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
Church then the doctrine of the Congregationall way falleth to the ground or vanisheth for if there were many and severall Congregations there that had not an absolute authority and jurisdiction Independent within themselvs respectively but were subordinate and subject to another authority above them then of necessity that tenent of the Congregationall way is but a meer chimera or whimsy of your own heads as all the learnedst of your tribe do acknowledge Now when my brother Burton hath not onely granted there were many Congregations of beleevers in that Church but by arguments proved it he hath utterly I say lost the field before he entered into the combat as will yet more perspicuously appear in the following discourse but by that I have now said you may see how unhappy you are in all these your Champions and Generals that give as great wounds unto your cause as any adversaries you have in the world now living ever gave That which I have now to say in the first place to all your leaders and guides is earnestly to intreat them as they look for true comfort in life and death and as they desire the peace of the Church and quiet of this distracted State and Kingdome they would now no longer withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse which hitherto they have done but that they would unfainedly bewaile the errors of their wayes and repent of their seducing and misleading of the poor people let it be enough that they have so highly provoked God and caused the enemies to blaspheme our Christian Religion And in the second place I desire all you that have hitherto been misled and carryed about with every wind of their new doctrine that now you would more seriously prove and examine all things according to the Apostles rule 1 Thess 5. 12. and hold fast that which is good Lay not out your time and moneys for that which will profit you nothing but whiles it is called to day set your selves seriously upon the work of examining all those new doctrines that have been taught you set before your eyes the example of the noble Bereans search the Scriptures whether things be as they have taught you and if you please diligently to read what I have writ out of a zeal of the glory of God and out of love to your selves and a true desire of your eternall felicity If any of you that have erred from the truth shall be converted by it let him know that he that converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins James 5. 19. 20. John Bastwick THE ANTILOQVIE SOLOMON the Wisest of men and one beloved of God gives this counsell to all the sons and daughters of God and to the universality of all man-kind saying unto them all Prov. 23. ver 23. Buy the truth and sell it not also wisdome instruction and understanding He counsells them all to prise truth with wisdome instruction and understanding above all things as the onely means of making men happy not in this life alone but eternally for so Solomon that wise man asserteth Prov. 3. ver 13 14 15 16 17 18. saying Happy is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold Shee is more precious then rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her pathes are peace She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her If all the Orators of the World had been gathered together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they could not with so illustrious a brevity have set forth the excellency of wisdome and understanding nor with more glorious encomiums and ellogies have decipher'd the amability of them for the making of them specious and lovely and for the inviting of all men to the ready and willing imbracing of them for if either life profit pleasure honour or any delectable content or any thing indeed desirable in the world can invite any creature to be inamored with any object of love all that can be said in way of the praise thereof is contained in this description of wisdome and understanding delivered by Solomon And yet truth hath the preeminency before them all the first place for dignity being given assigned unto her and by a speciall command from God himself who spake by his servant Solomon all men are injoyned to buy the truth and that upon any termes and not to bartell it away or sell it or to part with it though it might be with never so much worldly emolument unto them Buy the truth saith God sell it not keep it for ever For by the truth thou shalt perfectly attain unto liberty which is the life of life yea which is better then life liberty being that the whole world contends for every man not onely desiring it but fighting for it Now the truth will make every man free so saith Christ John 8. ver 32. The truth shall make you free from all error and from the fear of Hell and Death and from the very terror of both And lest any man should seriously doubt what truth is as Pilate scornfully did Christ himselfe hath taught us John 17. v. 17. saying Thy Word is Truth and that Truth that sanctifieth his people For every thing is sanctified by the the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4. v. 5. This precious good Word of God and the faith once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. contained in it is that that all men are exhorted earnestly to contend for And therefore more especially in these our times every one ought vigorously to stand up and contend for it yea upon any termes or at any rate to buy it when it is become such a rarity as it is scarse to be met with being almost lost in the thickets meanders and labyrinths of so many errors so that the faith once delivered unto the Saints is very rarely to be found amongst the sons of men through the involutions and intanglements of writhing and restlesse spirits whose whole work and designe it is as by their dayly practices it doth appear either wholy to eclipse or darken it or totally to take it away that by this meanes Truth and Light being once removed the deceivers and impostors may the better put off their corrupt and putrid wares and commodities and the poor deluded people may the more facilly and readily be deluded cheated and consened and those that are wayfaring men for the want of its direction may wander in the by-paths of darknesse to their own eternall perdition And the verity is too too many by their needlesse vain and unnecessary janglings about the truth
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
that I may not passe by lest he should glory I could not answer it I will therefore say something to that and conclude this point and then go on to all his other fond answers to such arguments as he thought himselfe best able to incounter with His words are these in the conclusion of his Babble If saith he nothing of publike concernment ought to be done and transacted without the joynt mutual agreement and common consent of the Presbytery John the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farr as to take upon himselfe this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults and to say he would remember him and sharply reprove him and teach him to prate against the Presbytery with malicious words which belonged to the Court and Common-councell of Presbyters Thus Mr Knollys rather chatters than disputes in making such an inference from his own conceit And therefore for Answer let Mr Knollys know that there was no transgression in Saint Iohn against the Presbyters in taking such authority upon himselfe for S. John was an Apostle and an universall Pastor tyed to no one place or flock but had the same power and authority that Paul and all the other Apostles had over all the Churches the care of which lay primarily and principally upon them who were immediately inspired by God and in all their preachings and writings followed the dictates of his holy Spirit who spake in and by them so that whatsoever they taught or writ was to be the rule of all mens thoughts words actions and governments and it was their place to give Laws unto all Churches and Ministers in them what they should do in the ordering and governing of the same and therefore S. John had no lesse authority and power over this Church wherein Diotrephes was an Elder and in and over all other Churches then S. Paul and all the other Apostles had in all Churches Now if S. Paul could give a Law unto the Church of Corinth For the casting out of the Incestuous person and for the carrying of themselves with Order and Decency in their Assemblies and sharply reproove offenders in that Church and if all the other Apostles did the like and took such Authority upon them over all the members of those severall Churches and that without any transgression of any divine institution but with the very good liking and allowance of God himselfe who writ the Commandements of the Lord to all the Churches then I say Saint Iohn transgressed not at all in using his authority and power given him of God over Diotrephes in telling the Church of his faults and saying He would remember him and sharply reprove him for this he might well do by his sole Authority without any offence as he was an Apostle for what he did he did by immediate Revelation and had a warrant for it from Christ himselfe who sent his spirit to lead him into all truth And therefore it is a ridiculous if not an impious thing in Master Knollys to draw such an inference from a phantasie of his own brain in that he makes no difference between Saint Iohn and another ordinary Presbyter and Minister and would make that an offence which was none and infer that Saint Iohn took more upon him than he ought Besides it had been no transgression in any other Presbyter if he had writ so to any Presbytery under which he had been a fellow Presbyter to inform them of any miscarriage in either Pastor or member of that Church wherein he was an Elder and if he had said If I come I will remember his deeds c. For in his so speaking he would assume no more authority to himselfe then became a Presbyter to take upon him as both to witnesse to a truth and to give in evidence of what he knew of such a man to his fellow judges and then to leave it to the judgement of the Presbytery and Common Councell of Elders which Saint Iohn did whose place it was to censure such an offender and in his so doing he should no way impeach the power and authority of the Court or Common councell of Presbyters but rather ratifie and confirme it as all learned men will gather For by such words he declareth that there is a standing Court or Councell there where offenders are both to be questioned and censured for such an expression If I come I will remember his deeds sufficiently declareth that there was power in their hands and manifesteth that he was a judge there among the rest who with others had the hearing of all causes there and that all businesses of publike concernment ought to be done and transacted by the mutuall and joynt accord and agreement of the Presbytery and not to be managed by any one singly by himself or by the people whom God had never given the Keyes unto nor the power of rule and Government This I affirme will necessarily ensue and follow and not that which Mr Knollys vainly intimateth And I am confident that any judicious Christian upon due deliberation will say the same and will conclude That Saint Iohn in his so writing was no offender though all things of publike concernment in the Church were ever to be transacted by the joynt agreement and common consent of the Presbytery So that all men that are judicious may plainly behold the futility in both the answers and cavills of this man and well perceive that he was never cut out for a disputant or ever fitted for Government in church or State who if he might have his own minde would bring in a confusion in both and violate all order divine and humane and make the head the foot and the foot the head And truly if a man would but consider the manner of Government in their seven new Churches or rather seventy for every ten or twelve of them prove a Church he should find in them all so much disorder and discrepancy amongst them and yet every one of them pretending Divine authority for its particular government as he would advisedly conclude That God was never the author of them for God is a God of order and not of confusion for never since the world began was there such practiceâ— in any Christian Churches as are to be found in theirs And to speake the truth they are a meere mockery of all government for every one of those severall Churches be they never so slender and small assumes an absolute soveranity unto themselves Independent from all other Churches and Presbytries from the which there is no appeale be one never so much wronged And they are as so many free States and republicks every one of them ruling within themselves as absolute Magistracies And therefore upon all occasions if any difference arise betweene member and member in those Churches or betweene Church and Church as often they do as other Countries and Common-weales send their Embassadours to each other upon any difference or about states affayres
Lord but that they should also afford them the honour of maintenance and take order there be a sufficient and competent yea an honourable allowance for their support and that as they minister to them spirituall food for their soules they should likewise minister unto them all things necessary for the maintenance of them and their Families that they may comfortably and without solicitous care follow their holy imployments and wait upon their severall Ministeries So that the place and imployment of the Presbyters is to teach and rule the people and this is their proper worke and peculiarly belongs unto them and the imployment and place of the severall congregations under them is to hear and obey and therefore if the severall congregations do assume unto themselves the power of ruling they take more upon them then by God is allowed them and the Presbyters in yeilding unto it reject their own right and devest themselves of that authority that God hath put into their hands and by so doing in time may not onely bring confusion into the Church but to all those Countries where such usurpations are tolerated I cannot but speake my conscience in this point And truly very reason dictates unto a man that they only should have the authority of commanding and ruling over the Churches to whom the power of the Keyes is given Now it is given only to the Ministers and Presbyters as we see it in Iohn 20. 21. and Matth. 18. 15 16 17 18. Where our Saviour Christ established a standing government to be continued to the end of the World the violating and the overthrowing of the which was the cause of all those confusions both in doctrine and manners that is now come upon the world and was the cause not only of the rise but the growth of Antichrist And the reducing of it again into the Church and the re stablishing of it will be the confusion of that Man of Sin and of all the Antichristian-brood and be a meanes of establishing truth and peace through the Christian world But it will not be amisse a little to consider that place in Matth. 18. If thy Brother saith Christ shall trespasse against thee go and tell him of it between thee and him alone if he shall heare thee thou shalt gaine thy brother but if he will not heare thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to heare them then tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen man and a Publican Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven In these words our Saviour Christ has respect unto the order and custome of judicature in those times in censuring mens manners and doctrines which among the Jewes was ordered and administred by an assembly and counsell of learned experienced and judicious men and by a Presbytery Consistory or Colledge of able men for government chose and selected out of the people for this very purpose by such as could judge and discerne of their abilities the which assembly and company is by Christ himself called a Church because it did represent the Church and in this place Christ did establish the like to be continued in the Christian church to the end of the world making his Apostles this representative body and their successors all the godly and holy Ministers and Presbyters and gives unto them the same power and Authority to judge and determine of all things belonging unto faith and manners that was observed in the Jewish church in all Ecclesiasticall Discipline For otherwise the Christian church should be inferior to that of the Jews if they had not the same Priviledges for the censuring of manners and Doctrines and the same power of jurisdiction and ruling that they had Now all power of jurisdiction among the Jews was exercised not by the promiscuous multitude or by the whole congregation nor by any particular man nor by two or three as the place above specifies but by an Assembly Senate Councell or Presbytery of understanding men assigned to that purpose which our Saviour himself calleth a Church this government established in the Christian church are the severall Presbyteries where all things are transacted by common and joynt consent and this was the practise of the Apostles at Ierusalem who did all businesse of publike concernment by common and joynt consent as is manifest in the first chap. of the Acts in chusing of an Apostle in Iudas his place and in the 5. chap. in censuring Annanias and Saphira and in the 6. chap. in chusing Deacons and in the 15. chapter in determining the question there in hand all in a Presbyterian way and by common consent And this is that government that God hath commanded to be perpetuated to the end of the world in these words Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven So that the Presbyters onely have the power of the keyes it is their place only to ordain Ministers and Church Officers whatsoever Authority the people may exercise in the chusing of them as Paul writes unto Timothy and Titus and they onely are to judge and determine and to censure in matters of manners and doctrine and the people are to allow and approve it according to the Word of God Yea the very Synagogues of the Jews which were the same that our churches are were governed by a Presbytery as our brethren acknowledge called by the name of the Rulers of the Synagogue who governed by joynt and common councell as is evident and manifest in that there were superior and inferior Judges Commanders and Rulers according as their yeares gravity and wisdome made them more emninent then others and venerable to the people as may appeare in many places as Acts 18. ver 8. It is said there That Crispus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved with all his houshould So that if there were a chiefe Ruler or Iudge or a President there must of necessity be a Councell or Segniory of inferiour ones that had Rule and Authority over others as well as he and where there is a chiefe Justice or Judge there are other Judges joyned with him as all reason perswades and there must needs be a Court of Judicature where all things are transacted by conjoynt and common consent and agreement and so it was in the Synagogues of the Jewes who were subject to and ordered by the determinations and abitrement of their Rulers and Governours So that the severall Churches or Synagogues under the Jews were in subjection to those Rulers and were governed according as by common councell they ordered And Mat. the 5. vers 22. And behold there came one of
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
now living in these dayes of light and knowledge that should be either so ignorant or erroneous as to gainsay it and yet learned Master Knollys in his moderate answer as he calleth it pag. 8. and 9. replyeth and answereth to it by denying the Minor of my Syllogisme for very slender reasons as his custome is after this manner I will give you his owne words which are these There is no mention saith he in any Scripture quoted by the Doctor of eight thousand new Converts besides women and children Neither doth that Scripture produced Acts 4. 4. prove any such thing For the Reader may consider that the number of them there mentioned are but five thousand and albeit the Dr. make them up eight thousand by saying those five thousand men were added to the Church and joyned to the former beleevers pag. 57. Yet there is a two-fold mistake in the Doctors addition to wit first that some of the three thousand may be were women how then can the Doctor say there were eight thousand new Converts besides women secondly these five thousand are only called men and not Converts not beleevers For howbeit many of them hearing the word beleeved yet it is not said the five thousand men beleeved and the truth iâ— the text well considered only holds forth that the number of men was wade up five thousand These are Master Knollys owne expressions and all that hee hath to say against this Argument with his confused reasons or rather triflings What man but of ordinary capacity that had but cursorily read over my Arguments would not have observed the truth so plaine and evidently laid downe in them and confirmed with such reasons as hee would not onely have beene well satisfied therewith but would have judged it either great blockishnesse in any and apparent ignorance to have yet doubted of it or great temerity and contentiousnesse of spirit to have gainsayed such evident demonstration of verity And yet Mr. Knollys out of the sublimity of his learning being a confident Disputant not onely confutes mee but repels the very Scripture it selfe and resists the Spirit of God which is usually with him and his Complices and all out of the spirit of error and contention to maintaine their severall factions So that it may be admired that such men are not abandoned and abhorred of all people truly fearing God especially when they see their whole study and indeavour is to delude and seduce poore silly creatures But I desire the Reader here deliberately to weigh and consider what the man saith hee denyeth that there is any mention in any Scripture quoted by mee of eight thousand new Converts besides women and children whereas in the second Chapter of the Acts which I cited there is mention made of three thousand added to the Church by the first Miracle and Sermon of the Disciples and this Master Knollys himselfe doth acknowledge pag. 8. of his Pamphlet His words are these To whom were added viz. to all those that were converted before by Johns and Christs Ministry about three thousand soules c. Here hee confesseth there were three thousand soules added to the Church neither is there any mention of women amongst them and in the fourth Chapter hee likewise acknowledgeth that the number mentioned there is five thousand His words are these For the Reader may consider that the number of them there mentioned are but five thousand Thus hee Now all the world knowes that three thousand and five thousand are eight thousand and the Scriptures quoted by mee made mention of these eight thousand what so ever M. Knollys saith to the contrary So that no man of understanding can doubt of the truth of what I asserted For that which is confirmed by the testimony of the holy Scripture were it single and by it selfe ought by all Christians to be beleeved but that which hath both the holy Scripture and learned Master Knollys his owne witnesse to confirme it that hee cannot with any good reason deny but that there was three thousand soules at the first Miracle and Sermon of the Apostles after Christs Ascension added to the Church and five thousand after both the Holy Scripture affirmeth and Master Knollys acknowledgeth it Ergo there were eight thousand new Converts added unto the Church at Ierusalem for these were distinct actions or effects of the Ministry of the Apostles and produced at severall times and upon severall occasions from the Miracles and preaching of the Apostles for otherwise they would not have been taken such notice of as such wonders and have beene so distinctly set downe with all the severall circumstances both of time place and persons neither would there have beene such running and going questioning and consulting about that busines by the Magistrates and Officers as there was if some new and strange thing had not happend and falne out for men doe not usually wonder at ordinary occurrences Now when the holy Scripture relateth this new miracle in the 4. of the Acts as an unexpected thing and suddenly hapning as a matter of great admiration astonishment yea of terrour to the enemies from the curing of the Criple from the preaching of Peter Iohn asserteth withal that many which heard the word beleeved the number of the men was about 5. thousand v. 4. It is apparently evident that as this was a new act distinct from the former so that the conversion of these five thousand was a new effect and distinct one from the former and is of purpose set down by the holy Ghost by it selfe severally to be taken notice of as a matter of more admiration than the conversion of three thousand by how much it was a greater work of the Spirit of God by another miracle and Sermon to convert five thousand then three thousand And without all controversie it was thus recorded with all its circumstances for this very end that it should for ever be taken notice of as a distinct miracle and work of wonder from the former For the holy Ghost is very accurate in the relation of it and very carefull that there should be no mistake in the whole businesse for in expresse words and termes it is said Notwithstanding all the opposition that was made by the Priests and by the Captain of the Temple and the souldiers to hinder the preaching of the Word and to smother this miracle yet many of them that heard the word saith the Scripture beleeved And that there might yet be no mistake or fallacy in the story and narration the very sum and accompt of those that were converted and beleeved by reason of this last miracle and Sermon is specified particularized and set down in these words and the number of the men viz. that beleeved saith the Scripture was about five thousand So that the Scripture it selfe sets down the number and calleth them men and not women and children And it is very safe alwayes to speak as the
as yet any particular visible formed churches for all these severall congregations are but so many branches of that one catholicke visible church and a branch and a member of a church is not a church properly so called in my brother Burtons Dialect and therefore wee have no true visible churches or church bodies upon earth properly so called this I say will necessarily follow upon my Brother Burtons unsound Principles and this his opinion which I am confident upon his more serious thoughts and when he makes not such haste as he confesses he did when he writ this his book against me he will acknowledge to be very erroneous But if he shall against all reason undertake to maintaine the same doctrine concerning the Catholicke visible church he doth about the church of Ierusalem I am assured he will be highly condemned by the learnedest of his party as well as by the universall consent of all the judicious Divines in the world who I know are of a contrary judgement But I say if upon mature deliberation he shall acknowledge and grant that the severall congregations or churches of believers mentioned in the Scriptures as that of Corinth Ephesus Galatia c. and their own severall congregations in their new gathered churches howsoever he will not grant that title unto our assemblies I say if he shall but accord that both the primitive churches and their new congregations be churches properly so called or church bodies though but so many branches and members of the Catholicke visible church which yet is but one and the same church then likewise of necessity it will follow and he must yeild unto it that all those severall congregations and assemblies in the church of Ierusalem were churches properly so called though but so many branches of that one and the same particular church because as the learned know all particular congregations and churches that partake in all the Ordinances as they are similar parts of the whole church so they doe all partake of the name and nature of it and are all of them churches properly so called and therefore by the very same reason I say all those severall congregations and assemblies in the church of Ierusalem being parts of that Nationall city or Presbyterian church that one and the same church as partaking both of the name and nature of that church are all of them churches properly so called one of those conclusions I affirme will necessarily follow from my brother Burtons principles And for the better evidencing of what I have said I will adde a few words more by way of a corollary that whatsoever the whole church at Ierusalem had in it to make it the first formed church properly so called the same had all the congregations and assemblies respectively and severally considered to make every one of them churches properly so called And therefore if the whole church at Ierusalem may challenge the name of a true formed church as the Independents acknowledge then the severall congregations and assemblies respectively and severally considered might do the same and were churches properly so called For if the whole consisted of visible Saints so did every one of those severall congregations and assemblies consist of visible Saints And if the whole had the blessed Apostles in it and Christs seventy Disciples and all sorts of church Officers so had every severall congregation and assembly of that church though but a part and a branch of the whole And if the whole church inioyed all the saving and sealing ordinances and all acts of worship and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking bread and in prayer so did every one of those congregations and assemblies severally and respectively considered And therefore when all the branches of that one particular church at Ierusalem viz every congregation and assembly severally considered and as a part were equall to the whole church in all priviledges immunities and in whatsoever is required for the making of a true formed church so that there was nothing wanting to either of those congregations that the whole church partaked in and injoyed or could challenge for the making it a compleat Church then it followeth and that necessarily that if the whole church be a true formed church and a church properly so called as the Independents confesse that all those congregations assemblies severally considered were churches properly so called This I thought good to premise And now I come to make good what I undertooke which is to prove those severall Assemblies in the church of Ierusalem to be churches properly so called which I do by this argument All such assemblies congregations as daily met together in diverse companies in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and in severall private houses in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and clothed with his power and honoured with Christs presence being all believers and Saints and such as gladly received the word and were all baptized and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayer and injoyed amongst themselves in their severall congregations all the saving and sealing Ordinances and all Acts of worship and whatsoever priviledges and immunities the whole church partaked in and the which the Independents themselves repute and thinke sufficient for the making and constituting of a formed church and who also had amongst them in those severall assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven given unto them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the ende of the world and that whatsoever they loosed on earth should be loosed in heaven and whatsoever they bound on earth should be bound in heaven and that his spirit also should leade them into all truth the which Ministers likewise taught them whatsoever Christ had commanded them and that daily in the Temple and in every house all and every one of them respectively and severally taken were true and compleate churches properly so called But in the church of Jerusalem there were many such assemblies and congregations as dayly met together in diverse companies in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and in several private houses in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and clothed with his power and honoured with Christs presence being all believers and Saints and such as gladly received the Word and were all baptized and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers and injoyed amongst themselves in their severall congregations all the saving and sealing Ordinances and all acts of worship and whatsoever priviledges and immunities the whole church partaked in and the which the Independents themselves repute and thinke sufficient for the making and constituting of a formed church and who also had amongst them in those severall
assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven given them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the end of the world and that whatsoever they loosed on earth should be loosed in Heaven and whatsoever they bound on earth should be bound in Heaven and that his spirit also should leade them into all truth the which Ministers likewise taught them whatsoever Christ had commanded them and that dayly in the Temple and in every house Ergo all and every one of those Assemblies and Congregations respectively and severally taken were true and compleat churches properly so called For the Major no well grounded Christian will deny it especially the Independents cannot gain say it for if two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name make a true visible church as those of the congregationall way hold and teach then much more where two or three hundreds are met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and in the which also they partaked in all the saving and sealing Ordinances as in the preaching of the Word and Prayer and in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that by lawfull Ministers and Officers appointed and sent by God himselfe I say by far better reason such a congregation is a true and visible and compleate church properly so called as all rationall and intelligible men will easily conclude and therefore this cannot be denied by the Independents especially when as I noted before it is their owne Doctrine taught in all their writings and Preached by every one of the congregationall way and confirmed by their own daily practice And to passe by many books writ of late by the Ministers of New-England and some of the Independent Ministers here amongst us I will only at this time pitch upon one who hath in my opinion dealt more candidly then any of his brethren for he kepes no reserves Donec ad triarios redierit res but sets downe plainly what they hold I will make bold therefore with his new blasing lights lately set up upon that learned Beaken called Truth gloriously appearing from under the sad and sable cloude of obloquy In the which treatise pag. 22. and 23. the author in the name of all the Independents declares their judgement concering this businesse whose words I will set down at large desiring to deliver their minde in their own expressions rather then in mine that they may not hereafter accuse me to have pickt and chose what made most for me and against them and left the rest His words are these Object It may possibly here be objected how will it appeare that so small a number as two or three joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell do constitute a visible Church Answ It will appeare evident by this insuing argument Christ hath given his power and promised his presence to two or three ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell therefore two or three so joyned together do constitute a visible church The Antecedent is proved from the Words of Christ Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it if he refuse to heare thee take two or three if he heare not them tell it to the church if he neglect to heare the church let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican I say unto you whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven Loe Here 's their power given them by Christ The presence of Christ is promised by them vers 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them The consequent cannot be denied for what people in the world may be called a church if they may not to whom Christ hath given his power and promised his presence If the gifts of Christ be of any force if the power of Christ be of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Neither is this destitute of learned men who have given their suffrage to it Humfred de religione vera conservanda pag. 24. Ecclesiam cum dico non unum aut alterum sacerdotem aut ministrum sed legitimum ac Christianum catum nomino et innuo Besides the definition of a visible church will prove the consequent A visible church is a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the members be Saints called out of the world united together into one congregation by an holy covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances This definition though it properly looke upon a compleate church it is appliable to two or three that are joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospell 2 Object But is it like that two or three there is taken for the church mentioned vers 17. to which Christ hath given his power Answ I do not say that it is alwaies so taken for because the church doth frequently consist of many but this I say that it may be so taken as the very coherence of the words shews Beside it will further appeare thus if two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power and honoured with Christs presence then two or three may be the church mentioned vers 17. but two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power for they meet in his name as the text speakes 1. e. clothed with his power for name signifieth power in severall Scriptures Prov. the 18. 10. Philip. 2. 10. and honoured with his presence and therefore two or three may be the church there mentioned 3. Object But such a company being destitute of Officers can be no church Answ If it had been said they could have been no compleate church I would have consented But to say that they are not a compleat church therefore they are no church is a Non sequitur A man that wants a hand or foot or both is notwithstanding a man though a maimed man Officers do not concurr to the esse or being of a church but to the bene esse or well being of a church for otherwise put case the Officers of a church dye then must the church be unchurched and so Toties quoties as such a thing happens which in times of mortality may be often Againe a company of believers ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell hath the matter and forme of a church even before it hath any Officers and therefore is a Church without them it hath the matter of a Church a company believing 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 1. and it hath the forme of a Church viz. a combining and uniting of themselves together into one body by the bond of an holy Covenant I have spoke some thing the more in this particular to strengthen
succeeding ages to the end of the world that they may do the same in their severall and respective Presbyteries Neither is there any president or example in all the holy Scriptures of the new-Testament that any church had its peculiar Pastor and Teacher or Doctor alloted to it with but two or three Elders and a Deacon with a slender congregation of people of the which they only had the cure and care for the feeding and ruling of it and the which had absolute Authority within it self and from which there was no appeale the which notwithstanding the Independents assert is a true formed church after the new testament forme such a modell of a church I affirme can never be shewed or proved in all the new testament God saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 12. vers 28. hath set some in the church first Apostles Secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after Miracles then Gifts of healing helps in government diversities of Tongues are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. and in the 4. of the Ephesians vers 11. When Christ ascended on high he gave gifts unto Men c. and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints c. all the which places are to be understood concerning the Catholicke visible church So that to appropriate these places of Scripture to any particular church as those of the Congregationall way do is to abuse and pervert the holy Scriptures for the upholding of their unwarrantable proceedings for if these Scriptures are to be applyed unto every particular congregationall church then there must not only be a Pastor and a Teacher but many Pastors and many Teachers in each of them besides other church officers and then the Pastors and Teachers would be more in number many times then the flocke and if we looke upon all particular Churches founded by the Apostles which must be a paterne indeed to all churches then we shall finde that in all of them severally they had many Presbyters as in the 14. of the Acts and in the 20. of the same and in all the above cited Scriptures doth abundantly appeare So that there is no ground in all the holy Scripture of the new modell of the Congregationall way for following the expresse Scripture to use my brother Burtons owne words the first formed church we finde is in the Acts the second which consisted of many thousands and in that church there were no distinct officers and members united into one church body respectively for all the Apostles and Ministers of that church fed and ruled that church in common and therefore after the very same example and paterne may all Christian churches to the end of the world do the same and be well formed churches yet have neither a particular Pastor nor Teacher nor distinct officers amongst them for neither the church of Ierusalem nor any of the Primitive and Apostolike Churches had that distinction of officers amongst them and all and every one of them neverthelesse were well formed churches and therefore in this they be a paterne to all churches And as in the church of Ierusalem and in all the other churches all those that were converted and added to them were none of them forced to walke either Dayes or Moneths or years with them before their admission that they might either know the Saints and Members of that Church or be known of them noâ— were ever forced to make a publike confession of their faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion or to enter in by an explicite particular covenant and to obtain the consent of the whole church before their admittance So in this the Church of Jerusalem and the other Churches of the New Testament are to be a pattern to all other churches to the end of the World that they may follow the example of that Mother Church and all the primitive Daughter-Churches in admitting of their Members without any of these things for that was the first formed Church and yet shee required no such things of any that were added into her But of this in its due place And as the Ministers of the Church in Jerusalem the Apostles and Teaches only had the power of government and admitting of Members and did it without the consent of the people as wee may see in their first admission of Members who applyed themselves unto the Apostles onely saying men and brethren what shall wee doe and not unto the people and as in that Church when the people and Beleevers opposed any that desired to be admitted as they did Saint Paul Acts the 9. verse 26 27. of whom they were afraid not beleeving hee was a disciple and hee then appealing to the Apostles who upon hearing of the truth of the busines they admitted him comming in and going out without their consent in this also the Church of Jerusalem is to be a paterne to all Ministers and people in all succeeding Churches that it is the Ministers place onely to admit of Members and not the peoples and if they should gaine-say the admission of any upon either their feares or jealousies or out of other respects that then they may have their appeales from them to the Presbyters in each Church and giving them an account of their faith they are by them to be admitted notwithstanding the dislike and dissenting of their brethren for of this way of proceeding wee have the Church of Ierusalem for a paterne And as the Church at Ierusalem and all the other Primitive Churches never made any rents and schismes from the publike assemblies for some faylings but alwayes constantly frequented their publike meeting places notwithstanding the many corruptions of the Teachers both in Doctrine Discipline and Manners and had not only the example of the blessed Apostles but of Christ also in so doing who when he was questioned concerning his doctrine said I taught publickely in the Temple and in the Synagogue and not in corners and by places and he inioyned the people also to doe the same Matth. 23 saying the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses his seat all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not yee after their workes c. So likewise other Churches to the end of the world ought to imitate this Church as their paterne not to separate from the publike assemblies and those Churches for some faylings especially when they are found in doctrine and preach all saving truths needfull to salvation without any mixture of humane inventions and so much the rather all Churches ought to imitate the example of the church of Ierusalem and the other Primitive Churches in this not only because they have Christs both example and precept for it but because also separation is blamed by the Apostle Paul in the Hebrewes Heb. 10. and therefore forbidden who saith verse 23 24 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
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
at amongst them or tolerated or any other Religion but that which the Lord our God hath appointed and established in his blessed word and in that they walk and persevere they decline not in their love to it they go not backward with Demas to imbrace the present World nor with Hymeneus and Philetus they will deny no truth of God nor with any Hereticks innovate any thing in their Religion but they walk uprightly to the marke of the high calling in Jesus Christ They stand not still neither nor make no pause in their way but they are ever journying and in the action of well doing going from strength to strength till they come to the heavenly Zion they go on cheerfully in their Religion yea they run the race set before them with patience and that through thick and thin of all afflictions and persecutions and abate not their pace casting aside every thing that presseth down as the love of the world the love of honours and riches the love of pleasures the love of profits the love of friends and all earthly emoluments yea and the sin that sticks so close unto them all their hereditaty and inbred corruptions yea they reject likewise all novelties in Religion nothing can hinder them from walking uprightly in the old way God has appointed them to walk in but in despite of all impediments they not onely walk but run the race and the whole race set before them Looking upon the author and finisher of their faith Jesus Christ who for the glory that was set before him indured the crosse despised the shame and is now set down at the right hand of God in heaven Heb. 12. 2. He made that good confession to the death before Pontius Pilate and witnessed the truth All they therefore that are conformable to Jesus Christ and desire to walk in his steps and that are Saints indeed and the generation of the Just can never indure a Toleration of all Religions for that is not to walk uprightly with their God nor after Christ example for Christ whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple and would not tolerate them but layd corporall punishment upon them for their evill doing and preached against the Scribes Pharisees and Saduces and all erroneous Sects in his life time and after he was ascended into heaven he wrote unto the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra sharply reproving them for suffering and tolerating amongst them any other Religion then that he had appointed and for but conniving at any novelties in Doctrine and Religion They therefore that follow the ill example of those of the Church of Pergamos and Thyatyra and not onely suffer all manner of Religions amongst them but labour and indeavour to have an indulgence and a toleration for all under the pretence of liberty of conscience they follow not the example of Christ the Prophet of his Church nor the example of Abraham Jacob Ioshua and all the Patriarks and blessed Apostles who abhorred all novelties and tolerations and therefore they walk not uprightly with their God and are not Saints indeed according to Gods own description of a true Saint Now whether therefore the Il-dependents by their practises can challenge this Character to themselves I leave it to the judgement of the learned when they would have a Toleration of all Religions But now to passe on to the second Character of a true Saint He that worketh righteousnesse saith the spirit they that make it their imployment to render to every one their due obedience and subjection to the higher powers Rom. 13. Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour is due and they that will owe no man nothing but love and that love one another knowing that he that loveth fulfilleth the Law they are Saints properly so called v. the 7. In a word all that are Saints indeed in Gods repute worke righteousnesse they first give unto God his true worship and labour for the establishment of that Religion onely that he hath appointed they cannot indure the Toleration of all Religions neither will they connive at or indulge that any way of serving and worshipping of God should be permitted where they have power and ability to hinder it but that which God himselfe hath commanded for they know that that is not to work righteousnesse for that is not to give God his own For he appointed but one Religion and that he challengeth for his own so then they that set up any other but that or tolerate more or allow of a Toleration of all Religions they work not righteousnesse towards God for that is unjustice and a thing highly displeasing unto his divine Majesty as taking his right and authority out of his hand who is King of his Church and substituting themselves in his place which is the greatest injustice and unrighteousnesse in the world and therefore all that are the true Saints indeed and the generation of the just dare not attempt any such unjust thing for they work righteousnesse Again the true Saints in like manner work righteousnesse towards all men they yeeld all subjection to those that are in authority over them and they give the Magistrates their due honour and reverence yeelding unto them all the duties of obedience and subjection and veneration and they yeeld unto the Ministers and all their Brethren the duty of love and their true honour and so are fulfillers of the law of God They therefore that maligne their brethren and detract from their praises and hate them and speak evill of them and of those that are in dignity and authority and raile of those in the Ministry and as much as in them lies endeavour to make them odious to the world by their daily traducing of them and assuming the honour due to them unto themselves and all such as do assent unto them in this their unrighteous dealing they do not worke righteousnesse and therefore in Gods dialect they are not Saints indeed nor the generation of the just for it is great injustice to detract from any their due honour Now I appeal unto the judgment of any intelligible man whether or no those that write defamatory books and daily utter injurious and reproachfull words against the great councell of the Kingdome traducing them before all the people and accusing them of injustice and of exercising a lawlesse and an arbitrary government over the people proclaiming them tyrants and as bad as Strafford and the Bishop of Canterbury and guilty of the same crimes and that at pleasure can impeach any of the Parliament and accuse them to the people as traitors and such as keepe correspondency with the enimy and are betrayers of their liberties and those that do allow of such men favouring them and incouraging them by their countenance or connivance I say I appeal to the judgement of any whether they that do or assent to such doings do work righteousnesse when they do apparently
transgresse the law of God in speaking evill of their rulers I am most assured that upon due deliberation they will acknowledge that this is no righteous dealing And therefore they must conclude that they that work not righteousnesse are no true Saints nor the generation of the just in Gods esteem Again I demande of any man but of a moderate temper Whether those that with most opprobrious termes doe calumniate our Brethren the Scots and detract from their honour and due praises who came in for our assistance and helpe and for our ayd and deliverance and have beene under God one of the principall meanes of our preservation whether in their so doing they worke righteousnesse I demand further of any one but ordinarily principled either in Religion or Morality whether to speake evill of their Ministers and of their Presbyterian brethren and fellow souldiers with all manner of calumnies and reproaches and to defame them in word and writing through the world and to doe them all the evill offices their most mortall enemies can doe against them and who continually labour to make them and the Presbyterian government hatefull to the world and that will take great and chargeable journies and write large Letters and scurrilous Pamphlets to doe any of their Presbyterian brethren an ill turne and will also glory of it and that in Print I demand I say of any moderate minded Christian whether the doing of ary of these things or the hindring the worke of reformation and the labouring for a toleration of all Religions the assenting unto such be to worke righteousnesse and if he shall accord unto mee that these actions are unrighteous then hee must accord also that those that doe them are no Saints for the true Saints worke righteousnesse it is their trade to be so imployed Now whether the II-dependents bee not guilty of all these dealings I referre the Reader to all their Pamphlets especially to those of Iohn Lilburn lately set forth and those of my brother Burton his Vindication and his Vindicia veritatis and their daily practises and I am most assured if hee will but spend a day or two in reading over the writings and the sermons of the Ill-dependents they shall find little other then unrighteous dealing of all kinds against both Magistracy Ministry and all their Presbyterian Brethren and Fellow-souldiers For they slight them all and make nothing of all that ever they have done for all the Glory of all the famous victories they assume unto themselves and attribute the honour and glory of them to that Army they call the praying Army as if none of the Presbiterian Souldiers either prayed or deservedany share in the honour of those victories when it is most certainly knowne that amongst the Presbyterian souldiers there are many thousands that live as holy and godly and that pray as devoutly and earnestly for all good successe upon their undertakings and for a blessing upon their indeavours as any Independents in England and are as dearly beloved of God as any of them for with God there is no respect of persons but every one that worketh Righteousnesse Act. 10. of what nation soever hee be God heareth him yea and it is well knowne also that in the Army there is ten if not twenty Presbyterians to one Independent and all men know likewise that many of them are experienced souldiers whereas not twenty of them before these times ever saw the face of an enemy and it is likewise acknowledged by all impartiall men that they have ever fought as valiantly as any Independents and have stood to the Battell when many companies of them ran away as can be proved notwithstanding all these things the Independents ascribe the honour of all those victories to their owne party and say the Independents got this and that victory and onely because perhaps some of their Colonels and a few other Independent Commanders had the leading up of the Presbyterian forces and they that under God did the worke loose their due prayses amongst the people and the Independents arrogate the honour to themselves which is their daily practise and in its due place will appeare And therefore when the Independents doe upon all occasions derogate thus from their brethren the glory that belongs unto them and ascribe it to their owne Fraternity and when they are culpable and guilty of the foregoing charges they worke not righteousnesse and therefore unles7s e they timely and cordially repent of all their unrighteous dealing towards God and their brethren this character of Saints and the generation of the just will not belong to them for the Saints indeed and the generation of the just worke righteousnesse whereas the Ill-dependents worke unrighteousnesse But now to passe on to the other characters the third character of the Saints and Generation of the just is this Hee speaketh the truth in his heart saith the Psalmist and such an one is a Saint indeed all double dealing men therefore towards either God or men and such as have a heart and a heart and whose tongue and heart goe not together they in Gods Dialect are no true Saints which doctrine is confirmed by Saint Iames chap. 1. verse 8. who saith That a double minded man is unstable in all his wayes and therefore in the 4. chapter hee exhorting those of his time to draw neere unto God useth these words draw nigh unto God saith hee and hee will draw nigh unto you clense your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts yee double-minded they therefore that are double-minded speak not the truth from their hearts are unsanctified impure and are not Saints indeed whatsoever they pretend Now then all such as make the world beleeve that they will reveale the whole truth of God unto the people and promise they will give in their modell of governement and doe notwithstanding professe and that in expresse words that they will keepe a reserve donec ad triarios redierit res and will not speake the truth in their hearts nor communicate unto their brethren fully their wayes though God hath commanded them that whatsoever hee spake to them in secret they should preach upon the house top openly they are double-minded men and speake not the truth in their hearts and therefore in Gods esteeme they are not Saints indeed but such are all the Il-dependents Again they that in outward appearance before men shew a great deale of love to their Neighbours calling them brethren and notwithstanding plot all the mischiefe they can against them speake not the truth in their hearts according to that of Saint Iohn in his first Epistle chap. 3. verse 18. My little children sayes hee let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth There were it seemes such kind of creatures in his time as made faire semblances of love to others in tongue and word but did not really and in truth love their brethren which he condemnes for
possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need and that they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and that they brake bread from house to house and did eate their meat with Gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Thus the Holy Ghost describeth those three thousand converts unto us as not onely skilfull in the theory of church-fellowship but also exceedingly well verst in the practicall part of it whether therefore in this particular also in that J. S. saith it is suspicious that the three thousand converted at once were not so soone instructed in Church fellowship as converted when the Scripture reporteth the contrary it be not to give the Spirit of God the lye I leave it to the judgement of all the godly and impartiall Râ—aders who I am confident will give their verdict against I. S. For certainly there is no act of church fellowship that was omitted by them and although I love not such as will groundlessly be suspicious as I. S. is here and those of his Fraternity yet I am confident the Independnnts will never be induced to imitate the example of those three thousand and I have very good reason to make mee continue in this beliefe for what I already know in their daily practises and therefore they are rather to be suspected that they are not well instructed in church fellowship they make notwithstanding so great a noys about therefore whether this be not a great temerity in these men thus upon all occasions not onely to censure their christian brethren that live harmelessely by them but to suspect all those that were converted by the Baptist and the Apostles themselves before Christs death yea and to suspect even those three thousand also that were converted by Peter after Christs ascension and to adjudge both Pastors and people to bee all ignorant what church government and church fellowship was I leave it likewise to the judgement of the prudent advised Reader And yet this is the daily practise of al the Ill dependents thus to speake of them all as if they had not learned their lesson as well as the congregationall Predicants and their disciples and knew not how to cast them into a church mold after the New Testament forme and to instruct them concerning church fellowship when not withstanding it is recorded of those Ministers that they revealed the whole counsell of God and whatsoever was needfull to be knowne or practised by all christians to the end of the world Acts the 20. and therefore could bee ignorant of nothing that tended to edification and the building up of beleevers in their most holy faith But yet notwithstanding I. S. and his brethren are still full of suspicions and yet never satisfied in any thing that can be produced out of the holy Scripture to confute their erroneous novelties for although I had sufficiently confirmed my first proposition and proved by both Scripture and reasons that all those that were baptized by John and Christs Disciples were good Christians and true Believers and that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem yet I. S. page 11. sayes He is not satisfied by any thing that hath been alledged by me that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies and that upon the scruples before instanced And Mr Knollys in his 11. page affirmeth the same So that it is certain these men are resolved never to be satisfied though things be never so evidently proved unto them And it is no wonder that there is at this day such a brood of creatures in the world for there has ever been a generation of such men in all ages that will never be satisfied Christ the great Doctor of his Church with all his blessed Apostles and faithfull Ministers could never satisfie the Jewes but they ever resisted his spirit Acts 7. Neither can the holy Scriptures now satisfie all gainsayers but they will still be doubting amongst the which Sir I. S. and Saint Hanserdo with many of their fraternity may well be numbred But for all such Christians as whom the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the glorious light of the Gospel of truth I am confident they will be satisfied that I have sufficiently proved that there were many Congregations and several Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem from that satisfaction they will learn to abhor the errors of all the sectaries and straglers of our times and to decline shun their company and fellowship And for all such as they are that will receive the good seed of the word into good and honest hearts I desire ever to satisfie them and not those that are resolved to be ever scepticall and ever learning yet never attaining or coming to knowledge or at least withhold the truth from others in unrighteousnesse And for all such I shall not much study to give them satisfaction as being a company of unreasonable men from whom we ought daily to pray to be delivered for all such the Lord hath given over to strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye because they received not the love of the truth that they may be saved 2 Thess 2. Notwithstanding I say I have very little hope ever to satisfie any such and therefore may be thought to go about an impossible worke if I should indeavour it yet that all men may sâ—e my fairer dealing with I. S. because he saith that he hath not been satisfied with any thing alledged by me that the Church of Jerusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies I will therefore adde a few reasons more or at least call some of the former briefly to his minde which I am most assured if there were no other in the whole book would perswade any rationall man that there were many Assemblies and Congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem which if they cannot yet satisfie him I am confident they will satisfie and content others And to the reasons I shall produce I will also adde some testimonies of those of his own party for his farther satisfaction or conviction at least All such as have read I. S. his learned works know that he hath not only cut of all those that were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples before Christs passion and ascension from the Church of Ierusalem but razed them out of the Kalender and Roule of the Saints absolutely denying them so much as the very name of Christians all this I say those that have read his scruples very well know They know likewise that he granteth there were three thousand converted by the first Miracle and Sermon of Saint Peter though he uncharitably saith That it is suspicious that they were not so soon instructed in Church fellowship as converted So that here by his own confession we have a very ample Congregation consisting of three thousand and six score persons And in the same
the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the Almes which sufficiently proveth that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government To the which argument of mine Master Knollys page 11. replyeth as followeth It is not denyed by the brethren saith he that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they are Elders But this I conceive by the Doctors favour doth not prove it to wit because the almes were sent unto the Elders Much lesse doth that Scripture prove that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled the Church in Ierusalem by a common Councell and Presbytery But in the 15. chap. ver 2. 4. 6. 22. and and chap. 16. 4. and chap. 21. 17 18. The Presbyters of Ierusalem by name saith the Doctor are expressed These are Master Knollys his own words with his reply and answer to my first argument by which I proved my third assertion in the which I shall desire the Reader to consider what he denyeth and what he granteth 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 are Elders Take I pray his own expression He acknowledgeth that the government in all churches was committed to the Presbyters and that it lay only in their hands as to whom it was solely delegated so that he granteth as much as I contended for by that argument by which all judicious and understanding men may now perceive that Mr Knollys and the brethren do accord unto this truth viz. that the people have nothing to do with the government of the churches in which they are Members so that I have as much assented unto by him and all the brethren as I desire by the which if I am not mistaken he hath utterly excluded the people in all their seven new churches and in all their new gathered assemblies of the congregational way from any hand in the government of the churches For saith he it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all churches were the men in the government of the churches in which they are Elders So that hereafter I hope the brethren will not be so inraged against me if I beleeve as the seven new Churches beleeve and as all the brethren of the congregationall way beleeve those confiding men when Master Knollys saith that it is not denyed by them that the government in all Churches is laid upon the Presbyters shoulders and therefore not upon the peoples So that now there is little need of farther contesting between us about this businesse seeing he granteth that the Presbyters in all churches ought to have the government of them But it will not be amisse a little to take notice of the contentiousnesse of the mans spirit who grants the thing and yet wrangles about words and that wretchedly and poorly and therefore I shall desire the Reader to consider what he denyeth in my argument with the reason of it viz. these two things First that this doth prove it to wit because the almes were sent unto the Elders Secondly that that Scripture proveth that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled the church in Ierusalem by a common Councell and Presbytery These two things Master Knollys affirmes will not insue from that portion of Scripture upon which I grounded my argument Now before I come to reply to both these cavills of Master Hanserdo I shall take this liberty to say unto him that as he is a meere novice in Divinity and a foreiner to all good learning so he is but a sucking polititian not knowing either his Primer in that art or his Catechisme in Theology or any thing in the government either of Church or State which is one of the grand errors and heresies of all his fraternity who while they pretend to learning and would perswade the world they are excellent Statesmen and Grandees in Government they will in time prove themselves as they are indeed a company of grolls and ninnyes and I hope yet to see that day that they wil be as much exploded bafled out of their fond whimsies as ever the Prelates were or any distempered Sect in the world But that all men may the better see the truth and discerne Master Knollys his errors and the groundlessenesse of his denyall of my argument who saith it doth not prove that the presbyters were the men in government because the almes were sent unto the Elders and that the Apostles and Presbyters governed and ruled that church by a common councell and presbytery because the relief was sent unto the Presbyters I shall now upon this occasion speak something concerning politicks and shew wherein the soveraign power and authority in all governments consists and in whose hands it resides and what are the essentiall properties or rather parts of Government in either of them So that wheresoever they are exercised in any country or common wealth those men only who are invested with them or to whom they are betrusted either immediately by God himself or by the election or choice of the people the soveraign authority in those severall governments lies and is deposited in their hands that mannage them and in no bodies else but such as are allowed of by their appointment or good liking and love And if men will then seriously consider and weigh the government secular in all States and Countries and compare the Ecclesiasticall with them which without any offence they may do the truth will more gloriously shine forth and the strength and force of my Argument will be the more obvious to every intelligible creature Now all men know that have either read or observed any thing in Politicks and the government of the world that in whose hands soever the legislative power lyeth so that they can either make or enact new Lawes and Statutes or repeale or abrogate any old ones and ratifie both with sanctions and who have also the power of life and death and the authority of punishing all Prevaricators against their Lawes all men I say know that the soveraigne power and authority resides and lyes soly and only in those mens hands that exercise it And this is the first essentiall part or property of soveraigne and supreame authority in any state and that declares unto all men who are the men in government there The second Essentiall part of soveraigne power in any government consists in this that they can erect and create new Offices and new Officers within their jurisdictions and set up new Courts and Iudges and can conferre Names Honours and titles of Dignity upon them severally and invest them all with power and authority to execute their severall places Offices and Iudicatures and this is the second essentiall property of supreme authority in any state so that in whose hands soever this power resides they onely are the Rulers in that government and no other
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
and humane learning yea contrary to the very opinion of the learnedst of the Independents for this I. S. his judgement is that the Apostles and Presbyters without the concurrence of the people and Church could not have made the Decrees valid and binding whereas all the Independents besides himselfe joyning with the Papists against the Protestants affirme that the Apostles onely in that Synod and Councell by their infallible authority ratified those Decrees and so they exclude all the Presbyters saying that the Apostles acted not as Presbyters in that Councell but as Apostles stles with a transcendent power and were onely the men who were led and guided in that Session by the Holy Ghost and by a spirit of infallibility which say they the Presbyters were not indued with and therefore their presence onely as Apostles made their Decrees binding which opinion of the Independents howsoever it is very erroneous as I have often shewed in the foregoing Discourse yet it is point blanke against the Doctrine of I. S. who places all the power in the people robbing both the Apostles and Presbyters of their authority and on the other side his brethren they place all authority upon the Apostles and deprive the Presbyters of it and count them but ordinary men and not infallibly there assisted by the Holy Ghost both which opinions as they are contrary unto the word of God so they sufficiently prove that these men are but Babel Builders whose tongues and language are divided and tend to confusion for they are diametrically fighting one against ano ther so that all the world may see that those men that begin once to fight against the truth like the Midianitâ—s they destroy one an other But this has generally beene observed that such men as these are that study to invent Engines to beate downe the truth yet all the vapours of their braine cannot so much as cloud so bright â— Sunne but it will evermore gloriously shine forth to the dazeling of the eyes of all the enemies of the same So that it is a wonder of wonders to mee to see the people generally so hardned by obstinacy that they cannot yet discerne into the craft and juggling of the Ill-defendents predicants who whiles they give the people or Church power and interest to humour them it is not so much out of love to them as hatred to the Presbyterians to build up their Diana Temple of Independency hoping by raysing it to ruine the truth it selfe and to overthrow the whole Fabricke of Presbyterian government which Christ the King of his Church hath appointed and in fine by this meanes to bring in a confusion of all things and a mâ—â—re Anarchy in Church and State But howsoever the Ill-defendents seeke to put out the light of the truth by this their snuffing at it they make it burne the brighter as I. S. and Hanserdo Knollys have done by their snuffing at it And this shall suffice by way of Answer to have replyed to what both these Gentlemen Master Hanserdo and I. S. had to say to my third Proposition I come now to my fourth which I will first set down with their Answers to it and then make my reply as I have done to all their former cavills and I will go on in the same order first answering to Hanserdo and then to I. S. My fourth Proposition is this viz. That the Church of Jerusalem and the government of the same is to be a pattern for all Congregations and Assemblies in any City or Vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers and Presbyters of those congregations to govern that Church joyntly in a Colledge or Presbytery And for the proofe of this there needs no great dispute for all men acknowledge that the mother Church must give an example of government to all the daughter Churches now then when it doth evidently appear that this mother Church of Jerusalem in her most flourishing condition and by her first constitution was consisting of many Congregations and severall Assemblies and that they were all governed by a Presbytery or a joynt and common Councell of Presbyters then it followeth that all other Churches should be governed after the same manner as the mother Church was to the end of the World neither doe the brethren deny but the government of the church of Jerusalem must be the patterne of government to all churches and therefore out of that misprision and mistake that she was consisting of but as many as could meet in one congregation they take the church of Ierusalem for imitation and teach all their severall congregations to do the same and to exercise the same power among themselves Independent and to govern with as absolute an authority in their severall Congregations as the whole Colledge of the Apostles and Presbyters did in the church of Ierusalem and from the which they allow of no appeale as all that know their tenents can witnesse So that this last Proposition being strengthned both by reason and the consent of the brethren needs no further proof Now to this my fourth Proposition and the Arguments contained in the same Master Knollys thus replyeth Page 14. Neither do the Brethren deny but the Government of the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all Churches But the Doctor knows that the brethren deny that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers Congregations and severall Assemblies under a common Councell Consistory Colledge or Court of Presbyters And this they have not granted neither hath the Doctor proved And this may be sufficient to be said in Answer to the four Propositions touching the first Question This is all Mr Knollys hath to say by way of Answer to this my last Proposition in the which Answer of his I desire the Reader to observe what he in the name of all the brethren granteth and assenteth unto and what both he and they all deny at least as he saith for he personateth them all He grants in behalfe of them all that the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all churches And this is as much as I desire But by the way take notice that Master Hanserdo reckons before his host for I. S. is one of the brethren and yet he Page 13. asserteth that the example of that Church is not bindingly presidentiall Now what he and all the brethren deny if Mr Knollys be worthy of credit are these two things viz. The first That the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers congregations Secondly they deny that the Doctor hath proved it That all the brethren deny as Mr Knollys saith that the church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations is not altogether to be believed For my brother Burton none of tne meanest of the Brethren doth not deny it yea he not onely grants it but by arguments proves that there were many Assemblies of Believers in the church of Ierusalem and therefore Mr Hanserdo in this also his assertion
saith my Brother Burton The people had authority of admitting and rejecting members as well as the Apostles and Presbyters and therefore those primitive and Apostolike Churches onely are to be a patern of imitation to all Christians and Ministers of governing by and not that of the Baptist and by this their craft and juggling and by these fallacious means and unwarrantable wayes my Brother Burton Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. with all the fraternity of the Ill-dependent Predicants having prepossest the people with a prejudicate opinion against their faithful Ministers as if they affected a lordly power over them and more then Prelatical They have I say by this craft so infatuated them that there is scarse left an ear open in many of them to hear the just defence of the Presbyterians or an eye to see or read what they can say for themselves and against all their calumnies which wickednesse and deceitful dealing of the Ildependents itinetary Preachers is unexcusable But because my Brother Burton not onely carps at the example of Iohn the Baptist but likewise at those I brought of the Eunuch of Paul of Cornelius of Lydia and of the Goaler Mr. Knollys also joyning with him in this good service and skirmish the which after that both himself and Absurdo Know-lesse for so he may truly be called had spent their breath and strength to evade and yet perceiving evidence of truth in them so apparently perspicuous as it dazzled their eyes they cry out that those were extraordinary examples and not binding because those being baptized were not admitted or received members into any particular Church but into the Catholike visible Church and therefore say they those examples are not for our imitation we look onely for the example of such Churches as were cast into a Gospel-Form and into the mould of the New Testament-Form Now what a heighth of wickednesse is it in these men thus to trifle for the deluding of the simple people and to pretend unto them that there are divers wayes of admitting of members into Christs Church one way of admitting members into the Catholike visible Church and another of admitting members into a particular Church when in truth there is no difference for he that is a member of any particular Church is a member of the Catholike and so on the contrary as by the examples both ordinary and extraordinary by me produced is sufficiently apparent for they were all admitted after one and the same way and I had two examples of receiving in members into Churches constituted after the New Testament Form as that of Jerusalem and Damaseus both Churches according to the Gospel-Form and there were there three thousand received members at one time in the church of Jerusalem without any of those conditions they require at their members hands and Paul also was received a member of the Church of Damascus upon the same terms that all the rest were and therefore the example is bindingly presidential And these two examples are taken no notice of but are passed by and all the other counted extraordinary by them And the people by this means are deluded and miserably abused Now can there be a greater imposture or deceit in any that pretend unto Religion and honesty then that in these men When they say in their writings upon all occasions produce us some examples of Churches according to the New Testament Form wherein any members were admitted by the Ministers sole authority and without the consent of the people and without those conditions we require of all such as are to be admitted members into our Churches and then you do some thing Can there I say be a greater deceit in any men then this of theirs to make the people beleeve that there hath never been any such example produced when notwithstanding I had set that example of the Church of Jerusalem and that of Damascus both constituted after the Gospel-Form before their eyes in both of which their members were admitted by the sole and alone authority of the Ministers of those Churches without the consent of the people or without any of those requisites they now demand of their members in all their new gathered Churches By which their proceedings they make themselves guilty before God and all men of indirect dealing and of withholding the Truth from the people in unrighteousnesse and manifestly declare unto the world that they are resolved against all the Light of the Truth obstinately to persist in their erroneous wayes which is the greatest height of impiety and wickednesse in the world and no lesse then to resist the Spirit of God For if there had been but the least dram of candor and fair dealing in them they would never have uttered such words and had there been but any Christian honesty and love to the peace of the Church in them they would not have passed by the Church of Ierusalem and that of Damascus unsaluted and without taking any notice of them and fell upon the examples of the Eunuch Cornelius Lydia and the Goaler and then pretend that they were extraordinary But that all men may see my fair dealing with them and if it be possible that I may undeceive the deluded people I will in this place to gratifie my Brother Burton and Absurdo Know-lesse set before their eyes the examples of the two Mother Churches in their Gospel-Form viz. that of Ierusalem Samaria that so by the mouth of two witnesses the Truth may the better be confirmed Now because they took no notice of the Church of Ierusalem in my former Book but passe it by as not worth the regarding I shall desire them at this time and all those that read this Book duly to consider how members were admitted there not onely at one time but always And I shall desire them likewise seriously to weigh the practice of that Church in the admitting of their members the example of which according to their doctrine must ever be followed and imitated And because my Brother Burton says That the other Churches also are to be taken in for the making up of a compleat patern I will produce two other formed churches after the New Testament Form among the Gentiles and them eminent ones that there may be no want of witnesses for the confirming us in the right way of gathering Churches and for the receiving in of members First therefore I shall intreat the Reader to look into the second chapter of the Acts where he shall finde at the first admiâ—sion there were three thousand souls taken in and made Members of that Church by the sole power of the Apostles and where the people had no voice in the admission of them neither was it required that they should walk sometime in fellowship with them that they might have experience of the truth of their conversion neither was it required of them that they should make every one of them a publike confession of their faith and bring in the evidences
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
once delivered to the Saints and against the wayes of Men and such as were brought into the Church by the cunning craftinesse of some and thrust upon the people as the Lawes and Ordinances and wayes of God when they are but their owne inventions and tend to no edification but to the trouble and disturbance of Church and State and such as already have brought a confusion upon us all and if the Lord do not speedily from Heaven send his helping hand we can expect nothing but desolation and all from these divisions that their new wayes have brought in and therefore it is high time for all good christians and such as love the peace of Sion more exactly to examine all these new wayes and to put them upon the proofe of them But that the Brethren should complaine of persecution amongst us and of evill usage it is against all reason and humanity and sheweth little gratitude in them to all the christians both thorow citie and countrey for if they remember when they came over though they had deserted the cause when they had most need of them they were more honoured then any of those famous and learned Ministers that had undergone the labour and heat of the day and they were preferred before them all and setled in the prime Lectures of the Kingdome and had more honourable maintenance then was usually given to any Lecturers before them and therefore they deale not brotherly in any of all their proceedings nor humanely so to asperse them as they ordinarily doe both publickly and privately I am confident there is not such a president in the world of humanity as that shewed here to them it is well knowne and their books practices declare it that they preach new ways new-born truths as they call them and set up new lights Now where was it ever heard of either in the Christian or Pagan world that it was ever permitted unto any Ministers or Preachers to have all the Pulpits in any nation to preach a diverse doctrine to that which is set up by authority and such as tends to make a faction and division amongst the people I doe most assuredly beleeve that there cannot the like president be produced Amongst the Heathen the Iewish Religion in many countries was tolerated but they were confined to their owne Synagogues they might not come in the Heathens Pulpits to preach up the Iewish worship amongst them or to set up another service contrary to the custome of the Nation It was an abomination to the Egyptians that the Iewes should sacrifice in their land they would not have suffered them then to have preached up their Religion in all their Pulpits In Turkey at this day Christians in many places have the liberty of their consciences amongst themselves and have their places for worship to assemble in but they are not so much as permitted to come into their Temples much lesse to preach up their Religion in their Pulpits In France the Protestants are permitted to preach but it is only in such places as are appointed for them they may not preach in Popish Pulpits thaâ— is not permitted unto them In the Low-Countries there is liberty of conscience which they so much plead for of which afterwards and yet the divers sects that are there are not suffered to preach out of those places assigned unto them or to preach publikely in any of their Pulpits against the Religion established by authority neither are they permitted to unchristian them or unchurch them and publikely and in print to proclame them enemies of Christs government and if any should dare attempt such a thing or go about to disgrace their Ministers and Church-government or in the least intrench upon the Magistrates authority they would be made slie like lightning before thunder And yet the bâ—ethren â—mong us have the liberty of all the Pulpits thâ—oâ—h the kingdome without controule and vent all their new wayes and their new borne truths and setup their new lights without any moâ—estation and have all respectfull usage and the onely esteeme of the peoâ—le and are more followed than all our learned godly and painfull orthodox Ministers and yet they cry out of persecution and unchurch and unchristian us all and proclame both Ministers and people all enemies of christ and his Kingdome and count of us little better than of Infidels and keep our children from Baptism and debarre us from Communion with them and exercise a kinde of absolute Lordship over all their brethren so as Diotrephes never did the like nor the Pope moâ—e and yet they cry out of persecution against the aints and lay odious aspeâ—â—ions upon their brethren and fellow Presbyters perswading the people that the Presbyterian way will be as bad or worse then thaâ— of the Prelates But if we as duly examine the manner of the Independent government and compare it with the Presbyterian as we have done the manner of their preaching with theirs we shall finde there is little reason why they should so vilipend the Presbyterian and magnifie their own and why they should make it so hatefull and odious to the people laying aside therefore all pâ—ejudice let us examine things with deliberation and then it will be soon evident that the Presbyterian government is not as bad or worse than that of the Prelates nor so lordly as that of the Independent government which is also Presbyterian and they as well Presbyters as their brethren It is well known that the Prelates assumed and arrogated unto themselves to be the onely Pastors of their Diocesses and ruled all the Ministers and people under them by their own authority and spoiled all both Ministers and people and the severall congregations under them of their liberty and made them all both Ministers and people their vassals and slaves and from whoseâ— ourts there was no appeal Whereas the Presbyterian manner of government is not as that of Lords and Masters oâ—er Subjects and Servants but social as between equalls between brethren friends and collegues who all judg are alâ— judged according to the Word of God where no congregation is above another congregation no Minister is above another Minister but only for order-sake where every Presbyter is left to enjoy the whole office of a Presbyter and each congregation to the freedome of a congregation and what belongs unto them and they able to performe it and the classes to corroborate and strengthen them And if any man be wronged by the Presbytery he may have the benefit of his Appeal and be cleared by more righteous Judges a course ever followed by the Churches and agreeable to the light of nature so that I say if men would without a prejudicate opinion weigh and consider all things and compare the government of the Prelates with that of the Presbyterian they would speedily be undeceived And again if they would compare the Presbyterian Government Dependent with the Presbyterian Government Independent they would have more honourable
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
of God upon all occasions I cannot but wonder for the truth is in all your language you never speak of your party who you call the confiding men the wel-affected in the Army the godly party but you count them and them only the saviours of the Kingdome the restorers of our paths to walk in and this is your own dialect God is not so much as named many times to my knowledge in your ordinary discourses although God hath given a caveat against such expressions and speakings Deut. 9. where the Lord charged all his people by a threefold prohibition that they should not ascribe the glory or honour of their victories to their own righteousnesse or to their own arme which is the Independents dayly practice to say their party have done all to teach all men that there is nothing that more displeaseth God then to give his glory to men that can deserve nothing at his hands who is ever to have the sole glory and honour of casting the horse and rider into the sea yea in expresse words it is often declared in holy Scripture that God can save by few as well as by many and that a King is not saved by the multitude of an host and that the horse is prepared for the battell but God gives the victory and all this to teach us ever to give the glory of all victories to God onely and to ascribe the honour to him Now then when we have so many witnesses that God is the Saviour of his people and the Restorer of our paths to dwell in and a speciall command to give him the praise of it how is it Brother that there is nothing in your mouth more frequent yea in your Pamphlets and prayers then that those men you call the godly party in the Army have done the whole work in this War yea and are the only saviours of the people and the healers up of our breaches and the restorers of our paths to dwell in robbing both God of his glory and all the other gallant men that indeed under God did the work of their due honour and praises who had in all respects a far greater share in all the victories obtained against the enemy as being farre better souldiers and better Christians and valianter men and the more in number by far ten to one then the Independent party And that both at Marston-moore and Naseby as in its due place will appear to all future ages But because Brother you have particularized the Battell at Marston-moore ascribing the glory of that victory wholy to your party and extreamly wrongfully accuse me about that businesse I shall here therefore set down what I find writ by a stedier hand then yours concerning that Battell and by such an one as I know would not divulge an untruth to the world neither would I have made use of his testimony not withstanding I know the truth of it but that I am able my selfe to prove what he hath writ by a cloud of witnesses that were there and received many wounds in that Battell and against whom there can be brought no just exception the words of the Author are these In this Battell saith he speaking of Marston-moore divers gallant men of both Nations had an honourable share of the Victory but none I hear of without disparagement to any did appear so much in action that day with gallantry as David Lesley Here those of the party we spake of a little before viz. the Sectaries and Independents to indear themselves to the people attribute unto themselves the honor of the day and stick not to call one of theirs the Saviour of the three Kingdoms when god knows he that they then did extoll so much did not appear at all in the heat of the businesse having received at the first a little scar he kept off till the worst was past This had not been spake of at all saith the Author if some idle men to gull the world had not given the honor of the day to those who had but little or no share in it And all this that this Author relateth can be proved by an Iliad of witnesses to be true and as this testimony is true so many more witnesses and those men of reputation can be brought to prove that the victory hath been wholly ascribed unto the Independent party in other Battells and Skirmishes when they have been many miles of from the very place and if there be but any commander of their party in any imployment though he strike but one stroke then he carries away all the honour from the rest and they have their pentionary pen-men both in the Army and at London to do this feat for them to give them the praise and honour of it to indeare themselves into the people and all to delude them and so it was at that Battell the Presbyterians underwent the heat of the day and the Independents challenge the honour Thus much Brother you have forced me to speak and now I go on Brother for the other particulars which to please your selfe and set forth your passion you charge me withall I will answer them as they lie And here I protest before the Lord I have never dealt dishonestly nor Serpent-like with you nor any creature living or that ever did live upon the earth Also that my heart is sound unto my God firme and filled full with Christian Love to all that fear his Name and walk before him in truth and sincerity And for my brain it is not so shallow but that through the wisdome which is given me of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not Jam. 1. 5. I can discern into the depth of Error and am able by Gods assistance to make it appear to all whose eyes are open to see the clear sun-shine of the truth That the way of your Independency is not grounded on the Word of God but its rice continuance and increase hath for the foundation thereof onely the fantasie ambition private interest self-seeking and cunning practices with a seeming hollownesse of some subtill and unstable spirits And likewise for the whole universe I assure you it never did nor never can bring in a just verdict and say I am a man not onely whose heart is divided but whose head is c. For the whole universe hath been and is so far from bringing in any such verdict that grave learned godly zealous and holy men in the Reformed Churches have given in another verdict of me whose Testimonies I can shew for my godly Life Learning and blamelesse Conversation whilest I lived amongst them beyond the Seas and I have the like from the most eminent godly learned men where ever I have inhabited in this Kingdome yea many Letters of late time I have received from godly learned men both at home and abroad that have read my Books whose faces I never saw and by them it plainly appeareth that the chiefe pious orthodox learned men of
the great and deep Charge you have brought against me wounding truth thorow my sides upon the due deliberation thereof I plainly perceived without dishonouring God and being cruell to my self I could not be silent for that my taciturnity might cause truth the ways of God to be evil spoken of and give an occasion to censorious spirits to vote me guilty of those Malversations wherewith you so slily unjustly have accused me all which my soul hates and ever did utterly abhor therefore although I was forwarder to pity your passion and more desirous to pass by your miscarriages then to take notice of them or divulg the weaknesses and too too grosse failings of you my Brother yet your Charge being of a high nature and published in Print it necessitated me to reply lest I should seem to approve of the murthering of my good name So that meerly to preserve the life thereof you have extracted from me these lines that men may know it lies upon you to prove it for I stand upon my justification and protest against every one of your foul Calumnies as notorious untruths And likewise that all who fear the Lord may be fully assured however you have rendred me to the world as one who hath a name to live but am dead so that I may stink in the opinion of such as are holy yet I do live to my God who I doubt not will discover the bottome and mystery of this iniquity For herein you have dealt with me as the Papists did with Reverend and Learned Mr John Calvin raising and publishing untruths accusing him for a scandalous walker and as guilty of abominable sins making his very name odious And by their false reports they blinded the eyes of the people causing them stil to imbrace continue in Error and so hardned their hearts against him that they would not hearken unto nor beleeve those precious Gospel-truths which he maintained but as their wicked practices were discerned by all that with humble hearts received the truth in the love thereof that they might be saved so I am confident the Lord Jehovah will bring forth my righteousness as the light and my judgement as the noone day Psal 37. 6. And will cause mine adversaries to be clothed with shame and to cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle Psal 109. 29. that all the World may see and know your Charg hath no truth in it but is an Independent plot invented and spread abroad to defame me and cause the people to suspect slight and disregard those sound Scripture truths I hold forth and constantly maintain Thus far I have answered your false accusations And in the presence of God I solemnly protest this is a true answer Brother I would here gladly dismisse the Reader for willingly I over look many of your invectives without mentioning of them But I find two or three passages more to which you engage me to speak for the clearing the truth of what I have written in my Postscript Page 68. concerning Independents as also to answer a complaint you have made against me And lastly to resolve two quaeries which you have propounded unto me and in these I shall endeavour fully to satisfie you and all men But first as a Phisitian and a faithfull Friend avoyding all flattery I cannot but truly relate unto you the dangerous condition I find you in for I assure you I feel your pulse beates very high and I see you have a vein puft up with windy matter and I perceive you are swoln with pernicious and corrupt humors and that Choler exceedingly abounds in you insomuch as you breath forth â—â—rong revilings and defamings against those that never wronged you and make loud exclamations as if I were a man of no Religion Piety Wit or Learning because I have as for truths sake I was induty bound truly stated the Question of difference between the Presbyterians and Independents and made it appear that INDEPENDENCY is not GODS ORDINANCE nor grounded on the holy Scriptures and that the practice of Independents and the way they plead for will prove destructive to Church and State Now as I am grieved to see it so I wonder at the suddain distemper and great heat you are fallen into which makes you talk so much and that against me by name more then against others wherereas before I writ and since many have and one more especially in part discovered the sinfull practices of Independents the evill and unwarrantablenesse of their new way And how ever you are generally blamed for rushing out upon the Theatre to oppose him by name it being a work in the judgement of all wise men fitter for any other man to have undertaken then your selfe because of some more then ordinary tye of friendship between you and him yet you have bridled up your fury against his person although you say in your Appendix he ranks your words under the head of his first Section containing divers seditious scandalous libellous passages against the Authority and Jurisdiction of Parliaments Synods and temporall Magistrates in generall c. Now here is exceeding great wrong done unto you if your words are not of such a nature and might you be the sole Judge I am perswaded you would pronounce them not guilty notwithstanding you do not revile vilifie and falsly accuse the Author thereof But on me you have let loose your fury and have fallen upon me so passionately who was once a Fellow Sufferer with you that it hath sadded the spirits grieved the hearts and given great offence unto all that are truly godly who walk in that old way and the known paths of holinesse which Gods word doth plainly direct and lead them into and contrarywise you have opened the mouthes of the wicked and given cause of rejoycing to such as are without by your bitter expressions and false accusations brought against me one of your Quondam Fellow Sufferers But Pag. 26. you please to say that I have much exaggerated vilifications upon the Independents And notorious is that I say in my Postscript Pag 68. as by experience I know not any Indepâ—â—dent in England two onely excepted that do not as maliciously and implacably hate the the Presbyterians as the mortallest enemies they have in the world c. To this Brother I answer I vilifie none I have spoken the truth but because I see you take such great exceptions at these words I shall prove the truth of them from your own Tenents or make it appear you are not the only Saints for I have said nothing there but what the professed judgment of those Independents I know I still keep within the bounds of my own knowledg and their practise inciteth me to beleeve And if there be any Independents that differ from their judgement and practice I know them not two only excepted as I said before But for those Independents who being in the company of such as are truly godly yet