them and to convent any offender before them and to proceed against him by censure and punishment If the crime layd against him were sufficiently proved and that the people under them were to yeild obedience unto them in the Lord such a power was every Presbytery invested with through all the Apostolicall churches and this Mr Knollys hath acknowledged in divers places in this his Pamphlet in this his very answer concerning Diotrephes as we shall see by and by And all this S. Iohn could not be ignorant of and that in the Church of Ierusalem in which hee was both a Pastor and a Member that the Presbytery ruled there and that all the people made their addresses as well for the good of their soules as for the better rectifying of abuses to the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church and appealed alwayes unto them and never applyed themselves unto the people or the multitude as we may see in these particulars as First when they were pricked in their hearts they applied themselves unto the Apostles for direction saying men and brethren what shall we do Acts 2. they went not to the church or people but to the Apostles knowing that the Ministers were their guides and that they were to be directed by them and that they were bound to obey them And so in the fact of Ananias and Saphira his wife when they had purloyned the goods of the Church for whereas it was ordered and agreed upon by common consent that the price of those possessions that were sold should be layd down at the Apostles feet and that distribution should be made unto every man according as he had need contrary to this order Ananias kept back part of the price Saphira his wife also being privy to it Hereupon the people appeal unto the Apostles in whose hands the government then lay and who had power to censure and punish them as they did for that their delinquency as it is to be seen Acts the 5. they went not to the people and Church but applyed themselves to the Presbytery and of this proceeding Saint John was not ignorant Again when the widdowes were neglected in the daily ministration for the taking away of this abuse they appealed unto the Apostles as we may see in the sixt of the Acts and not unto the Church or people who ordered that businesse and determined the controversie amongst them to which the people assented This also Saint Iohn was not ignorant of And he knew very well that the Presbytery in Ierusalem and all other Churches had power to send any of the Apostles or their other Ministers into any other place to preach or upon any message as we may see it Acts the 8 and Acts 14 15. For the Presbytery of Ierusalem sent Peter and Iohn to the City of Samaria to preach amongst the people there which they could not have done except the Presbitry had had power and authority in their hands over theÌ„ we see also the same in the Church of Antioch where they sent Paul and Barnabas and their ministers to the Presbitry at Ierusalem the Presbitry of Ierusalem they likewise sent their decrees by their Ministers through all Cities and Churches which they could not have done had they not had authority over the Ministers Again S. Iohn knew very well that the power of admitting of members lay not in the peoples hands for we read Acts the 9. When Paul came to Ierusalem and assayed to joyn himself to the Disciples and that they being affraid of him believing not that he was a Disciple St Paul appeals from them to the Presbytery of the Apostles in whose hands the government lay and declaring unto them how matters were they admitted him into fellowship with them without the consent of the people their good liking for the government did not belong unto them All these proceedings Saint Iohn knew very well and therefore could not be ignorant that there was a Court and Councell to appeal to in all Churches Yea Saint Iohn knew also that the Presbytry of Ierusalem had power and authority over any of the Apostles and did upon any occasion convent them before them as we may see in the 11. chap. and 21. where Peter was called before the Presbytery for going in to the Gentiles and was therefore to give an accompt of his actions there which he did all with shews there was there a standing Court and so in the 21. chapter the Presbytry gave Saint Paul an order and direction how to behave himself toward the weak ones which he followed all which shewes that they only had the power in their hands and that there was a court there and that it belonged not to the people all these things I say S. Iohn was not ignorant of therfore knew very well that in that Church also where Diotrephes was a Presbyter there was a Court and Common-councell of Presbyters to appeal unto or else he would never have said If I come I will remember his deeds But why should I spend time in proving that which to any understanding man is as evident a nd clear as almost any other truth in the holy Scripture especially when Mr Knollys hath proved it himself in formall words in many places in this his answer for he confesseth that there was a Presbytery established in every Church and that the government of those Churches was put into the Presbyters hands and that the people were to obey those Presbyters as their guides and in expresse termes page the seventh saith Therefore the Apostle writes to the Church or particular congregation whereof Diotrephes was a Member and an Elder who he knew had power to judge him as well as the Church or particular Congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were Members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. And therefore might as warrantably admonish Diotrephes as the Church of Colosse might Archippus Coloss 4. verse 17. in these words He confesseth that Saint Iohn knew that the Church whereof Diotrephes was a Member and Presbyter had power to judg him which doth necessarily infer that there was at that time a court there for judgement and censure and inflicting of punishment is the act of a court or Magistracy and of those that are in authority and armed with power besides for further illustration of his meaning he saith that the church Saint Iohn writ unto had the same power over its Members that the church of Corinth had over its Members Now all men that have read the first and second Eâ—istle of Paul to the Corinthians know very well that there was a court in the church of Corinth with plenary authority from Christ himselfe both to convent and censure and that with the severest punishment those that did publikely scandalize the Gospell as is evident by the excommunication of the incestuous person now if that church that St. Iohn writ unto were equall in power to that of Corinth and that
every Church that is to say in all or through all Churches these are his own words as you may see it in the third page of his wise Pamphlet So that when it makes for his turne hee can make no difference betweene the singular and the plurall yea hee translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domatim that is house by house which is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as houses by houses and per singulas domas for hee that saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man by man sayes as much as men by men and therefore hee playes the Iugler and cheate thus to cloud the light that he may put off his base wares the better and to darken the truth with his trifling about words al this to shew to the people that hee hath some skill in the Greeke and Latine because hee can write the words out of the Text which every Schoole boy can doe But I pray see how the poore creature troubles himselfe in beating the ayre hee saith it is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domatim they brake bread from house to house but it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per singulas domos that is to say they did not breake bread in all houses or through all the houses Ergo there were not many Congregations in Ierusalem which is a meere wickednesse in him to trifle thus for hee himselfe a little before translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per singulat Ecclesias and here hee would make a great difference betweene the singular and the plurall when notwithstanding in the Originall there is none for in the twentieth of the Acts v. 20. there the Holy Ghost saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall which is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if Master Knollis Interpretation be good that when the word is used in the plurall it signifies many Congregations and Assemblies then in the Church of Ephesus by his owne confession there were many Congregations and yet they all made but one Church within that Precinct and doubtlesse so it was in Ierusalem there were many Congregations there and yet they all made but one Church and the truth is so evident that Master Knollys his owne interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular will carry it for hee translates it domatim house by house Now I appeale to any intelligible man that knowes but the English tongue or any other language where civility dwels and barbarism is banished whether or no when the Magistrate sends Messengers or Officers to search for any Delinquents and gives them in charge to search through such a street house by house I demand I say whether the Messengers by this their warrant are not in joyned to search every house in that street whether house by house be not to be understood every house and all the houses in that street and when the Officers returne againe to the Magistrate relate unto him that according to his command order they have diligently searched house by house through the street doe they not I pray in this acknowledge that they have searched every house in that street yea all the houses all men that know any thing in reason know that house by house in every street or in every Citie is as much as all houses in that street and in all houses in that Citie Now when the word of God sayes Acts 2. that the Christians in Jerusalem and Beleevers brake bread from house to house and when in the 5. of the Acts v. 42. it is recorded that the Apostles daily in the Temple and in every house or from house to house or house by house as Mr. Knollys would have it ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ It is manifestly apparent that in every of those houses and in all those houses they had an Assembly or Congregation of beleevers and for ought any thing can be said to the contrary there might be as many congregations then in Ierusalem as they had Ministers and Pastors there which were in abundance For none but the Ministers might administer the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lords Supper the Apostles and the Ministers of the Gospell only had the charge to feed Christs sheep and Lambes so that the sheep and lambes were not to feede their Pastor Now all the people under them were either sheepe or lambs and they were not to intermedle in those holy Ordinances to administer them though they might receive them from them and therefore what the holy Word of God relateth to us that we are bound to believe but the holy Word of God relates unto us that in Ierusalem and that in the very infancy of the Church they had congregations and Assemblies every day in many severall houses at one time yea in every house Ergo there were many Assemblies and Congregations of believers in the Church at Ierusalem and that in the very infancy of it and this Master Knollys doth acknowledge for he confesseth they had their meetings day by day and house by house that is to say every day and in every house they had their Congregations in Ierusalem and so he is constrained to confesse that which he had so often and peremptorily denied but such is the force power and efficacy of truth as it will breake out of the mouth of the enemie and fly in their faces for Master Knollys doth confesse that besides their meetings in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and that daily they had their meetings also house by house Domatim so that their meetings and congregations in Jerusalem were numberlesse if they were from house to house But if neither the Scripture nor his owne confession can convince his error at least let his owne Words take some place with him who in the 23. pag. of his learned answer hath these expressions Some godly and learned men of approved gifts came to sojourne in this city and preached the Word both publickly and from house to house and daily in the Temples and in every house they ceased not to Teach and Preach Iesus Christ and some of them have dwelt in their owne houses and received all that came unto them c. Thus Mr Knollys speaks and for proof of what he saith he quotes the very places of Scriptures in the Margent of his booke that I produced as Act. 2. ver 46. Acts the 5. 42. Acts 20. vers 20. Where from house to house and in in every house in his dialect is all one which it was not when I quoted it out of the Word of God And very reason and common experience teaches all men that wheresoever the Independents have their meeting houses they have a Church or congregation there and as many meeting houses as they have so many Churches ordinatly they have witnesse Toleration-streete which they call the holy streete I meane Coleman-streete which an Independent one day meeting me passing through it tould me was the Saints streete
leaving the poore sheepe in the wildernesse I say when all these things are evident out of the holy Scripture it necessarily followeth when Diotrephes was an Elder and Presbyter in that Church Saint Iohn writ unto which Master Knollys confesseth that he had there his particular congregation and therfore there was no neede of making any mention of it for very common reason will dictate thus much to any man that if any great grasier have ten or twelve thousand sheepe and many severall walks and places of pasturage to feed them in and hath severall pastours to looke unto them all as not a few Shephards can feede ten or twelue thousands sheepe and gives them all a charge in common of looking to his sheepe and feeding them although all those severall pastours are to have a generall care of all those sheep that have his marke upon them and that are within the limits of his severall walks and grasing places yet it is to be understood that every one of them hath his severall flocke committed to him in speciall for he must not be idle over the which he is to have the particular inspection and care for the well ordering of it with this limitation that he may not wrong the flocke or do any thing contrary unto his Masters pleasure or to the dammage or prejudice of his other fellow Pastours or their flocke All this I say good reason will dictate to any rationall man and dayly experience will confirme it In the same manner things were ordered in the primitive and Apostolicall Churches all whose Elders and Pastours in them had the charge of the severall flocks committed to them in common all the which they were to governe communi consilio presbyterorum as it is by all the Independents themselves confest for all those Churches were Aristocratically and Presbyterianly governed and therefore according to the wisdome and common councell of their Elders this Presbyter had the charge of the sheepe of such a ward or walke committed unto his care and that Elder had such a Circuit committed unto his charge and a third Elder had such a precinct committed to his cure and so of the rest with this proviso alwayes that all things of publicke concernment and that tended to the common good both of sheep and Pastours should be ordered by the joynt and common councell of the severall and respective Presbyters in an orderly and well regulated way for all things in the Church were to be done in order and decency and uniformitie which could never have been if every Pastour and Presbyter and every particular congregation under them severally would have governed as pleased themselves without any reference to the Colledge or common counsell of all the Presbyters which was the failing of Diotrephes here for which he was greatly blam'd by Saint Iohn And that all those Churches were to be governed by their severall Presbytries and that the people were not to intermeddle with the government of them Master Knollys himselfe in the third page of his pamphlet and in the eleventh of the same doth accord who citing my words in my introduction to my booke deduceth from them foure conclusions which I shall by and by set downe after I have related the grounds of them Before saith he the Doctor comes to proove his four particular Propositions he saith it will not be amisse in generall to take notice that all the Churches we read of in the new testament were aristocratically and Presbyterially Governed and were all Dependent upon the severall Presbyters and produceth divers places of Scripture to prove the same and two sheets are spent wholly in proving thereof from the 12 page to the 29. These words Mr Knollys quoteth out of my book Now hear his answer All which saith he should it be granted onely proves First that in every City or Church there was a Presbytery For they Ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 14. That thou Ordain Elders City by City Tit. 1. v. 5. Secondly that as there were Apostles and Elders in the church of Jerusalem so there were Elders in the church of Ephesus Acts the 20. ver 25. and in the church of Corinth and in the church of Galatia and Philippy c. Thirdly that those severall churches were dependent upon their several Presbyteries and they were to obey them who had the rule over them Hebr. 13. 7. 17. 24. Who were their guids obey your guids Fourthly that this Presbyterian church Government God hath appointed as his Ordinance to be continu'd to the end of the World the which whosoever resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God These are the foure conclusions Master Knolleys gathereth out of my arguments but with all adds saying that all this doth not prove that this Presbyterian Church government is dependent upon a supreame judicature to the Decrees of which they must submit themselves and their churches This saith Mr. Knollys doth not follow but of that in its due place In the mean time it will be much to the purpose a little to consider his expressions All which saith he should it be granted proves First c. to wit the four conclusions now layd down in this place I intreat the Reader to behold the vanity of the man in so speaking all which shâ—uld â—t be granted as if he did me a great courtesie and favour to yeeld unto me that which the holy Scripture in exâ—resse woâ—ds declareth o be the will and pleasure of God and that which I had out of the blessed word of truth sufficiently ev need and which no man can deny except he will deny the Scripture and Word of God which hath perspicuously and in fo mall termes set own that there was a Colledge Presbyte ie of Elders orda ned and constituted in very Church or City who were to have the rule over the people in their severall congreâ—ations within their â—râ—cin â—s w ch M Knollys himself consenteth unto as is evident by his 4 conclusions So that if ever there had been any time of denying or not granting that all the Churches of the New Iestament were all Arâ—stocratically and Presbyterianly to be govern'd and were so many severall Eccle aâ—â—icall Corpo ations and that all those Scriptures I had produced for the proof of the same had not been rightly applyed and alleadged now had been the time when this businesse was in question and agitation for Mr Knollys to have shewen his skill and to have produced the reasons of his dislike and gain-saying but when he confirmed what I proved as is manifest from his four conclusions it is a great folly in the man to say all which should it be granted when he himselfe acknowledgeth as much and in expresse terms in the eleventh page of his book hath these words It is not denyed saith he by the brethren meaning the Independents that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the Government of the Churches in which they were Elders These are
was a mighty company for it is related that the people of the City with one accorde from the greatest to the least both men and women believed and were baptized Now if any man shall duly consider and weigh things this City was no contemptible one as appears from that I said before and yet it is asserted by the holy Ghost who is worthy to be believed and credited that all the people of that City from the greatest to the least both men and women believed and were baptized and therfore they could not all meet in any one place or a few neither was any one Pastor able to Teach them all which appeareth in that the Church of Ierusalem at first sent two of the chiefest Apostles Peter and Iohn to Samaria so that all this shews there was an innumerable company of believers in that City all which could not meete in any one or a few places as all reason will easily perswade Besides the Apostles Evangelists and the Ministers of those times had an other manner of converting faculty then the Independents in our dayes who I never yet heard converted any though they have perverted and seduced many For the Apostles and Evangelists and the primitive Ministers there were immediatly sent of God and inspired with the holy Ghost and spake in all Languages and did Miracles such as none could doe but those that came from God as Nicodemus said unto Christ that none could doe such works and miracles as he did except God were with him Iohn 3. 2. for they cured all manner of diseases with their word and shaddow they raised the dead made the lame to walke and cast out Devils and did whatsoever was wonderfull Withall they Preached unto them the glad tidings of joy and peace and of everlasting happinesse after a miserable life here and did also instruct them how to order their wayes and conversations here so that they might live with honour and dye with comfort and be usefull to all men both in life and death and after death And the Apostles Evangelists and Ministers of those times as they did good wherever they came so they lived so holily and unblameably in all manner of conversation and were men of such integrity sincerity and of such plaine upright dealing as the people that beheld their conversation and saw withall their workes of wonder that they did said of them that gods were come downe amongst them in the likenesse of men so that they converted whole cities and countries wheresoever they came yea it was an ordinary thing with them to bring whole Nations in a short time and with a few Miracles to the obedience of the faith as wee may see through the whole Storie of the Acts and from that of Paul Rom. the 15. verse 18. 19. where the Apostle abundantly declareth the effect of the Gospel and Miracles of those times who wrought so powerfully wheresoever they came even to the converting of whole countries and cities and so they prevailed in this citie of Samaria that the people of the same were speedily converted from the greatest to the least both men and women who all beleeved and were baptized and what rationall man will thinke or can beleeve that all the people men and women of a mighty and royall citie could meet in any place or a few to partake in all acts of worship but must necessarily be distributed into divers congregations and churches if they would partake in all ordinances and yet all these made up but one Church as being under one government that of the Presbyterie for there were Presbyters ordained in every Church and in every citie as is apparent from Acts the 14. verse 23. and Titus the 1. And now I have proved that the two Mother cities of Palestine Ierusalem and Samaria consisting of many congregations were Presbyterially and classically governed I will goe on to the other cities of the Gentiles enumerated by my brother Burton and prove that they also consisted of many congregations and assemblies and were all subordinate to their severall Presbyteries and Classes And first I will begin with the citie of Corinth w ch was a famous citie and in the which there was an illustrious church and therfore in it also there was constituted a Presbytery that was many Presbyters to governe and rule that Church and those congregations under them for it is said Acts the 14. that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every church and Paul and Barnabas were Ministers in the church of Corinth yea Paul planted this church and Apollo with Barnabas and the Presbyters watred it and therefore there must necessarily be many congregations and assemblies in that church For one Pastor or Minister would have beene sufficient for owne flocke at least a Pastor and a Teacher or a Doctor would have beene sufficient to have fed one congregation now in that they had many ordinary Pastors and many extraordinary Teachers in it with all good reason it followeth that there were many assemblies and many congregations in that church which will yet more abundantly appeare from its first constitution or planting for wee reade of multitudes both of Jewes and Gentiles in that Citie that beleeved Acts the 18. verse 5. 7 8. c. and that besides Iustus Crispus also and all his houshold and many Corinthians beleeved and were baptized and the Lord also said that hee had many people in that Citie ver 10. which by the diligent preaching of Paul for eighteene moneths together were converted verse 11. for whose further building up in their most holy faith Paul Apollos Timothy Cephas and many other extraordinary famous Ministers and Teachers besides their owne Presbyters were all constantly imployed in season out of season in preaching the Gospel and administring the holy Sacraments and labouring in word and doctrine 1 Cor. 3 4. all the which imports many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers in that Citie Besides both the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians shew that there were multitudes of deceitfull Teachers Seducers and false Apostles which urged the ceremoniall Law and the observation of it and they also had their congregations and assemblies there were also many vaine Instructers and idle Teachers who though they kept the foundation yet built upon it wood hay and stubble Now all reason will suggest that Pastors of such severall minds and teaching such severall discrepant doctrines had all of them schollers followers of the same opinion wherof their several Pastors were as now we see in the several Sects in our times therefore they did not all meet in one or a few places except we understand their meetings for the convention of their Officers with a part of the more choyce people for discipline besides as wee have expresse mention of a Church in Aquila and Priscylla's house 1 Cor. 16. so there were many other meeting places in Corinth where the Christians assembled themselves together for in expresse words there
to any man of but ordinary understanding that in those severall Cities which were after their change of government the Seates of their Bishops and Prelates they had many Townes and Villages and many Churches and Congregations under them all the which before this alteration were all governed by their severall Presbyteryes respectively and were all uuder them and were ordered and moderated communi consilio Pesbyterorum which the Independents themselves do acknowledge and my brother Burton by name in his vindication Hence is was that the blessed Apostles went from City to City to Preach the Gospell there in their Synagogues as the whole Scripture of the new testament relateth and they did not only Preach the Word to them in their severall Cities but in each of them ordained and constituted Presbyteries giving charge to Titus and Timothy to doe the same leaving the government of all those congregations and Churches in those severall Cities in the hands of those severall Presbyteries in their severall jurisdictions injoyning also those severall Presbyteries and Churches to observe the Decrees of the Synod and Councell of Jerusalem and commanding the people all Christians and believers in those severall Cities under them to be subject and obedient to all their severall Ministers and Guides set over them and to observe all that they should from God teach them to observe and doe as we may see out of the severall places I set downe at large in the foregoing discourse as out of the 14. of the Act. 23. Acts 20. 27. 18. Tit. 1 verse 5. 1 Tim. 5. verse 17. Heb. 13. verse 7 17 24. and the first of Pet. 5. 2. Iam. 5. 14. and Acts 15. 23. Acts 16. 4. Acts 21. 25. All which places of holy Scripture and all the Arguments by which I prove all the Primitive and Apostolicall churches to be classically governed my Brother Burton and I. S. passed by not so much as taking notice of them as they did not of those multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples of whom likewise they took no notice as not formed into a church or churches But as our Saviour said to the Seducers Matth. 22. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures so I may truly say of all the severall Sectaries of this time they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God to punish them for their wickednesse For would they but take the word Church in that sense the holy Scripture delivereth it unto us and relateth it the controversie would soone be at an end Now the word Church in all the places above quoted and through the whole Scripture of the New Testament for the most part is taken collectively either for all the catholike invisible or visible Church or for the representative body of the church or for many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers all combined together under one government either in a citie or countrie partaking in all the Ordinances as in preaching and praying and the administration of the holy Sacraments and in the exercising of godly discipline not onely within the wals of those severall cities but through all the townes and villages as farre as the bounds and limits of their severall governments precincts and jurisdictions did extend as Acts the 15. 23. The Apostles and Elders send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch that is to the Church in Antioch and in Syria and in Cilicia So that church is most often taken collectively as the church of Geneva at this day and of Basil and the other reformed Cantons as it was in the seven churches of Asia Now when the word church for the most part in holy Scripture is taken in this sense as the church at Ierusalem the church of Samaria Antioch Philippi Corinth c. and where there were many congregations and churches combined together and all collectively taken in this the Independents and all Sectaries erre that they alwayes take the word church for no more then can meete together in one of their pipkin congregations to partake and communicate in their Ordinances whereas the Scripture as I have in all the forgoing discourse sufficiently proved taketh the word collectively for many congregations under one government although every one of those severall congregations considered apart and by it selfe may truly and properly be called a church as being a Branch and Member of some particular church and communicating in all essentiall Ordinances with it as hath abundantly bin proved yet still it is considered but as a Member and a Branch or part depending upon the whole particular church under which it is and therefore classically governed From all which I may conclude that when all those severall Churches as that at Ierusalem Samaria Corinth Philippi Ephesus which my brother Burton saith must be brought in to make up a compleate paterne of Church government were all collectively taken and classically and collegiatly governed as consisting of many congregations and yet but under one Presbyterie in their severall precincts and jurisdictions my Arguments will everstand good yea they are all strengthned from my brother Burtons Concession and his expresse words For if when there were but three thousand Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem as it appeares Acts the 2. they were then forced to sever themselves into divers companies because they wanted a convenient place so spacious as wherein to breake bread as my brother Burton saith how impossible a thing was it for them all after that time to meet together in any one place or a few when the church at Ierusalem multiplyed daily and that by many thousands and at last grew so numerous as they amounted to many Myriads or innumerable companies as appeareth Acts the 21. all which notwithstanding my brother Burton passeth by and taketh no notice of wilfully deceiving the poore people in concealing from them so apparent a truth But should I take notice of the error of his words and discover all his juglings my discourse would swell into a mighty volume for to speake the truth his expressions containe in them a heape of fraud and confusion all which hee must one day give a severe account for But not to take notice I say of his severall faylings what he grants is to be taken notice of viz. that when the Church at Ierusalem was in its infancy they wanted a convenient place spacious enough to communicate in all ordinances and therefore they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in severall private houses to communicate Then of necessity when that Church was multiplyed into many ten thousands they must needs be distributed into many and many congregations and churches to partake in all the Ordinances and all these were but one church and under one Presbytery as my brother Burton acknowledgeth So that now I am most confident every judicious Reader will easily perceive that my Brother Burton and all those of the congregationall way meerly trifle and delude the poore and ignorant people
Presbyters or in common councell with them those actions I say were done and acted by men which were Apostles but not as they were Apostles exclusively so as they might not act them under another notion neither will our brethren affirme it for if the Apostles did preach take the trust of the goods of the Church ordaine Officers as Apostles exclusively and in an extraordinary way and as by a priviledge peculiar to themselves it would follow from thence that none may doe any of those things but Apostles which the Brethren will not assent unto as for some instances In that ordination of Deacons in the sixth of the Acts the Apostles there acted partly as Apostles and partly as Presbyters for in constituting an Office in the Church which was not before they acted their Apostolicall authority but in ordaining men to that office which the Church had chosen they did act as Presbyters and there is no doubt but the Brethren will yeeld to this for if they will not grant that the Apostles did herein act partly as Apostles partly as Presbyters they must then accord that they acted either onely as Presbyters or onely as Apostles If onely as Presbyters thence it will follow that all Presbyters have power not onely to ordaine men but to erect a new office in the Church If onely as Apostles then hence is no warrant for Presbyters so much as to ordaine men into any office nor for so much as to meet together to consult about acts of government either in a Presbyterian or in a Synodicall way and by this meanes all Church government would speedily be overthrowne Neither is it a difficult thing in our Brethren or any other man to distinguish betweene these two for looke by what infallible rule they make some thing in the practise of the Apostles to bee not onely a patterne and president for imitation but even a proofe of institution yet decline other things practised by the same Apostles as things not onely by institution not commanded to us but not permitted to bee imitated by us By the same rule they may infallibly distinguish betweene what they acted as Apostles and what they acted as Presbyters and as ordinary Counsellors Iudges and Governours and withall they may infer and conclude that what they acted as Presbyters and by joynt and common consent it was to give a patterne and president to all Presbyters and Synods in all succeeding ages and as the taking in of the consent of the Church in the choice of Deacons Act. 6. was to give a patterne for the sufferage and voice of the people in all Churches to the end of the world in chosing of their Deacons so for another instance as there were many Congregations in the Church of Ierusalem and divers Assemblies and all these congregations made but one Church and the Apostles and Presbyters who were Officers governed that joyntly and by a common Councell as our Brethren acknowledge Here likewise they left a patterne and president to all ages for severall Congregations and Assemblies in a Citie or vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers and Presbyters of these Congregations to governe that Church joyntly in a Colledge and Presbytery And for a third instance as the Apostles and Presbyters meet together in a Synodicall way and the Apostles in that Assembly acted not by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit no more then the Presbyters did as when they were writing of Scripture but stating the Question and debating it from Scripture in an ordinary way as it is at large discussed in Acts 15. which wee never reade they did when they writ the Scripture and having by disputing arguing and searching the Scripture found what was the good and acceptable will of God thereupon they determined the question saying it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us as the Assembly now of Divines or any other for ought I know upon like assurance of Scripture warrant may doe In this action also and their so doing the Apostles and Presbyters left an example and president to all the Presbyters in all succeeding ages what they should doe upon the like occasions for the deciding of controversies and differences of opinions in Religion viz. To congregate and meet together in some one place to state the questions and to debate from Scripture and to follow the written Word as their rule in all things and whatsoever they doe to doe it by joynt consent and the the Common-councell of them all or by the most voices but in all these their proceedings they must ever cleave to the rule of the Word of God or warrantable authority and evidence of reason deduced from thence as then the Apostles and Presbyters did yea the very name of the Presbyters in Jerusalem signifieth the Iudges Counsellors Magistrates and Rulers of that Church who had the Keyes committed unto them as well as the Apostles and by their place were more peculiarly overseers of that Church as they were tyed unto it then the Apostles as the Presbyters of Ephesus were in that Church and were assigned in their severall places to execute their office and to looke to their particular charges in the government so that whether the Apostles were present or absent the Presbyters had the government laid upon their shoulders and if the Apostles themselves had taught contrary to this Constitution or an Angel from Heaven Gal. 1. I am confident the Presbyters would not have obeyed them nor have relinquished their authority neither ought they but would still have kept that rule power and authority which God had put in their hands so that for my owne particular I looke upon the Apostles in all these severall actions and in all those acts of government joyned and met together with the Presbyters as I looke upon Counsellors and Iudges in the great Councell of both Kingdoms where all the Iudges have equall power and authority in decisive voting and doe verily beleeve that the Presbyters sitting at any time in councel with any one or more of the Apostles did act as authoritatively as the Apostles themselves and I am ever able to prove it and make it good against any man that the Presbyters might as well conclude It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us as well as the Apostles and may say we have written and concluded as well as the Apostles As any two or three of the Parliament whether of the Lords or Commons may as well say wee have made such an Ordinance as any twenty of them or the whole Councell and that without disparagement or impeaching the dignity of any when they joyned with them in that worke and assented to it and in this very notion I looke upon the Presbyters in Ierusalem joyned with the Apostles and consider them as in my contemplations I looke upon the Lords and Commons now sitting in the great Councell as the grand civill Presbytery of the Kingdome where all binding Ordinances are to bee
in the Church of Jerusalem and yet all these as the Holy Scripture asserteth in many places made all but one Church and the Independents themselves acknowledge there was but one Church in Jerusalem Now how in any ordinary mans understanding can many congregations be one politicall ministeriall Church except only because they are united and associated under one Presbyteriall government that is to say under the government of a whole colledg of Presbyters which the Church of Ierusalem was for there was many Presbyters there as this 21. ch testifieth and the 15. chap. and many other places of holy writ all which had the government over that Church committed to them in common So that it may be a wonder to all rationall men that there should any appear in the world notwithstanding the abundant evidence out of the holy Word of God that should yet assert there were no more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in one Congregation which assertion of theirs besides the Scripture very common reason overthrows for if we consider Jerusalem it is said to be the city of the great King in which there were never lesse then seven or eight hundred thousand inhabitants who dayly expected the Messiah who it is well known when he came had twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples at his command to go and come at pleasure whose powerfull preaching was such that it is related that Satan was seen fall down like iightning from heaven that is to say whose Kingdome was overthrown by their ministery and by all whose efficacious preaching and miracles we have this testimony that at one of their Miracles and Sermons there were three thousand converted at one time besides dayly additions added unto that Church by the Lord and five thousand men besides women at another and multitudes of beleevers both of men and women at another and that there was dayly increase of beleevers upon increase with a multitude of Priests besides a whole colledge of Presbyters settled Ministers amongst them and that all these should yet prevail to convert no more in future time then could all meet in one Congregation it seems a thing very incredible and truly for any to persevere in this error against all reason and against the evident testimonies of holy Scripture where we have it recorded there were many ten thousands of very weak beleevers in that one Church besides the strong it is an open and wilfull fighting against God and a resisting of his spirit which is a fearfull sin for all these are convincing arguments to prove the numberlesse multitudes and congregations of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem And all thâ—s brigade of arguments militate against the whole Army of the Homothumadon Sectaries and shall I hope for ever serve to vanquish them all and to make good this field of truth That there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and yet they were not every one a Church or Churches severally considered by themselves exercising an absolute soveraignty Independent within themselves respectively as all our new gathered Churches do now here in London but all those congregations in Jerusalem were all subordinate and being combined together made all of them but one Church and were all under a common Counsell or Colledg of Presbyters within that Precinct the example of which Mother-Church is left upon record to all posterity for imitation and therefore that tenent of the Homothumadon Independents concerning the congregationall way hath no ground for it in the whole Word of God but is a meer whimsy of their own brain and hath its foundation only in the aire and will soon vanish or be speedily blown away by the blast and breath of truth Now my other companies drawn out of the Apostles quarters after Christs death and ascension they militate against all the Burtonian Independents who acknowledge that there were many Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem but deny they were Churches properly so called now though by their grant they have lost the day as in the following skirmishes will appear yet that all men may see that this sconse of error to which they have betaken themselves cannot defend their cause I shall with one company at this time beat them out of that hold and fully vanquish them in the pitcht field It is recorded Act. 2. v. 42. of all those new converts which were in many assemblies in many houses that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers This very troop alone serves for the beating of them all out of what bulwark soever they can betake themselves to for shelter for if all these congregations and Assemblies of believers were equall in all priviledges and immunities with any Churches that ever were on earth and had in them severally whatsoever did make the whole Church of Ierusalem the first formed Church then they were all and every one of them Churches properly so called But the antecedent is true Ergo the consequent so that to any rationall man this question is also out of controversie for let any man but duly examine what it was in the whole church of Jerusalem that made it the first formed church and a church properly so called and he shall find the same in every one of those particular congregations and assemblies for the making of them churches properly so called so that thâ—y each of them severally may as truly challenge the name of Church as the whole Church can they communicating in whatsoever is essentiall for the making of any church a compleat church or a church properly so called if partaking in all Ordinances by lawfull Ministers can make any assembly or congregation a church properly so called So that by this one company and by this very argument all the whibling reserves of all the Burtonian Independents are dissipated and scattered and that place of truth maintained against them all viz. that every one of those Assemblies in Jerusalem were churches properly so called and yet all of them made up but one intire Church and they were not every of them severally considered by themselves and apart Independent and exercising an absolute soveraignty within themselves And therefore this truth shall for ever stand good against all sorts of Independents That many congregations combined together and subordinate to some one colledg of Presbyters make all of them within their precincts but one entire Church and that this is Gods Ordinance and not that tenent of the congregationall way which hath neither precept or president for it in all Gods holy Word So that by all these encounters and frequent skirmishes and by the mighty power and assistance of the great Lord of Hostes the Generall of all the Armies of heaven and earth I have vanquished all the forces both of the Homothumadon Independents and all the Burtonian Sectaries and maintained and kept not onely the field of truth but these
And all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee And Psal 72. it is said All Kings shall fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him And Psal 86. 9. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name Innumerable places to this purpose might be produced for the proving of Nationall Churches for all Nations are Christs by donation Psal 2. 8. Ask of me saith the Lord speaking to Christ and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Yea they are his by conquest who hath vanquished the strong man and disarmed him and vindicated the Nations into his own possession yea they are his by purchase also viz. all the elect of them for he hath redeemed them with his precious blood 1 Pet. 1. Acts 20. Yea they are his by call for he sent his Apostles into all nations to invite them to come in Matth. 28. Marke 16. And many of them obeyed the call and are his by covenant as we may see it Revel 11. v. 15. where it is said The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever And Paul in the 11. of the ROM speaking unto all the Gentiles in as much as he was the Apostle of the Gentiles saith ver 17. That some of the naturall branches being broken off the Gentiles which were the wilde Olive tree were graffed in amongst them and with them did partake of the root and fatnesse of the Olive tree So that now all the Nations were equall in priviledges with the Jews in all respects so that as that was a nationall Church so are they and yet all make but one Church for there is but one shepherd and one sheep fold one Church consisting of Jews and Gentiles now as the Church of the Jews is said to be but one Nationall church because all the tribes in that Family or Nation and all the visible and publike assemblies of the same being parts of the catholicke church and living under one ecclesiasticall and civill government were by the profession of the same faith and fellowship and communion of the same worship and government united into one body ecclesiastick or ecclesiastical commonwealth So for ought I know all those Kingdomes Nations Countries and Provinces that shall imbrace the Gospel as I said before and come under the government of Jesus Christ the great high Priest and King of his church which was typified by the legall high Priest and the Kings of Judah and do yeeld obedience unto him and that government he hath appointed in his church may all of them being joyned in a particular consociation and community in any country Nation or Province or Kingdome receive their denomination from the several countries nations in which they are For the Church eatholick being an homogenial and similar body retains the name of church into what cities countries nations or Kingdomes soever it be divided into for as those many Congregations in the Church at Ierusalem made all of them but one church within its precincts and had its name from thence so may the many Parishes and Villages which being met together in their severall bounds in the profession of the same Christian faith make but one Church being all of them through that countrie combined together under one government both Ecclesiasticall and civill for as for the division of the nations it is not to be considered meerly as an humane and politicke Ordinance as many conceive and therefore would make Provinciall Churches and Parish Churches a humane invention for in the 32. of Deut. v. 8. it is said there when the most high divided to the nations their inheritance so that God was the Author of this division and gave their severall names unto them and set all their bounds and limits yea he hath set the bounds of every man as it is sufficiently proved by the Apostle Acts 17. where hee saith verse 26. that God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitations so that the division of the whole world into divers nations and those nations into severall Provinces and Counties and those counties into so many hundreds and Wapentakes or Rapes or Tribes and all these into so many severall Parishes is said to be Gods owne appointment for he is said to have divided the nations tohave set them their bounds and therefore I can conceive no reason why Parish Churches amongst us may not as well be accounted Gods Ordinance as Parish Synagogues amongst the Iewes and why citie Churches amongst us may not as well be Gods Ordinance now as it was then for so by divine institution they were then in the Apostles times esteemed and it is well knowne that in New-England all their severall Townes as that of Plymouth Bostorne Cambridge c. have all their bounds and limits prescribed unto them and all the people within that precinct and no farther that submit themselves to that their government are said to be Members of each severall Church and of no other and yet all this is as much politick as the division of our Parishes and Cities and those Churches constituted by the Apostles in every citie village and countrey were as much politick as ours and yet are called Gods Ordinances and truly I know no good reason why our parish churches should not farre rather and with farre greater reason be of divine institution then those churches of the congregationall way for it is well knowne that all the Members in our severall Parishes dwell within such and such limits and for the most part are all well and familiarly knowne one to an other and every weeke once at least see all one an others faces and can daily meet together for to watch over one another whereas those of the congregationall way dwell many of them twenty miles one from another and some threescore miles one from another and all for the most part a great distance one from another scattered here and there so that they cannot possibly one watch over an other as is pretended and behold one an others conversation for that is impossible and therefore for my particular I know that the parochiall or parishionall assembling of themselves together for the injoying of the Ordinances hath presidents for it in holy Writ and that many both in cities and villages but wee have not one president of such congregations as are now in our new Churches in all the whole Booke of God and therefore I conclude that all our parochiall meetings are farre more of divine institution and Churches properly so called then the Assemblies of the congregationall way And by the same
all the power in their hands in awe that they durst not so much as open their mouthes against Iohn the Baptist From all which places and many more that might be produced to prove That there were so many Believers in Ierusalem as could not all meet in one place or roome or in one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship I thus argue Where there was an infinite multitude or a mighty City of Believers there they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one Congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Churches 1 Cor. 14. 26. but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies and divers divisions that they might be all edified and partake in all Ordinances But in the Church of Ierusalem by the very baptisme and preaching of Iohn there were infinite multitudes and a very City of Believers Ergo they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Church of God but of necessitie must be distributed into severall congregations and assemblies and divers divisions that they might all be edified partake in all ordinances For the major it is cleare by the very light of nature and all reason for there is no one place or house that can contain a whole City or infinite multitude of Believers and if any great place could containe them they could not all be edified and partake of all the acts of worship For if the very great raw-bon'd building of Pauls it self were cramm'd full of people and had a Preacher of the strongest lungs in the City half the people could not hear and be edified as daily experience telleth us so that of necessity if they would be edified and partake in all the Ordinances they must be distributed into divers congregations and severall assemblies I am most assured that there were such multitudes of Believers in Jerusalem that five such buildings as Pauls could not have contained their very bodies within their wals much lesse receive them or entertaine them for edification So that for the major I am confident there is no intelligible man will doubt of it For the Minor it is manifest from the places above produced for our Saviour saith excepting the Pharisees and the Lawyers which were but a little handfull all the people or the generality of them justified God and were baptized and were Believers So that the conclusion from the premises doth necessarily follow But from the former places I argue yet further after this manner Where there was such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept a tyrannicall King in awe and all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a fear and terror into them all that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it There of necessity the number of the Believers must be so great as they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all the acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies But in Ierusalem there were such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept Herod himself the tyrant in awe all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a feare and terror into them that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it Ergo of necessity the number of the Believers was so great as they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers Congregations and Assemblies For the Major and Minor of this Syllogisme besides the force of reason and common understanding which were enough to convince any rationall creature of the truth of them the holy Scripture it self as from the places above specified is manifest proves them So that none can doubt of the truth of the conclusion but such as will call in question truth it selfe I might out of the severall places above mentioned draw many more Arguments to prove the conclusion but because I study brevity these for the present shall serve to prove That by the very baptisme and Ministery of S. Iohn the Baptist there were such an infinite company of Believers in the Church of Ierusalem as they could not al meet together in one place or congregation for the injoying of all the Ordinances To these first arguments of mine by which I proved that by the very Baptisme of S. Iohn there were more converted and made Christians and believeres in Ierusalem then could meete in any one place or Congregation Master Knollys answers by denying the minor of my Syllogismes and I. S. by denying they were Christians as we shall see I will therefore reply unto them both in order beginning first with Master Knollys whose words are these pag. 8. I do deny the minor proposition of these arguments saith he Neither hath the Doctor proved that there was an infinite number of beleevers nor a very City of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem The Scriptures quoted by the Doctor speak no such thing Those places in Matthew Mark and Luke tell us of very many who were baptized by Iohn and by Christs Disciples but doe not declare how many of those baptized persons were of the Church of Ierusalem and the Scripture witnesseth Act. 9. 31. That there were Churches through all Iudaea as well as in Ierusalem and for ought I know or the Doctor either many of those baptized persons might be in those Churches yea the most of them and but a few in Ierusalem it may be no more but those hundred and twenty mentioned Act. 1. 13 14 15. to whom were added about three thousand soules who continued in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of bread and prayers Acts the 2. 42 43 44. This is all Master Knollys hath to say by way of answer for the enervating of the strength of my Arguments and Reasons by which I proved there were more converted by Iohns Ministerythen could meet in any one place in Ierusalem Now here before I come to reply I referre my selfe to the judicious Reader whether from the forgoing places which I quoted out of the Holy Word of God from the Reasons and Arguments deduced out of it it was not sufficiently evinced That there were an infinite number of beleevers and a very Citie of them in the Church of Ierusalem and therefore more then could meet in any one place or Congregation I demand I say of any intelligible Christian
whether those Scriptures I cited with the Arguments deduced from them doe not speake and perswade such a thing I am confident all such as know any thing in learning will say they doe But for answer Master Knollys himselfe grants that very many were baptized by Iohn and Christs disciples and none were baptized then but Beleevers as he and all the Independents doe confesse and acknowledge but saith he the Scriptures quoted do not declare how many of those baptized persons were of the Church of Ierusalem for the Scriptures witnesse that there were Churches through all Iudaea as well as in Ierusalem and for ought saith he I know or the Doctor either many of those baptized persons might be of those Churches yea the most of them and but a few in Ierusalem it may be no more but those hundred and twenty mentioned Acts the 1. vers 13 14 15. If a bare denyall of any Argument with a senselesse Reason or two and an it may be were a sufficient conviction of a truth then Master Knollys would be a very precious Disputant and to say Bellarmine thou lyest would be enough to confute all the Papists But in matters of this nature and of so high concernement there is more required then bare denials and vaine evasions and may-bee's And therefore I will take this liberty to tell Master Knollis that hee trifles in Divinity and deales not like a serious nor learned Christian nor to the purpose for this is not in question betweene mee and the Independents how many of those baptized persons through all Iudaea and the Regions round about were resident in the Church of Ierusalem This I say was never controverted betweene us for no man that I know of ever doubted but that all those that came out of al Iudaea and the Regions round about to the Ministry Baptism of Iohn and Christs Disciples returned home againe to their severall habitations and there remained and aboad as those that came out of Ierusalem to Iohns Preaching and Baptisme after they were baptized repaired to their severall houses habitations in that Citie and remained there waiting upon the publick Ordinances this I conceive all men that have any understanding beleeve And the Scripture sufficiently declareth that the multitudes of Beleevers that came out of Ierusalem and were baptized by Iohn the Baptist to speake nothing now of the Apostles and seventy Disciples were numberlesse and therefore were more then the hundred and twenty names yea they were innumerable therefore more then could meet in any one place or a few And if the Reader will but looke backe to the Scriptures above quoted out of which I framed my Arguments and consider the insuing Scriptures and Reasons from them he will easily perceive that Master Knollys is a meere Quibler and a man no way fit for either disputation or any serious imployment The Evangelists speaking of the great concourses of people that came from all quarters to the Preaching and Ministery of Iohn and to be baptized to avoid mistakes doe specifie the severall places out of which they came with the numbers indefinitly set down that came from every place saying There went out to him Ierusalem and all Iudaea and all the Regions round about Iordan and were baptized of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes Mat. the 3. Here it is abundantly declared that it was an infinite company that came from Ierusalem as by the word Ierusalem is sufficiently manifest being metaphorically set downe and taken in that place as I said before synechdochically for a mighty part and multitude of people that came out of that City And Saint Marke confirmes this chap. 1. ver the 5. who saith there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the river Jordan confessing their sinnes And the same is further ratified by the words of our Saviour Luke 7. 29. 30. who saith that all the people that heard him and the Publicans justified God being baptized by the Baptisme of John but the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Councell of God against themselves being not baptized So that now by the mouth of three witnesses and by the testimony of Christ himselfe it is sufficiently proved That if Jerusalem and all the people of Jerusalem went out and were baptized by John except the Pharisees and Lawyers that there was an innumerable multitude and therefore more then could possibly meet in any one place or a few and many more then the hundred and twenty names spoke of in the first of the Acts which fond conceit of Mr Knollys is yet more evidently refuted out of the second of the Acts where it is related that there were at that time Inhabitants and Dwellers at Jerusalem devout men that is true Worshippers and Beleevers from out of all the Nations under Heaven To say nothing of Nicodemus and of Joseph of Arimathea and of many other Rulers and of all the people and children that cryed Hosanna and that received Christ into the City with all their acclamations and believed in him the most of which were Inhabitants aud Dwellers in Jerusalem and such as had their aboad there so that by this I have now said the folly and vanity of Mr Knollys and his cavill is apparantly manifest and this truth sufficiently clear to all that there was an infinite number and a very City of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem besides those that were of the other Churches in Judea and therefore could not all meet in one place For the Scripture saith that Ierusalem and they of Ierusalem went out and were baptized by Iohn the Baptist and therefore all good Christians I am confident will ever beleeve the Scriptures and give credit unto the word of God rather then unto Mr Knollys and if they will beleeve the Scripture of truth then they will not onely beleeve there was an infinite number and a very City of Beleevers in Ierusalem and that by the very ministry and preaching of Iohn but that Mr Knollys is a very wicked and blasphemous creature as who giveth the spirit of God the lye and opposeth also all good reason For the spirit saith Jerusalem and all they of Ierusalem except the Pharisees and Lawyers were baptized by John and all these were inhabitants at Jerusalem and Mr Knollys affirmeth the contrary and confuteth all the Evangelists whether therefore he be not a very precious disputant I refer it to the judgement of all sober-minded Christians that love sincerity truth and plain dealing And this might suffice to shew the vanity and wickednesse of the man and what a vain caviller he is that thus abuseth pretious time to abuse himselfe and miserably to delude ignorant people But for the farther confirmation of my Minor I will produce one or two testimonies more out of the eleventh of Mark where there is mention made of two great companies and parties of beleevers and those all Inhabitants in Ierusalem the
The summe of my Arguments is this Where there was an infinitemultitude or a mighty City of beleevers there they could not all meete together in one place or roome or in one congregation to injoy all acts of worship for edification but in the Church of Ierusalem by the very baptisme and preaching of Iohn there was an infinit multitude and a very City of believers ergo they could not all meete together in any one congregation This is the sum of my first Argument The second is this Where there was such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and believers as kept a tyrannicall King in awe and all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a terror into them all as they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies there of necessity the number of them must be so great as they could not all meet together in one place or congregation to partake in all Acts of worship But in the Church of Jerusalem there was such a company of believers by the very baptisme of Iohn ergo they could not all meete together in any one place or congregation This is the summe of my arguments which I made good out of the Word of God and from sound reason as they that have read my booke with judgement I am confident will acknowledge Now heare how J. S. setteth them downe with his answer to them pag. the 8. and 9. of his booke The Doctors first proposition is saith he that there were many Congregations and severall assemblies in the Church of Jerusalem c. for proofe whereof saith he he bringeth the multitudes of Converts to Iohns Baptisme the people of Jerusalem all of them and all Iudaea c. whereby saith he all became Christians or members of the Christian Church for Iohns baptisme was into Iesus Christ and the very same with that of the Apostles Thus I. S. sets downe my Arguments which I affirme is not candidly done of him for the ignorant Reader cannot see into the strength of my arguments they being delivered in such obscure tearmes and set down also to the halves the whole truth not being specified For not one of ten thousand had ever seene or read my book I dare say not one of an hundred of the Independents had ever vouchsafed so much as to looke into it for I was made so odious unto them by their blasting language as they abhorred my very name with all howsoever they boasted at the first coming of it out that there were twenty pens at worke in answering of it yet not one of them ever appeared till three moneths after it was printed Now all the Copyes that were printed were all gone in one weeke so that the answers coming out so long after and my arguments not being known to the people and being in this obscure manner and in such darke expressions and but to the halves set down every vulgar understanding can never see into the weight and strength of them especially they having not my booke before them And to say the truth all the Independents ordinarily use this method in their pretended answers as first to let the bookes they reply unto be forgotten and after that to blurte out something against them concealing the truth and then they crow out as victors and conquerers that they have beate up our quarters and puld downe the pillars of our discourse as I S. doth vainly in this his Pamplet when it will appeare to all intelligible men that he hath onely cast a squib or two at them and then as a meere fresh water Souldier speedily ran away and left that worke to others as he unaduisedly in the tenth page and in his wise Epistle confesseth sayning indisposition of body when indeede it was his want of wit learning honesty and courage As I haveset downe the sum of my Arguments and compared his expressing of my meaning with it I will also set downe the summe of his answer to them which he giveth in the name of all the Independents saying we answerd to your reason and then set downe his own words in their full length that all men may see my faire dealing with him For I. S. doth not here deny my minor as Master Knollys did or accuse me of false Musters as he vainely and impiously doth in his answer to my second Arguments But plainly denieth that those that were baptized by Iohn Baptist were Christians to whom my brother Burton assenteth page 16. of his book saying that those beleevers that were baptized by Iohn Baptist into Christ to come according to the Papists doctrine were not formed into a Christian Church or Churches as after Christs resurrection Christians were These are my brother Burtons formall words who not only assenteth to I. S. in this his opinion but also bringeth in the authority of the Papists to confirme this their doctrine and so in this the Independents agree with the Papists to overthrow the truth and to maintain their abominable errors And this I conceive was the cause that moved my brother Burton in the ninth page of his booke in the beginning of his answer to say `as for your indefinite enumeration of those multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples we take no notice of them This is his expression there concerning the which in due place Surely if my brother Burton had thought them Christians he would have demeed them worthy to have been taken notice of but in this he agreeth with I. S. and the Papists Now I will give you the summe of I. S. his Arguments in way of answer by which he denieth that those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were Christians The first is because saith he they were baptised into Christ that was to dye and not dead therefore in his dialect they were no Christians The second they were not baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire therefore thy were no Chrstians The third they were no more Christians then the Iewes that passed through the red Sea but they were no Christians ergo they also that were baptized by Iohn were no Christians The fourth The baptisme of Iohn was not perfect ergo those that were baptised by him were no Christians The fifth those that were baptized by Iohn did not only hasitate but were scandalized at the true Messiah and under the forme of Iohns baptisme did fight against the true baptisme and baptiser the Lord Jesus ergo they were no Christians Sixthly they that were baptized by Iohn were not cast into a Church mould according to the New testament forme neither were they members of one Christian Church at Jerusalem ergo they were not Christians and this Argument is brought in by way of a corallary This must needs be the scope of his answer or else he sayth nothing to the purpose in denying my Arguments which were not only to prove that those
more closely to examine I. S. his words that we may discover yet more fully the fallacious juglings of both himselfe and all the Independent Ministers and that all the people may the better understand what it is to to be cast into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and vvhat is absolutely necessary and required of all men to be made a Member of a Christan Church and vvhat that forme is the Scripture holdeth out unto all Christians to be the mould of a christian Church according to the New Testament forme all vvhich termes and expressions being vvell explaned then the grollery of those of the congregationall vvay vvill the better appeare I will therefore that those that are the most ignorant may the better understand the termes these Juglers use First say something briefly concerning the governement of the Church of the Iewes under the Law in Moses his time and under the Kings both of Iuda and Israel through all their cities and what it was that was requisit and thought necessary for the casting off any into a Church mould after the old Testament forme which being declared the trifling of all the Independent Ministers will be more obvious to all men For the manner of the governement of the Church of the Iews wee are to consider it under a double nation as it had a ceremoniall service and a morall worship and both appointed by God yet the former but temporary the other for duration Now in regard of the manner of the administration it was divers for the ceremoniall worship was ordered after a monarchicall way there was a high Priest that typified Christ that was to make the atonement betweene God and the people who was in a speciall manner to mediate with God for the twelve Tribes of Israel and hee had many Priests under him for the offering up of daily sacrifices either of prayses or of reconciliation in the materiall Temple they were tyed but the High Priest onely went once a yeare into the Holy of holies for the making of an attonement for himselfe and the people and this way of administration of the Church continued to the coming of Christ who was the true high Priest typified and who through the eternall spirit having offered himselfe without spot to God to purge our consciences from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 10. verse 14. and for this cause is the Mediator of the New Testament by his death and suffering hee hath put an end to that way of administration But there was an other way of Administration in respect of the morall worship which was ever to remaine in the Church and that was in their severall Cities in their Synagogues and Villages and all those Synagogues that were through all Iudaea and Israel and through the vvorld vvho vvere all governed by Presbyters and Elders vvhich vvere called Rulers so that all those Synagogues that vvere in the severall Villages or Hamlets within the jurisdiction and limits of every Citie were all of them governed after a classicall and collegiate way and those Synagogues were as our Parish Churches now at this day are amongst us Now these Elders and Rulers in Moses time were first appointed to rule and governe the people in common so long as they were in the Wildernesse but after they were come into the Land of Canaan then they had their Elders and Rulers in every Citie appointed over them who had the government of the people committed unto them and whose care it was that the morall worship and service of God as the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the interpretation of the same should be every Sabbath day continually preserved in all their Synagogues by their Priests and Levites and Scribes and Lawyers and they had also the power in their hands of conventing any before them upon Delinquency and of censuring and punishing of them upon proofe of the same And they were called the Church as is to be seene Matthew the 18. and there is not any truth almost in all the new testament that is more evidently cleare than this that all the Synagogues were governed by a Court or Classis or College of Rulers for they had inferior judges and Superiour in them yea many chiefe rulers in all cities as we may see in Antioch and Pisidia Acts the 13. 14. 15. where Paul and his company went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and sate downe and after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the chiefe Rulers for so it is in the originall sent unto them saying men and brethren if you have any word of exhortation for the people say on Out of which words these three things are observable First That there were many Governors and chiefe Rulers as well as inferior rulers that governed their Synagogues in every city in common and that they had a Courte in them to order all the Synagogues and people under their jurisdiction and that they were all Aristocratically governd and by the common counsell of them all not by any particular Iudge or Ruler The second observable is that their whole imployment was to uphold and preserve the true worship of God and to see that the Holy Scriptures were read and interpreted that men women and children might be brought up in the nurture and feare of the Lord and that all things should be managed with order and decency The third thing observable is this that their people yeelded subjection unto those Rulers and did not intermeddle with their government nor did not take upon them to command any Minister to Preach or appoint any one to exhort but it was the place of the Rulers to doe this and they willingly submitted themselves to this Government without joyning themselves in commission with them as knowing it was their place to obey And this kind of Government was that that was established in all cities through the world where the Jewes were permitted to exercise their Religion and this kind of government was transacted over to the Christian church to be perpetutated to the ende of the world and therfore there was through all cities Presbyters ordained as the Scripture saith Acts the 14. and Tit. 1. that were to governe the church by their common councell and this is accorded unto by all the Independents who acknowledge that in the Apostles times and many Generations after all the churches of the New testament were governed communi consilio presbyterorum And that the Church of Jerusalem in respect of the moral worship was governed both in Christs time and after his death and ascention by a colledge of Elders and Presbyters all the Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles doe testifie it and this way of government I say was transacted over to the Christian church and is that forme and mould of church government that is according to the New Testament forme into the which mould of government those that were baptized by Iohn were cast which was a Presbytery
For the Scripture never speakes of that of the congregationall way And this shall suffice to have spoke at this time and in this place concerning the manner of the Administration of the government both in respect of the Ceremoniall service and morall worship under the Law and what it ought to be under the Gospel And now a word or two concerning the manner of admitting members then into the church of the Iewes and what was reputed necessary for the making of any one a member and Proselite there after the old testament forme and what is required now for making of any a member of the Christian church The whole Scripture of the old testament and the new declares that all those that were aliens and strangers unto the common-wealth of Israel if they desired to be made partakers of the priviledges of the Iews and to be all accompted in the number of the people of God they were to be instructed in the Law of Moses and they were to yeeld obedience unto that and in token that they beleeved in the true God and submitted themselves to his Law and to that discipline he had taught in the bookes of Moses and the Prophets they were to be circumcised which when they yeelded unto and tooke the Covenant of Circumcision they were forthwith made members of the Church of the Iewes and had as good right to all the ordinances of God under that government as any other of the Iewes and this I say is sufficiently confirmed in the holy Scriptures everywhere Now under the New testament the Church of God being compared sometimes to a Kingdom and Empire and sometimes to a city and all the members of it being compared to free Denizons and citizens where so ever the Gospel of this Kingdom and City is faithfully preached and the people by the Embassadours and Ministers of the same being invited to come in and yeeld obedience unto it if they do believe and obey that is if they do beleeve and repent and willingly submit unto the sound of it and offer themselves to make profession of it and in signe of this their obedience and faith receive the seale of this Covenant and are baptized they are forthwith to be admitted without any reluctation and having once received the seale of this Covenant the seale of Baptisme they are forthwith made free Denizons of this Kingdome and free-men of this city and have as good right to all the priviledges of the same as any other and may through the whole world of Christians partake in all the Ordinances of that Kingdome and City as well as any other Christians as in the Roman Empire and now in all Corporations through the world they that were Citizens of Rome or they that are Freemen in any of them as they did then partake in all the priviledges of the Romans and might abide and dwell in any place and trafficke buy and purchace in what part of it they pleased injoying all those inmmnities that any then did and so likewise now as those that are Free-men of any city or corporation do in their severall precincts injoy all the priviledges of each of them and may set up in any Parish or in any part of the city or within the jurisdiction of the same and exercise all their severall trades and have as much priviledge for their so doing as any of the other Citizens so I say in the same manner it is in the Kingdom of Christ and his city which is his church Every one that makes profession of the Gospell that beleeves repents and is Baptized has as good right to all the Ordinances of the Church as any Christian in the primitive times or any Independents now in the world and that by vertue of the great Charter of this Kingdome and City the Gospell and by the practice of Iohn the Baptist and the Apostles who required no more of all men and people in their time for the making of them members of Christs Church but that they should repent and beleeve and be Baptized as we may see in the third of Matth. and in the second of the Acts and in those of Samaria in the 8. Chapter and in the Eunuch Paul Lydia and the Goaler and those of Cornelius his house of all the which no more was required for the making of them Christians but to repent and beleeve and to be Baptized by which they were invested with a right to all the priviledges through all Churches in the world and might partake in all the Ordinances of Christs Kingdome where so ever they came as we may see in Paul and those that accompanyed him in his journies Wheresoever they came they communicated with them in all Churches in all the Ordinances as in the breaking of bread and prayer So that to repent and beleeve and to be baptized is all that according to the Gospell of Jesus Christ is required of any man or of any people to cast them into a Church mould according the New Testament forme and to make them not only members of the Catholike visible Church but of any church in particular if the Word of God is to be beleeved and given credit unto Now when all those that came out of Ierusalem unto Iohn did repent and beleeve and were baptized by Iohn the Baptist they were cast into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and were all made as good members of that church as any that were baptized after Christs death and ascention by Peter and the other Apostles and might whensoever they went from Jerusalem to any other place where christians dwelt partake in all the ordinances as those did that by reason of the persecution were scattered who we read of that wheresoever they came they went into their Synagogues and Churches and they preached and converted the people and partaked and communicated in all the ordinances amongst them without any gain-saying and so all the Christians that are true Beleevers and are baptized wheresoever they travell or dwell whether in France or Germany Italy or the Low Countryes or in any part of the world amongst the true Protestants they have as great right to all the ordinances in those churches as any of the Natives For they are all free Denizons of Christs Kingdome and free men of the city the church of God which is Christs mysticall body and therefore as members of the same may partake in all the Priviledges and Benefits that any member may do I mean in respect of the ordinances as breaking of bread hearing of the word preached and in prayer and all the essentiall priviledges for to all those they have right unto by their very admission into the church by their baptisme and whosoever shall refuse communion with them that beleeve and are baptized and live a godly holy and pious life unlesse they will observe their own traditions they are Delinquents Prevaricators against the King of his church Iesus Christ and do no way set
only true worshippers who saith that Salvation was of the Iews and that the Samaritans worshipped they knew not what Now to the Church of the Iewes those true worshippers those that were converted by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples and baptized into Christ were added and therfore they were worthy to have been taken notice of by my brother Burton as formed into a Church or Churches if believing in Christ repenting and being baptized in his name and by his authority be sufficient to make men members of a Church for as the Catholicke visible Church consists of many Nationall Provinciall and Presbyterian Churches so did the Nationall church of the Iews of many citie Countries Churches which were in their Dialect called Synagogues which is the same with our Churches both in cities and countries as all the learned well know for in all those Synagogues they partaked daily in the morall worship and had the Preaching of the law and the Keyes of Heaven Now then when those multitudes that I enumerated in my arguments baptized by Iohn and the blessed Apostles and the seventy Disciples were all gathered into Christs fold and made his sheepe and true believers and that by the Preaching of the Gospell and hearing of the voyce of their Pastors and had amongst them all those sealing and discriminating Ordinances that were sufficient not only to forme them into a church or churches but to difference them from Pagans and Infidels as who were Israelites to whom pertained the adoption and the glory the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the promises as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 9. vers 4. all which I conceive were sufficent and avaylable to make any then living members of Christs Church I say when they had circumcision and the Passoever baptisme and the Law and the Gospell and that worship of God that he had established amongst them and were his peculiar people of whom Christ had given this testimony that they were his true worshippers and when they were also gathered in according to Gods own appointment by the sound of the Gospell and by the preaching of Faith and Repentance and by the Ministry of the Word as all the Prophets had formerly gathered Churches then those that were Baptized by Iohn who was a Prophet sent of God Luke the 3. and sent to baptize Iohn the 1. 33. and those that were baptized by the Disciples who were sent from Christ as he was from his Father who said Go teach all nations baptising them c. all they I say ought by my brother Burton and all the Independents to be taken notice of as formed into a Church or Churches what so ever he and I. S. say to the contrary who in this agree that those that were baptized by John and by Christs Disciples were no Christians much lesse cast into a Church mould according to the New-Testament forme and lest of all that they were members of one Christian Church at Ierusalem These are J. S. his formall words pag. 9. So that whiles these men vvill dispute against the truth they blaspheme and give the Spirit of God the lye for Christ hath said that they that heare his Disciples heare him and that they that heare his voyce are his sheepe novv vvhen all those that vvere converted by their Ministry and vvere in token of their faith and obedience baptized and had given up their names unto Christ they were all incorporated into his fold which is his church his Mysticall body and were moulded into a church or churches and so they are set down to us in the holy Scriptures as believers and true members of Christs church and therefore formed into a church or churches for there is but one Shepherd and one sheep-fold and Christ had then no other church on earth that we reade of but that of the Iewes and which is yet more it was a reformed church for Christ had cast out all the Buyers and Sellers John 2. out of the Temple and cals it his Fathers house and the house of prayer so that it was now a pure church and clensed from all pollutions and in the which all Christs Ordinances were in their purity here was the Preaching of the Gospell the Teaching of the Law and all the sealing Ordinances both old and new here was Circumcision the Passeover Sacrifices and Ceremonies here was Baptisme and the Lords Supper or breaking of bread here was the true Invocation or calling on the name of God and that in the house of Prayer where all Supplications were heard and that before Christs death Here we have all the materialls for the making or forming of a church or churches or casting of Christians into a church mould according to the new-testament forme to speak a little in the Independents dialect for here we have visible Saints in multitudes devoute men and true worshippers from out of all the Nations under heaven Acts 2 here we have Christ and his twelve Apostles and his seventy Disciples Elders and Teachers in abundance besides many Women that followed him and ministred unto him here was no want of Ministers and Officers and Members of all sorts besides innumerable multitudes of believers and cryers Hosanna and all this before Christs death as well as after and all these Christian believers and such as did partake of all sealing and saving Ordinances sufficient to cast them into a church mould and to forme them into a church or churches as well as after Christs ascension and therefore my indefinite enumeration of those that were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples ought by my brother Burton and I. S. and all the Independents to have been taken notice of as formed into a church or churches without Christ and his blessed Apostles who partaked in all Ordinances be not in their esteeme reputed Christians and formed into a church or cast into a church mould which were blasphemy in any to thinke and therefore is much more the height of wickednesse in my brother Burton and I. S. to affirme and Print for I. S. his expressions I produced them often before I will now set downe my brother Burtons formall words which I cannot but reiterate For your indefinite enumeration saith he of those mulititudes baptized by Iohn and by Christs Disciples we take no notice of them unlesse formed into a church or churches but following the expresse Scripture the first formed church we finde is in Acts 2. These are his words and that in the name of all the Independents saying we take no notice of them So that by this all men may gather that in the Independents language and in their Divinity Iohn Baptist and all Christs Disciples with Christ himself and all Christian believers in Christs time and all that by baptisme were received into Christs fold and church and such as had given up their names to Christ were not worthy to be taken notice of by the Independent brethren who esteeme of
is mention made in that Epistle of churches in the plurall number 1 Cor. 14. verse 34. Let the women saith the Apostle keepe silence in the Churches by which it followeth that in Gods dialect congregation and church are synonima's and not that onely but that there were many churches in this church of Corinth and that they were all but one church as being so many branches and depending all upon that stocke and therefore were all classically governed and subordinate to one Presbyterie The same may be concluded of the Church of Philippi where verse the 1. Paul and Timothy salutes all the Bishops and Deacons so that in the first entrance of that Epistle wee meet with a colledge of Bishops and Presbyters for they were all one and wee meete also with many Deacons all which proves to any understanding man that there were many congregations and churches for one Deacon would have served for one congrgeation or assembly and yet they all made but one church as being subordinate to one Presbyterie and governed by their joynt consent and common Counsell and that there were multitudes of Beleevers there it is evident from the variety of Teachers besides their good and godly Bishops for Paul saith there were dogs amongst them evill workers and those of the concision and he bids the Philippians to beware of those Chap. 3. verse 2. and there were many other of their Teachers which were worldly men that minded earthly things whom hee proclames enemies of the Crosse of Christ who made their belly their God as too many of the Independent Ministers now adayes doe chapter 4. verse 18 19. and gives them in command to shun their example and only to follow his and such as walked as hee did whose conversation was in Heaven and many such Teachers there were in the Church of Philippi and such as taught the Gospel out of good will and sincerely all which sufficiently prove there were many congregations of Beleevers in this Church and that it was yet but one Church and governed by a classis and colledge of Bishops and Presbyters And the same may be said of the church of Galatia where Paul complaines that there were many false teachers amongst them which hee wisht were rooted out and cut off or destroyed so that it followeth that in that church also there were many congregations and they were all governed by the joynt consent common counsel of a Presbyterie there for there were Presbyters ordained in every church and in every Citie And now I come to the seven churches of Asia and that by name my brother Burton speaks of viz. the church of Ephesus with which I will conclude and this was but one church in the singular number Revel the 2. of the which Paul called the Elders to him Acts the 20. verse 17. In the which church there were such infinites of Beleevers as they could not all possibly meet in any one place or a few yea Paul himselfe declareth as much in expresse words in the 20. chap. verse 20. where hee saith that hee taught them publickly and from house to house which in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by Master Knollys his learning signifies per singulas domos and therefore by him acknowledged to be many congregations as in the forgoing discourse is sufficâ—ently proved and all reason indeed will perswade it had it not in words beene specified For Ephesus was a famous citie and a place of great trafficke where Paul preached two whole yeares by whose hands God wrought no small Miracles so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Iesus both Iews and Gentiles and through other wonders that were wrought in that city it is related that the word of God grew mightily and prevailed as it is at large ch 19. set down so that great multitudes of the very Schollers and such as studied curious Arts were also converted and burnt their Bookes the price of which amounted to fifty thousand peeces of silver in so much that feare came upon all the Greekes and Iewes that dwelt in Ephesus and the name of the Lord Iesus was magnified And can any man conceive or beleeve that all the Jewes and Greekes in Ephesus a mighty citie and a mart Towne could all meet in any one place together to communicate in all acts of worship yea were it not a madnesse to thinke so if the very diversitie of their languages and tongues of the people did not disswade it for if they would all be edified they must understand their Ministers preaching unto them which so many people of severall Languages and dialects could never do by any one for it was then a Miracle to have the gift of tongues which for the most part were conferred upon the Ministers and Publishers of the Gospel and upon such as were to be sent from place to place and from Citie to Citie to convert the Nations such as were the Apostles Evangelists and Prophets all extraordinary men and very seldome had the ordinary people the gifts of the Holy Ghost conferred upon them but it was chiefly upon some select and chosen ones not upon all promiscuously buâ— upon such as the Apostles laid their hands for if it had beene upon all then Simon Magus needed not have offered money to the Apostles for the purchasing of the gifts of the Holy Ghost if those graces had been promiscuously given but without all doubt it was but to some sortsof men for the most part that the gift of tongues was distributed such as the Apostles made speciall choyce of for so it appeares 1 Cor. 12. ver 10. 11. And therefore when the common people had not the understanding of all languages they if they would be edified must have such to preach to them as they could understand and therefore all the Jewes and Greeks in Ephesus must necessarily have divers places to meet in if the multitudes of them otherwise had not been so great but that they might have assembled themselves together and onely that they might be edified Besides the great multitudes that we read of at the first plantationof this church the Scripture saith Acts the 20. That for three whole years together Paul taught them night and day as an extraordinary Minister they had also Timothy sometime amongst them and other extraordinary teachers and a whole colledge of Bishops and Elders ver 28. who all had the care of the flock committed to them with a charge that they should feede that church which Christ had redeemed with his blood They had a commission likewise given them to oppose all false Teachers which they faithfully performed as the Lord beareth them witnesse Revel the 2. ver 2. saying I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not beare them which are evill and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars By which we learne that the Government of
Characters are evidently visible and apparent and those that either countenance vile persons and honour not such as fear the Lord or break their vows promises and covenants with either God or men they in Gods repute are not Saints indeed pretend they what they will but are wicked and ungodly men and such as bring down the wrath of God upon the place where they live For as Solomon saith By the blessing of the righteous the city is saved so by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown Prov. 11. ver 11. Wicked and ungodly men are the cause of the ruine of Cities and Countryes according to that of Saint Paul the second of Timothy chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5. This know also saith he that in the last dayes perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection covenant-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traiterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turne away For of this sort are they which creep into widdows houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts c. In the which words briefly we may take notice that the Apostle setting down the reason of the perilousnesse and danger of the latter times saith not that either in respect of wars or pestilences or famines or earth-quakes or inundations or murthers slaughters and robberies or for any such calamities the lastdayes and times shall be perillous but they shall be perillous times saith he for that men shall be lovers of themselves covenant-breakers false accusers covetous c. So that selfe-love covetousness false accusations of their brethren and covenant-breaking c. are the cause that makes times perillous and brings down the judgements of God upon any city and places where the Inhabitants are practicers of these sinnes And therefore the Apostle after he had forewarned all such as fear God of the cause of all the evills that are comming upon the world commands all the true Saints indeed to take heed of such men and in expresse words sayes from such turne away have nothing to do with such for all covenant-breakers and false accusers and such as countenance vile persons and honour not them that fear the Lord and such as keep not their word and promise with neither God nor men are the cause of the perils and miseryes that shall come upon the world and therefore all such are not Saints indeed but ought to be abhorred and avoyded according to that of Solomon Prov. 4. ver 14 15. Enter not saith he into the path of the wicked and go not into the way of evill men Avoyd it passe not by it turne from it and passe away Here we see the wise man as if he could never have given caution enough to all his schollers by many reduplications of his words gives all the people of God a strict charge not so much as to company with such men and that for the many reasons set down in the following verses but this reason specified by Saint Paul may suffice who saith That all covenant-breakers and false accusers and self-seekers are the causes of perillous times and so are all such in whose eyes a vile person is not contemned and who honour not such as fear the Lord and who keep not their covenant and promise For all such are no Saints in Gods esteem and therefore a wicked generation of men and such as make the times wherein they live perillous and dangerous and therefore ought by all the true Saints and godly to be shunned and avoyded Now if it can be proved that the Independents be such as in whose eyes a vile person is not contemned and such as honour not those that fear the Lord and such as keep not their word and promise neither with God nor man but are notorious covenant-breakers or assenters to all such persons then it will follow that they are not Saints indeed For the Characters of the true Saints are to contemn a vile person to honour those that fear the Lord and to keep their vowes and promises both with God and men for not onely the Psalmist thus describeth the true Saints but Saint John also saith By this men are known to be Saints if they love the brethren by this saith Christ ye shall be known to be my Disciples that is Saints indeed if ye love one another I shall therefore demand of any well grounded Christian Whether they beleeve that those that run from place to place and joyn with any wicked and ungodly men and seeke their advancement that to places of the greatest trust in the Kingdome and prefer them before such as they dayly acknowledg to be godly and truly religious and will run from Committee to Committee to do the most wicked and vile men and known Malignants any courtesie and will both in word countenance and deeds favour and honour them I demand I say whether they think that in such mens eyes as will do all these offices to wicked persons and that in opposition to any of their godly brethren and that will at any time joyn with any such against either the godly and painfull Ministers or their Presbyterian brethren to defame them or do them any mischiefe or to remove them from their places and livelyhoods or for the hindring of their preferments yea and which is more for the hindring of the work of Reformation in the Church I demand I say of any truly godly Christian whether they think that in any such mens eyes as do all these offices and courtesies to wicked and ungodly men a vile person is contemned when he dayly seeth the contrary that they honour them and prefer them before such as fear the Lord I am most assured he will conclude and affirme That in their eyes a vile person is not contemned Now that this is the dayly practice of the Independents I undertake upon my life to prove it by a cloud of witnesses and that there is not the vilest person nor the wickedest wretch that they will not joyn with to do any of their Presbyterian brethren a mischief that they will not give credit to in falsly belying their brethren yea it can be proved that when the Independents have been demanded by some godly and orthodox Ministers why they have left the publick Assemblies seeing there was now no ceremonies nor any thing in their doctrine that they could finde fault with and they have replyed That it was in regard that their Congregations were mixt that tagg ragg and all sorts of men were admitted to the Sacrament with whom they could not joyne Whereupon the Ministers that they might remove this scandall and offence laboured by all means to perswade the people so to behave themselves as they might manifest unto
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 poor 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 joynt and common consent and councell 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 certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which beleeved saying that it was needfull to circumcise them and to command them to keepe 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 keepe 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 beleeve we have written and concluded say the Presbyters that they observe no such thing Out of all which places before I forme my arguments to prove That the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies was governed by a Presbytery that is by the joynt consent and common Councel of the Apostles and 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 Jerusalem they were for the substance of them ordinary acts such as Presbyters dayly performe and therefore 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 keyes which is the power of jurisdiction and 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 which God had invested them with and graciously bestowed upon them for the benefit of the Church and the good of his people and I am induced so to beleeve because the Apostles in holy Scripture are called Presbyters that is the ordinary Governours and Magistrates of the Church though the more principall and primary ones and therefore did act as Presbyters in ordinary acts of Church Government and for a pattern to all Churches in like administration Neither may any suppose for all this that the Apostles did fall lower in their power in that they acted as Presbyters for our brethren do acknowledge that at Ierusalem the Apostles acted as Presbyters of a particular Congregation Now then if they did not fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a particular Congregation what reason will dictate to any man that they should fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a joynt Presbytery The truth is to govern and to rule the Church was the ordinary imployment of the Apostles and therefore they are stiled Presbyters which is to say the Rulers Councellours Magistrates and Governours of the Church neither for all this did their Presbyterships exclude their Apostleships nor did their acting as Presbyters deprive them of their Apostolique power nor of that Apostolique spirit which guided them even in these things wherein they acted as Presbyters for although under one notion we looke upon the Apostles as extraordinary men yet under another as in all those affaires of publique concernment and in matter of government and for that end the assembling of themselves together we do not consider them as Apostles for therein they did not act as Apostles with a transcendent and infallible authority and in an extraordinary way but as Presbyters and ordinary Governours and Councellours and in such a way as makes their meetings and actions a patterne and president to succeeding ages and of the Presbyters congregating of themselves together for common acts of Government whether in a Presbyterian or Synodicall way And as it is in civill affaires and in the government of Kingdomes and States so it was then in the Church of God in a Kingdome some of the Counsellors are of the more secret admission and are generally called Cabbinet Counsellors and are counted of as extraordinary men and others of the generall ordinary Councel yet when all these sit in a Common Councell together to consult about matters of State and publique concernment they â—it then together as ordinary Councellours and every one of them has as much authority and liberty to debate things by reason and dispute in way of consultation and to give his vote about any thing as well as any of the most extraordinary Councellors and this hath been the practise of all ages We read that Hushy when he was by Absalon called into counsell had his voice and gave his vote as well as Achitophel the Oracle of that time and as in the Common-Councels and Parliaments of Kingdomes whatsoever honour dignity or extraordinary imployments any of them were taken up in before their session and meeting or whatsoever dignity or titles of honour they have extraordinarily above others and take their places accordingly before they come together into the Parliament yet they all sitting as Judges and Peeres in the Kingdome the meanest Lord in the Kingdome hath as much authority there as the greatest and so in the House of Commons as they are Judges and chosen by the people for that purpose have all of them even the meanest as much voice and authority in way of consultation as the greatest And so likewise in the Synod or Assembly now of Divines the meanest Presbyter hath as much voice and liberty in way of debate and voting as the greatest Prelate there And even so it was in the Church of Jerusalem when the Apostles those extraordinary gifted men and the Ordinary Presbyters met together in counsel they all acted there as counsellors and ordinary presbyters and therefore in all those particular actions of the Apostles wee have mention of in their severall meetings whether wee consider them by themselves alone and not joyned with the
in so doing under reformation be it spoke I say they assume unto themselves a greater authority then beseems them for they can make the Apostles joynt governing of one congregation for so they take it pro confesso that the church of Ierusalem was but one congregation to bee a patterne of many Ministers governing one congregation but whereas it is most evident that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations and were yet under but one Presbytery and was governed by the joynt consent of the Apostles and Presbyters as under a grand Common-presbytery this at pleasure they reject and make it no way exemplary and binding But for a further answer I assert that the Apostles power and authority over many assemblies as one Church to rule and governe them all as one Church joyntly and in common was not grownded upon their power over all Churches but upon the union of those Assemblies and Congregations into one Church which union layeth a foundation for the power of presbyters ruling and governing many Congregations and the Apostles practice in governing many Assemblies joyntly as one Church is the patterne and example of that government to all succeeding ages and this president of the Apostles the presbyters in all churches ought to set before their eyes in all reformation for what the Apostles did in the publicke affaires of government they did as presbyters and for imitation Neither doe our Brethren onely grant the act of ministeriall power to be the same in the Apostles and presbyters saving in the extent but they acknowledge also that they were called presbyters vertually as I said before and that the Apostles acted in a joynt body and by common consent and affirme that it was fit that they should so doe and say withall that the Apostles wherever they came left the presbyters and people to the exercise of that right which belonged to them although they joyned with them These are their formall expressions out of which their concession my argument yea the whole Syllogisme is not onely confirmed and strengthened but the truth doth more evidently shine forth for if the Apostles left the presbyters and people to the exercise of that right which belonged unto them in all churches and the presbyters right be to rule as Ecclesiasticall Magistrates as to whom the power of the Keyes peculiarly belongeth by Gods institution and the right of the people in all churches bee to obey as they are every where commanded then it followeth necessarily that it doth not belong unto the people to ordaine either Deacons or Presbyters whatsoever they may doe in the choosing of them nor to excommunicate or cast out any out of the Church or to make Members whom they please nor to rule and governe the Church which is the peculiar right of the Presbyters left unto them by Christ and his Apostles for none of all these things were ever left unto the people neither is there any President of it in holy Scripture so that while the brethren seeme to contend for the liberty of the people they plainly overthrow it for they grant That the Apostles left the Presbyters and people to the exercise of that right that 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 Acts 20. ver 28. and therefore when the Apostles writ to the Church of Corinth to excommunicate that incestuous person although his Epistle be not 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 or Corporation though their mandates 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 Mayors 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 themselvesto 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 their 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 that 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 look 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 consisting of twenty or thirty Members 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 joynt consent of their severall Presbyteries all these severall congregations making but one Church though never so much dayly 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 Jewes the Greeke Church the Latine Church or from the Cities as the Church of Ierusalem of Ephesus Rome c. All the which though they consisted of never so many Congregations and Assemblies yet they ever kept the name of unity were accounted but one Church in their severall places and Precincts 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
as hee was President in that Councell in the 15. of the Acts and it stands with very good reason for many yeares after he continued still the prime man in authority there amongst the Presbyters and knew very well the condition of all the Beleevers there and what numbers and multitudes of Disciples there were Inhabitants in that Church all which sufficiently demonstrateth that hee had his residence continually or for the most part in Ierusalem so that Paul comming thither to the Feast as it is related Acts the 21 chapter was informed by him not onely that there were many ten thousands of Beleevers in that Church but what those Disciples had heard concerning his preaching which sheweth not onely that Saint Iames had his aboad in that Citie but that those beleevers likewise were dwellers and inhabitants there and that now hee had very good acquaintance and familiarity with them yea which is more at that very time that Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem with those almes Peter and Iames were then in that Citie if not other of the Apostles also as the twelfe chapter of the Acts abundantly sheweth and without doubt they all joyned with the Presbyters and in a Common-councell ordered how the Alms should be disposed of by the Deacons to the necessity of the Saints yea it doth most necessarily follow what so ever Mr. Knollys and those of his Fraternity shall be able to say to the contrary for the Scripture recordeth that the reliefe was sent to the Presbyters through Iudaea Ierusalem was the Metropolis citie in Iudaea and in the 12. chapter v. 25. it is related that Barnabas Paul returned from Jerusalem whither they had carried the almes so that many of the Apostles being at that time in Ierusalem and the princiall and chiefe Presbyters in that Church amongst the other Presbyters it may not bee credited that they I say being the prime Magistrates and Governours did sit still and leave the rule ordering and government of that Church to other of their fellow Presbyters and them of inferiour ranke but they also acted their parts in the government at that time as well as at others and therefore I say when the disposing of the treasury of the Church or State is an Act of soveraigne power and belongs only to those that are in authority in either and when all the Apostles and Presbyters governed that Church by a Common-councell and joynt consent and when the almes were sent unto all it necessarily followeth notwithstanding all Master Knollys his garrulity that my Argument out of that Scripture will ever stand good to prove that the sending of the reliefe to the Elders makes good these two things the first that the Presbyters were the onely men in authority there and secondly that the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church governed and ruled it by a Common-councell and Presbytery yea Master Knollys his owne words confirmes mee in my opinion who saith it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they are Elders so that all businesses of publicke concernment were to bee transacted and managed by the common consent and agreement of them all and not by the determination of any one particular Presbyter in either of those Churches much lesse by any other persons or people in them but the Presbyters And this shall suffice to have spake concerning the confirmation of my first Argument grounded upon that Scripture that the reliefe and almes were sent unto the Presbyters of Ierusalem And now I come to what he hath to say against my second argument by which I proved my third proposition which is this as he himselfe set it down in the 12. Page of his book They that in the holy Scripture are called Presbyters and acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbyters and exercised that ordinary power committed to them in the 18. of Matthew they acted as Presbyters But the Apostles in governing the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbytery of that Church as Presbyters Ergo the church of Ierusalem was Presbyterially governed and by a common Councell of Presbyters The Major and Minor of this Syllogisme being proved saith the Doctor the conclusion will necessarily insue Thus Master Knollys relates this Argument wholly passing by all the rest And to this argument he first thus replies I know not saith he that the brethren ever deny ed that the Church of Ierusalem was presbyterianly governed So that he assenteth unto the conclusion which is all I contended for by that argument So that by this it followeth that the people had no hand in the government for they are not Presbyters by office And yet such is his ambition to be thought some body in the art of disputation that he quarrels the forme of my Syllogisme and takes upon him to shew me how I should have framed it aright but all those that know indeed what really belongs to learning will easily perceive the man doth but babble and if I should spend time in trifling with him about forms moodes and figures in Syllogisms who knows no more in Logick then the horse he preaches on I might be thought as vain as himselfe therefore intreating him hereafter to learn his Grand-dame to suck and not mee to make Syllogisms passing by all those his grolleries I will set down what he hath farther to reply to this argument in the 13. page and then answer to that and after I have done with him I will come to I. S. that learned Gentleman and profound Clerk Master Knollys to this argument thus farther answereth Though the Apostles saith he were called Presbyters in the Scripture yet it followeth not that they acted as Presbyters but as Apostles Act. 15. And they cannot therein be a pattern and president for Presbyters First because the Apostles had the care and charge of and over all Churches 2 Cor. 11. 28. But the Presbyters had the care and oversight of some one Church onely as Ephesus Act. 20. 28. or Philippi Phil. 1. 1. and this the Doctor often inserts in his book That all the Churches we read of in the New Testament though they were presbyterially governed were Dependent upon their severall Presbyters page 12. And secondly because this would make the Presbyters Independent indeed for so the Apostles were in the government of all the Churches the Presbyters of Jerusalem of Ephesus and of all the Churches were Dependent upon the Apostles and the Apostles only Dependent on Christ by whose holy spirit they were alwaies guided in the government of their churches and therefore they said Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us And though the Doctor say the Presbyters might say so as well as the Apostles because the Elders and Presbyters are mentioned there The
and Presbyters may any man suppose if they had been admiâ—ted into that Synod and should then and there have heard them dispute against the ceremoniall law condemning it as a burden too heavy for them and to be such as neither they nor their fathers could bear and therefore decreed that it should not be imposed upon the beleeving Gentiles I say it stands with all good reason if the weak believers in Ierusalem which were many ten thousands should have heard these disputes it would have put them all in such a heate and rage as they would have set the whole Citie in an uproar to the hazarding of the lives of both the Apostles and Presbyters there and all such as should have sided with them and so much the more it would have incensed them against the Apostles and Presbyters because they granted greater Priviledges to the Gentiles and gave them an immunity from the observation of the Ceremoniall Law which the Iewes still observed and strictly kept so that many of the Iews going from Iudaea wheresoever they came urged the observation of the ceremoniall Law amongst the Gentiles also as necessary to salvation now I say if these Zealots of the Law had all both men and women how many soever can bee made of them to use Master Knollys expression beene present as hee groundlessely affirmes and should have heard these disputes they would have beene so farre from voting with the Apostles and Elders and saying it seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and us as they would have voted the contrary and for this that I say it is evident from the Holy Scripture for in the one and twentieth chapter of the Acts it is said that they would have staine Paul for this their jealousie onely that he preached and taught the Gentiles against the Ceremoniall Law which they would never have beene offended with him for if the Brethren in Ierusalem those beleeving Iewes the multitude even the whole Church how many soever the Doctor can make of them as master Knollys saith had then had their voice in the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem and had assented and voted against the ceremoniall Law and for the abrogation of it as Master Knollys against all reason saith they did for then they would never have beene displeased with Paul for instructing the Gentiles and all people in their christian liberty and for teaching them that they were freed from the Ceremoniall Law for that Councell and Synod made those Decrees for the benefit of the Gentiles but they would rather have beene offended with Paul if they had heard that he yet urged the observation of it amongst the Gentiles if they with the Apostles and Presbyters had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one unanimous consent and agreement had by searching the holy Scripture found out what was the good and acceptable will of God and from thence had decreed the abolishing of the Ceremoniall Law I say if all the beleevers in Ierusalem the whole Church and multitude as many as can be made of them as Master Knollys affirms had been present in the Synod with the Apostles and Presbyters and should have voted with them it seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us to abrogate the Ceremoniall Law and to free the Gentiles from it they could not then have been displeased with Saint Paul for observing their Order and Decrees and for obeying their injunctions but when they were displeased with him for but hearing he taught the Gentiles against the Law of Moses and the Temple it is apparently evident that by brethren spake of in the text by the whole church the multitude cannot be understood all the beleevers in Jerusalem how many so ever could be made of them as he grollishly asserteth could they have all possibly met together in one place for then they themselves should be transgressors of their own Decrees and be offended with others for observing what they themselves had commanded which is a sin and therefore by brethren there First all sisters are excluded for they are not numbred amongst them and so then not all the beleevers for sisters also are beleevers and of the multitude and Secondly all those zelots spake of in the 21 chapter had no vote in that Synod and were not present there for they were enemies to Saint Paul for Preaching according to those Decrees made and Voted there so that Mr Knollys in time may come to see his Error and by brethren there and the multitude and the whole Church may very well understand that they were such as Judas and Sylas were viz. Prophets and chosen men and assistants to the Apostles members of the Church in Jerusalem of which they had store for many of the Priests were converted and were members there though not fixt Officers and Presbyters and Elders as the other were who Synecdochically were called the Church a part being understood for the whole which is usuall in the holy Scripture and to these may be added all the Presbyters that came out of all the Churches of Iudaea from among whom those false teachers were gone and had taught among the Gentiles the observation of the Ceremoniall Law as necessary to Salvation which was a cause of their meeting together and with these also may be reckoned those that came with Paul and Barnabas to that councell from the Church of Antioch which were the brethren spoken of as the Text doth sufficiently declare so that to all men that read but the 15 chapter of the Acts with judgement they will soon be satisfied That by brethren and the whole Church and the multitude there spoken of are to be understood some chosen men men of eminency for all divine knowledge Prophets who disputed and argued the businesses there and debated the matter by reason such as Iudas and Sylas were for so the Scripture speaketh and not the people men and women the whole Church the multitude how many so ever the Doctor can make of them as Master Knollys and those of his fraternity dayly though falsely assert and upon this false ground and rotten foundation laid in their own brain would erect and build their new confused Babel of Independency admitting all people both men and women not onely to Votes in their new Congregations but also in Councells and Synods and free them from all dependency upon other Churches which tends to nothing else but to the bringing in of a confusion in Church and State and to meer Anarchy and therefore from all that I have now said these two conclusions will evidently insue and plainly arise First That all the Apostles and Presbyters were all equally Depending upon God and his Word and that all the Churches we read of in the New Testament were all likewise Dependent one upon another and upon their severall Presbyteries Secondly That the people neither brethren nor sisters in those dayes were to have their Votes or suffrage in the Government of the Churches and admission of members
well see and that without spectacles that by these stones he hurls at all his brethren and casts up dust yea dirt thus in their faces to usurp his own expression pa. 13. that he shews his want of love and charity to us comparing our congregations and Churches at every turn to the Popish and Jewish Synagogues and esteeming of the gathering out of people from amongst us to be the same with gathering men and women from out of their Idolatricall and Jewish Assemblies for why otherwise if this be not his meaning doth he bring his instances from both the Papists and the Jews at every turn and therefore for his so dealing in the first place I answer that he is very injurious to his Brethren and must seriously repent for this uncharitable dealing But secondly I answer that my brother Burton is much mistaken for the Apostles did not gather Christian Churches out of the Jewish Synagogues as we may see in the second of Iames and through the whole story of the Acts where we finde that the Apostles in all their peregrinations ever frequented the Synagogues and preached unto them there and our Saviour himselfe notwithstanding all the scandalls in that Church and all their traditions preached daily in the Temple and in their Synagogues as the Scripture relates yea and the Apostles themselves after Christs resurrection preached dayly in the Temple and in all Synagogues whersoever they journyed yea Christ himselfe commanded all his followers the whole multitude with his own Disciples and Apostles to hear the Pharisees Matth. 23. ver 1 2. And without doubt they did obey their Master and made no separation from the Synagogues and S Paul in the 10. to the Hebrews blameth those that did leave the assembling of themselves together therefore he did not allow of a separation from the Synagogues and from Christian Assemblies and moulding themselves into separate Congregations under a pretence of a more refined holinesse and pure partaking in the ordinances which is the pretence of all straglers all such proceedings were contrary both to the precept example of Christ and his Apostles who taught and practiced the contrary Christ commanding the man out of whom he had cast the devills and that would have followed him that he should go to his own friends and abide amongst them still and he ever sent all those lepers he cured to the Priests he never gathered Churches out of the Jewish churches neither did ever any of the Apostles or godly Ministers do any such thing but blamed it in all and therefore the Independents going against both precept and example are highly disobedient to God and have for these their wicked and ungodly practises a great deal to repent of and to answer for And if we will compare times with times we may beleeve it was amongst the Jews as it was amongst us under the Prelates raign and power those godly and powerfull Ministers such as my reverend Tutor Master Richard Rogers Mr John Rogers of Dedham and Mr Dod and others when they sometimes went to visit their friends through City and Country by their preaching they gained many Souls unto God in many Towns and Villages where after they had through the blessing of God upon their Ministery converted them they left them still abiding in their severall Parishes injoyning them diligently and carefully to wait upon their Ministers there disswading them from separation upon all occasions and so it was amongst the Jews they came out to the Ministry and Baptisme of Iohn and heard him upon every opportunity but never left their own Synagogues and their own Ministers as the Scripture relateth when they returned to their severall abodes and so they went out to hear Christ and his Disciples as occasion served and then returned home again to wait upon the ordinances in their severall dwelling places and they had Christs command to do this neither is it ever recorded in all the New Testament but in the tenth chapter to the Hebrews that the Christians relinquished the Jewish Assemblies for which they are greatly blamed by Saint Paul And I am confident if all the Independents doe not seriously repent of their wicked and pharisaicall separation from our Assemblies the Lord will shew at last some fearfull judgment upon them For I affirme it they have not one president for all these their practices in the whole Book of God and therefore my brother Burtons instance of the Apostles gathering of Christian churches from out of the Jewish Synagogues as it is in all respects unchristianlyand and deceitfully done to delude his fellows so it is not true that he averreth For the Apostles did never gather Christian Churches out of the Iewish Synagogues for they had a command from Christ to the contrary neither was there any cause for any Christians to separate from them for they exercised at that time nothing but the Morall Worship in their Synagogues having Moses and the Prophets dayly read and interpreted unto them Acts 15. 21. and to those Synagogues that unerring Councell at Jerusalem consisting of all the Apostles and Presbyters Act. 15. did send all the people and their severall cities to be instructed in Moses therefore the Apostles and Ministers of those times never gathered Christian Churches out of the Jewish Synagogues as my brother Burton would infer to make good their wicked separations from us and their gathering of their Churches out of our Christian and beleeving Assemblies which I am ever by Gods assistance able to make good is nothing to the question that I propounded concerning the gathering of Churches out of already gathered Churches And therefore hitherto my brother Burton hath befooled himself to no purpose but to discover unto the World how little skill he hath in Divinity when he is out of a common place wherein every child may learn as much and far more then he can teach him And this answer to my brother Burton concerning gathering of Christian Churches out of Iewish Synagogues for the justifying of their unwarrantable separation may serve to the same objection wheresoever the Reader shall meet with it as Page 18 c. And this might suffice to have answered to what my brother Burton had to say to the first Quaerie concerning gathering Churches out of Churches But because my Brother Burton conceives that if they should not separate themselves from our Christian Assemblies whom he saith do not come up close to the rule into their several new gathered Congregations they could not set up Christ upon his Throne as not making his word the rule of reformation or a sufficient rule upon which we must necessarily depend for the form and law of Reformation and that we ought not to wait on men and thereupon propoundeth a quaerie to me Page 19. thinking by this means the better to justifie their unwarrantable proceedings therefore I shall first gratifie my brothers desire and answer to his demand and then I will passe on to reply to what
all resolved to have the liberty of their consciences or else they would make use of their swords which they have already in their hands So that most certain it is the Religion of too too many of them is a meer faction c. Now what these two have affirmed can be corroborated by other witnesses and if in your account he be an Incendiary that in detestation thereof hath set down their words by way of repetition to discover the danger of permitting such lawlesse spirits to go on in their unwarrantable wayes what great Incendiartes are they that have imagined such things in their hearts and boldly spoken those words with their mouths For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Matth. 12. 34. Luke 6. 45. as it can be proved Independents have done and so much the two witnesses you spake of said and no more for they accused not that Army which God hath honoured with many Crowns of admirable Victories c. But you say they cast fiery flashes and flames which do fly in the face of that Army c. Truly this is no other but a false Comment made by your selfe from which you draw an evill inference and then you cry out as a man overcome with passion saying these words are not to be born but I leave say you the judgement thereof to the wisdome and justice of the Parliament whose former freeing of you extends not to cleare your words from being Incendiary Thus farre you Brother I professe I am heartily sorry to see that you my Quondam Fellow Sufferer should so much forget your selfe as not only bitterly unworthily and most falsly thus to inveigh against mee but also to insinuate into the Parliament as if they could not manifest their wisdome and justice except they passe their judgement and censure me according to your bill of Information This violent prosecution and your Canterburian expressions make not me alone but all other solid Christians wonder at your spirit for you may please to call to mind how one once professed he would not passe any sentence against You my Brother Prynne and My selfe but left us as he said to the wisdome and justice of the Court which was in the judgement of all that heard his whole speech to pronounce us so highly guilty that if the Lords there present did not severely censure us they would shew themselves neither wise nor just This president you have exactly followed against me but it will never Crown your head with honour and for the Parliament it is their glory to slight troublesome informers for should they hearken to every information invented and drawn up by the unsatisfied and turbulent spirits of some Independents it would cloud their wisdome and totally eclipse the shining of their Justice in our Horizon But you cannot there obtain an Order to have your Bill taken pro confesso and gain so much of the Parliament that I should not answer for my selfe therefore I may and will speak for my selfe in my just defence and shew how unjustly you have accused me And here I deny your Charg in every particular circumstance But before I returne my answer thereunto you having given me such a Theam to speak upon as the due acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse in raising us up deliverers when City and Country were sorely afflicted and heavily oppressed on every side in speaking of Gods providentiall care and severall actings in way of mercy to his people I cannot omit by way of thankfulnesse to God and men to declare how that in the first place City and Country are deeply ingaged for ever next unto divine goodnesse to honour and highly esteem those Lords Knights Gentlemen and Citizens who in the beginning of the Kingdomes troubles like the Governours of Israel and the Princes of Issachar did offer themselves willingly among the people Judges 5. 9. 15. whos 's very appearing in the cause was then of such concernment that as it made the hearts of all who were truly godly to praise God for them so thereby God made them the preservative of City and Country Insomuch that upon serious consideration we shall find that those Noble Lords and all those brave Commanders that adhered to them who as Zebulon and Napthali jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field and exposed themselves to reproach Judges 5. 18. are not to be over lookt and their gallant undertakings obscured under a Sable cloud of unthankfulnesse nor to be buried in the grave of Oblivion For when the Kingdome was in greatest danger then God made use of them to preserve Citie and Countrey raysing an Army by Land and setting forth a Navie at sea under the commands of the Right Honourable thrice Illustrious Faithfull Valiant and for ever to be highly honoured Lords Robert Earle of Essex and Robert Earle of Warwicke whom hee made by sea and land instrumentall for the good and welfare of the Kingdome and the truth is at this day neither preservation nor safety could have beene expected in Citie and Countrey as things then stood had not these two Renowned Lords and Heroes so nobly and undauntedly appeared in the cause undertaken the charge and care upon them one to be Admirall of the Navie at sea the other to be Generall of the Parliaments forces by Land For this their undertaking was in such a juncture of time that had they out of selfe respects declined it unlesse the Lord by a miracle had withstood and over-throwne our enemies Citie and Countrey in all probability long before this time would have beene over-run and possessed by them and no man should now have had peace in his going out or comming in But by the valour vigilancie and faithfulnesse of our then Noble Admirall our Seas were safe-guarded by which meanes forraine enemies were awed home-bred enemies weakened by surprizing many Ships Armes Ammunition Instruments and Preparations for warre which were sent over into England for the destruction of Citie and Countrey besieged Townes were by him relieved as Lyme Plymouth c. So that God made that Noble Lord by Sea the preservative of Citie and Countrey which lay open ready to be destroyed by cruell and bloody enemies And as the Earle of War wicke by Sea so had not the Earle of Essex being Generall of the Parliaments Armies by Land beene an experienced Commander faithfull to their cause and with a most Heroick and undaunted courage stood to the Battle at Edge-hill when by report whole Regiments ran away and through feare deserted him there now would have beene no safety in Citie and Countrey What had become of Citie and Countrey when Bristow was lost aud Gloucester closely besieged which though it was a long time even beyond expectation valiantly maintained by Colonell Massie the then Governour thereof that ever to be honoured Gentleman had it not by the care and valour of that Noble Lord beene seasonably relieved it could not possibly have held longer out