commands in the 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 work 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 only bring confusion into the Church but to all those Countries where such usurpations are tolerated I cannot but speak 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 Keys 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 the re-establishing of it will be the confusion of that Man of Sin and of all the Antichristian-brood and be a means 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 governement 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 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 and 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 Jerusalem who did all businesse of publike concernment by common and joynt consent as is manifest in the first chapter of the Acts in chusing of an Apostle in Judas his place And in the sixt chapter in chusing of 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 perpetuateds 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 and it is their place onely 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 eminent then others and venerable to the people as may appear in many places as Acts 18. ver 8. It is said there That Chrispus the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved with all his houshould So that if there were a chief Ruler or Judge 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 as where there is a chief 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 arbitrement 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 the Rulers of the Synagogue whose name was
that is that the Apostles daily in the Temple and in every house ceased not to teach preach Jesus Christ. That is to say they preached both publickly and privately and the very places where they preached are set down as in the Temple and in every house So that of necessity there must be severall congregations and assemblies of Believers in Jerusalem according to that in the 2. of the Acts vers the 46. where it said That they continued dayly with one accord in the Temple and breaking of bread from house to house which by all Interpreters is understood the administration of the Lords Supper and that the severall assemblies and congregations were wont usually to meet in private houses is frequent mention in the holy Scriptures as in the 16. of the Romans verse the 5. and in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 16. vers 19. Col. 4.14 and Saint Paul in the 20. of the Acts vers 20. saith That he kept back nothing that was profitable unto them but taught them publikely and from house to house so that they had their Assemblies as well private as publicke even in the Church of Ephesus where they did partake in all acts of worship and in that Church also they had many Presbyters and yet were but one Church But now I will passe on to the sixth chapter where in the 1 2 3 and 7 verses it is said That in those dayes when the number of Disciples was multiplyed there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widdows were neglected in their dayly ministration Then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them and said It is not reason that they should leave the Word of God and serve tables Wherefore brethren look you out among you seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdome whom we may appoint over this businesse But we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministery of the Word vers 7. And the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient unto the faith In the which words we may take notice briefly of these observables The first of the cunning and policy of the Devill who when he cannot by all his wiles and stratagems assault the Church without then he labours to assaile it within as here with civill discords and differences among brethren and in other Churches in all ages even in and from the Apostles times by dissentions in opinions by Sects Schisms Factions and Heresies and by these his wiles and craft he first bringeth in difference in opinion and afterwards diversity of affection and that among brethren and all this he doth that in fine he may bring ruine upon them all And thus he began with the Church of Jerusalem raising a controversie between the Hebrews and the Greeks who complained That their widdows were neglected in the dayly ministration as either that they were not made Deaconesses as the widdows of the Hebrews were or that there was not an equall distribution of the Almes according to the intention of the Church who sold their possessions and goods to that end that they might be parted to all men as every one should have need Acts 2. vers 44 45. chap. 4. v. 35. And this their supposition was the cause of that controversie The second abservable is To whom the differing and dissenting parties did apply themselves and appeal and that was to the Presbytery or Colledge of Apostles not to any one of them particularly but to the twelve as in that difference at Antioch Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas and certain other of the Brethren in the Church of Antioch appealed to the Apostles and Presbyters and in both those differences all the Churches submitted themselves to the Apostles Order and that willingly and this example of the Apostles is the Rule for ordering of all controversies that all the reformed Churches set before them deciding all debates in Religion by the Word of God and according to the president they have laid down unto them by the Apostles and Presbyters in Jerusalem Here I say the whole Presbytery and Colledge of the Apostles determined the businesse neither do we reade that the Assemblies of the Hebrews and Greeks at Ierusalem or the Church of Antioch pretended their own Independent authority though severall Congregations or challenged a power within themselves of choosing their own Officers or determining of differences amongst themselves or pleaded that they had Authority within themselves to make their own Laws by which they would be ordered or that they challenged any such priviledges unto themselves but they all appealed unto the Presbytery at Ierusalem as the supreamest Ecclesiasticall Court and freely submitted themselves to their arbitrament and to the Order they set down as the story specifieth The third observable is the imployment in which the Apostles were all taken up and the effect of it and their imployment is said to be continuing in prayer and the Ministery and preaching of the Word and the effect of this their Ministery was That the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith By all which it is most apparent that such multitudes being dayly added to the Church and where there was such variety of teachers and so many Apostles and all of them taken up in preaching and where there was so many different Nations and such diversities of tongues and languages as was in the Church of Ierusalem they could not all meet together at any one time or in any one place to edification and that they might all communicate in all the Ordinances but of necessity they must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would avoyde confusion and all that I now speak is evident by the very light of Nature and all reason and therefore it followeth That there were many Assemblies and Congregations in Ierusalem and yet all made but one Church and that that Church was Presbyterianly governed But that I may make this truth more evidently yet appear I will first out of the former discourse frame severall Arguments and then go on to the ensuing history And out of all these six chapters I thus argue Where there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by virtue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church of Ierusalem and the society of beleevers besides those that were converted by Iohn the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministery before his sufferings and to the which also there were afterwards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of the Priests joyned in so much that they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struck a fear and terrour into them there they could not all meet together in any one
and mine in all our distresses many curtesies when we found little favour from our own brethren which their humanity I must never forget but with all due thankfulnesse for ever acknowledge I say if then this my opinion was thought Orthodox and worthy of their applause I see no good reason why a truth then should not be counted a truth now for the Word of God out of which I had it is the same and if it were good then it is good now for the change of mens minds cannot change the truth but it must be ever truth but this my opinion I learned out of Gods Word then which shall be for ever by his gracious assistance the warrant of my beliefe and practice This Word therefore I desire all my Christian Brethren in the deciding of this question now agitated amongst Gods people and his faithfull servants concerning Church-government to take into their hands and with those noble Bereans to sit down and examine whatsoever shall be said on either side according to the holy Scriptures and I intreat them also to lay aside all passion which Religion has no need of and all vain-glory and bitternesse which is a dishonour to our holy calling and in the spirit of meeknesse and with a Virgine judgement not ravisht with any previous or anticipated opinion to come and approach to the Altar of truth and so consider and examine which of those two opinions the Brethren on both sides now sacrifice themselves unto be the offering that will best endure the firy-tryall 1 Cor. 3.13 14 15. viz. Whether the Presbyterian government Dependent or a Presbyterian government Independent both now laid upon the Altar be the acceptablest service and best pleasing sacrifice This is granted on all sides and of necessity it must be yeilded unto that that Oblation is the best and most acceptable that is offered up by faith without which it is impossible to please God and that sacrifice only is offered up by faith which is according to his Word and has its warrant from his revealed will which is the rule both for worship and the government of his Church we are to be guided by The Brethren on both sides agree about the rule in deciding of this Controversie and make the written word the rule They agree also about the materials both acknowledgeing a Presbytery the difference between them is only about the mould and manner of the offering I will therefore state the questions between us and shew wherein we differ and then set down my own opinion with my reasons and after endeavour to be a Moderator for the determining of this unhappy difference which hath been an occasion of so much rejoycing to the common Enemy There is a twofold question between us they call the Presbyterians and our Brethren they tearme Independents The first is concerning the government of the Church viz. whether it be Presbyterian Dependent or Presbyterian Independent The second question is concerning the gathering of Churches but of that in its due place The first question is whether many Congregations or Christian Assemblies commonly called Churches in our dialect in the which there are all the acts of worship or all Ordinances as the pure preaching of the Gospell the due and right administration of the Sacraments the true invocation of God Discipline rightly executed and all other performances which make for the essence and form of a true Church and in the which assemblies likewise they have all such offices and helps of Government as in their severall places being rightly imployed may serve for the edification of the same and mutuall comfort and benefit of each other and the preservation of all as Presbytors Elders Deacons and all other Officers I say the question between us and the brethren is Whether all these severall Congregations and Assemblies may be accounted but one Church or make but one Church within their Precincts and be to be under the government and rule of one Presbytery or a Councell or Colledge of many Presbyters together upon which all the Congregations and severall Assemblies under it are to depend and to which in all weighty businesses they are to appeal for any injury or conceived wrong or scandall or for redresse of any abuses in Doctrine or manners and for the exercising of Church-Discipline upon incorrigable and scandalous offenders as admonition for giving offence suspension from the Ordinances till amendment and reformornation or if obstinate Excommunion Or whether every one of those particular Congregations or Assemblies be they never so small severally or considered a part and by themselves be Independent that is to say have full and plenary authority within themselves without reference to this or any other great Councell or Presbytery for transacting or determining all differences about faith or manners amongst themselves or for the redressing of any grievances or abuses or the exercising of the power of Discipline or jurisdiction and from the which there is no appeal for relief though the parties offended conceive they have never so much injury or wrong done them In a word whether two Presbyters with a slender Congregation have an absolute kinde of Spirituall Soveraignty among themselves in their own Congregation and as ample authority as was given to the whole Colledge of the Apostles Mat. 17. and to the whole Presbytery in the Church of Jerusalem And this is the first Question Which that it may the better be understood I will propound it in a simile and that in a matter well known unto all men The government of this famous City of London and of many other great Cities through the Kingdome are called Corporations that is to say majestracies and have in them a Secular or Civill Signory or Presbytry who are invested with Authority to exercise all acts of Government amongst themselves as if they were an absolute Principality and this Government by which all Citizens and inhabitants within their Precincts and liberties are to be ruled and ordered as occasion and necessity shall require is committed to the Lord Mayors Aldermen and Common-Councell who onely by such other Officers as they shall allegate are to manage and exercise this government so that all particular Citizens and all the Companies of severall Tradesmen are in their particular Wards Precincts and Fellowships by their constitutions and Charter to depend upon the determination of that Counsell and are to make their addresses unto them upon any urgent occasion or conceived wrong or when it concernes the common good and for the time to stand unto their arbitrement Now then the question between us and our Brethren is as if there should arise a controversie in these severall Corporations Whether the Companies in each City where they all have their severall Halls and their severall assemblies and meetings upon all occasions and have all their Officers and exercise also a power of ruling and jurisdiction among themselves be independent that is to say have plenary authority within themselves
without reference to the Lord Mayor or Aldermen or Common-counsell to determine of all things among their severall Companies and from the which there is no appeale for reliefe though one be never so much injured and damnified by any unjust act and whether these severall Companies and severall Assemblies be each of them a severall Corporation or Magistracy or all of them put together make but one Corporation under one civill Presbytery consisting of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-counsell This I thought fit to propound that every one may the better understand the question Now as this kingdome of England hath its severall Corporations through all Counties and the which Corporations although they have their severall Companies in them yet are all dependent upon a civill Presbytery and Common-counsell and every Company in them makes not a severall Corporation or Magistracy or a severall City but are all dependent upon the Common-counsell or Presbytery for the better ordering and governing of them in all their common affaires and for the redressing of abuses and taking away and removing of common grievances and have their severall appeals to the Common-counsell the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and if they finde no justice there nor satisfaction have their redresse and appeal to some generall Court or some supreame judicature as to the Parliament of the Kingdome who redresse and determine all things according to the lawes and constitutions of the whole Kingdome So in the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ which is his Church all these severall Churches which we reade of in the holy Scripture of the New Testament are so many severall Corporations and Associations all the severall congregations and affemblies as so many severall Companies in them depending upon a Presbyterie or Common-counsell and Colledge of Pastors and Rulers all making up but one Church in every one of their jurisdictions and severall Precincts though they be consistent of never so many severall Assemblies according to the greatnesse of the Cities or Townes wherein they are or according to the severall Hundreds or Divisions assigned to each Presbytery and all these and severall associations to be governed by their severall Presbyteries for the better ordering and preserving of the same to the which every particular man as well as any Assembly or Congregation may have their appeal for the redresse of any abuses or enormities and if they finde themselves wronged there then they have appeals to some other higher Presbytrie or Counsell of Divines for relief and justice and both they and all other of the severall Corporations to be governed and regulated by the lawes and statutes given by Christ himselfe the only Head and King of his Church according only to whose lawes they are to be governed and ruled for the common good and preservation of the whole Church divided into those severall Jurisdictions Corporations or Precincts in imitation as neer now as may be of the Churches of Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth and Galatia c. and whose lawes alone must be the rule for the ordering of all their governement doctrine and manners I have premised this I have now said that all men may the better understand the state of the question and controversie in hand Now then if it shall be made appeare out of the holy Scripture that all the severall Churches we have mention of in the New Testament were all particular corporations or associations and governed by a common-counsell of Presbyters or by a Presbyteriall government in each of them and that there were many assemblies and congregations in those severall Churches and all of them had their distinct Officers amongst themselves in the which likewise they had all the acts of worship amongst themselves and did partake in al ordinances of Church-fellowship especially in the preaching of the Word Prayer in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and yet made but one Church and were all governed by a common-counsell of Presbyters or by a common Presbyterie within their Precincts then it must of necessity follow that as the Mother-churches were first govern'd all the Daughter-churches to the end of the world must be so govern'd and according to that rule that is set down in the Word of God So then the question in hand between us and our Brethren is Whether there were many Congregations and Assemblies in any of those primitive Churches as in that of Ierusalem the Mother Church and many Elders or Presbyters in that Church and all other Officers and whether all those Congregations and Assemblies were one Church and those Presbyters and Officers all of them Elders and Officers of that one Church and whether all those Congregations and Assemblies were under one Presbytery This I say is the question between us and our Brethren Now then if it can be proved that there were more Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in one place or in one congregation for all acts of worship and if it can be evidently elucidated that there were severall assemblies and congregations in the Church of Jerusalem and yet so as they made but one church for government then our Brethren must of necessity acknowledge that the church of Jerusalem was govern'd by a common-councell of Presbyters or was presbyterially governed Neither did our Brethren ever yet undertake to prove that in case there were many Assemblies in Jerusalem they had severall and independent presbyteries neither if they should go about to prove could they do it And therefore we may conclude and that with very good reason and warrantable authority that as the mother-Mother-church the Church of Jerusalem in her greatest glory was govern'd so all other Churches must likewise be regulated to the end of the world For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isay 2. v. 3. We must have both our Law from thence and our paterne of government And our Brethren doe make the Church of Jerusalem the patern of their proceedings Now that all things may be handled in good order and in a methodicall way I will reduce the whole Disputation concerning the first Question into these four Propositions and prove them in order The first That there were many Congregations and severall Assemâ—â—â—â—â— of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem in the which they enjoyed all acts of worship and all the Ordinances amongst themselves and did partake of all acts of Church-followship especially of preaching and in the administration of the Satraments and Prayer and that before the Persecution we reade of Acts 8. v. â— The second That all these Congregations and severall Assemblies made but one Church The third That the Apostles and Elders governed ordered and ruled this Church joyntly and by a Common-counsell and Presbytery The fourth That this Church of Ierusalem and the government of the same is to be a pattern for all severall congregations and assemblies in any City or vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers
Officers and in appointing the times of meeting and the places where And within these limits as I conceive is all the power given to the Presbyters terminated and this they are by Gods ordinance joyntly and by the common-counsell of Presbyters to exercise and therefore the Presbyterian government was the order of ruling and governing all Churches that God himself established and is to be continued to the end of the world neither do I ever reade that the people or the congregations were joyned with them in their commission or had any power given them of ruling For Saint Paul professeth of himself in 1 Cor. 14.37 that whatsoever he writ in his Epistles were the commands of the Lord. And the same may be said of all the other Apostles Now Paul writ to Titus that the Churches in all Cities should be governed by a Presbytery And in his first Epistle to Timothy he commands Timothy againe and againe in chap. 5. vers 21. and in chap. 6. v. 12 13. I give thee charge in the sight of God c. That thou keep this command without spot unblameable till the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Here Timothy and all Ministers in him are to the end of the world bound to maintaine that government unblameable that was appointed by the Apostles and that was the Presbyterian government and the ruling of all Churches by joynt consent and a common-counsell or Colledge of Presbyters so that nothing ought to be done or transacted of publick concernment without their joynt and mutuall accord or agreement and common consent of the Presbytery And therfore when Diotrephes assumed unto himself and his particular congregation a power and authority to rule according to his will pleasure without the consent of the Presbytery opposed John the Presbyter he sharply reproves his proceedings signifies to the Church Epist 3. That when he came he would remember his words and teach him how to prate against the Presbytery with malicious words For he saith S. John contenteth not himself onely to prate maliciously against us but he will not receive the brethren nor suffer others but casteth them out of the Church which is an evill thing in him saith Saint John But for you saith he speaking to the Church follow not that which is evill but that which is good It was evill in him to assume unto himselfe alone and his particular Congregation that power that belonged unto the colledge or councell of Presbyters and was to be moderated and exercised onely by the conjoynt and common consent of the Presbytery For God had appointed that his Church should be governed by a Presbytery and Diotrephes would have his Congregation Independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it self Which saith Saint John is an evill thing So that I cannot but wonder that our brethren the Independents should call Diotrephes the Patriarch of the Presbyterians as one of them did to me not long since whereas if the place be duely weighed and considered it will appear that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian Government and for the which he was by Saint John sharply reproved and in him all that follow his steps and will not submit themselves to the Presbytry which is Gods Ordinance and that will not receive the brethren into the Churches but upon their own termes and conditions But of this businesse when I come to the second Question In the mean time it is by the Word of God sufficiently confirmed that all the Churches we read of in the New Testament were so many corporations in Christs Kingdome which were to be governed by a common councell of Presbyters And so for many years after the Apostles it was governed Communi consilio Presbytererum as our brethren the Independents do confesse and proove by antiquity and humane authority which weapon I do wonder they will contend with in deciding of Gods matters which are onely out of his holy Word to be proved which is to be the rule of our faith But it seems Saint Ambrose his Authority pleaseth them well though if we looke into it it makes much against them He lived as the Author that cites him saith within the fourth Centory his words are these upon the first of Timothy Synagoga postea Ecclesia seniores habuit quorum sine consilio nihil agebatur in Ecclesia Quod quâ negligentia obsoleverit nescio nisi doctorum desidia aut magis superbia dum soli volunt aliquid videri Take with it his own interpretation The Iewes Synagogue saith he and afterwards the Christian Church had Elders without whose counsell nothing was done in the Church which by what neglect it grew out of use I know not unlesse it were perhaps the sloath or rather pride of the Teachers whilest alone they would seem to be some body Here it is acknowledged by their own testimony that in the Apostles time and many years after the Apostles nothing was done in the Church without the counsell of the Presbyters so that it is evident the Primitive Churches were governed by the joynt and common councell of the Presbytery and the people had nothing to do with it We may adde here unto Saint Ambrose Saint Jeromes testimony who in his Commentaries upon the first chapter of the Epistle of Paul to Titus largely declaring himself as in many other places concerning the occasion of the change of that government established by the Apostles saith Idem est ergo Presbyter qui Episcopus antequà m diaboli instinctu studia in religione fierent diceretur in populis ego sum Pauli ego Apollo ego autem Cephae communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae gubernabantur c. In the which words he acknowledgeth by the first institution all Churches were governed by the common councell of the Presbyters and not by the advice of the people Yea the very Canons of the Pope in the first part and the 95. distinction giving the reason why the Presbyterian Government came to be changed and the Hierarchiall was put in the place affirmeth that it was through faction and for the avoyding of further Schismes and rents in the Church and cities the very words before coted out of Saint Jerome and confesse that before that time the Churches were governed Communi consilio Presbyterorum not by the people or any one Prelate but by the Presbytery and their councell And if humane authority were needfull in this businesse I might make a volume with their very expressions to prove the novelty of the Hirarchicall government and that of the peoples jurisdiction assuming the Authority of governing into their hands and the Antiquity of the Presbytery and that by the enemies own consession But I am resolved to cleave onely unto the Word and sound reason deduced from thence for the deciding of this controversie being sorry that there was so much as occasion of naming humane authority in a point of Divinity As for the Presbyterian government in
Jairus here was a speciall Ecce added to take notice that a great man and one in authority came unto Christ and that in a publick way and one of the Rulers of the Syn gogue So that we may observe the people in every Synagogue were governed and commanded by their Rulers and they were to yeeld obedience unto them and were not joyned with them in Commission but stood to their determination as all men use to do in Courts of Judicature that appeal unto them for justice And this custome and manner of government was transacted over to the Christian Churches and those that were called Rulers among them are among Christians sometimes called Presbyters sometimes Guides sometimes Rulers and by Christ himself and by his Apostles are appointed over all Christian Churches as so many corporations to which all the Assemblies and Congregations under them and committed to their charge are to yeeld obedience and submission in whatsoever they command in the Lord and according to his blessed Word for that must be the rule both of their commanding and of the peoples obeying And this Presbyterian government is that manner and way of ruling all Assemblies and particular Congregations under it that God hath appointed in his Church to be continued to the end of the world the which whosoever resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God And this shall suffice to have spoken in generall in way of proof That all Churches we have mention of under the New Testament were Aristocratically and Presbyterially governed that is were under the Government of a colledge or Assembly of Presbyters And now I come to prove in order the four Propositions or conclusions I undertook to make good The first was That there were many Congregations and severall Assemblies in the Church of Jerusalem in the which they had all acts of worship and did partake of all Ordinances and of Church-fellowship and that before the persecution we read of Acts 8. and under the persecution and after the persecution And for the proof of this Proposition and every branch of it I will first produce such places of Scripture as make for the manifestation of the truth and from thence frame and form my Arguments Mat. 3. ver 1 2 5 6. In those dayes came John the Baptist preaching in the wildernesse of Judaea and saying Repent ye for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judaea and all the Region round about Jordan and were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins The Baptisme of Iohn as all the learned know was the same with that of the Apostles for he preached the Baptisme of Repentance for the Remission of sins and Baptized all that came to him into Iesus Christ saying unto the People That they should beleeve on him which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus Act. 19. ver 4. He had his Commission also from God as well as the Apostles and Baptized Christ himself he preached also the Gospell and the Kingdome of the Messiah as well as the Apostles and had many honourable Testimonies from Christ himself as That he was the greatest Prophet that ever was born of woman and That he was a bright shining light and That he was his witnesse and many other Encomiums and praises did Christ give of him to ratifie his Authority and to shew that he was sent of God and that he was that Elias that was to come before the Messiah And all the people owned and took him for a man sent of God and Ierusalem went out to him and all the Region round about and were Baptized of him In these words we finde that the people of Ierusalem were all turned Christians and made members of the Christian Church and were beleevers For which way soever the word Ierusalem be taken it signifieth a numberlesse multitude of men or an innumerable company For if we consider Ierusalem at this time she was a most populous City the Historians that write of that age relate that she had sometimes in her no lesse then eleven or twelve hundred thousand but let it be taken that there were but six hundred thousand inhabitants it is a vast multitude and yet seldome was there lesse inhabitants in Jerusalem if any beliefe may be had to Historians for at that time it was one of the Metropolis Cities of the world and the glory of Nations and the joy of the whole Earth and besides there was then great expectation as we may reade Luke 19.11 That the Kingdome of God should immediately appear and all the Jewes out of all Nations where they were scattered now repaired to Jerusalem and returned into their own countrey expecting the Messiah So that at this time we cannot conceive but that there were infinites of people in Jerusalem and it is said That Jerusalem went out and was baptised by Iohn By Jerusalem here metonimycally the place is taken for the people Now when it is said that a City goeth out it is to be understood either of the whole people Man Woman and Childe old and young with all the inhabitants as many times it happens in great Earth quakes or some Pestilence or Inundation that all the Inhabitants are forced to leave a City and to seek some other habitation but we cannot conceive the going out of Jerusalem to Iohn Baptist in this large sense and expression so that in this place it must be taken Synecdochically and we are to understand a great part or a chief part for the whole as when a City is said to entertaine a King or to go out to meet a King here it is to be understood principally of the chief Officers as the Lord Mayor Aldermen and the Common-counsell and all their severall Companies and chiefe Captaines and Commanders with all their magnificence so that in this notion the common people and the ordinary Citizens are not thought on or at least are not numbred As when JESUS was born in Bethlehem and the Wise Men came to Jerusalem to enquire where they should finde him that was born King of the Jewes that they might worship him for they had seen his Star it is said That when Herod heard these things He and all Ierusalem was troubled with him Here by all Jerusalem is to be understood all the chief Officers and Courtiers for the common people were glad of it for that was the day they had long looked for and rejoyced at but Herod being an Usurper and a Tyrant and all his Nobles Peers and Great men being confederate with him and adjutors in his usurpation and tyranny and conceiving that Christ was an earthly Monarch and that after the manner of the Kings of the Earth he would not only pull down the Usurper but likewise call all them in question as guilty of High Treason and cut them off as complicers and abettors this made them tremble and fear and because it was the generall fear of all the great men in Ierusalem and
that time met together were capable of an Apostleship and such as were the most eminent of all Christs followers and such as were best instructed in Christian Religion as having been bred up in the doctrine of Saint Iohn the Baptist and under the Ministery of Christ himself the Prophet of his Church and therefore they were the Teachers of the Church and people who were their flock which they all fed in common And from thence it argueth that the multitude of Believers in Jerusalem was not only a distinct company from them but that it was exceedingly great and numerous that had so many Pastors and Teachers over them for if they had been but so small a company as is here mentioned and that the whole Church had consisted but of sixscore names then the Pastors exceed the number of the flock which is not only absurd to think but against the evident truth of the holy Scriptures which relate unto us multitudes upon multitudes that were daily converted by the ministery of Iohn the Baptist and of Christ and his Apostles and added unto the Church before this their meeting So that by this I have now said it is most clear and evident that all or most of these were the most eminent Ministers of the Gospell and the Presbytery of the Church But in this that our Brethren do acknowledge that this assembly here spake of were the Church it makes as much against them and greatly for us for it is manifest from the Text that they were the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel and in that they give them the name and title of the Church it followeth that the representative body and Presbytery is a Church and that to them only belongs the power and authority of the Keyes according to that of our Saviour in Matth. 18.17 18. Tell it unto the Church c. and whatsoever ye binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven By which words all authority is put into the true Ministers hands so that they only have the power and authority of ordaining Pastors and Presbyters among themselves as Paul sufficiently declares in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus and that they have not only the title of the Church but a Charter and Warrant also granted unto them of ruling and governing the Church and of ordaining Church-officers and that by joynt and common consent among themselves without the help and assistance of the people and congregations under them which by God were never joyned in commission with them And howsoever Paul in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 6. For the taking away the scandall in going to Law before unbeleevers gave them liberty to make choyce of some that were least esteemed in the Church for the deciding of their controversies yet that did not authorize them to make choyce of all other Church Officers for he limits them to go no farther then to the choyce of such as are of least esteem And howsoever likewise the Apostles in the 6. of the Acts to free themselves from all impediments that they might the better attend upon their Ministeries and that without interruption they might Preach the Gospell gave them liberty to chuse their Decons and Deconesses yet they prescribe the Rule by which they shall chuse them and keep the authority of ordaining them still in their own hands Look you out among you say they men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and wisedome whom we may appoint over this businesse and when they had chose such saith the Scripture They put them before the Apostles and when they had prayed they layd their hands on them So that howsoever they gave unto them a Liberty to chuse yet it was with limitation not an absolute liberty for if they had chose men that had not been of approved honesty well gifted and wise and qualified as they appointed it was arbitrary in the Apostles to reject their choise for they keep the power of Ordination still in their own hands and to them it did belong to ratifie their Election so that the people had not the power of Ordination then nor have not to this day no not of the meanest Deacon or Deaconesse that belongs onely unto the Presbytery much lesse have they power of ordaining Presbyters Indeed for the deciding of controversies and differences they have a liberty given them of making choise of some petty men amongst them and that they may do without the Presbytery but they have no power of Ordination Neither did I ever yet read in the Sacred Scriptures that the people or Congregation had any hand at all in choosing of Ministers and Presbyters neither were they fit for that imployment for it is one thing to judge of a mans externall carriage and manners and another thing of his sufficiency for his indowments and abilities of learning and that men of learning and knowledge onely can do and the Sons of the Prophets and it is in speciall given in charge to the Presbyters and Ministers as it is manifest in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus 1 Tim. 4.14 Tit. 1. And they onely know how rightly to examine them in the knowledge of the tongues and Sciences and such Arts as are requisite besides the knowledge of the holy Scriptures all which are little enough for the making of a Minister compleat and fit for that Sacred imployment And all the Primitive Churches in the Apostles times willingly submitted themselves to what the Presbytery then did and assented to their choyce as in the 14. of the Acts vers 23. it appeareth But I say in that our brethren do acknowledge this company this hundred and twenty names to be a Church and in that it is also sufficiently manifest that they are considered in a distinct notion from the people which also in the holy Scriptures when they are joyned with their Ministers are called a Church as is frequently to be seen through the acts of the Apostles and in that it doth abundantly appear by what hath formerly been spoken and will yet in the following discourse be farther elucidated that there were many congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that they were all governed by the joynt consent and Common Councell of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom the Apostles themselves were subject who were sent this way and that way by their direction and to whom they were to give an account of their Ministry as we see in divers places in the Acts and were ordered by them what they should do and also made their appeals unto the Apostles and Presbyters in any businesse of common concerement I say in all these respects it is evident that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many Congregations and Assemblies and was yet but one Church and that governed by a Presbyterian Government and by a Common Councell of Ministers to whose order all the severall Congregations
seeme to contend for the liberty of the people they plainely overthrow it for they grant that the Apostles left the Presbyters and people to the exercise of that right belonged unto them in all Churches the right therefore of the keyes of government and jurisdiction belongeth properly unto the Presbyters in every Church who are the Officers and Magistrates appointed by God himselfe for that purpose Act. 20. ver 28. and therefore when the Apostles writ to the Church of Corinth to excommunicate that incestuous person although his Epistle be directed to the whole Church yet the Presbyters in that Church onely executed that act of government which of right belonged unto them though the people also assented unto it even as we see dayly and experience teacheth us in all well ordered Corporations when the King or Counsell writes unto any City ot Corporation though their mandats be directed to the whole City or Corporation for the raising either of men or moneyes or about any other imployment of publike concernment the Majors Aldermen and Common-Councell and the Officers under them onely manage the businesse for that is their right and place and the people under them do yeeld obedience and submit themselves to what they order and command and intermeddle not in that imployment as knowing very well it is their right and place onely to obey And even so it was in the Church of Corinth the Presbyters onely exercised the government and ordered all according to the Apostles injunction and the people assented unto it and submitted themselves to the order and the mistaking of that place and many more hath been the cause of so much confusion in the Church at this time when not onely the men in every assembly but the very women in many of the new Congregations as Members challenge a power and right both in the electing of Church Officers and of admitting of Members and of casting out and excommunicating which before these our times was never heard of in the world when as the right of jurisdiction and of the keyes as I have often proved peculiarly belongeth unto the Presbyters and the people neither men nor women ought to intermeddle with it for if they should in short time it would overthrow all government in Church and State and bring confusion into the world But I conceive the cause of so grosse a mistake of that place concerning the excommunicating of the incestuous person arose from this that they looke upon the Church of Corinth and the other churches spoken of in the New Testament not as corporations as they were indeed but as on their now sucking independent new Congregations and Assemblies such as many of those be whereas those severall Churches are to be considered under another notion as consisting of many Congregations as that of the Church of Ierusalem united into one Church or body in the severall Corporations and each of them governed by a Common-councell of Presbyters and by the joint consent of three severall Presbyters all these severall congregations making but one Church though never so much daily increased and keeping still the name and denomination of such a Church either from the place city country or nation or severall language as the Church of the Iewes the Greeke Church the Latine church or from the Cities as the church of Ierusalem of Ephesus Rome c. though they consisted of never so many Congregations and Assemblies they ever kept the name of unity and were accounted but one Church in their severall places as at this day the Church of Geneva though it consist of many Congregations is counted but one Church as it is so that I say the conceiving of the Church of Corinth and those seven churches in Asia under the notion of one of their congregations caused through this mistake that great confusion that is now in the church and was the originall cause of the opinion of Indepency when notwithstanding it is manifest that those very churches were not Independent but made their appeale to the apostles and presbyters at Ierusalem upon all occasions as that of Antioch and it is said that the Apostles and presbyters came together to consider of that matter which meeting of the Apostles and presbyters for Synodicall acts of government is no weake proofe of meeting for presbyteriall acts of government unlesse men will suppose that they who were carefull to assist other churches did neglect their owne churches committed to their peculiar charge and take no course of governing them Yea Act 15.2 it doth most certainly prove a presbyteriall government in Ierusalem out of the which place I thus argue Where the Apostles and Presbyters did governe and many congregations were by them ordered and governed yet so that all these congregations were one church there was a presbyteriall government but in the church of Ierusalem the Apostles and Presbyters did governe and many congregations were by them governed yet so that all these congregations were one church ergo in the church of Jerusalem there was a Presbyterian government all which is sufficiently manifest out of the places above specified and from all the former discourse For in the 21. chapter it is asserted that there were many ten thousands of beleevers in Jerusalem which could not all be contayned in a few places but must of necetssity be distributed into many and severall congregations and assemblies all which notwithstanding make but one church as is evident Act. 8. ver 1. and many other places the which congregations could not be one politique ministeriall church except onely because they were united under one Presbyteriall government and therefore of necessity the Church of Jerusalem must be aristocrattically and presbyterially governed yea the very mentioning so often of the Presbyters meeting together proves that they met together about acts of government from which I thus argue That Scripture which proves a Presbytery in Jerusalem or an association of Presbyters in that church proves that the presbyters of the church of Ierusalem did meet together for acts of governement and did really governe that church But the places above coted prove a presbytry in Ierusalem or an association of presbyters in that church ergo they prove that they did meet together for acts of government and did really governe that church and that the church of Jerusalem consisting of many congregations was presbyterially governed For the major the Brethren cannot deny it for the very name of presbytery signifieth a company or common-councell of rulers governours and magistrates now all men know that governouts in common cannot do their duty but must of necessity neglect the worke committed to them if they do not meet together for acts of government Neither can they deny the minor unlesse they will deny the Scripture for that expresly declareth that James and the Presbyters met together and our Brethren take their warrant from that place for the Presbyters meeting apart from the multitude to consult and to prepare matters Yea
Brethren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost c. Act. 2.37 38. then they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day were added unto them about three thousand soules Here we may observe these two things The first that the Apostles by themselvs alone without the multitude or Church admitted the people into the society company of beleevers Secondly that in the execution of their commission they did nothing but according to their warrant and according to their injunction that was given unto them by Christ they propounded no other condition or termes for their making all and every one of them members of the Church but baptisme and repentance the which when the people had accepted of they were forthwith admitted and that upon their owne word and testimony without any more adoe or further inquiry Concerning the soundnesse of their repentance without any witnesse from others of their conversation and without the voyce allowance or approbation of the people or the multitude of beleevers in Jerusalem much lesse of the whole Church who were never joyned with the Apostles in their comission or consulted with by them whether they should be admitted or no into the fellowship of the faithfull or demanded or asked by the people whether it were not fit that they should take some time of further consideration that they might walke with them to the end that they might behold their conversation and by their owne experience might further be confirmed that their conversion was sound and well Neither did any call for at their hands that they should make a publike confession of their faith to the Church and give in evidences to the Congregation that they were converted really or that they should take a private covenant or enter into the church by way of a peculiar covenant nothing of all this is specified But it is onely related that the people upon their being pricked in their hearts applied themselves unto the Apostles and that the Apostles by their owne authority and that power that was delegated unto them without reference to the church or people admitted them into the number of beleevers We further may take notice that when the Angell appeared unto Cornelius in the tenth of the Acts he sent him unto Joppa to call for one Simon whose surname was Peter he did not send him unto the Church in Joppa And it is related that when Peter came to Cornelius and that he had recited unto him the manner of the vision and that he was commanded by the Angell to send for him it is further also declared what Peter there did and that he said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him And after a Sermon made unto Cornelius and all that were assembly there with him It is said that the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word and that all the beleevers that came with Peter were astonished at it for they heard them speake with divers tongues and magnified God Then answered Peter can any man forbid water that these men should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Here we see first that Peter was sent unto and not the Church Secondly that he admitted Cornelius and those that were with him into the number of beleevers and into the fellowship of the Church by his owne authority and never consulted with the Church to aske their leave or voyce but concludes the businesse with an interrogation which hath a greater force of binding that no man ought to hinder any beleever from comming into the society of the Church and communion of Saints in whom the graces of God spirit evidently appeare as in these so that if either the Ministers come into their houses or they goe into the Ministers and make sufficient testimony by themselves of their faith and that they feare God of what nation soever they be they are by the Ministers to be admitted the congregation hath nothing to doe to hinder any such nay they may not it is more than belongs unto them neither did those that came with Peter intermeddle in that businesse or require a covenant at their hand or a publike confession of faith Againe when the Lord of his infinite mercy was purposed to reveale himself unto the Eunuch in the 8 of the Acts he sendeth Phillip the Evangelist unto him whom he found reading in his Chariot the prophesie of Isaiah and after that he had interpreted unto him that prophesie and preached unto him Jesus and Baptisme in his name it is related that when they came unto acertaine water the Eunuch said unto him what doth hinder me to be baptized and Philip said if thou beleevest with all thine heart thou mayest And he answered and said I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God and he commanded the Chariot to stand still and they went downe both into the water both Philip and the Eunuch and he baptized him Here we see that Philip and not the Church was sent unto the Eunuch and that Philip by his owne authority and upon the Eunuch his owne testimony without any reference unto the Church or without consulting with the Congregation admits him into the number of beleevers and makes him a member of the Church and here was neither a publik confession required of him by any of the Church or any covenant exacted by the people and so when Saul in the 9. of the Acts was fallen downe out of astonishment and afterwards was converted as the story there fully declareth the whole manner of it the Lord sent one Ananias a Disciple and Minister unto him he did not send the Church unto him neither did Ananias when he came to Saul say unto him I will consult with the Church to see whether they will admit thee to be a member for thou hast greatly wasted the Church and made havock of the Saints and therefore I will have their approbation and consent and I will have thee first walk with the Church some time that they may behold thy conversation and then thou shalt make a confession of thy faith publikely before the Congregation and give in thy evidences of the truth of thy conversion and enter in a private and solemne covenant and so be received and admitted But without all this adoe he baptizes Paul and admitteth him into the number of beleevers and makes him a member of the Church and that by his sole authority and he was received immediately among the Disciples at Damascus without any reluctation or so much as any scruple and strait-way he preached Christ in the Sinagogue that he was the Son
Church and the Saviour of all those that truly beleeve in him and this is to set up Christ upon his Throne and the brethren themselves accord unto this Now when the Ministers of England teach this doctrine in their preachings and writings how can they be truly said to deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and Churches and how can that people be said truly to deny Christs Kingly government who doe both beleeve and to the uttermost of their power practice this doctrine and follow onely the guidance of his holy Spirit and Word both for doctrine and government who is King of the Church whether therefore this be not an unjust and unchristian calumny laid both upon the Ministers and people of the church of England I leave it to the consideration of any moderate minded christian doubtles all charitable minded christians if they consider althings aright will not think so dishonourably neither of the Ministers of England nor of the people under their ministry for they deserve not to be accounted the profest enemies of Christ who are freed from that heavy accusation by Christs owne testimony who when it was related unto him by Saint John Mark 9. ver 38. That they had seen one casting out devils in his name which followed them not and that the Disciples had forbad him because hee did not follow them Our Saviour Christ replying forbid him not saith he for whosoever is not against us is on our part Now these Ministers that open the eyes of the blind and turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God they cannot be eâ—â—â—emed enemies of Christ and to be against Christ but for him and ought highly to be honoured for their works sake 1 Thes chap. 5. ver 13. and singularly to be beloved and deserve not to be maligned and reproached especially by brethren who owe all their conversions next unto God to their ministry yea both the Pastors and people of all the new congregated Churches are beholding unto them for their conversion for they admit none into their Assemblies but beleevers and they were made beleevers and converted by their ministry and therefore they are friends of Christ and not his enemies and they ought all of them to look upon them as their Fathers and on the Church of England as their Mother and on the beleevers of England as their brethren and ought not thus unchristianly and ungratefully to cast durt in all their faces Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Phillippians chap. 1. has these words Some saith he preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of good will the one preach Christ of contention and not sincerely thinking to adde affliction to my bonds but the other of love What then notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ be preached I therein doe rejoyce yea and I will rejoyce S. Paul speakes here of such as preach pure doctrine though not with a pure mind and was glad that Christ was preached and counts them not the enemies of Christ as he did the false teachers among the Galatians who joyned the ceremoniall law and their owne inventions with the Gospell and therefore he wisht that they were cut off but in this place he rejoyces that Christ and the Gospell were purely preached though it were of envy Now when the Ministers of the Church of England doe not onely preach the Gospell purely but of sincerity and of love and mingle not their owne traditions and inventions with the Gospell but follow their commission how can any men without intolerable injustice proclaime them the enemies of Jesus Christ and make them odious to the people under the name of Presbiterians whom they perswade all men that they will prove more cruell Taskmasters than the Prelates yea and they have generally possest the people with so prejudicate an opinion of them all as if they would more lord it over them than ever the Bishops did and causelesly have moved the people to hate the name of presbitry And notwithstanding they themselves pretend they contend for the ancient presbitry and by this make themselves Presbiterians as well as the other What justice or equity then is there in their dealing to make their brethren odious to the world for endeavouring to set up a Presbitry after Gods Word when they themselves are Presbiterians and labour to set up a Presbitry of their owne and therefore if the name of Presbiters 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 Presbiterians 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 amisse 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 eudeavours 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 discerne whether those that advance Christs their Kings Word and lawes onely and follow his commission and the example of the holy Apostles in their ministries and that of John Baptist and the primitive Preachers or those that set up their owne inventions and preferre them before the lawes 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 lawes or those that observe their owne 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 doe to be saved and in their so doing they have both precept and presidents For Christ in his commission unto them has given them auhority so to doe 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 yeeres 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
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 onely 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 denied 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 Kingdome 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 Majesty 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 Apologie 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 purturbation of Spirit and Dedicated this my Book to the Lords of his Majesties Privie Councell expecting aide 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 self 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 Angels 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 belief to relate and I am most consident 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 capacity 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 self 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 concernments 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 roialty in all this dispute between me and Mr. Walter Montague I have to the uttermost of my power maintained under the shadow of whose wings I have ever found there is only safety whose blessed assistance in all calamities they that trust in him may be most assured of His patronage now and his defence is my shield whose cause and the honour of whose kingdome at this time I contend for And howsoever in all my life in all humane learning I was never so wedded to my own resolves but upon better reason I could easily be divorced from them yet in Gods matters if an Angell should come from Heaven and teach me that that there were another way to happinesse then by that new and living way the blood of Jesus Christ who was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world I would count him Anathema Or if an Angel should tell me there were a new way of worshipping God and serving him then that which God himself hath set down in his holy Word I would account him accursed for I have learned to believe God and Faith upon their word and bond without any either Angelicall or Humane reason or the authority of Councels and Fathers and whatsoever I finde a warrant in Gods Word for I have learned to cleave close to it against all humane reason supposing such men none of Gods nor Faiths truest friends that will not believe them upon their own word and bond except they have reason humane authority Councels and Fathers and vaine traditions joyned with them for sureties Again if any man should go about to perswade me that there were any other government established in the Church of God then an Aristocraticall and a Presbyterian one I should notwithstanding all humane reason to the contrary submit my self to that kind of government as being most confidently assured that it is warranted in Gods Word which all Christians are bound for ever to make the Rule and Square both of our faith manners and government And here I must minde all those that shall read this Book that this is no new opinion of mine but that which I have once and again suffered for and if ever they have read my Elenchus religionis papisticis or my Flagellum pontificis or my Apologie or any of my Latine Books in all those they will finde that the cause of all my sufferings was this and this only That I maintained that all Churches were to be governed by an Aristocraticall and Presbyterian government which in those Books I have clearly and fully through Gods assistance made good Yea in my answer to the Bill of Information put up against me in the Star-chamber they shall have some reasons I gave there of this my tenent to the Lords of his Majesties Privie Councell and Judges in the Star-chamber so that I stand to my principles and am no starter And if then amongst Gods people it was thought an opinion worthy the suffering for and my Christian brethren deemed me worthy of honour for it and afforded me their prayers and shewed me
of those congregations to governe that Church joyntly in a Colledge or Presbyterie But before I come to the proof of these particulars it will not be amisse in generall to take notice that all the Churches we read of in the New Testament were Aristocratically and Presbyterially governed and were all dependent upon their severall Presbyteries and that the ordering and managing of that government lay only upon the Presbyterie and was their peculiar who had the power of the Keyes Now Christ gave the Keyes to the Apostles and Presbyters only and whatsoever the Apostles did in ordering and setling the government of the Church they did by Christs command and that order and constitution they set down in the Church was to be perpetuated and continued to the end of the world And the violating of this order and divine constitution was the occasion of the rise and growth of Antichrist and the very cause of all those confusions that the Christian world hath for these many generations been wearied and annoyed with and the occasion of all those Schismes Sects and Heresies the world hath ever swarmed with and the re-establishing and reducing of it to its pristine constitution will be a means not only of removing all scandall and taking away of all division amongst Brethren and be a singular means also of establishing a flourishing governments in Church and State and for the procuring of the blessings of God upon the three Kingdomes but a way also of ruining that Man of Sinne and of making an absolute Reformation through the whole world Let us therefore first take notice what government was established by God in all the Primitive Churches Acts 1 â—â— And when they had ordained them Presbyters for so it is i◠〈◊〉 originall in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they beleeved Here are two things observable The first that the government of the Church was committed to the Presbyters The second that the Presbyteriall government was that government that was established in every Church for so saith the Holy Ghost when they had ordained them Presbyters in every Church This was Gods ordinance Acts 20.17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the Presbyters of the Church Here we see there were many Presbyters in one Church And Vers 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves saith the Apostle and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Here as we may observe that in Gods Dialect Presbyters and Bishops were all one so likewise is evident that the Church was committed to their government this Church therefore of Ephesus was under a Presbytery and was to be regulated joyntly by them by a common-counsell of Presbyters And Paul to Titus chap. 1. vers 5. For this cause saith he left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest put in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Presbyters in every City as I appointed thee If any man be blamelesse c. for a Bishop must be blamelesse as the Steward of God c. From this place likewise we may take notice of the parity between Presbyter and Bishop and that the Presbyterian government was that way of ruling that God appointed not in one City only but in every City and that these Presbyters were the Stewards in Gods house which is his Church 1 Tim. 3. and had the government of those Churches in every City laid upon them which they were joyntly to governe and order by the common-counsell of Presbyters And Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy ch 5. v. 17. Let the Presbyters saith he that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in word and doctrine Still we ever observe that the rule and government of the Church was in the Presbyters hands And the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews ch 13.7 Remember saith he them that have the rule over you who have spake unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation And vers 17. Obey saith he them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give an account c. And in vers 24. Salute all them saith he that have the rule over you and all the Saints Here againe he injoynes all the Churches to yeild obedience and to submit themselves unto the government of the Presbyterie shewing them that it is their place to obey and for their Ministers to rule and that so long as they command in the Lord they out of conscience ought to obey them and that for a double reason For they watch saith he for your souls and they must also give an account of their stewardship And in 1 Peter 5 1 2 3. The Presbyters that are among you saith Saint Peter I exhort who am also a Presbyter and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly c. neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the flock And Saint James chap. 5. ver 14. Is any among you sick saith he let him call for the Presbyters of the Church He doth not say of the Churches but of the Church So that the Presbyterian government was in every Church and every Church was to submit it self unto the Presbytery And in Acts 15. it is said that Paul and Barnabas went up to the Apostles and Presbyters c. And when they came to Jerusalem they were received of the Church it is not said of the Churches but of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters c. and Vers 6. And the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of the matter c. and Vers 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and wrote Letters by them after this manner The Apostles and Presbyters and Brethren And Acts 21.17 And when we were come to Jerusalem saith Saint Luke the Brethren received us gladly And the day following Paul went in with us in to James and all the Presbyters were present From all which places and many more which might be produced it is most clear and evident that in all Cities there was a Presbytery and that the Presbyters had the power of order namely of preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which was ever to be exercised with others and not alone and that consisted in admitting of members and in conventing men before them upon occasion in admonishing if any offended in suspending from the holy Communion till reformation or amendment and if they continued obstinate and incorrigible in excommunicating and casting of them out of the Church and upon repentance in receiving of them in againe and in ordaining of
the sense that I understand it there is nothing more cleer to me in all the holy Scripture Yea the very word and name of Presbytery signifieth a magistracy or Aristocracy or Signory or Court that is a Company or Senate or Councell of grave wise and understanding men invested with authority and power of ruling ordering and commanding and in whose hands the government is put And as the word is taken in the civill polity and Government so in the Ecclesiasticall by a Presbytery we understand a Religious Grave Solid Learned and wise councell of Divines and Ministers or men of inveterate experience and such as know how to Rule and Govern those that are under their command with wisedome and moderation and according to the Word of God and the which men likewise are invested with Authority and Power for to exercise a jurisdiction over others and are hereunto called by such as are able to judge and discern of the sufficiency of their gifts and abilities for this work which the ordinary and common people cannot do And as in the civill State the Presbyters and Elders of the people were those that had the rule over them for the common good of them all and for their bodily preservation So the Presbyters and Elders of the Church are those that have the rule and government over the Churches for the spirituall good of their souls And as Kings and Rulers are by a Metaphoricall and borrowed speech called Pastors and Sheepheards of the people and are said to feed the flocks committed to their charge by which word is understood the exercise of all lawfull and moderate authority agreeable to the Law of God over them so the Presbyters and Ministers are called the Pastors and Sheepheards yea and Stewards over the flocks committed to their charges and they are commanded to feed them by which metaphor they are invested with the authority and power both of preaching and ruling and have the Government over those flocks put into their hands which they must alwayes exercise according to Gods Word they must feed them and rule them in the Lord and not after their own wills and pleasures they may not have dominion over our faith as Paul saith in the 2. of the Corinthians chap. 1. vers 24. But that they should be helpers of our joy that is they may not usurpe an absolute Soveraignty or power over the consciences of the people as if the spirituall state and welfare of their flocks depended on them which is onely grounded upon their faith in Jesus Christ but as they are the Stewards of God and Ministers and servants of the Church so they should comfort them and rejoyce their hearts in the Lord and establish them in the faith and use all the care and diligence that is possible like good Sheepheards to preserve the flocks committed to their charge that they straggle and stray not from Christs fould and run not into the by-wayes and thickets of sin and errour and be corrupted with noysome food and false Doctrine and if they have any among them that are unruly that they bring and reduce them into order or if they have any sick feeble poor or weak that they cure releeve comfort and restore such and if they have any that are infected or scabby that they remove such from the sound till they be recovered or if they have any broken or wounded that they heal and recover them with all lenity and humanity and that they should by common councell govern and order their flocks and take speciall care that the particular Pastors and Ministers of the severall Congregations and Assemblies under their Presbytery and charge assume not any sole and soveraign Authority to themselves over the flock to do any thing of publike concernment without the joynt consent of that Presbytery or spirituall corporation under whose commands they are And it stands with all reason that a Common Councell of godly grave learned and experienced ministers should ever be more able to manage and order a government then two or three unexperienced men or two or three hundred young people of which most Congregations consist in whom the sap of youth is not yet dryed up or if many of them should be of riper years yet they know little what belongs to government and therefore they can never be so well able to govern as men both of known learning ancient experience and honesty and approved judgement and integrity as a whole Colledge or an Assembly of learned Presbyters commonly are who by God himself have the dispensation of the Word and the ordering and ruling of the Church committed unto them and who in the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments and in all ordinary acts of worship and in governing and ruling the flocks committed to their severall charges are the successors of the holy Apostles But by the way an objection is here to be answered unto made by some of the Independents after this manner The Elders and Presbyters of the Apostles times say they by the imposition of their hands gave the gifts of tongues and prophesie Acts 19.1 2 3 4 5. and the 8.18 and 1 Tim. 4.14 and healed the sick Iames 5.14 15. according to our Saviours promise Mark 16.18 Let say they the Presbyters of our time let them impose their hands upon the sick and heale them let them by imposing hands upon their disciples inable them on a sudden to speake with strange tongues and foretell things to come and then we will acknowledge them for a true Presbytery then will they be a right assembly of Elders and the Apostles successors but if they cannot give to others nor yet have for themselves in store any of the true Apostles any of the right Presbyters gifts and characters we may not we dare not acknowledge them as such These are their formall words in print Before I come to my answer I desire there may be speciall notice taken of this Objection and such like for for ought that I know if any man will argue after this manner all Christian religion may be called in question and no man will have any Creed or Belief except he may make his own Articles as Thomas did who said Vnlesse I put my hands into his side and my fingers into the print of the nailes I will not believe And as the Jewes said unto our blessed Saviour Thou that savest others now save thy selfe come down from the Crosse and then we will believe in thee do this miracle and then thou wilt perswade us Here we see they would make their own Articles or else they would have no Creed The Jewes had learned this method of disputing from the Devill who at his meeting of our Saviour Christ and at his first assault thus disputed If thou be the Sonne of God saith he and wouldest have the world so believe and me too on thee then command these stones to be made bread do this miracle first but thou
Presbytery in that sense I take it I am so well assured that it is Gods Ordinance as I am of any point of Religion But as I said before if men may argue afthis way The Presbyters in the Apostles times did miracles and spake with strange tongues and their Scholers and Disciples did the same do you likewise and then we will acknowledge you to be true Presbytters otherwise we will not Thus the Jewes might have argued against all their Prophets as against Isaiah Ieremy Ezekiel c. Moses and Elias fasted forty dayes and forty nights and did many miracles do you so and then we will believe you are true Prophets and sent to us of God otherwise we will not believe you to be true Prophets Yea all the wicked and ungodly men of these times may argue thus also God gave unto his Church Apostles Evangelists Prophets c. and they spake all strange tongues and divers languages and did many miracles but you and your Congregations have neither Apostles Prophets nor Evangelists nor ye have not the gifts of Tongues nor ye can do no Miracle Ergò you are not the true Church The Primitive Christians and the servants of God in those times had the gifts of Tongues and Prophesie and the Holy Ghost came down upon them and they spake by direction from God his infallible truth and Gospell whose speeches were not tied to time and to one speaker but many spake one after another by interpreters as it is at large set down in the 1. of the Corinthians chap. 14. vers 27 28 29 30. c. So that they spake infallible truth by direction from God but you have none in your congregations so miraculously inspired with sundry languages and divers tongues nor ye do not speak infallible truths by direction from God nor you cannot cure diseases nor do miracles Ergò your religion is not the same Religion nor your congregations the true Church shew us these miracles and then we will beleeve you to be the true Church otherwise we may not we dare not acknowledge you to be the true Church Again they may argue thus The Apostles and Primitive Pastors and Teachers preached freely and laboured with their own hands and were helpfull to the necessities of others and were not burthensome and exacting from others and spake ex tempore by direction from God but your Ministers in your Congregations do not preach freely nor labour not with their own hands nor are not helpfull to others necessities but are rather burdensome and exacting from others nor they do no miracles nor speak not immediately by inspiration and ex tempore but by Study and out of their Books and are confined to time and speak not in strange tongues and languages one after another by Interpreters Ergò your ministers are not Gods Ministers nor your Congregations the true Church nor your people true Christians for you want all those things that the Primitive Christians and the Primitive Churches had There is a Pamphlet lately come out and highly esteemed and prised amongst many full of such consequences as these which if they hold good against the Presbyters they may also for ought I know be of equall validity to overthrow not onely all Christian Congregations but indeed all Christian Religion But briefly to answer We look upon the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters as men miraculously and extraordinarily gifted and as wonder-working men for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospell to all succeeding ages and we consider in them and in the Christians of those times something extraordinary and temporary as their working of miracles and speaking of strange tongues and gifts of healing c. And those we conceive were to continue no longer in the Church then for the confirmation of the truth of the Gospel Christ himself proclaiming those blessed that believe without seeing of miracles speaking unto Thomas Iohn 20.29 Because thou hast seen me saith he thou believest blessed are they that have not seen and have believed So that miracles now are not ordinary and we are tied to the written Word But we consider likewise in the Apostles and Primitive Presbyters that that was permanent and to continue in all Ministers and Presbyters in all succeeding ages to the end of the world and that was the power of order and preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which is not denied by the most learned of the Independents themselves and this I have proved by the Word of God to be transacted over to all Christian Churches whose Presbyters have that power given unto them neither will the Learned Brethren deny it what so ever the ignorant may do Yea the very name of a Presbytery as I said before if we look through the whole Scripture signifieth a Magistracy or Signiory or Corporation invested with authority of governing and ruling and such a counsell and company of men as upon whom the government under Christ is laid and to be extended so far as their jurisdiction extendeth and as far as by common consent it may make for the good and edification of the Church and for the safety of the same And such was the government of all those Churches of the New Testament which were as so many Committees their limits and bounds prefixed them as at this day all Committees through the Kingdome have in their severall Hundreds Wapentakes and Cities to whom the ordering and government of those places that are under them are committed so that all that is done or transacted must be done by the joynt consent and counsell of the whole Committee not any particular man or any two of them severally considered by themselvs can make an order but that order only is binding which is made by the joynt consent and common agreement of them all or the greatest part of them assembled together Even so all those particular Congregations that are within the compasse and jurisdiction of the severall Presbyteries are to be ordered and governed by the common and joynt counsell of the severall Presbyters or the greater part of them For this was the order the Apostles established appointing in every City a Presbyterie and when they had so ordered the Churches they set them all to their severall imployments the Presbyters to command and all the people and particular assemblies and congregations under them to obey neither is it ever found in the holy Scriptures that the people were joyned with the Presbyters in their commission So that they that oppose this government resist Gods Ordinance And if we looke into all the Epistles writ by the Apostles to the severall Churches we shall finde in them that they enjoyne all the severall congregations to yeild obedience to their Pastors and Rulers over them and signifie unto them that they owe unto them double honour especially such as labour in Word and Doctrine that is they must yeild unto them not only due reverence and subjection and obedience to their counsell and just
But before I come to the proof of the particulars I must answer to some Objections made by our Brethren the Independents the first of the which is out of the first Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles from which they endeavour to prove that the number and multitude of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem was not so great but that they might all meet in one room or place and in one congregation to partake in all acts of worship the words on which they ground their Argument are these And in those dayes Peter stood up in the middest of the Disciples and said the number of the names together were about an hundred and twenty Men and Brethren c. From whence they conclude that the whole Church in Jerusalem that is to say all the Believers did meet in one place for in this number of names they would have all the whole Church in Jerusalem included or confined which to me is a wonder that such Learned Men as many of them are should so argue for this must be the scope of the Argument if they intend to prove That the whole Church in Jerusalem and all the Believers there were not so numerous but that they might all meet in one place and partake in all acts of worship and that these in Peters company were all that Church and all the Believers that were in Jerusalem this I say must of necessity be their meaning or else their Argument concludes nothing to the purpose The invalidity of the which I am most confident will by and by evidently appear though all the former Arguments to the contrary should not so much as be thought of and withall it will also be obvious to any judicious man that in all respects their Argument makes much against themselves For if I should grant unto them that at this instant of time that that place speaks of the whole Church in Jerusalem or the number then of Believers were no more but that one place might have contain'd them all for the enjoying of all Ordinances which I cannot do for innumerable reasons and some of them above specified yet it doth not follow nor evince that after there were daily such additions of Believers and such multitudes of new Converts added unto the Church that then also one place or room could containe them all and that they might still meet in one congregation and all together partake in all acts of worship For there is a vast difference between one hundred and twenty names for there was no more in this assembly and in many ten thousands which all the World knows could not be contained in any one place of Jerusalem to communicate in all the Ordinances though that place had equallized the most magnificent Structure that ever the World yet saw especially they could not have all met there to edification for they could not have all heard and understood and we know that in the Church all must be done to edification and this would rather have hindred the mutuall edification of the assembly and have brought a confusion rather then any profit or benefit unto them But the truth is the number of names here spoken of if we will go to the genuine interpretation of the place not to speak of the universall consent of all the learned Interpreters who gather that in this assembly the seventy Disciples the Lord Jesus sent out to preach through all Judea and all those other Ministers of the Gospell that had been Christs and Saint John the Baptists Disciples every one of the which was thought fit for learning and divine knowledge to succeed Judas in his Apostleship and to be a Disciple all these or most of them or such like were those that are included in this number of names I say to omit this interpretation of all the most orthodox Divines and their universall agreement and harmony in their learned Commentaries about this portion of Scripture the very words themselves following shew they were select and eminent men and men of note and Disciples of longest standing and all of them or the most of them Ministers Preachers themselvs and were indeed the Presbyters of the Church to whom with the Apostles the power of ruling was committed and who within themselves and without the consent of the common multitude of Believers had power to ordaine their own Officers and that by their own authority as we may see Vers 21.22 Wherefore saith S. Peter of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us beginning from the baptisme of John unto that same day he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of the resurrection And they appointed two c. and they prayed c. and they gave forth the Lots c. all businesses here were managed and carried in an Aristocraticall and Presbyterian way and all was done by a joynt consent and the common counsell of them all Here we finde none of the multitude of the people though Believers here were no Women that gave forth their lots Neither doth the Apostle Peter say Men Mothers and Brethren or Men Women and Brethren or Men Brethren and Sisters but Men and Brethren For howsoever in the foregoing Verses it is said that these meaning the Apostles and Elders all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his Brethren by which they fitted themselves for the Ministery after they should receive the Holy Ghost though I say they joyned with them in those duties of humiliation and prayer which any women may do in the society and company of godly Ministers yet when they went about other acts of Church government as choosing of an Apostle then the Apostles and Elders only by themseves to whom the power of the Keyes was given ordered that businesse and left the Women to their private devotions and their severall imployments for in this action of giving forth their lots there is no mention of the Women And it is manifest from the Text it self that this choosing of Matthias was at another time and without all doubt upon a set day for this purpose for it is said Vers 15. And in those daies Peter stood up in the middest of the Disciples and said Men and Brethren Here was only Disciples Men and Brethren and no Sisters Till Pope Joans time and our dayes Peters Keyes never hung at any Womans Girdle and we heare not in Scripture that they had any voyce in choosing of Church-officers and admitting of Members into the Church or casting out of any till these unhappy times an usurpation not beseeming that Sex as afterwards in its due place I hope to make appear But this by the way Now to the matter in hand I say it is apparent to any that will not shut their eyes that all those or most of them that were in Peters company and at
were to submit themselves And therefore this their Argument maketh much against them and greatly for us And this shall suffice to have answered to this their first Objection which to speak the truth is that that carrieth the most appearance of any Argument they produce to prove their Assertion and tenent for all their other Objections raised from the severall meetings of the Apostles and people and from the multitude comming to them about the ordaining of Deacons by which they would perswade the world that the company of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem was not so numerous at any time but that they might all meet in one congregation or in one place to partake of in acts of worship they consist most of them in Homonymies and meer Paralogismes which indeed beseem not the gravity of reverend men and in the weighty matters of Divinity would be undecent in a sucking Sophister and therefore are much more blameworthy in them who by such fallacies labour to amuse the people to the disturbance of the whole Church and Kingdome and alienating the affections of Brethren one from another I shall briefly run over them Acts 2.46 where it is related that the Believers and new Converts continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house From these words the Brethren conclude that the multitude of Believers was not so great but that they might all meet in one congregation and in one place to partake in all acts of worship for here in expresse words the place where they met is specified and it is said to be the Temple I appeale to the wisdome of any learned man or but of a rationall Christian whether this be a candid or ingenuous way of arguing That because three thousand Christians might meet together in the Temple of Jerusalem Ergò all that believed in Jerusalem that were converted by Iohn the Baptist and all that believed by Christs ministery and miracles and all that were converted by the Apostles and the seventy Disciples before Christs sufferings and all that were after his Resurrection converted for twenty years together by the Ministry of all the Apostles and all the other Ministers of the Gospell they might yet all meet in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and to edification I refer this I say to the consideration of any Learned man or any intelligible Christian whether this be an ingenuous way of arguing I believe if one should argue against them after the same manner they would laugh at him If one should thus dispute within these seven years all the Independents continued daily with one accord in such a place and they all met together in one congregation Ergò there is but one congregation and but one Church still of Independents in London and they all meet together in one congregation Would not the Brethren make themselves as merry with such a way of disputing as they have made others sad with their way of arguing yes doubtlesse The truth is their way of arguing is not to their own honour to speak but favourably of it as will appear For should I grant unto them that at that time this place of Scripture speaks of there had been no more Believers in Jerusalem but those hundred and twenty names specified in the first Chapter of the Acts and these three thousand new Coaverts and accord also unto them that all these did meet together in one place and in one congregation and did partake in all the Ordinances which notwithstanding I cannot grant them for divers reasons for in the same place it is said that although they continued daily in the Temple yet they brake bread from house to house that is to say some of them did daily meet to hear the Word in the Temple and then followed their severall imployments and others in private and they had the holy Communion or Sacrament in severall houses from which it is manifeltly evident that then when there were newly added to the Church but three thousand Believers they had many and severall congregations and assemblies and without all doubt as the multitudes of Believers increased they were still distributed into more congregations for it is said They brake bread from house to house that is they had their assemblies and meetings in severall houses and places besides the Temple and in those severall houses they had not only the preaching of the Word and Prayer but the administration of the Sacraments and communicated in all the Ordinances which they could not do in the Temple as afterward will appear and all that I now say is evident from the 41 Verse of the same Chapter to the 47. But I say should I silence my own reason and suffer it to speak nothing and should I grant to our Brethren that there were but three thousand and that these three thousand Believers might all meet in one congregation and partake in all the ordinances to edification would it follow that when ten thousand were added unto them and twenty thousand more to them and thirty thousand more to all these and it may be in a short time many hundred thousands more would any man think or believe that ten thousand men can meet in one congregation to edifie and to partake in all the Ordinances much lesse when there is so many thousands more added to them that they could still meet in any one place or congregation I think no man that hath not abdicated his understanding will so conclude So that all men may see not only the weaknesse of this argumentation but the strength of truth For this very weapon with which they had thought to have defended themselves and wounded the Truth they wound themselves and overthrow their own tenent as God willing I shall more fully by and by make appear But out of Chap. 5. our Brethren conceive they have a very strong invincible Argument where it is related that after Ananias and Saphira were miraculously taken away for lying unto the Spirit of God It is said That great fear came upon all the Church and upon as many as heard these things And by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders wrought among the people and they were all with one accord in Solomons Porch Ergò say they the number of Believers in Jerusalem was not so great but that they might all meet together in one congregation for the place where they did meet is set down viz. in Solomons Porch and it is further specified That they were all with one accord in that place This is their Argument faithfully and truly set down and with the best advantage for their cause But to speak the truth this kinde of arguing hath no force in it neither doth it beseem grave men to trifle thus in the matters of God and Religion For should I grant unto them that all the Believers that then were in Jerusalem and had been converted by John
and were none of that multitude here spoken of so that of necessity by the multitude in this place we are to understand the Greeks onely and the Hebrews for so in expresse words it is specified and this every rationall man can easily perceive Again by multitude here is to be understood not a confused company going in a tumultuous way but a considerable number of rationall men of each differing and dissenting party and such as were called and sent for by the Apostles as it is commonly seen in those that go by way of complaint to petition to any councell they send a compitent multitude of understanding and able men to grace their cause and to mannage the businesse and not every particular and individuall person men and women to negotiate it which could not be without mighty confusion which was not in this multitude and therefore by multitude and the whol multitude we are to understand that both those parties that came to negotiate this businesse were well satisfied with the Apostles Order and obeyed it but from hence if any man would infer and conclude that every one of the beleeving Hebrews and every individuall beleeving Greek that was then in Ierusalem and that all the Greek Church and all the Hebrew Church both men and women not one person excepted were all in one place together before the Apostles the whole world would judge that this man that should thus argue were very much crased in his brain but much more would it argue a great imbecility of wit and judgement in any one to conclude that all the beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem were there And unlesse they can so conclude the Argument is nothing to the purpose nor of any validity to evince and prove the Assertion of our brethren But if I should yeeld unto the brethren these two things the first That all the beleeving Greeks and all the beleeving Hebrews none excepted were all before the Apostles in one place yet still this will follow that all the beleevers of every severall Nation were not in this multitude and number for they had nothing to do in the businesse for they were no parties so that the Argument is nothing to the purpose but a meer fallacy to delude unstable souls and to make them beleeve that bladders are Lanthorns Secondly should I grant unto the brethren that by multitude here and by the whol multitude all the beleevers then in Ierusalem were to be understood and that then they might all meet in one congregation doth it therefore follow that many years after when there was daily such additions of multitudes of Believers that they might all still meet together in one place and in one congregation for all acts of worship and to be edified I believe our Brethren themselves the Independents will not grant it yet they must grant it if they will stand to their principles But frō this murmuring between the Greeks the Hebrews I with very good reason can frame an Argument to overthrow our Brethrens tenent and may from thence gather that in the Church of Jerusalem there were many and severall congregations where they had all acts of worship and that every severall nation had their severall congregations and severall assemblies where they might heare the Word of God in their own lauguage and to edification and communicate in all Ordinances with comfort For if there should arise a controversie in London between the Dutch and the French about points of Religion or about any other matter of practice concerning Religion they should all apply themselves to the grave and learned Assembly for the decision of it would not all men gather that there were two distinct congregations of them in the City So it may well be concluded against our Brethren that every severall Nation of Believers in Jerusalem had their severall congregations and assemblies apart as well as the Greeks and the Hebrews where they might partake in all Ordinances to edification and understand their Ministers preaching to them in their own language As for my part I verily believe it was so and from warrantable reason and yet all these severall congregations made but one Church and were under one Presbytery and for this my belief I shall give my reasons in the ensuing discourse But had there been but one Nation in Jerusalem so many thousand Believers as the Scripture relates there was could not all have met in one place and in one congregation as all reason will perswade So that all the Arguments of our Brethren to the contrary are but as so many Squibs which only make a noise and then vanish in the aire to say no more And these are the most rationall objections that as yet I ever heard from them to the which I have briefly given my severall answers which I hope by Gods assistance I shall ever be able to make good against them all And now I will go on to prove that by the ministery of the Apostles and the divers miracles daily wrought by them after they had received the gifts of the holy Ghost there were such additions of multitudes of Believers to those that were converted by Saint John the Baptist and our Saviour and his Discples before the death of John and the sufferings of our Saviour as that they could not all meet at any one time in one place or congregation to partake in all Ordinances no nor in a few but were of necessity forced to be distributed into severall assemblies and congregations and that before the persecution under the Persecution after the persecution And for proving of what I lay down which is still but the first conclusion I undertook to make good I will begin with the first eight Chapters of the Acts and then go forward to the ensuing story of the same Book in order to prove my assertion In the 2 3 4 5 6 Chapters of the Acts it is related how the holy Apostles imployed themselves in their severall ministeries after they had received the gifts of the holy Ghost and were indued with al power of working miracles and had received the gifts also of tongues and languages and the effects also of their ministery preaching and miracles are there set down at large and it is specified that by meanes of that first miracle when all the people of severall Nations heard the Apostles speak to them every one in their severall tongues and languages who were very well known to be Galileane that they were amazed to hear the wonderfull Works of God and from their amazement it is said they gave attention to the Sermon of Peter the Sermon it self being there set down and the effect of it which was That when they had heard it they were prickt in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the
place or congregation to partake in all acts of Worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblies and Congregations But in the Church of Ierusalem there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by virtue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church and society of Beleevers besides those that were converted by Iohn the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministry before his sufferings and to which also there were afterwards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of Priests also joyned insomuch as they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struck a fear and terrour into them Ergò They could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblies and Congregations if they would all be edified For the major it is so evident that I cannot beleeve that any rationall man will deny it for who yet did ever see an Assembly of above ten thousand people in any one place or Congregation that could partake in all the Ordinances to edification Yea to affirme this is to fight against common reason and dayly experience For the minor it is proved by the severall places above quoted and therefore the conclusion doth also of necessity follow Again I thus further argue Where there was almost an hundred Preachers and Ministers besides the twelve Apostles and all these continually taken up in prayer and preaching and could not leave their ministery to serve Tables and where there was such a company of Believers and people as did imploy them all there of necessity they must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and avoide confusion and partake in all Ordinances But in the Church of Jerusalem there was almost an hundred Preachers and Ministers besides the twelve Apostles and all these were continually taken up in prayer and preaching and could not leave the Ministery to serve Tables and where there was such a company of Believers and people as did imploy them all therefore of necessity they must be distributed into divers congregations assemblies if they would all be edified and avoide confusion and partake in all Ordinances For the Major very reason and the common light of understanding without any reluctation will assent unto it And for the Minor it is manifest from Chap. 1. Vers 21 22. and from Chap. 6. Vers 2. 4. Chap. 8. Vers 1. so that the conclusion is undeniable Again I thus further argue Where there were people of all Nations under the Heavens and the in some multitudes and most of them Believers and devout Men and Women which waited upon the Ordinances and had a desire daily to heare the Word there of necessity they must be distributed into diverse and sundry congregations and assemblies and have such to preach unto them severally in their own language or else they could not partake in all acts of worship to edification But in the Church of Jerusalem there were people of all Nations under the Heavens and them in some multitudes and most of them Believers and devout Men and Women that waited upon the Ordinances and had a desire daily to heare the Word Ergo of necessity they must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies and have such to preach unto them severally in their owne language or else they could not partake in all acts of worship to edification For the Major no reason can gainsay it for the Apostles and the other Ministers imployed all those gifts of the Holy Ghost and those divers languages which they had received for the edification of the Church to the utmost did improve all opportunities for the converting of the people committed unto their charge and for the further building of them up in their holy faith which was their calling and imployment and this they could not have done unlesse they taught those Nations in their severall Languages and that they could not do without confusion unlesse they were distributed in severall assemblies where they might distinctly heare their own Languages For otherwise as Saint Paul saith in the 1 Cor. 14.23 if men should speak to the people with unknown tongues if the unlearned saith he come in and unbelievers will they not say that they are all mad And therefore Tongues are given for a signe not to them that believe but to them that believe not Now they were devout Men in Jerusalem and Believers and therefore the Apostles and Ministers were to speak to them severally in their own languages and for that purpose God gave them those Tongues that diversity of Languages that those that were Believers might be more edified and that the unbelievers and unlearned and such as belonged unto Gods election might be convinced and judged of all and that the secrets of their hearts might be manifested that so falling downe upon their face they might worship God and report that God was in them of a truth as the Apostle there saith So that I say for the Major no reasonable creature will call it in question And for the Minor it is manifest out of the Chap. 2. Vers 5. c. and in Chap. 6. Vers 1. and Vers 2 4. And for the conclusion that from the Premises doth also ensue Againe I thus further argue out of the former Chapters That which the holy Scripture in expresse words and in diverse places hath declared unto us that every Christian is bound to believe but the Scripture in expresse words and in diverse places hath declared unto us that there were diverse assemblies and congregations of Believers in the Church of Ierusalem and that the Apostles and all the Believers in Ierusalem did continue daily with one accord in the Temple and that they brake bread from house to house and that daily in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ Ergo there was diverse congregations and severall assemblies of Believers in the Church of Ierusalem where they did daily partake in all the Ordinances and enjoyed all acts of worship For the Major no Christian can deny it For the Minor it is manifest from 46 Verse of the 2 Chapter and Chap. 5. v. 12. v. 42. Chap. 3. v. 12 13. and many more places that might be produced And in those places it is not only said they preached in every house but that they brake bread from from house to house by which expression all Writers interpret the holy Communion and partaking of the Lords Supper and if it should not so be understood we never can reade that any Christians in Ierusalem besides the Apostles ever enjoyed all acts of worship especially those that are peculiar to Church Communion It is related often that they preached the Word dayly in the Temple which was common to Iews and Christians though no Jewish
worship as all men acknowledge And by evident Arguments it may be proved that they never administred the Sacraments in the Temple those discriminating and distinguishing Ordinances of the Christian Church as all the most Orthodox Interpreters gather from the ensuing words where it is said They continued dayly with one accord in the Temple but when they speake of the Administration of the Lords Supper it is expressed in these words and breaking of bread from house to house which is interpreted by all Divines of Sacramentall bread which phrase and manner of speaking is usually so expounded by all the Learned upon Acts the 20. vers the 7. And our Brethren do not deny this And it is well known that the Primitive Christians had their meetings and assemblies in private houses as by the many places is manifest which I cited but a little before Besides the Sacrament of breaking bread is no Temple-ordinance and therefore could not be administred in the Temple with the safety of the Christians and Believers for if they were so highly displeased with the Apostles for preaching Jesus and the Resurrection in the Temple as it appeareth Act. 4.2 They would not have suffered them to have administred the Sacraments there And if Paul was so assaulted Acts 21.28 for being but supposed to have brought Greeks into the Temple what would these men have done if one should have brought in a new Ordinance and a new worship and service and that so contrary to their legall rights Surely the Jewes would never have suffered it neither do the Brethren contend for this Now it is well known that in the Primitive Church if not every day yet every first day of the Week at least they met together to break bread that is to receive the holy Sacrament which never was without preaching as we see in Act. 20.7 and in the places above quoted in which it is said they daily brake bread together and that in severall and particular houses and that of necessity must be for a few houses could not have held so many thousands as all reason will dictate and if they were or could be contained under one roof yet they must be forced to be in diverse and severall chambers or roomes So that what is done and spoke in the one the other knowes nothing of it so that they are still severall congregations as under the roof of Pauls there are diverse meeting-places where Men may partake in all Ordinances and they are called severall Churches and they that meet there severall congregations though under one roof for the distinction of the places under one covert makes alwayes a distinct assembly as it is daily seen in the severall Committes at Westminster where every Committee of both Houses have their severall rooms and equall authority and are yet all but one Parliament though distributed into so many severall assemblies So here they had severall assemblies and that in severall houses as is declared and reason it self without any testimony of holy Scripture will perswade this for the Apostles they all preached and that daily and they must have severall rooms to preach in to avoide confusion for all things in the Church must be done in order and they must have severall auditories or assemblies or else they should preach to the wals so that if the Apostles would all preach and the people all heare of necessity they must be distributed into severall congregations assemblies to avoid disorder and that there were severall congregations and severall assemblies the places above specified do declare and tell us So that there is no man that resolves not to oppose all truth that is contrary to his received opinion but may evidently perceive that there were many congregations and assemblies in the Church of Jerusalem and yet they all made but one Church and were govern'd by one Presbytery as the many Committees in both Houses are in divers rooms and make divers assemblies and have equall power and authority among themselves and yet they all make but one Parliament and all those severall Committes are govern'd by the joynt consent of the Great Civill Presbytery of the Kingdome which is all the Parliament and all this without confusion yea with most excellent order and decency Having thus evidently proved that there were many congregations in the Church of Jerusalem before the Persecution I will now by Gods assistance make good that there were also many assemblies under the Persecution and after the Persecution and this I do the rather undertake because some of the Brethren have said That howsoever it could be proved that before the Persecution there were many severall assemblies yet by reason of the dispersion of the Believers the Church of Jerusalem was so wasted and scattered that there were no more left then could all meet in one congregation And were it so that after the scattering of the Believers and Christians in Jerusalem it could never be evinced and made good that there were more then could meet altogether in one place yet all this were nothing for the enervating of the Argument for we must ever look upon the first constitution and Government of the Church and what it was Originally and by Divine constitution and not what it was accidentally and through persecution and oppression and by the violence of men for Governments of Churches are often changed from their primordiall State through many casualties as it happened often in the Church of the Jews and therefore in all Reformations things are to be reduced to the first rule and originall pattern and we are not to look upon them as by occasion they vary or change through the injury of the times And therefore if we look into the Church of Jerusalem as she was in her youth and in her most flourishing age we shall finde her consisting of divers Congregations and many assemblies and all them governed by a Common Councell and joynt consent of a Presbytery which must be the pattern of all Church Government to the end of the world if we will in our Reformation conform our selves to Gods Ordinance and to the first constitution But because I say they think it so difficult a thing to prove many Congregations in Jerusalem after the persecution I will now God-willing make it evident and not onely after the persecution but even in and under the persecution and I will do it first out of that very place our brethren bring against us and by which they labour to evince the contrary the place is in the 8. of the Acts verse 1 2 4. In these words And at that time there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem and they were all scattered abroad through the Regions of Iudea and Samaria except the Apostles verse 3. As for Saul he made havock of the Church entring into every house and haling men and women committed them to prison Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word From
do when the Prelates were in their ruff But out of this place I thus argue Where there were twelve of the most ablest painfullest and diligentest preachers in the world and that gave themselves continually to prayer and the Ministery of the Word and at such a time as there was most need of preaching and when they could not publikely come together by reason of the persecution and where there were innumerable multitudes of beleevers of all Nations to be taught and preached unto in their severall Languages and tongues there of necessity there must be severall Congregations and assemblies for the imployment of them all both Preachers and hearers But in the Church of Ierusalem in the time of the hottest persecution there were the twelve Apostles the most able painfull and diligent Preachers in the world and that gave themselves continually to prayer and the Ministery of the Word and when they could not publickly come together by reason of the persecution and where there were innumerable multitudes of beleevers of all nations to be taught and preached unto in their severall Languages and tongues Therefore of necessity there must be severall congregations and Assemblies for the imployment of them all both Preachers and hearers For this Syllogism all and every part of it is so cleered by what hath formerly been said as I am most assured no rationall man will call either of the Propositions in question But from the former place I thus further argue Where there were such multitudes of beleevers of all Nations and Countries still remaining even in the hottest time of persecution as had for many yeares imployed and continually taken up above an hundred painfull Ministers and Teachers there they could not all meet together in any one place or room but of necessity must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and much more now they were forced unto it if they would avoyde persecution and provide for their own safety But in the Church of Ierusalem in the hottest time of persecution there were such multitudes of beleevers of all nations and Countries still remaining as had for many years imployed and continually taken up above an hundred painfull ministers and teachers Ergo they could not all meet together in any one place or room but of necessity must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and much more now were they forced unto it if they would avoid persecution and provide for their own safety The Major of this Syllogism by the very light of nature and reason which we may not in a matter of disputation especially relinquish is manifest and evident For the Minor it is also apparent from the foregoing discourse by which it is proved that their preachers onely were scattered and all those Ministers that were at the choosing the Apostle Matthias chap. 1. and many more that instructed the people but for the people and beleevers they remained still in Ierusalem the conclusion therefore is firme but I will now go on to evince that after the persecution there were more believers still in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in any one place and room together and therefore of necessity they must be distributed into many Congregations and Assemblies And for proof of this Assertion the places following will suffice and first that in the 9. chap. of the Acts verse 31. Then had the Churches rest through all Iuden and Galilee and Samaria and were all edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplyed Out of which words it may evidently appear that persecution is but the bellows of the Gospell and that which the enemies of the Gospell think to be a means of extinguishing the light of it makes it but more gloriously shine forth and the farther to spread its rayes for by blowing and puffing at it they spread it the more and extend it here and there farther abroad as we see by this persecution and scattering of those Preachers and Ministers of the Gospell for this their dispersion by which the persecuters had thought to have wasted the Churches was an occasion of the multiplication of them and the cause of the increasing of beleevers every where And here we may also observe That by how much more the rage of the enemy is great and violent by so much it is lesse dureable for this great persecution was but short And it cannot be conceived but they who were scattered by persecution would upon the ceasing of it return again to Ierusalem as most people commonly do to their own Countries Cities and places of habitation after persecution And this also must needs be a great Argument to induce others to the love of that Religion which they see God so much favoureth the lovers and prefessors of the which the Lord so preserveth comforteth and followeth with so many mercies and upholdeth in all their afflictions and tryalls never forsaking nor never leaving them But if those that were scattered had never returned that maketh nothing for the weaking the truth of this Proposition that there were many Congregations and Assemblies still in the Church of Ierusalem for this Text proveth that it was not decreased after the dispersion Out of the which words I thus argue That Church before the persecution and dispersion of whose Ministers and Pastors was so numerous and had such multitudes of beleevers in it of all Nations as they could not all meet in any one place or room for edification and to partake in all asts of worship but were forced to preach in divers and sundry places as in the Temple and from house to house and after the persecution ceased and the Church had rest was greatlier yet multiplyed than before and whose companies were more and more in number increased they of necessity could not all meet together in any one place or room for edification and to partake in all acts of worship but must necessarily be distributed into divers and sundry congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified But the Church of Ierusalem before the persecution and dispersion of her Ministers and Pastors was so numerous and had such multitudes of beleevers in it of all nations as they could not all meet in any one place or room for edification and to partake in all acts of worship but were forced to preach indivers and sundry places as in the Temple and from house to house and after the persecution ceased and the Churches had rest was greatlier yet multiplyed than before and whose companies were more and more in number increased Ergo Of necessity after the persecution there were more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet together in any one place or room for edification and to partake in all acts of worship but must necessarily be distributed into divers Congregations and Assemblies if they would be edified For the Major besides
common understanding and ordinary reason which confirm it it is manfest from the 2.3 and 5. Chapters of the Acts which in expresse words signifieth That they met dayly in the Temple and from house to house yea in every house and therefore that is true and out of all doubt and for the Minor it is evident from the place above cited where it is said The Churches that is to say all the Churches in Judea of which Ierusalem was the mother Church were multiplyed the word in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly an increase in number and multitude and not in measure and is so to be understood in this place and cannot being applyed unto persons be otherwise taken whatsoever it may of sinnes and graces and then also the word is capable of this construction as may be proved if need required So that the conclusion doth follow And truely that of Saint Paul in the 1. of the Galatians is an excellent Argument to evince there were more Congregations in Ierusalem then one where proving that he had not received the Gospell which he preached from men but from God he useth this reason That if he had received it from men it must be from the Iews and from the Apostles for the Gentiles were ignorant of it and he was to carry the Gospell unto them and therefore they could not teach it him and to prove that he received it not from the Apostles he thus speaketh of himself When it pleased God to reveal his son unto me that I might preach him amongst the Heathen Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Ierusalem to them that were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia Then after three yeares I went up to Ierusalem to see Peter and aboade with him fifteen dayes but other of the Apostles saw I none save Iames the Lords brother Out of the which words besides the singular testimony we have that the preaching and writings of S. Paul are the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the Word of the living God against the Papists we may evidently gather against the Independents that after the persecution there were more believers in Jerusalem then either did or could all meet in one place for in saying that he was with Peter fifteen dayes but in all that time saw none of the Apostles save Iames this I say is a sufficient Argument to prove more Congregations and assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem which so imployed the Apostles in their severall ministeries as they had not so much spare time to visit Paul and that Paul also was so taken up in preaching there that he had no leisure to visit them And for the diligence of the Apostles in their Ministry it is said in the sixth of the Acts That they gave themselves continually to prayer and to the Ministery of the Word and therefore they were never idle and that the Apostles either all or the most of them continued resident for many years in Jerusalem before they distributed themselves into severall Nations and Countries and that very few of them were sent abroad there are frequent testimonies in Acts of the Apostles neither as yet did I ever hear it scrupled or call'd in question whether the Apostles were then there or no when Paul was at Jerusalem for it is taken pro confesso that either all or the most of them were at that time in Ierusalem neither doth Saint Paul say I saw none of the other Apostles because they were absent or were gone to Preach the Gospell in other places And for Saint Paul we read that wheresoever he came he went into their Synagogues and into their Assemblies to Preach and that he preacht from house to house and he that gave so strict a charge to Timothy and in him to all Ministers that he should Preach in season and out of season he himself without all doubt would not neglect his duty who in the 20. of the Acts sets his own example before all the Presbyters for their imitation in their diligent preaching and he ordinarily preached by the day and by the night as is manifest out of the same Chapter and many other places and surely the time he remained with Peter in Ierusalem he was as diligent in Preaching as he was in any of the other Churches and he professeth of himself that the care of all the Churches lay upon him and that he laboured more then all the other Apostles in their particulars so that it standeth with all reason that while he was in Ierusalem he was very sedulous in Preaching as who had both strength of body and Gods speciall assistance and his immediate inspiration alwayes to help him in his Ministery so that I conceive as of charity I am bound that Paul was dayly in one assembly or other now if there had been at that time no more beleevers in Ierusalem then could have met in one place congregation and Assembly then of necessity Paul must have seen the other Apostles there as well as Peter and Iames for they also were good Church-men to speak a little in the Prelates dialect and they never left the Word but were alwayes taken up either in praying or preaching amongst them in the Temple and from house to house yea in every house and if there had been but one Congregation or Assembly of beleevers in Ierusalem the Apostles would dayly upon all occasions have been with their flock Now in that Paul saw them not in all that time he was in Ierusalem it is evidently apparent there were more Congregations of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then one and more Christians then could all meet in any one or a few places But to proceed to a place or two more for the further confirmation of this truth Acts 12. verse 24. It is said there that the word of God grew and multiplyed Here also we have another good effect of a new fierce persecution in Jerusalem it increased the number and multitude of Believers there after the Persecutor was taken away For the Word of God grew and multiplyed saith the Holy Ghost Out of which words I thus argue Where the Word of God daily more and more grew and multiplyed after the persecution that is to say where there were more multitudes and greater numbers of Believers added unto the Church through the Ministery and preaching of the Gospell then was before which notwithstanding was then so numerous as they could not all meet in any one place or roome to enjoy all the Ordinances to edification there of necessity they must be distributed into diverse assemblies and congregations to enjoy all the Ordinances to edification But in the Church of Jerusalem after a double persecution the Word of God daily more and more grew and multiplyed that is to say there were more multitudes and greater numbers of Believers added unto the Church through the ministery and preaching of the Gospell by the
been sufficiently proved that there were many Congregations in the Church of Jerusalem I report my selfe to any that have not the pearl of prejudice in the eye of their judgement and this shall suffise to have spoke for the proofe of my first assertion The second now followes viz. That all these Congregations and severall Assemblies made but one Church And for proofe of this I shall not need to use many words or any great dispute for the brethren themselves acknowledge that all the beleevers in Jerusalem were all members of that Church and they accord further that it was but one Church and it is manifest out of the holy Scripture for it is said they that were converted were added to the Church and therefore members of it and that they continued in the Churches communion and in the Apostles doctrine and put their estates in the Churches common treasury and chose Officers for the Church all this I say our brethren do acknowledge and take this fellowship of these members for a patterne of ordinary Church communion and therefore this my second assertion is without controversie it being in expresse words set downe in the 2 3 4 5 6. Chapters of the Acts and many more places of the same story and consented to by the Brethren I now come to prove my third assertion viz. That the Apostles and Presbyters governed ordered and ruled this Church consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies by a Common-councell and Presbytery Which is also evident by the places following Act. 11. And in those daies there came Prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch and there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth through all the world which came to passe in the daies of Claudius Caesar then the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send reliefe unto the brethren that dwelt in Judea which also they did and sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Here in these last words we see that the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the almes for it is said they sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul which sufficiently proveth that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government as who had the ordering and authority of appointing unto the Deacons how they should distribute those moneys that they might be best improved and disposed of which is an act of government as all men that know what belongs unto government will acknowledge Now should it be granted that these Presbyters here spoken of were the Presbyters of Judea which notwithstanding is not specified but only the distressed brethren in Judea yet had it been in expresse words set down that the almes had been sent to the Presbytery of Judea the Presbytery of Jerusalem must necessarily have been included in it as being the Metropolis of Judea and it was an ordinary thing for the Churches abroad and particularly that of Antioch to send to the Apostles and Presbyters of Jerusalem as we may see Act. 11. ver 22. and Act. 15. And by all probability Paul and Barnabas brought these almes to the Presbyters of Jerusalem for he in the fifteenth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans maketh mention of a contribution that was made in Macedonia and Achaia for the poore Saints in Jerusalem whether the Apostle saies he was going to minister unto them and desireth the Romans to pray for him that he may be delivered from the unbeleeving Jewes and that his service for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints which by the learned Interpreters is generally taken that Paul speaketh of this time and that they were then sent from Jerusalem to Antioch But howsoever it should be understood that these almes were sent to the Presbyters in Judea yet these two conclusions necessarily result from it The first that this expression comprehends also the Presbyters of Jerusalem as being the chiefe City of Iudea The second that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men to whom the government and ordering of businesses was committed and in whose hands the power and authority lay of disposing of the very charity and bounty of the brethren to all the necessitated Disciples within their jurisdictions and who gave directions to the Deacons how they should be distributed to the best emolument and benefit of the poore and according to the intention of these benefactors which as it is an act of Government and that a principall one so of necessity the Presbyters must then meet together that by their joint and common consent and counsell all things may be rightly ordered But in the chap. 15. v. 2.4.6.22 the Presbyters of Ierusalem by name are expressed and in chap. 16. and in Act. 21. v. 17 18. in these words Then they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine other of them should go up to Ierusalem unto the Apostles and Presbyters about this question and they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom they declared all things that God had done with them and how that there rose up certaine of the Sect of the Pharises which believed saying that it was needfull to circumcize them and to command them to keep the law of Moses and the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of this matter c. ver 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and chap. 16. v. 4. And as they went through the Cities they delivered them the Decrees to keep that were ordained of the Apostles and Presbyters which were at Ierusalem c. and chap. 21 v. 17 18. And when we were come to Ierusalem the Brethren received us gladly and the day following Paul went in with us unto Iames and all the Presbyters were present and v. 25. As touching the Gentiles which believe we have written and concluded say the Presbyters that they observe no such thing Out of all which places before I frame my arguments to prove that the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and assemblies was governed by a Presbytery that is by the joint consent common councell of the Apostles Presbyters which made but a grand Presbytery I shall desire all men to consider that howsoever the Apostles in the places above specified are differenced by that title from the Presbyters yet in all acts of government performed by them in the Church of Ierusalem they were for the substance of them ordinary acts such as Presbyters daily performe and therfore answerably the Apostles themselves are in them to be considered as presbyters that is men governing in an ordinary way as such as had received the keys which is the power of jurisdiction therefore were in their ordinary imployment though at other times in their severall ministries and going from Nation to Nation to preach as Christs extraordinary Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. they used superlative authority and I am induced
it is not onely set down that James and the Presbyters met together which had it onely been for the entertainment of Paul it is an argument sufficient to convince any rationall man that if the Presbyters would meet together for a salutation they did much more meet for acts of government But I say it is not only specified that the Presbyters met together but what they did in consultation in that their meeting and what they acted upon deliberation and that was to advise Paul and to direct him what he should do which councell of theirs was not lax but restrictive and binding ver 23. Do therefore that which we say unto thee By all which it is evident that they met about acts of government when they gave an order and rule to Paul himselfe how he should behave himselfe at that time and we reade that Paul followed their counsell and submitted himselfe to their order by all which it is most apparent that the church of Jerusalem was ordered and governed by the joint consent and common-councell of Presbyters though consisting of many congregations and was presbyterially governed But I further thus argue Where there were many assemblies in Jerusalem and many presbyters and these assemblies were all one church and these presbyters all of them presbyters of that one church there of necessity there were many congregation under one presbytery and that church was presbyterially governed but in the church of Ierusalem there were many assemblies and many presbyters and those assemblies were all one church and those presbyters all of them presbyters of that one church ergo in-the church of Ierusalem there were many congregations under one presbytery and that church was presbyterially governed For the major no man of sound reason or judgement will deny it And for the first part of the minor that there were many assemblies in that church it hath sufficiently been proved in the foregoing discourse and is evident out of the 21. chapter where it is said there were many ten thousands And for the other parts of it that the Church of Ierusalem was but one Church and that all the Presbyters there were Presbyters of that one Church the Brethren themselves do acknowledge it and they do also accord and grant that the Church of Ierusalem was governed by a Presbytery and that it was presbyterianly ruled but withall they conceive the church of Ierusalem to consist of no more beleevers than might all meet together in one place and congregation so that the difference between us and the Brethren is not whether the Church of Ierusalem was presbyterianly governed or no for that they doe acknowledge and would have their Churches governed after that manner but this is all the debate between us and them whether there were no more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem than could all meet in one Congregation which is their opinion but whether or no it hath not by the foregoing discourse been sufficiently proved that there were more Congregations and Assemblies in the Church of Jerusalem and a greater number of beleevers than could all meet in any one place or Congregation and that all these were under one presbitery that I refer to the understanding Reader to judge of and this shall suffice to have spoken of the third conclusion or proposition And now I come to the fourth viz. That the Church of Jerusalem and the government of the same is to be a patterne for all Congregations and Assemblies in any City or vicinity to unite into one church and for the Officers and Presbiters of those congregations to governe that church joyntly in a colledge or Presbitry And for the proofe of this there needs no great dispute for al men acknowledge that the mother Church must give an example of government to all the daughter Churches now then when it doth evidently appeare that this mother Church of Jerusalem in her most flourishing condition and by her first constitution was confisting of many Congregations and severall Assemblies and that they were all governed by a Presbitry or a joynt and common Councell of Presbiters 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 shee was consisting of but as many as could meet in one Congregation they take the Church of Jerusalem for imitation and teach all their severall Congregations to doe 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 Presbiters did in the Church of Jerusalem and from the which they allow of no appeale as all that know their tenent can witnesse So that this last proposition being strengthed both by reason and the consent of the brethren needs no further proofe And now I come to the second question between us and the brethren which is concerning the manner of gathering of Churches and admitring of members and Officers viz. Whether Ministers of the Gospell may out of already congregated Assemblies of beleevers select and choose the most principle of them into a Church-fellowship peculiar unto themselves and admit of none into their society but such as shall enter in by a private covenant and are allowed of by the consent and approbation of all the Congregation And this question brancheth it selfe into these severall Queries The first whether for the gathering of Churches there be either precept or president in the holy Word of God that the Preachers and Ministers of the Gospell did ever leave their owne ordinary charges to which they are called and whereto they are fixed with a command not to leave them and under pretence of a new way or a new borne truth or a new light did runne about and alienate the minds of the people wel-affected formerly to their severall Ministers as of duty they were bound as who had converted them to Christ by their ministery and fed them still with the sincere milk of the Word and built them up in their most holy faith I say the first quere is whether there be precept or example in the Word of God of any true Ministers so doing and whether it was ever heard of in the Apostles primitive times that any beleeving Christians were in great numbers congregated from among other beleeving Christians and moulded into several Congregations and Assemblies as seperate and distinct bodies and Churches from them and who had no Church-fellowship with the other Congregations nor communicated with them in the Ordinances but were independent from them and absolute among themselves and whether this way of gathering of Churches was ever heard of before these dayes and whether this be to set Christ upon his Throne to make devisions and scismes in
of God he was both ordained and put in office without the approbation and consent of the people who knew nothing of the businesse but onely stood amazed and said Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the high Priest The Ministers in those dayes when they were all taught of God they onely admitted members by their owne authority into the Church without the approbation of the people but in these our dayes wherein people have gotten itching eares and teachers after their owne humours such as S. Paul speaks of in his Epistles to Timothy they teach a new doctrine and bring forth new borne lights to the darkning of truth it selfe and to the bringing in of confusion on all things See what Saint James saith in his 5. chapt to all Churches and Christians in the world It any man sick saith he let him send for the Presbiters of the Churches and let them pray over him c. and the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shal be forgiven him The Apostle James here sends all Christians to the Presbiters of every Church who had the power of the Keys delegated unto them for spirituall comfort and whose office onely it was to pronounce pardon and remission of sinnes unto the sick upon their true repentance if they had offended and sinned against God in the time of their health and so scandalized the Gospell and the Church and it was the Presbiters place and office to admit them againe into the fellowship and communion of the Saints upon their cordiall and unfained repentance and that without asking the Church any leave for as the Presbiters onely had the power of casting out offenders out of the Church so they onely had the authority of receiving them in againe upon their repentance and not the Church so if we look into all those Epistles that were written unto the seven Churches of Asia in the 2. and 3. of the Revelations we shall find them all directed to the Angels of the seven Churches which is as much as to say to the presidents of every severall Presbitry established and constituted in every one of those Churches which is a sufficient argument to me to prove a Counsell or Colledge of godly Ministers in every one of those Cities according to that of Paul to Titus chap. 1. ver 5. for this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest ordaine Presbiters in every City not one but many And in the 14. of the Acts ver 23. And when they had ordained them presbiters in every Church c. many Presbiters a Colledge of them was appointed to every Church and so in the 20. of the Acts there were many Presbiters who had the charge and government of that Church committed unto them in common ver 28. there was a Colledge of them constituted in that church and therefore for order sake which the light of nature teacheth they must have a President who by the way of excellency and to distinguish him from the other is called an Angel as the inscription of the Epistle Rev. 11.1 declares saying Unto the Angel of the church of Ephesus As in our dialect when we speak of the great counsell of the Kingdome or of the reverend assembly of Divines if there be occasion of distinguishing the Presidents of those councels from the other Judges in those assemblies we say Master Speaker in the House of Lords or Commons or of the President of the Ministers we say Master Prolocutor and if any have occasion to write to either houses or to the Assembly they direct their letters to the Speakers or to the Prolocutor who communicates them to each Assemblies as being the Presidents of each Society and yet none of all these Presidents by that their place of honour and eminency have any more power or authority then the rest but onely in the casting voyce when the parties upon any occasion are for number equall and for appointing of the times and places of meeting and for the methodicall and orderly carriage of the businesses yea it is ever observed wheresoever there is a President there is a colledge or councell or a court nature dictates this and the custome of all nations proves it and withall by the same light of reason that counsell or colledge to whom God himselfe writes and directs his letters for redressing of abuses has the power in their hands for the rectifying of things amisse that it peculiarly belongeth unto them as to the Magistrates invested with authority to order things according to direction and to punish and cast out offenders and that by their owne power without the consent and approbation of the people as it is now in the great Counsell and Parliament of the Kingdome who make not the people acquainted with what they have to doe but so farre as it pleaseth themselves and not out of any duty and so it was in the government of Gods Church by the first constitution every Church consisting of many congregations were governed by a colledge of Presbiters as that of Jerusalem and this of Ephesus and the other six Churches in all the which the Presbiters by their sole authority governed them according to Gods Word without taking the people in to counsell with them who were no where joyned in commission with them and therefore it is most apparent by those examples I have now produced and many more that might be added and from the commission that Christ gave to the Apostles and in them to all Ministers that the people had not their voyces either for the admitting of any to be members in any church or in the easting out of any for their delinquency much lesse have they authority to require a publike confession of their faith to be made unto the congregation or to exact of them to bring in the evidences of their true conversion or to require that they should walk with them some time before admission or to enter into a solemne private covenant before they be admitted as members for we have no president for any of these things in Gods Word much lesse any command only in Acts the sixt there is mention made that the Apostles for the freeing of themselves from all unnecessary incombrances and that they might the better attend upon their ministry and preaching gave the people liberty to make choice of their owne Deacons but still keeping the power of ordaining them in their owne hand which alwayes was arbitrary in them whether they would exercise it or no neither would the Apostles have ordained them unlesse those that were to be ordained had been man so qualified as they had appointed for otherwise it lay in their choyce whether they would ordain them or no. But that ever the congregation or people had the power of admitting of members or
of ordaining of Officers it is no where extant in Gods Word But that the women should have a voyce in the Church either for receiving in or casting out of members or officers or should have any thing to doe with Peters Keys it is against the law of God and nature For Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinths 14. makes it one of the marks of confusion in any Church where women have their voyces saying God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all the churches of the Saints and in the next verse following in expresse words saith Let your women keep silence in churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are comanded to be under obedience as also saith the law and if they wil learn any thing let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speake in the church And what S. Paul writ to this Church of Corinth he writ to all Churches and proclaims that what he writ to them were the commandements of the Lord ver 37. so that God had commanded that the women should not speak in the Church and sayth that it is a shame they should and yet in these our dayes and in many of the new congregations they have their voyces in choosing of officers and admitting of members and have all of them Peters Keys as their Girdle and make learned parts of speech in the congregation and dispute questions and debate of matters and give their reasons con pro as it is credibly reported and others of them set forth and print learned Treatises in polemicall divinity with great applause and admiration of the Independent Ministers who cite their authority and quote them in their writings as classicall authors to the shame of the Nation and ludibry of Religion and howsoever there is not any that shall more honour the truly vertuous and pious of that sex than my selfe yet I must confesse when I see how farre they become transgressors of the law of God do those things that the holy Apostle hath not onely forbidden but proclaimed a shame I cannot but exceedingly blame them those Ministers that allow of and approve of such rebellion against God and nature And as if it had been the special care in the Apostle to prevent this evill of womens intermedling in matters of the Church he foreseeing the confusion that would be brought in upon it In his first Epistle to Timothy and in him to all Ministers to whom the government of the Church was committed he gives him direction how to behave himselfe in the house of God which is the church of the living God in cap. 2. ver 11.12 he saith Let the women learne in silence with all subjection for I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence for Adam was first made then Eve and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression c. Here the Apostle again and agun twice in these few words enjoyns them silence in the church and imposes upon them subjection and obedience I suffer not saith he a woman to teach or to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence and he giveth his reasons of this his command because saith he Adam was first made not by the woman nor of the woman but the contrary and therfore she may usurpe no authority over the masculine sex especially in Gods matters and shee is to be the disciple if the man and not the man her schollar and therefore that superiority that the God of order had established upon the man in the first creation he doth now re-establish upon him againe in his holy Word after all things through sinne had been disordered and confused and commands the woman to be both subject and silent especially in the Church Another reason of this his command is because the woman was first in the transgression and was the cause of Adams fall as he accuses her and her disputing and voycing of it then brought confusion upon all mankind and for this her so doing S. Paul concludes for ever hereafter that she ought to hold her peace be in subjection to her husband and ought to learne in silence at home but more especially in the Church for if they come to voyce it once again in the Church as Eve brought confusion upon mankind by her disputation and reasons so these with their loquacity and babble and confusion of voyces will bring in a new Babel into the Church and State as they have prettily well already begun to doe Saint Paul saith I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence Here the Apostle as in the place above cited out of the Cor. chap. 14. commands them silence and permits them not to speak and expresly forbids them to usurpe authority over the man that is the virill sex Now I appeale unto any understanding creature whether or no to make large parts of speech in the Church as many of them upon occasions doe and dispute and give their reasons con pro be not to speak in the Church and whether to have their voyces in either admitting of members or officers or in the casting of them out be not to usurpe authority over the man for all the world knowes that they that have the power in their hands of either admitting of any into the fellowship or communion of the Church or of hindring their comming in or have their voyces for the casting of them out when they are received exercise and usurpe authority over those they so deale with and therefore they doe against the expresse prohibition of the Apostles and all those women that have usurped this authority and all those Ministers that have permitted them so to doe or tanght this doctrine unto them are all guilty of great contumacy against God and ought seriously to repent for this their temerity and rebellion and it will be the immortall honour of those women that have not intermedled if there be not some speedy course taken by authority to forbid such disorder we may promise nothing to the Church and whole Kingdome but confusion It has ever been observed that Hermaphrodite counsels in any Kingdome or country when women that are subjects intermeddle in government and matters of state that that Kingdome and country is very crased and not far from ruine and destruction and we need not look into many ages or countries for presidents of this kind if hermaphrodite counsels in Kingdoms has ever been so fatall unto them what may any man think in time will become of this Church and Kingdome when the women have gotten Peters Keys at their girdle and have their voyces in many congregations and a power of ordering and disposing of things in Church affaires certainly nothing but confusion can be expected for this their doing is
any such termes was the Goaler and his converted family forced to make a publike confession to the Church of their faith to give in the evidences of their conversion and to enter into a private covenant before they could be made members of the Church or was the Churches assent required before they could be admitted and made members of it or were ever any of these things they impose upon Christians now required at beleevers hands before these our times and therefore they are to be abominated as vaine traditions and such as by which they break the lawes of God making devisions in the Church and Kingdome and through all the families and houses of the same so that neither masters of families nor parents have any rule over their wives children or servants their husbands goe out one way the wife another their children to this assembly their servants to that congregation and as it was among the Corinthians which Paul blames in them one said I am of Paul another I am of Apollo the third I am of Coephas and so they flutter about like a company of chickings without either heads or wit and none will be under obedience to either parents or masters notwithstanding God hath commanded children to obey their parents and servants their masters no farther than pleaseth their owne humours and all this they have learned by the traditions of the younger and whether I have wronged the brethren in any thing I have now said I report my selfe to all the distracted families in the Kingdome where they have been preaching and the daily experience of any moderate minded Christian and if ever there was a pantheon of all Religions in the world it is now in England by reason of these new teachers to the great dishonour of God the hinderance of Reformation and the allienating of the affections one from another of those that are joyned together in nighest relations And by all that I have now spoke I hope it doth sufficiently appeare that there is neither precept nor example through all the holy Scripture to warrant the practice of these men in the gathering of their new Churches and if a man will but looke a little more upon the practice of Christs seventy Disciples of all the Apostles in the gathering of Churches they shall not find one footstep through the whole booke of God of the gathering Churches after the manner of their congregating of their assemblies as for Christs Disciples they were all sent to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel they went not to gather in converted men from amongst converted men for they were to bring the lost sheep into Christs fold and we are taught there is but one Shepheard and one sheepfold we never read that after they were once folded and brought into the Church that any true Pastors came into the fold and flocks of their fellow-shepheards and picked out all the best and the fattest sheep and the most wholsome and molded them into an independent fould by themselves as seperate and distinct from the others and with the which they would have no fellowship and communion in the Ordinances this was never heard of before these dayes Paul was so farre from getting away of others sheep that he took it for a dishonour to him to build upon anothers foundation Rom. 15. and preached Christ in those places where they had never heard of him before and planted the Church of Corinth himselfe and left Apollo to water it and committed all the flocks that he had gathered as that of Ephesus to the charge and care of faithful Pastors and commands both the flocks and the Pastors and in them all shepheards and folds to keep unity and love one with another Ephes 4. ver 1 2 3 4 c. and forbids them to make seperations and devisions and scismes between flock and flock and this method he used wheresoever he came yea as soon as he was converted and entred upon his ministry as we may see in the first of the Galatians he went into Arrabia and preached there among the poore Infidels he got not other mens sheep from them neither did he ever make any seperation of sheep from sheep yea even in those flocks and Churches as that of Corinth Galatia and Colosse where there were many that walked disorderly and against the rules prescribed and taught false doctrine and heresies and made scismes in the Church and were very scandalous so that if ever there were in any Churches a just cause of making a seperation it was then and yet the Apostles bid not the Christians seperate themselves from the communion and assemblies of the Saints and from the Ordinances for these mens causes but onely that they should look unto themselves and examine their owne consciences that they may not offend and so make themselves unworthy of the holy things and gives them power to cast out the prophane but no way tolerates them to seperate onely he bids them not be familiar with such as walk disorderly that by this meanes they might learne to amend their lives and tels them of what judgements have alwayes happened to such as were wicked and bids them by their example to take heed how they provoke God by the like as it is at large set downe in the tenth chapter and commands them to make no separation but from Idolaters and Infidels and so likewise in his Epistle to the Galatians he sayes for his owne particular he could wish that they that troubled them were cut off yet he biddeth not the Galatians to separate themselves into independent congregations Nothing of all such things were taught before these dayes that true beleevers and the faithfull servants of God should separate from the assemblies of their brethren every way as deerly beloved of God as themselves and such as with the twelve Tribes of Israel serve their God night and day and would suffer any thing for the Gospell and that any Christians I say should make separation from the fellowship of such or that such should be accounted as enemies of Christ it was never heard of before our times by which their so dealing they have made the greatest scisme in the Church that was ever yet made to the scandall of of our holy profession I have been ever taught in Gods holy Word that those faithfull Ministers that preached Jesus Christ and him crucified and opened the eyes of the blind and turned them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ and taught the people that they should repent and turne to God and doe works meet for repentance and that instructed all men that they being delivered out of the hands of their enemies they should serve God without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their life and teaching them that the grace of
God bringing salvation hath appeared to all men for this very end that they should deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquitie and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works I say I have been ever taught by Gods holy Word to beleeve that those Ministers that instruct the people to do al these things and where the people by faith imbrace and receive this doctrine are the true Ministers of Jesus Christ those congregations under them the church of Jesus Christ and of his sheepfold and that Christ in all such congregations is set up as King in his Throne as who rules in the hearts of his people and the which are swayed and guided by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit and deserve none of those contumelious languages the brethren asperse both Ministers and people with Of the ministers they thus speak and print That they deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and Churches so that such a conversion as is wrought by them comes not home to whole Christ and such with their converters doe deny Christs kingly government or at least and best they are converted but in part and that maine thing is wanting to wit Christs Kingly office and of all the people and Christian beleevers through the Kingdome that are not in their Congregations and new-gathered Assemblies they speak and print thus We say the brethren the independent ministers exhort them to set up Christ King in their hearts We exhort them to become and professe to be those Saints of whom Christ is King for he is King of Saints Rev. 15.3 but they will not beleeve us say they they will not depend upon Christ as the onely law-giver and King over their consciences Now what would you have us to doe in this case say they baptize the infants of such parents as will not in this respect professe nor confesse Christ to be their King Why doe you not know say they that no Infants have any title to baptisme that are not within the covenant visibly and how are they within the covenant visibly but by vertue of their parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith is there in the parents that refuse Christ for their onely King that are ashamed or afraid to professe to be in covenant with Christ as their King if therefore the parents professe not yea refuse thus to be in visible covenant can the children be said to be in visible covenant so to have a right in baptisme the externall seal of the covenant here is an obex a barre put These are their owne words which I have set downe at large the summe of them briefly is this that all the Ministers of the Church of England that are not of their fraternity doe deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and churches and that all the people under their Ministery are men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the main thing to wit Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and infants the very sacraments and seals of grace with all church communion may and ought to be denied Another of the Independents amongst many of the contumelious and disgracefull speeches he uttereth out aganst the Ministers of the church of England calling them the blackcoats in the Synod who he is afraid will prove more cruell Taskmasters than their Fathers the Bishops who cowardly sit at home and in his apprehension for no other end but to breed faction and devision amongst the wel affected to the Parliament promoting their own interest which saith he is lazinesse pride covetousnesse and domination and amongst many such expressions as these he proclaimes them the sworne enemies of Jesus Christ and desiring that the Parliament may be put in mind of their covenant for he thinks they have sworn to root out popery he tels them they have established Tythes the very root and support of popery which he doth humbly conceive is a contradiction to their covenant and which will be a greater snare than the Common-Prayer to many of the precious consciences of Gods people whose duty it is in his judgement to dye in a prison before they act or stoop unto so dishonourable a thing as this is to their Lord and Master as to maintaine the black-coats with tythes whom they look upon as the professed enemies of their anointed Christ c. These are some of his formall expressions I leave the comment of these severall passages to others neither doe I rehearse innumerable such like sentences as are daily vented to the intolerable disgrace both of all the Ministers of the Church of England of all those beleeving christians that are under their several charges that in every pamphlet in the which they proclaim all the Ministers to be the sworne and professed enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ and such as deny disclaime and preach against Christs kingly government over mens consciences and Churches and for the people and beleevers in England they proclaime them to be men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the maine thing Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of the faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and Infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church-communion may and ought to be denied c. By the which words they not onely unchurch all the congregations of England Scotland Ireland but indeed all the reformed churches and unchristian all christians but those that are in their owne independent assemblies and account them as aliens and strangers from the common-wealth of the Saints and make Christ to be no King over them or to have any Kingdome in or amongst them but onely amongst themselves in their new congregations wheras Christ ever had a church or Kingdome upon earth in all ages before they were and hath without all controversie a true Kingdome in many churches in these our dayes where they are not Had I not seen their expressions in print and the book in which they are uttered set forth by authority with approbation I should not have beleeved that they had all of them bin so uncharitable but finding that book not only printed by license but generally applauded by them all and much magnified as the frequent edititions of it doe manifest I gather it is the universall opinion of them all Than the which what could be more uncharitably and unchristianly spoken what comfort can any of the Ministers of the church
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 all 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 doe 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 Lake 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 ask Paul and Silas What they should doe 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 streightway baptized Acts 16. ver 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 Thost who brought whatsoever Christ had taught them concerning the Kingdome of God Acts 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 owne 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 christian 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 owne inventions and traditions and preferre them before the lawes of Christ the King and Law-giver of his church I am confident if he will deale impartially he will answer me that those Ministers and that people most advance Christ for their King and most set him upon his Throne that owne his law and that onely for the rule of their faith and obedience for Christ himselfe hath said it John 10. My Sheep heare my voyce they will not listen unto the voyce of a stranger Christs voyce onely the King of his church is to be heard and they onely that obey it advance him for their King and set him up on his Throne which when the Ministers and beleevers in the church of England doe and the Independents doe not they more advance Christ for their King than they for the Independents to Christs law and commission adde their owne traditions and inventions and enjoyne all that will be admitted as members into their congregations besides their beleeving being baptized to walk with them some time for approbation and to make a publike confession of their faith before the church and to bring in the evidences of the truth of their conversion and enter into a private and solemne covenant and not to be admitted as members without the consent of the Church all which Christ the King of his church never commanded and those that will not submit themselves to these their traditions they will not permit or suffer to enter into their church as joyned members which they call the onely true churches of Christ and count of all others that differ from them as enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and as men without the covenant and if this be to set up Christ upon his Throne then the Pharisees set up Christ upon his Throne who preferred their own traditions before the commandments of God yea the pope himself the Prelats set up Christ upon his Throne who preferred their own traditions and idolatries before the lawes of Christ Now if all the traditions of the Papists were justly abhorred and cast out of the church as things derogatory to the Kingly and Propheticall dignity of Jesus Christ and as things repugnant to his royalty I see no reason but all other popery under whatsoever name or title it be intruded upon the people should be eliminated and cast out of the church and whether this be not a new kind of popery to bring in new wayes and new borne truths and new lights and impose them upon the people as the commands of God and to excommunicate and unchurch all churches in the world but their owne assemblies I referre my selfe to the judgement of any intelligible christian Saint Paul writing to the Galatians blames those false teachers amongst them that would have joyned but the
ceremoniall law with the Gospell cals it a perverting of the Gospell of Christ wishes that such teachers were cut off Gal. 5. v. 12. and blames likewise those Galatians that received their doctrine saying Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth and yet they onely urged the ceremoniall law which God by Moses had appointed to remaine till the fulnesse of time but was now abrogated they were not their owne traditions they were no new borne lights no new wayes no new truths Now if Paul was so displeased or God rather with the Galatians both teachers and hearers the one for bringing in or joyning the ceremoniall law to the Gospell and the other for admitting of them how highly would God have been displeased with them if they had set up their owne inventions for the lawes of God and had brought in new borne truths and intruded them upon the people as necessary to salvation and for the setting up of Christ upon his Throne Without doubt the Apostle would most sharply have reproved them and have given speciall caveats against them as he did in his Epistle to the Colossians the second chapter of the which being chiefly spent in condemning all humane traditions yea in his first chapter of his Epistle to the Galatians ver 8 9. He chargeth them that though the Apostles themselves or an Angel from Heaven should preach unto them otherwise than that they had received they should count him accursed and as I said before saith the Apostle so say I now againe if any man preach unto you otherwise than that you have received let him be accursed But none of the Apostles ever taught the Church that christians and beleevers though baptized should not be admitted as members into the church unlesse they had walked some time in church-fellowship with them and had first made a publike confession of their faith and had brought in the evidences of the truth of their conversion and entred into a solemne private covenant and were admitted by the consent of the church none of all this did ever the Apostles teach or the christians of those times embrace or beleeve and therefore such doctrines as these ought not to be received In the first of the Corinthians in many places he reproves those that made scismes and brought in heresies and sects into the church and in the fourth chapter and sixt verse under his owne and Apollo's name he sets an example before them that they should containe themselves with in the limits and bounds of that doctrine and manner of preaching prescribed and set downe in the Word of God and used by the Spirit of God and commands them that they should learne in the Apostles not to presume or to be wise above that which is written and enjoynes all christians to reject all wayes of teaching that have not Gods Word for their warrant Now in all Gods Word there is nothing of all this written that after men beleeve and are baptized they should not yet be admitted into the church without they had walked sometime with them for their approbation and without they had made a publike confession of their faith before the congregation and brought in the evidences of their true conversion and had entred into a private covenant and were admitted by the consent of the church none of all this is written in Gods Word and therefore we ought not to embrace it And in the second of the Corinths chap. 11. ver 4. the Apostle signifieth unto the Corinthians that no man can teach the Gospel more exactly tahn he and the other Apostles have taught them nor set before them a more perfect doctrine of Jesus Christ than that that they have taught them for the converting of any unto Christ and for the setting up of Christ as King upon his Throne and for the making of them members of the church and for the building of them up in their most holy faith and commands the Corinthians to take heed of all false teachers whatsoever piety and godlinesse they make shew of calling them deceitfull workers such as transforme themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no mervaile saith he for Satan himselfe can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and therefore it is no wonder his ministers transforme themselves as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse Now if men will consider what those false teachers were we shall find them to be no other but such as under shew of holinesse and piety taught their owne inventions and grolleryes and abused the simplicity of the people for their owne advantage and brought them into bondage and devoured them verse 20. as the Pharises did the Widowes houses under pretence of their long prayers which our Saviour Christ sharply reproves them for and denounces a woe against them for their so doing after the same manner did these fals teachers amongst the Corinthians who made their owne traditions joyned members with the Gospel as if they had had a more fine neat and eliganter way of gathering of Churches and admitting of members than Paul and the other Apostles But the Apostle bids the Corinthians take heed of all such how glorious soever they seem to appeare and tels them they cannot teach the way to Heaven and happinesse better than he and the other Apostles have done and yet neither Saint Paul or any of the Apostles in preaching of the Gospel taught them that they should admit of none to be joyned members of the Church although they beleeved and were baptized except they walked some time in fellowship amongst them that they might have approbation and tryall of their conversation first and after make a publike confession of their faith before the church and did give in evidences of the truth of their conversion to the congregation and entred into a solemne private covenant and were admitted members by consent of the church Not a word of all this in the Gospel that Saint Paul and the other Apostles taught and therefore all that teach their new wayes their new-borne truths and set up their new lights are wise above that which is written and teach otherwise than Christ and his Apostles have taught or the christians of the primitive times had received and therefore ought by the Apostles command Gal. 1. ver 8 9. to be accursed Saint John also in his second Epistle to the Elect Lady ver 9 10. saith Who soever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that continueth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son If there come any unto you that bringeth not the doctrine of Christ receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evill deeds Now the doctrine that the Independent Ministers teach for the gathering of Churches and admitting of members and joyning and jumbling of them together was never taught
by Christ nor any of his Apostles for they themselves confesse it is a new way and a new-borne truth and a new light and therefore not the doctrine of Christ and therefore such novelties are not to be entertained nor imbraced nor the teachers of them if we will be obedient to Apostolicall precepts I desire therefore those of the Independent brethren to produce any one testimony or any one president out of the Word of God where these things following are taught or have been practiced First that although men and women beleeve and are baptized they are not yet to be admitted as joyned members till they have walked some time in fellowship with the church for approbation of their conversation this is the first thing I desire of the brethren either a precept or an example for this in Gods Word The second where it is commanded that those that beleeve and are baptized should not be admitted as members of the church without a publike confession of their faith before the church The third where it is enjoyned that to their faith and baptisme they should bring in the evidences of the truth of their conversion before they can be capable of their membership The fourth where it is commanded that they should enter into a solemne and private covenant before they can be admitted to Church-fellowship The fifth where it is imposed upon those that beleeve and are baptized that they should not be received into the church without the consent of the congregation Sixthly where it is commanded that the Ministers of the Gospel shall run about from their own places and charges into the sheepfolds of their fellow-shepheards and separate and pick out all their best sheep and bring them into their owne folds and debarre them from all church-fellowship and communicating with the other beleevers in Gods holy Ordinances and Sacraments or where ever it is commanded that the preachers of the gospel shall gather beleeving christians from amongst beleeving christians separate them from the other sheep into Independent congregations and shall proclaim all that are not thus molded up after this new modell to be people out of covenant and to have no right to the seales of the new covenant neither they nor their children though beleevers All these things I desire the brethren by evident places of the holy Scripture to make good and to confirme or by any president or example to declare to have been practiced either by Christ or his blessed Apostles for I looke for a law from Christ the King of his church who was as faithful in the house of God as Moses was and hath not left the ordering and disposing of his church to the will of men but has commanded the church to heare his voyce who is the great Pastor and Bishop of our souls and the teacher of his church his Word therefore I look for for a warrant for the ratifying of all these doctrines and I have good ground and reason to demand of them a warrant and authority out of Gods Word for what they both teach and practice for we are taught by Christ the onely Prophet of his church that they that serve God after the precepts of men offer him a vaine worship and it stands with all good reason that if all humane traditions though of never so ancient standing and of never so long antiquity were all cast out of the church because they had no footing or ground in Gods Word that all novelties or new inventions of men which notwithstanding are imposed upon the people as the wayes of God should be abrogated and nullified and cast out of the church It is recorded in holy writ Joshua 9. that the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the people of Israel under pretence that they came from a farre country and for proofe of that they produced their mouldy bread and their tattered boots their old shooes and they taking what they said pro confesso and not consulting with the mouth of the Lord as it is fully related in that chapter were deceived by them and entred into a League with their enemies And thus the Papists and Prelats for these many hundred yeers have deluded the world under pretence of their mouldy antiquities tattered ragges of traditions and in all this time they prevailed to mislead the poore people because they consulted not with the mouth of God nor examined things by the Word of God and the holy Scripture as the noble Bereans did Now whatsoever was written was written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come and therefore as it was the errour of the Israelites that they received things barely upon report without consulting with the mouth of God and as it was the honour and praise of those noble Bereans that they searched the Scriptures to see whether the preaching of Paul were according to the holy Scripture so if we shall receive these new borne truths these new lights these new wayes without consulting with the living Oracles we shall offend as the Israelites did in beleeving the Gibeonites upon their words and shall degenerate and be unlike to those the renowned Bereans who would not receive Paul's doctrine though an Apostle without searching the Scriptures whether things were so or no as he taught them and surely now much more ought we to try all things by the Word in these erroneous times whosoever they be that preach them unto us and if they be not evidently proved unto us out of the Scriptures we may not admit of them for it will be not onely a sinne but for our immortall shame to be deluded with novelties much more than it was our ancestors disgrace to be deceived by pretended antiquities And therefore it is the duty of every christian seriously to consider with themselves that these are matters of God and concerne no lesse than our eternall welfare and in that regard we may not call mens wayes Gods wayes but we are to seek for the old wayes Jer. 6. we are to examine Christs and his holy Apostles wayes in gathering of churches and making of members and if we find no footstep in all Gods Word of these new wayes we ought to relinquish them and turne againe into the pathes that God has commanded us to walk in wherein we shall be sure to find rest for our soules and comfort in life and death and it will be no disgrace to any to be undeceived for they are deceived and that greatly and dangerously that thinke or beleeve that any men mortall can shew or teach a better way to Heaven or set downe a better way of converting soules and of gathering of churches and making of members and of setting up Christ as King upon his Throne than that which Christ himselfe and his blessed Apostles have taught and set downe to all posterity and from the which rule we ought not to swerve though an Angel from Heaven should teach us otherwise Gal. 1. ver 8 9.
When therefore the Ministers of the church of England follow Christs and his Apostles way and method in their teaching and for the converting of men and heare onely the voyce of Christ their King and the christian beleevers through the Kngdome under their ministries doe all faithfully cleave unto the written Word and square both their faith and obedience according to that rule there is no just cause why the Independents should proclaime them all enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and such as oppose his royalty and preach up themselves and their congregations as the onely people of God and his Saints and account all those that dissent from them as opposers of Christs government telling the people in their Sermons that they come over from beyond the seas thinking that they would have set up Christ upon his Throne and that they would have embraced him for their King and would have established his government and have gone on in a church-way and have set up the wayes of God but they find it otherwise that they deny and disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government and persecute the wayes of the Lord Christ so that they can find more favour from moderate Papists and common Protestants than from them by which their dealing say the brethren they have so taken off the edge of Gods peoples affection from them that the Saints and servants of God cannot pray for them proclaiming themselves the Saints and people of God as if all the other beleevers through the Kingdome dissenting from them in their opinions were no Saints nor people of God Nay they affirme it in their Pulpits and in every Pamphlet that both Ministers and people are enemies of Jesus Christ and his Kingdome and all such as will not joyne with them in their new wayes And one of them not long since affirmed unto me that the church of England was a Strumpet an arrant Whore and that shee being once a Whore could never be presented unto Christ as a chaste Spouse which was an expression not onely uncivill and unbeseeming a christian but untrue also for grant shee had been so shee is now come out of Babylon and has entred into a publike covenant against her and we read of Juda and Samaria howsoever they had defiled themselves and played the Harlots yet upon their unfained repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ and renewing their covenant publikely of new obedience were presented unto Christ as a chaste Spouse so that what is impossible with man is possible with God But this is the generall opinion of the brethren and howsoever they will not all of them speak it out in plaine words as some of them doe yet they preach and practice a separation from all our assemblies and congregations as from a people not to be communicated with and declare that by their deedes which they will not as yet publish in their writings nor expresse words as he did And one of the Independent Ministers not long since denouncing Gods judgements against all those that would not assent unto their new wayes nor light their candles at their new lights nor embrace their new-borne truths told them that by their standing out against the wayes of God for so they suppose these are and by their unkind usage of the Saints and persecuting of them they would at last drive from amongst them the praying people meaning themselves as if no other prayed but they onely and then they might look that the judgements of God would speedily come downe upon them as it happened to the Lutherans in Maydenburge in Germany who thrust out all the Calvanists out of their Towne a praying people and immediatly after the enemy came upon them with fire and sword and destroyed them all With these and such like expressions are their preachments stuffed and to say the truth of many of their Sermons they are like Taylors cushions consisting of a hundred severall shreds of various colours all independent making a fine shew but comely no where but in a Taylors shop and surely such kind of expressions as these are may beseem their Pulpits but no grave and learned honest mens for they have no just cause to complaine of persecution amongst us it is a calumny neither deale they christianly with us to accuse us that we oppose the wayes of God for we doe not so we onely contend for the faith 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 doth not speedily from Heaven send his helping hand we can expect nothing but desolation and all from these devisions 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 complain 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 city and country 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 maintainance than was usually given to any Lectures before them and therefore they deale not brotherly in none of all their proceedings nor humanely so to asperse them as they ordinarily doe both publikely 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 known and their books and practices declare it that they preach new wayes new-borne truthes 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 divers doctrine to that which is set up by authority and such as tends to make a faction and devision amongst the people I doe most assuredly beleeve that there cannot the like president be produced Amongst the Heathen the Jewish Religion in many countries was tolerated but they were confined to their owne Sinagogues they might not come in the Heathens Pulpits to preach up the Jewish 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 Jewes 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 onely in such places as are appointed for them they may not preach in popish Pulpits that 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 proclaime them enemies of Christs government and if any should dare attempt such a thing or goe about to disgrace their Ministers and church-government or in the least intrench upon the Mrgistrates authority they would be made fly like lightning before thunder And yet the brethren among us have the liberty of all the Pulpits through the Kingdome without controle and vent all their new wayes and their new-borne truths and set up their new lights without any molestation and have all respectfull usage and the onely esteem of the people 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 proclaime 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 baptisme and debarre us from communion with them and exercise a kind of absolute lordship over all their brethren so as Deotraphes never did the like nor the Pope more and yet they cry out of persecution against the Saints and lay odious aspersions upon their brethren and fellow-Presbiters perswading the people that the presbiterian way will be as bad or worse than that of the Prelats But if we as duly examine the manner of the Independent government and compare it with the Presbiterian as we have done the manner of their preaching with theirs we shall find there is little reason why they should so villipend the Presbiterian and magnifie their owne and why they should make it so hatefull and odious to the people laying aside therefore all prejudice let us examine things with deliberation and then it will be soon evident that the Presbiterian government is not as bad or worse than that of the Prelats nor so lordly as that of the Independent government which is also Presbyterian and they as well Presbyters as their brethren It is well knowne that the Prelats assumed and arrogated unto themselves to be the onely Pastors of their Diocesses and ruled all the Ministers and people under them by their owne authority and spoyled all both Minsters 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 whose Courts there was no appeale Whereas the Presbiterian manner of government is not as that of Lords and Masters over Subjects and Servants but sociall as between equals between brethren friends and colledges who all judge and are all judged according to the Word of God where no congregation is above another congregation no Minister is above another Minister but onely for order-sake where every Presbiter is left to enjoy the whole office of a Presbiter and each congregation to the freedome of a congregation 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 Presbitry he may have the benefit of his appeale and be cleered 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 Prelats with that of the Presbiterian they would speedily be undeceived And againe if they would compare the Presbiterian government dependent with the Presbiterian government independent they would have more honourable thoughts of the one and a lesse esteem of the other for in the Presbiterian government independent they exercise a kind of absolute power and soveraignty amongst themselves in every of their severall Churches or congregations so that if two or three of the Presbiters be malicious or self-will'd or corrupt or hereticall as it happens many times and by their learning or eloquence or great abilities of wit and schollership or by their wealth or power the congregation perhaps consisting of many poore people and it may be ignorant who are relieved by them and whose favour they dare not forfeit if they prevailing with the major part of the congregation as commonly the poore people are like a company of wild Gees who which way soever their leader flyes they all follow I say if they do once deliver a man to satan and will not by any art of perswasion be induced to reverse their unrighteous sentence the innocent and wronged man must live under this doome all the dayes of his life without any remedy and must be held by all the Churches of Christ that are after that new modell to whom their sentence is given notice of as an excommunicated person and shun'd accordingly they have no power to absolve or help him and from which he hath no benefit of appeale And this that I now speake there is not any of the brethren that is well verst in the grounds of that kind of government that either will or can deny it And this rigor to my knowledge both in the low Countries in the severall congregations of the English there and in some here in England among us was the cause of making so many severall sects for when they were cast out of one congregation for some particular opinion in the which they differed from them the other churches and congregations of the same mould and profession could not absolve them nor durst not receive them into church fellowship with them without an attestation from the church out of which they were excommunicated of their christian walking amongst them or had given satisfaction to that church of which they had been members and that they would never be brought unto conceiving that the wrong was theirs who complained as unjustly excommunicated neither would they relinquish their opinion as being perswaded it was grounded upon the Word of God whereupon they finding others of their owne opinion joyned themselves into a new society and congregation and had a peculiar church by themselves and this has been one of the chiefest causes of all these rents and devisions we now see every where for
given in the High-commission-Courts and in the Star-Chamber and in all other unjust Courts the people that assented unto all their cruell censures against Gods people and liked well of it are as equally guilty who would ordinarily say that had they been Judges they would have done the like and that they were men worthy of death which made them I say as equally guilty as their wicked Judges and Executioners as we may see also in those that assented unto the High-Priests and to the Scribes and Pharisees in putting to death the Lord of life they made themselves all guilty of his blood and by that meanes brought the curse of God upon them and their children by it to this day as well as the High-Priests themselves a fearfull sinne though the world take no notice of it and which all these Kingdomes have yet to repent of Saint Paul also makes himselfe as guilty of Stephen's blood as they that stoned him saying When the holy Martyr Stephen was stoned I stood by and assented unto it and held the garments of those that stoned him By which he acknowledgeth himselfe equally guilty and so all those that assented to all the cruelty done to the people of God in these Kingdomes and were approvers of their tyranny are as guilty as the actors of it for consenting unto any treason or conspiracy or with any malefactors and all their complices both by the law of God nature and nations makes them all guilty before God and men and as liable to justice and punishment as those that acted in those malefices and therefore those that but assent unto a toleration of all Religions a sinne so highly displeasing unto God are as guilty as the actors of it and if but consenting make them guilty how guilty are they then that use arguments to bring in a toleration of all Religions and abuse the Scriptures to this end and plead for it and would have it established by a law surely they are offenders against divine Majesty in an elevated nature and have a great deal to answer for it before God especially when they doe it in a most scurrilous and railing manner by which they manifest to all the world that they are more verst and better acquainted with the doctrine of Billingsgate than with the language of Canaan But this may seeme a wonderfull thing to all judicious men that that people which within these six yeers were afraid of a Surplice of the crosse in Baptisme and of any popish ceremony or of any of their vain traditions and wil-worship which was their honour then should now plead for the toleration of the body and soule of popery and for all other both jewish and heathenish Religions and all manner of sects so destructive to that Religion which the King of Saints and King of Kings and the onely King of his Church the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe hath taught us and to the peace and quietnesse of the Land this I say must needs seem a monstrous thing to any moderate minded Christian Nay how unreasonably doe these men deale with their brethren they plead for a toleration of all Religions here in England and yet in New England banish men into Islands from amongst them for dissenting from them in their new modell of Church government and for but dissenting from them in their opinions about Religion and here amongst us what impious and railing books doe they make against the Ministers for endeavouring to establish that Religion and that church-government that God himselfe in his holy Word hath set down and what opprobrious names doe they give the faithful and painfull Preachers and Pastors of the Church of England calling them Baals Priests the profest enemies of Jesus Christ his Kingdome the limms of Antichrist false Prophets the brood of Babylon terming some particular men of them Rabshekes others Bands others Black mouthes legall preachers and stiling all of them the cursed enemies of Jesus Christ and think of them as men not worthy to live and in expresse words professe it and yet these men plead for a toleration of all Religions when both by their words and deeds they manifest if it were in their power the first work they would do should be to root us all out of the Kingdome so that all men may see they say one thing and meane another that they would tolerate all Religions but onely that which is the true Religion so by that meanes have no Religion at all but one of their own making which by their new lights they have of late found out which they call the straight way to Heaven and the onely way of setting up Christ upon his Throne which is nothing else to say the truth but to disthrone him and set up themselves and their new modell for who doth not see how already they lord it over all good christians not admitting them to the Sacraments but upon their owne termes nor suffering their children to be baptized amongst them nor so much as suffering any they call Presbiterians to preach in their new congregated Assemblies if this be to give a toleration of any Religion but their owne let all the world judge but I say and will ever by Gods assistance be able to make it good in that they plead for a toleration of all Religions they are as guilty of hainous and soule sinnes being complices as well as they that are actors Now then when the Presbiters of the Church of England seek and endeavour in all their proceedings to establish that Religion which Christ the King of his Church hath taught them and his blessed Apostles and labour to set up that government that was ordained in all Churches to be perpetuated to the end of the world in their so doing they imitate all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and in that they doe more advance Christ's Kingdome than the Independents who under pretence of liberty of conscience would bring in a toleration of all Religions and confusion upon us all Surely if ever any Ministers deserved well from the people the Ministers of England now doe who by all their endeavours shew that they seek to bring them to the knowledge of God and of his Sonne Jesus Christ and to the knowledge of themselves which is life eternall For what could men doe more than that which they have done who have petitioned the house of Lords and Commons now sitting in the great Counsell of the Kingdome that they might be armed with authority from them in their severall charges to have the examination of such as shall be admitted to the Sacraments that they may be rightly informed in the knowledge of those holy Mysteries and that none that are either ignorant or scandalous in their lives may be suffered to communicate at the Lord's Table by which their endeavour they shew the christian care they have of their eternall welfare for which the people are ever bound unto them and by the which also they take away all scandall occasion of offence to others which formerly pretended that the cause of their separating from our Congregations and Assemblies was in regard they could not communicate with dogs and swine and with the tagragge and bobtaile of all the Malignants for in such termes they usually expresse themselves Now when the occasion of this scandall and offence is taken away by the care of the Ministers and all superstition and popish ceremonies and all will-worship is also rooted out and when the Gospell is truly and faithfully by them preached both in season and out of season and the Name of God truly invocated and the Sacraments duly and rightly administred what just cause have the Independents now either of separation or of traducing either Ministers or people of being enemies of Christ and his Kingdome when by all their endeavours they onely seek the advancement of him and his Kingdome amongst them I have so good an opinion of all moderate minded christians that when they shall seriously weigh and consider what I have here writ and truly and faithfully set downe that those of them that have formerly been alienated from them will again being now undeceived returne every one of them to their owne Pastors by whose ministries they have been converted and that all other understanding men will not onely have more charitable thoughts both of the Ministers and beleevers of the Church of England but wil likewise look more narrowly into and examine more diligently all those new wayes and by finding them out to be indeed but new will seek for the old way and walk in it which shall ever be his prayer that wisheth that all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth The POSTSCRIPL Discovering the uncharitable dealing of the Independents towards their christian brethren with the juglings of many of their Pastors and Ministers to the misleading of the poore people to the detriment of their owne soules and the hurt both of Church and Sate with the danger of all novelties in Religion is to come forth a fortnight hence in the which it will be proved that it is the duty of all christian Magistrates Parents Masters of Families and all such as truly feare God to yeeld their helping hand for the suppressing of heresies and all novelties in Religion if they really desire the glory of God the salvation of their brethren and the peace of Church and Kingdom in the which also there is satisfactory answer given to the principall cavils of him that writ that railing Pamphlet stiled The falshood of Master William Prynne's triumphing in the Antiquity of Popish Princes and Parliaments FINIS
of Israel is left to all the people of God to all ages for imitation whose duty it is to set up the true worship of God onely amongst them and none but that which Christ their Redeemer King and Law-giver hath injoyned them and therfore all such as would have all Religions tolerared do exceedingly forget themselves and are highly unthankfull to Christ their King and Redeemer And if we look into the story of the Judges the book following that of Joshua when this generation was dead and that they had forgot their covenant and began to tolerate all religions amongst them they brought downe all those plagues upon themselves by it that were writen in the law of Moses and for no other cause saith the holy Scripture but for that they set up those Religions the heathens had served their gods by as is manifest from the sixth chapter for when the people cryed unto the Lord because of the Midianites the Lord sent a Prophet unto them first who told them that the cause of all the judgements was because they had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord but had served the gods of the nations which he had forbidden them and afterwards he sent an Angel unto Gideon and commanded him to break downe the Altar af Baal which his father had and to cut downe the Grove that was by it and to set up an Altar to the Lord In the first place Gideon was enjoyned to root out idolatry and then to set up Gods true worship onely here we find no toleration of any Religion but the true Religion when they set upon the work of reformation and when the men of the City made inquiry after him that had broken down the Altar and cut downe the Grove and would have put him to death it is related that Ioash the Father of Gideon said to all that stood against him Will ye plead for Baal will ye save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death whiles it is yet morning if he be a god let him plead for himselfe because one hath cast downe his Altar Here we find no toleration of Baal's Religion but that they that would plead for him should be put to death and surely those that will plead for a toleration of all Religions doe no lesse than fight against God But now let us see what Elias did 1 King 18. ver 21. who was counted as the Chariot and Horse-men of Israel with Baals Priests and what he said to all those of his times How long saith he to the people will ye halt between two Religions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be God then follow him The holy Prophet would not admit of a toleration of all Religions but when God had miraculonsly manifested from Heaven that Elias his Religion was the true Religion and which God in his holy Word had established all Baals Priests were put to death and that by Elias his command who said Take the Prophets of Baal let none of them escape and they took them and Elias took them and brought them downe to the Brook Kishon and slew them there And so upon all reformations all other Religions were cast out but the true Religion as we may see through the whole Scripture as in the stories of the Kings and Chronicles and those of Nehemiah and Ezra and through all the Prophets and the Lord in the second of Ieremiah complaineth against his people that they had forsaken the fountaines of living water that is they had forsaken the true God and served other gods and forsaken their maker and had been more unconstant than the very Heathen who had not forsaken their idoll gods and therefore for this their rebellion and ingratitude the Prophet denounces all those plagues that were written in the law against them as all the other Prophets did for there is not any sinne in all the old Testament that the Lord more complaines of than that of idolatry and the toleration of many Religions amongst them as is most abundantly set downe both in Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezekiel Daniel and in all the other Prophets all which were written for our learning so that if the people of God shall imitate them in their sinnes they must look to partake with them in their plagues for the tolerating of all Religions would be a just provoking of the Lord our God to anger now as it was then And we have sad experience already what the tolerating of the idolatry of the Masse that Dagon of Ginger-bread hath brought upon us for God will not be mocked if God be God and the christian Religion of the reformed Churches and which we find in the holy Scriptures and which was confirmed by so many signes and wonders and miracles be the true religion than let that and that onely be set up amongst Christians and no other tolerated for if they be they will speedily bring the plagues of God upon the Kingdome and confusion upon us all as we may well perceive by the suffering of them but a few yeers what good effects they will produce for toleration of all Religions cannot be pleasing unto God no more in our times than it was amongst his ancient people the Jewes and in the primitive Churches and therefore all those that plead for a toleration of all Religions are no friends of Christ nor lovers of Religion pretend what they will for neither Abraham Isaac nor Iacob nor any of the Prophets nor holy men of God would suffer it neither would the Apostles ever endure it but in all their writings give especiall charge to all the people to take heed of all the false teachers of their time and forewarnes them to take heed of them in all succeeding ages ever describing them by their crafty dealings that they should come in sheeps cloathing and in all-seeming holinesse and fained simplicity and therefore that they are the more to be avoyded And Paul writing to the Galatians in the fifth chapter wisht and desired that the false Teachers were cut off so far were the holy Apostles from tolerating all Religions as in all their Epistles they invay against them and that continually as false Apostles and deceivers and command all christians to receive no other Religion but that which they had taught them Gal. 1. and bids the people come out of Babylon and tels them there is no fellowship with light and darknesse and surely if al the Prophets Apostles did command al the people of God to come out of Babylon they never gave leave to any Christians to set up Babylon amongst them and to tolerate the confusion and mingling together of all Religions for this would be a thing not onely against the Scripture and revealed will of God but against all solid reason and sound judgement Nay we see that Christ himselfe in writing to the seven Churches in Asia and in them to all Christians in the world he blames the Angel of the Church
of Pergamus and that of Thyatira in the second chapter in these words To the Angel in the Church of Pergamus write these things saith he that hath the sharp sword with two edges I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where satans seat is and thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those dayes wherein Antipas my faithfull Martyr who was slaine among you where satan dwelleth but I have a few things against thee because thou hast them there that hold the doctrin of Baalam who taught Baalak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel and to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication so hast thou them also that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate repent or else I come unto thee quickly and will sight against thee with the sword of my mouth And unto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write these things saith the Sonne of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet like fine brasse I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her selfe a prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols c. and in the 3. chap. ver 14. Unto the Angel of the Church of Laodicea write these things saith the Amen the faithfull and true Witnesse the beginning of the creation of God I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou were cold or hot so then because thou art lukewarme and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth c. Out of the which places it is sufficiently manifest that it is a thing highly displeasing unto God that his people should give a toleration of any Religion but that he hath established and those that labour for a toleration of all Religions must needs be luke-warme neither hot nor cold which is an evill the Lord is so much displeased with as he tels them that he will spew them out of his mouth and surely there is nothing that savours more of licentiousnesse and earelesnesse in Religion and want of zeal to Gods glory in any men than when they would bring in a toleration of all Religions And many of them can report that there is no Religion in Holland where there is a toleration of all Religions though it is well knowne that there are men in that Country of the native Dutch people that are as zealous for the true religion as any of them and are as much desirous that tolerations of all religions amongst them were not there permitted as they now wish a toleration of all religions were suffered here amongst us for they find by experience that it is an occasion of all prophanenesse and if they should have there the like occasions of civill combustions as we have through Gods displeasure for our sinnes and ingratitude towards him here in England I am afraid they would find the toleration of all those religions amongst them would prove an intolerable thing to them if not the cause of the ruine of their whole Country The Lord divert his judgements from them and grant that they may never taste of the miseries that we now are acquainted with but for tolerating of popery and Arminianisme and the prelaticall faction and without doubt if the suffering but of these three has so displeased God the tolerating of all would give him a just cause of his more hot indignation But now to answer to their Objections in order the Heathens say the Independents suffered Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and the people of Israel where ever they came to exercise their owne religion and tolerated all religions amongst them For answer let them take notice that no thank is due to the heathens for it as we may see in Genesis the 12. chap. and the 20 chap. and chap. 26. but onely the glory of that is to be ascribed to God who restrained them when they intended evill against them for he appeared to some of them in visions and commanded them not to touch his anointed people and forbad them to doe his Prophets any harme and by the speciall blessings that he rained downe upon his people and by his miraculous preserving of them in fiery furnaces and in Lyons dens from the fury of Savage-beasts delivering them so often out of the hands of all their enemies he struck such a terror into the heathen nations that they durst not oppresse his people so that the singular providence of God who watcheth over them alwayes for good was their shield and Buckler so that what they did in tolerating them and their Religion was not of their good nature but it was Gods speciall favour towards his owne peculiar people and for the maintainance of his owne Cause and that Religion which they had learned from him and therefore those heathenish examples are not for Christians imitation to tolerate all Religions who are bound to obey Gods commandements and to follow the example of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the holy Prophets and Apostles who all of them have condemned the toleration of all Religions amongst his people and have denounced Gods judgements against them for so doing Againe we must consider the principles of the heathen Philosophers and the practice of all wicked godlesse politicians in all ages for the Philosophers though they were sufficiently convinced by their naturall reason that there was a God and that this God was the author of all good and the punisher of all evill and therefore that he ought to be feared and served of all nations and people yet because they by that naturall light of understandding which was but darknesse in them could not comprehend what that infinite Majesty and divine being and God-head was and were not in themselves able to set downe a description of him nor how to conceive of that invisible Deity nor what worship would be most pleasing unto him which they could never doe without God himselfe had revealed himselfe unto them as he did to his owne people they served him after some traditions they had received from their fathers and left all nations cities and families to serve God as they thought best and according to their owne vaine imaginations and for the Atheisticall politicians of all ages all Religions are one to them who never regard any one more than another and therefore tolerate all for their owne base ends and think it best for the enriching of all their countries as the experience of all ages and histories can sufficiently witnesse and many of them doe not refraine to say that Religion was onely brought into the world out of policy and to keep people in awe so that God of his infinite goodnesse having