Whore could never be presented unto Christ as a chaste Spouse which was an expression not onely uncivill and unbeseeming a christian but untrue also for grant shee had beene so shee is now come out of Babylon and has entred into a publicke covenant against her and we reade of Judah and Samaria howsoever they had defiled themselves and played the Harlots yet upon their unfained repentance and true faith in Iesus Christ and renewing their covenant publickly of new obedience were presented unto Christ as a chaste Spouse so that what is impossible with man is possible with God But this is the generall opinion of the brethren and howsoever they will not all of them speake it out in plaine words as some of them doe yet they preach and practise a separation from all our assemblies and congregations as from a people not to bee communicated with and declare that by their deeds which they will not as yet publish in their writings nor in expresse words as hee did And one of the Independent Ministers not long since denouncing Gods judgements against all those that would not assent unto their new wayes nor light their candles at their new lights nor embrace their new-borne truths told them that by their standing out against the wayes of God for so they suppose these are and by their unkind usage of the Saints and persecuting of them they would at last drive from amongst them the praying people meaning themselves as if no other prayed but they onely and then they might looke that the judgements of God would speedily come downe upon them as it hapned to the Lutherans in Maydenburge in Germany who thrust out all the Calvinists out of their Towne a praying people and immediatly after the enemy came upon them with fire and sword and destroyed them all With these and such like expressions are their preachments stuffed and to say the truth of many of their Sermons they are like Taylors cushions consisting of a hundred severall shreds of various colours all independent making a fine shew but comely no where but in a Taylors shop and surely such kind of expressions as these are may beseeme their Pulpits but no grave and learned honest ministers for they have no just cause to complaine of persecution amongst us it is a calumny neither deale they christianly with us to accuse us that wee oppose the wayes of God for we doe not so we onely contend for the faith
and cryed out against it as an intolerable violating of Gods Law and asserted that it was enough to provoke the Lord to anger against the whole Land and write bookes and divine Tragedies upon Sabbath-breakers and Profaners of the Lords day and those that permitted the profanation of it which with the godly of those times was reputed their immortall honour how unsufferable a thing therefore is it I say now in these very men to pleade for a toleration of all Religions that could not then tolerate sports on the Lords day by which not onely the fourth commandement would be brake but all the commandements of both of the first and second Table without doubt they have a great deale to answer for before God for by the doctrine wee have learned from our Law giver and King the Lord Jesus Christ who is not changeable though they be they that breake the least ef Gods commandements and teach men so to doe whatsoever they esteeme of themselves that they set up Christ upon his Throne and whatsoever opinion men have of them they are the least in the Kingdome of Heaven and have much to answer for before his Tribunall for these their wicked dealings and truly it exceedingly saddeth my heart when I think of them how fearefully they are fallen and what a scandall and blemish they are to their holy profession that thus Chamelion like change their forme upon every occasion But how much more is it intolerable then in those men that have the name of Rabbies amongst those of the congregationall way and that would make the world beleeve they are the onely Saints for those to make themselves merry when the godly and faithfull Ministers of the Gospell out of sorrow and griefe of soul spread before the Lord the blasphemies of the times as good Hezekiah did the blasphemies of Rahshekah that it may move the people to mourning and sackcloth and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God for the diverâ—ing of his Judgements that do for these their blasphemous tenents hang over the land I say how intolerable a thing is it in such men to make a sport at it and as Solomon speaks of the wicked in his time whom he calls fools to make a mock at sin Yet such there are as Cretensis by name amongst the rest is one of them who makes himselfe merry at these blasphemies and writes books in justification of those wicked and ungodly men and calls their damnable practices the infirmities of the Saints accouÌ„ting of them as Saints and holy men whereas the good and zealous Prophet Ieremiah ch 9. cryeth out at the beholding the abominations of his times far inferio to those of our dayes saying Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of teares that I might weep day and night for the slain of the Daughters of my people Oh that I had in the wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men And they bend their tongue like their bow for lyes but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth and they know not me saith the Lord. Here we see the posture of the holy Prophet we find him armed and clad with mourning to behold the profanation of the truth and we have here also his great complaint that at that time there were not any valian for it upon the earth If now this glorious Prophet were in the world and amongst us here in England and should behold those damnable blasphemies that are every where venâ—ed by the sons of Belial in these times should see how few upon the earth are valiant for the truth yea how they labour for a toleration of all Religions how would his spirit be moved how would his soul be perplexed within him to see it and what fountains of tears would he pou e out to the Lord quenching of the fire of his wrath and indignation against them but how much more would it perplex and trouble hâ—s soul to see any that should write yea publish books wherein they do not onely make themselves merry at those blaspnemies and count them the infirmities of the Saints but proclame them Saints that perpetâ—ate all these wickednesses and write most scurrilous â—ailing and vilifying books and Pamphlets against his holy servants that are valiant for the truth counting them speaking disgracefully and contemptibly of them but thimbles full of dust without all controversie it would sad his soul to the very death and so indeed it should trouble the souls of those that are truly godly to behold such lawlesse wickednesse not only to go unpunished but to find favor and applause even of those that are Masters of the Assemblies Truly howsoever out of the infinite patience of God these men are yet suffered yet I am most confident he that wil come wil come and not tarry to reveng his own quarrel the quarrel of his servants that are valiant for the Truth And I wil take the liberty to say thus much to St Cretensis that reverend learned and ever to be honoured Master Thomas Edwards who he so much vilipendeth and slighteth calling him a thimble full of dust will walk like a noble lyon when he like a Curr or Bandogg shall go bawling by him and withall I would advise him to take heed of that thimble For two or three fillips more of it upon his great noddle may so stagger him as he may happily never recover again and for ought I know or can discerne God may make halfe a thimble full of that dust to put out his eyes and the eyes of half the Independents and Sectaries in England For most assured I am that all such as in the name of the Lord as he doth come out against such notorious enemies of God and his Truth as Cretensis and his associates are will be able to confound them all and by the power of his might be ever strong enough to deal with the whole Army of them and with all those grolls and â—ynnies that take their part and appeare in their wicked cause I will therefore rather advise Cretensis not gyant like to fight any longer against the Truth but to humble himselfe for what he hath already done under the mighty hand of God whom he with his complices abetters have so highly provoked to wrath and anger against this poor tottering Kingdome It is not Cretensis with all his foul language shall ever be able to bespatter the immaculate reputation of learned and godly Master Edwards who hath in Gods cause ever shewed himselfe valiant for the truth and stood in the gap against the errors of the times and hath lift up his voice like a trumpet which will be for his immortall praises when too too many of his brethren which will not be for their honour were silent We finde it Matthew 13. ver 24 25. When the man had
all men therefore they that pray that as there is but one God one truth and one true Religion so that no other may bee tolerated pray according to his will and are the onely true praying people and those that pray for liberty of conscience and the toleration of them all as the Independents doe are not the onely true praying people whatsoever they pretend unto the deluded world for they pray not according to Gods will Againe the truly praying people are taught to say thy Kingdome come in which Petition they are instructed to pray not onely that the Kingdome of Glory may come but the Kingdome of Grace viz. that the Gospel may be everywhere published preached and set up and to that end that God would send faithfull Labourers into his Vineyard and Harvest and in so praying they earnestly desire that whatsoever hinders the preaching of the Gospel as the toleration of all Religions doth may be taken away now the Independents pray for a toleration and for liberty of conscience and labour as much as in them lyes the hinderance of sending faithfull Labourers into Gods Harvest and much discourage those that are already sent and hinder also the setting up of that Discipline and Government that would most make for the advancement of Christs Kingdome and for the coming of the same therefore they are not the truly praying people for they pray not according to Gods will Againe the true praying people are taught to say thy will beeâ— done on earth as it is in heaven and in their so praying they are instructed to pray for the removall of all such things as are against the good will and pleasure of God and doe hinder the doing of his will Now God hath revealed in his will that as there is but one God and one Mediator so there is but one Faith one Baptism and one Religion and that all the people of God should bring up their children and families in the nurture knowledge and fear of this one and onely true God as Abraham Jacob Joshua and Cornelius and all the faithfull and dear servants of God in all ages have ever done and that they should instruct their children and housholds in the Statutes and Commandments of the Lord at their lying down and rising up at their goings out and commings in Deut. 6. Deut. 11. and Eph. 6. v. 4. And that both they and their men-servants and maide servants and the stranger within their gates should sanctifie Gods Sabboths and keep all his Commandments Exod. 20. And this is the duty of all parents and masters of families and this they are for ever tyed unto by the revealed will of God and that they should not spare their nighest allies and kindred that should labour or indeavour to bring in any other Religion then that God hath appointed in his holy and blessed word Den. 13. and this they that pray aright and according to Gods will pray may be done to the end of the world and that both they and their families and all the families of the earth may continue to instruct their housholds and families according to the commandments of God which is his revealed will and that whatsoever shall hinder the doing of this will of God may be removed abominated and abhorred as the toleration of all Religions will do and that pretended liberty of conscience as hourly experience teacheth us for by this both the duties of the first and second tables are neglected on all sides for neither fathers nor masters of families can performe or discharge their duties if a Toleration of all Religions should once be set up for then both servants and children and the strangers within their houses should every one of them be left to the liberty of their consciences without controlâ— so that they may go whither they will and imbrace what Religion or Heresie they please and therefore it concernes all men more earnestly to pray for the setting up and establishing of the onely true Religion and the rooting out of all false and erroneous Religions for in this they do according to Gods will And they onely that thus pray are the true praying people But the Il dependents pray that there own wils may be done not Gods will for they pray for a Toleration of all Religions and that against the revealed will of God who hath declared his will to the contrary Deut. 13. Yea Christ himselfe in his Epistles to the Church of Pergamos and Thyatyra Rev. 2. ver 12. c. 18. sheweth his high displeasure against them for but suffering and conniving at those false doctrines that were taught amongst them Yea in this blessed prayer of Christ we are taught to pray not only that the will of God may be done on earth but he farther addeth by way of example and for a patern of our imitation that it may be done on earth as it is in heaven Now all those that are Christs Disciples know that there is but one Religion in Heaven and one way of worship there as there is but one God they therefore that pray for a Toleration of all Religions as the Il-dependents do are not the onely true praying people seeing they would have the will of God otherwise done on earth then it is done in heaven for in heaven there is but one Religion and therefore they pray contrary to the will of God when they pray for liberty of conscience and a Toleration of all Religions Again the truly praying people are taught to pray lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill therefore they pray against the toleration of all Religions which is not onely a great temptation and an occasion of evill but the very sourse and fountain of all errours schismes heresies and of all abominations and of all the evills both of sin and punishment that can light upon any Church Nation or Kingdome as we may see by the example of the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra to the which the Lord saith Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth And I will cast her into a bed of great tribulation and will kill her with death and all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works I say therefore from very good ground that a Toleration of all Religions is not onely a great temptation but the greatest evill in the world and would be a meanes of bringing plagues and judgements upon the three Kingdomes and a distraction and disorder amongst all the people and a confusion of all things against all the which as so many temptations and capitall evills all truly godly praying people if they will pray according to Gods will ought incessantly to put up their dayly supplications as they desire the favour of God and the removeall of his judgements and in their so praying they do but