not their designe they are in a way to bring a greater confusion upon both Church and State and the three Kingdomes then that which were are all now imbroyled with For I have heard them peremptorily conclude amongst themselves making use of that saying of the Prophet that they shall come to thee and not thou to them intimating by those words that they would never submit themselves to the Presbyterian classicall Government but that all the Presbyters must come in and yeeld to their Independency so that if they persist in this their groundlesse Resolution wee may never promise unto our selves any peace or quiet unlesse they may have what they aspire to and what they desire and for ought I know there will be no end of their demands nor no limits or bounds to their requests and prayers for they looke every day for new Discoveries and expect yet more new Lights saying that all truths are not yet fully revealed and therefore according to those they say they must act and be moved so that by this their doctrine there will never be a period of their Grolleries And all men may well perceive what an endlesse worke they that shall satisfie the Independents will have by their very beginnings for to my knowledge the chiefest of them and those that are now in highest esteeme in that Fraternity and the chiefest men and women amongst them at the beginning of this Parliament desired only the removall of the Ceremonies and all Innovations the removall of the Service Booke the putting downe of the High Commission Court and the taking away of the Hierarchy root and branch and the setting up of the Presbyterian government as it was in other Reformed Churches and especially in that of Scotland and that was all they then desired and there were then none in all the Citie of London that more honoured the Scots to my knowledge then they None that entertained them more nobly and freely which was the honour of our nation and for their owne reputation none that frequented the ministery of the Scots more and that more zealously attended upon it every Lords day whiles they were lodged by London-Stone then they so that I doe not know at this time an Independent in London especially of the principallest of them that were not then great Lovers of the Scots and very desirous of that Church-government here in England that is now amongst them and which they have since covenanted for yea they were the only people that brought in the Scots and yet behold now the vanity and instability of all these men there are not any neither in Citie or Countrey that more maligne them and are now greater enemies to them and the Presbyterian government then these very Independents which makes me thinke that it will be as impossible a worke for the Parliament or any authority to satisfie them as it is impossible for the whole world to satisfie the avarice of a covetous man one story of the which comes now to my mind which I shall at this time relate upon my owne knowledge which somewhat suteth with these times in which we live I being one day some twenty yeares since at a great Festivity in a Doctor of physicks house here in London he in a merry way related unto his guests how poore he came into this Citie professing unto them all that hee was not worth six pounds in the world books and all at his first comming and that being entertained into the Family of one of Queene Elizabeths Doctors of Physick to her person for to teach his children he so pleased the humour of the Doctor that hee let him have the use of his Library and communicated unto him the way of his practice and gave him many excellent receipts and hee remaining with him some five yeares it pleased God to take away the Doctor and his Apothecary taking a very good liking to him perswaded him now to practise physicke in his place wishing him withall to take some convenient house by him promising him that hee would further him what hee could saying moreover that he doubted not but by the prayse and the goodreport hee would give of him to make all those noble personages that were the Doctors Patients to make use of him and hee would do all this upon condition that he would use no other Apothecary but himself to which the Doctor willingly condescended whereupon the Apothecary so bestirred himself that he made good his promise and brought him into the greatest practice of any Phisitian then in London But said he when I first began to practice being very poor I thought with my selfe that if I could with all my pains and industry get but an hundred pounds a year to live upon when I am old or leave to my Family I would never aspire to greater riches and truly said he within the space of one year I got above two thousand pounds and purchased an hundred pounds a year and then I thought with my selfe if I could but make it up two hundred I would rest contented without any farther ambition and I within lesse then one years space made it up two hundred pounds per annum and then I thought if I could but make it up five hundred pound a year I would never desire any more and within a few years said he I made it up five hundred pound a year and then I thought with my selfe if I could now but make it a thousand pound a year I would then be content and within a few years I had my desire And then I thought with my selfe if I could make it up but two thousand pound a year I would never desire any more wealth and before I was fifty years of age I had saith he purchased two thousand pound per annum And then I thought with my selfe if I could make it up but three thousand pound per annum I would then go build Hospitalls and rest abundantly satisfied and truly saith he within a few years I made it up above three thousand pound by the year and by my troth said he I am now as covetous as ever I was This story did I hear that Doctor tell in way of gloriation to many but it may very fitly be applyed to all the Independents who are as boundlesse in their desires as this Doctor was in his covetousnesse Oh said they a few years since were but the Ceremonies removed with the Innovations of the Prelates we would be satisfied and when they were gone if now the service book were but cast out of the Church we would be content and when that was cast out now if the High Commission Court were put down we should then be satisfied and when that was put down then if the Hierarchy were also taken away root and branch then they should be satisfied now when that was gone if we could have but the Presbytery established and that it might be with us as in the other Reformed Churches and especially that of
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
in the second Chapter and first Verse were Christs apostles and Disciples and such as had followed him from the beginning of Iohns baptisme and were indeed all Ministers of the Gospell and preachers of the Word and men of great eminency and fame and renoun and therfore by a great elegancy are called Names the number of the Names saith the Holy Ghost which kind of expression in the Holy Scripture is ever used for to expresse men only of transcendent excellencie and desert for their rare vertues and endowments as is manifest out of the Revel 3. 4. and all these were taken up in holy duties as the occasion required and were by themselves but may any rationall man conclude from thence that there were no more Beleevers in Ierusalem would not this be thought an odde kind of arguing if one should thus dispute against the Independents those Homothumadon brethren all the Independent Predicants and their Itinerary Preachers those eminent and learned men those names are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Citie of London on one of their Feast dayes Ergo there is no more Independents in the Citie of London then can meet at all times in any one Congregation to partake in all their Ordinances would not all the Independents laugh at any Presbyterian that should thus dispute when they themselvs boast that there be millions of them in London Now by the holy Scripture we are truly informed there were millions of true beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem at that very time and that they were the Ministers only that were present together on the day of Pentecost and that the other Beleevers were in their other meeting places yea besides those that I have now named it is said in the same Chapter verse 5. that at that instant of time there were dwelling at Jerusalem Iewes devout men out of every nation under heaven that is true Worshippers and Beleevers here therefore must needs bee an innumerable company of these and all these were then Inhabitants in Ierusalem so that the Holy Scripture doth by many witnesses prove there were more then a hundred and twenty Beleevers or more then a hundred thousand in Ierusalem at that time how therefore with any honesty can the Independents conclude from Epi to auto that there were no more Beleevers then in Ierusalem nor ever after then could all meet in one Congregation If this be not to fight against God there was never any fighting against him But should I yeeld unto them which I cannot doe for many reasons that there were no more Beleevers at that time in Ierusalem then did or could all meet in any one place will it follow in any sound understanding that they could ever after all still meet in one Congregation when they were infinitly daily increased I trow not for so to speake and so to argue and conclude would be but to prove fighters against all reason yea against God himself as I said before and to deny the expresse Scriptures as will forthwith appeare for in the same Chapter when there were but three thousand new Converts added to the Church it is said that then that company could not all meet in any one place to communicate in all acts of worship but for want of a place spacious enough for to breake bread in they were forced then to meet in divers places and to divide themselves into severall Assemblies and Congregations and that in severall houses for so saith the Scripture verse 46. and they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house that is in many severall houses they had their meetings to communicate in therefore at that very time there were many Congregations of Beleevers so that they could not possibly meet altogether in one place And here by the way it is good to take notice not onely that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem which the Independents confesse to be the first formed Church and that when there were but three thousand new Converts added to the Disciples but that all these were speedily and readily received into Church-fellowship and that by the sole and alone authority of the Apostles so that it was not required at their hands that they should first walke sometime with the Church before their admission or that they should make a particular confession of their faith or bring in the evidences of their conversion or that they should enter into any particular explicite Covenant or that they must have the consent of the Church before they could be received into Church-fellowship nothing I say of all this was either practised in this Mother-church or any Daughter-church in the Primitive and purest times but these two truths are most certainely evident out of the Scripture The first that all Christians in the church of Ierusalem were admitted into Church-fellowship upon their repenting beleeving and being baptised without any other conditions and that upon offering themselves The second truth is this that there were many congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem at that instant time which is abundantly proved out of the testimonies and reasons above specified and those expresse words where it is said that they brake bread from house to house therefore there were many Congregations then But it will farther more illustriously yet appeare if we consider the divers other additions of Beleevers and that daily unto the Church of Ierusalem for in the last verse of this chapter it is said that the Lord added daily unto the Church such as should bee saved here we find additions upon additions of Beleevers and that daily indefinitly set downe as if they could not easily have been told which addeth no small Emphasis unto the expression and all these were admitted into Church-fellowship without any of those conditions the Independents require of all their Members in these our times for it is said the Lord added daily unto the Church such as should be saved and therefore hee did it onely upon his owne termes of Repentance Faith and Baptisme Now what understanding man can easily beleeve that when there was such daily increase of Beleevers made that they could all still meet in any one place or Congregation to partake in all Ordinances But if wee looke into the fourth chapter we shall find an other new Addition and that of five thousand men more besides women for so saith the Scripture verse 4. Howbeit many of them which heard the word beleeved and the number of the men was about five thousand Now if when there were but three thousand they were then forced for want of a convenient place spacious enough to communicate in to divide themselves into divers severall houses how impossible a thing was it for them all daily then to meet together in any one place or congregation may any one imagine when there were not only daily additions of Beleevers but five thousand men more added unto the
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
Presbyters together upon which all the Congregations and severall Assemblies under it are to depend and to which in all weighty businesses they are to appeal for any injury or conceived wrong or scandall or for redresse of any abuses in Doctrine or manners and for the exercising of Church-Discipline upon incorrigable and scandalous offenders as admonition for giving offence suspension from the Ordinances till amendment and reformation or if obstinate Excommunion Or whether every one of those particular Congregations or Assemblies be they never so small severally or considered a part and by themselves be Independent that is to say have full and plenary authority within themselves without reference to this or any other great Councell or Presbytery for transacting or determining all differences about faith or manners amongst themselves or for the redressing of any grievances or abuses or the exercising of the power of Discipline or jurisdiction and from the which there is no appeal for relief though the parties offended conceive they have never so much injury or wrong done them In a word whether two Presbyters with a slender Congregation have an absolute kinde of Spirituall Soveraignty among themselves in their own Congregation and as ample authority as was given to the whole Colledge of the Apostles Mat. 18. and to the whole Presbytery in the Church of Ierusalem And this is the first Question Which that it may the better be understood I will propound it in a simile and that in a matter well known unto all men The government of this famous City of London and of many other great Cities through the Kingdome are called Corporations that is to say majestracies and have in them a Secular or Civill Signory or Presbytry who are invested with Anthority to exercise all acts of Government amongst themselves as if they were an absolute Principality and this Government by which all Citizens and inhabitants within their Precincts and liberties are to be ruled and ordered as occasion and necessity shall require is committed to the Lord Mayors Aldermen and Common-Councell who onely by such other Officers as they shall elect and choose are to manage and exercise this government so that all particular Citizens and all the Companies of severall Tradesmen are in their particular Wards Precincts and Fellowships by their constitutions and Charter to depend upon the determination of that Counsell and are to make their addresses unto them upon any urgent occasion or conceived wrong or when it concerns the common good and for the time to stand unto their arbitrement Now then the question between us and our Brethren is as if there should arise a controversie in these severall Corporations Whether the Companies in each City where they all have their severall Halls and their severall assemblies and meetings upon all occasions and have all their Officers and exercise also a power of ruling and jurisdiction among themselves be independent that is to say have plenary authority within themselves without reference to the Lord Mayor or Aldermen or Common-counsell to determine of all things among their severall Companies and from the which there is no appeale for reliefe though one be never so much injured and damnified by any unjust act and whether these severall Companies and severall Assemblies be each of them a severall Corporation or Magistracy or all of them put together make but one Corporation under one civill Presbytery consisting of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-counsell This I thought fit to propound that every one may the better understand the question Now as this kingdome of England hath its severall Porporations through all Pounties and the which Porporations although they have their severall Pompanies in them yet are all dependent upon a civill Presbytery and Common-counsell and every Company in them makes not a severall Porporation or Magistracy or a severall City but are all dependent upon the Common-counsell or Presbytery for the better ordering and governing of them in all their common affaires and for the redressing of abuses and taking away and removing of common grievances and have their severall appeals to the Common-counsell the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and if they finde no justice there nor satisfaction have their redresse and appeal to some generall Court or some supreame judicature as to the Parliament of the Kingdome who redresse and determine all things according to the lawes and constitutions of the whole Kingdome So in the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ which is his Church all these severall Churches which we reade of in the holy Scrupture of the New Testament are so many severall Corporations and Associations all the severall congregations and assemblies as so many severall Companies in them depending upon a Presbytery or Common-counsell and Colledge of Pastors and Rulers all making up but one Church in every one of their jurisdictions and severall Precincts though they be consistent of never so many severall Assemblies according to the greatnesse of the Cities or Townes wherein they are or according to the severall Hundreds or Divisions assigned to each Presbytery and all these severall associations to be groverned by their severall Presbyteries for the better ordering and preserving of the same to the which every particular man as well as any Assembly or Congregation may have their appeal for the redresse of any abuses or enormities and if they finde themselves wronged there then they have appeals to some other higher Presbytery or Counsell of Divines for relief and justice and both they and all other of the severall Corporations to be governed and regulated by the Laws and Statutes given by Christ himself the onely Head and King of his Church according onely to whose laws they are to be governed and ruled for the common good and preservation of the whole Church divided into those severall Jurisdictions Corporations or Precincts in imitation as neer now as may be of the Churches of Ierusalem Ephesus Corinth and Galatia c. and whose lawes alone must be the rule for the ordering of all their government doctrine and manners I have premised this I have now said that all men may the better understand the state of the Question and controversie in hand Now then if it shall be made appear out of the holy Scripture That all the severall Churches we have mention of in the New Testament were all particular corporations or associations and governed by a Common-Councell of Presbyters or by a Presbyteriall government in each of them and that there were many assemblies and congregations in those severall Churches and all of them had their distinct Officers amongst themselves in the which likewise they had all the Acts of Worship amongst themselves and did partake in all ordinances of Church-fellowship especially in the preaching of the Word Prayer in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and yet made but one Church and were all governed by a common-counsell of Presbyters or by a common Presbyterie within their Precincts then it must
Epistle to the Hebrews ch 13. 7. Remember saith he them that have the rule over you who have spake unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation And vers 17. Obey saith he them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give an account c. And in vers 24. Salute all them saith he that have the rule over you and all the Saints Here againe he injoynes all the Churches to yeild obedience and to submit themselves unto the government of the Presbyterie shewing them that it is their place to obey and for their Ministers to rule and that so long as they command in the Lord they out of conscience ought to obey them and that for a double reason For they watch saith he for your souls and they must also give an account of their stewardship And in 1 Peter 5 1 2 3. The Presbyters that are among you saith Saint Peter I exhort who am also a Presbyter and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed feed the flock of God which is among you taking the over sight thereof not by constraint but willingly c. neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the flock And Saint James chap. 5. ver 14. Is any among you sick saith he let him call for the Presbyters of the Church He doth not say of the Churches but of the Church So that the Presbyterian government was in every Church and every Church was to submit it self unto the Presbytery And in Acts 15. it is said that Paul and Barnabas went up to the Apostles and Presbyters c. And when they came to Ierusalem they were received of the Church it is not said of the Churches but of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters c. and Verse 6. And the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of the matter c. and Vers 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and wrote Letters by them after this manner The Apostles and Presbyters and Brethren And Acts 21. 17. And when we were come to Ierusalem saith Saint Luke the Brethren received us gladly And the day following Paul went in with us in to Iames and all the Presbyters were present From all which places and many more which might be produced it is most clear and evident that in all Cities there was a Presbytery and that the Presbyters had the power of order namely of preaching and the power of jurisdiction that is of ruling which was ever to be exercised with others and not alone and that consisted in admitting of members and in conventing men before them upon occasion in admonishing if any offended in suspending them from the holy Communion till reformation or amendment and if they continued obstinate and incorrigble in excommunicating and casting of them out of the Church and upon repentance in receiving of them in again and in ordaining of Officers and in appointing the times of meeting and the places where And within these limits as I conceive is all the power given to the Presbyters terminated and this they are by Gods Ordinance joyntly and by the common-counsell of Presbyters to exercise and it peculiarly belongeth unto them and therefore the Presbyterian government was the order of ruling and governing all Churches that God himself established and is to be continued unto the end of the world neither do I ever read that the people or the congregations were joyned with them in their commission or had any power given them of ruling For Saint Paul professeth of himself in 1 Cor. 14. 37. that whatsoever he writ in his Epistles Were the Commands of the Lord. And the same may be said of all the other Apostles Now Paul writ to Titus that the Churches in all Cities should be governed by a Presbytery And in the first Epistle to Timothy he commands Timothy again and again in chap. 5. vers 21. and in chap. 6. v. 12 13. I give thee charge in the sight of God saith he That thou keep this Command without spot unblameable till the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Here Timothy and all Ministers in him are to the end of the world bound to maintain that government unblameable that was appointed by the Apostles and that was the Presbyterian government and the ruling of all Churches by joynt consent and a common counsell or Colledge of Presbyters so that nothing ought to be done or transacted of publick concernment without their joynt and mutuall accord or agreement and common consent of the Presbytery And therfore when Diotrephes assumed unto himself and his particular congregation a power and authority to rule according to his will and pleasure without the consent of the Presbytory opposed Iohn the Presbyter he sharply reproves his proceedings and signifies to the Church Epist 3. That when he came he would remember his words and teach him how to prate against the Presbytery with malicious words For he saith S. Iohn contenteth not himself only to prate maliciously against us but he will not receive his brethren nor suffer others but casteth them out of the Church which is an evill thing in him saith Saint Iohn But for you saith he speaking to the Church follow not that which is evill but that which is good It was evill in him to assume unto himself alone and his particular Congregation that power that belonged unto the colledge or councell of Presbyters and was to be moderated and exercised onely by the conjoynt and common consent of the Presbytery For God had appointed that his Church should be governed by a Presbytery and Diotrephes would have his Congregation Independent and have an absolute jurisdiction within it self Which saith Saint Iohn is an evill thing So that I cannot but wonder our brethren the Independents should call Diotrephes the Patriarch of the Presbyterians as one of them did to me not long since whereas if the place be duâ—ly weighed and considered it will appear that he was the first that opposed the Presbyterian Govenment and for the which he was by Saint Iohn sharply reproved and in him all that follow his steps and will not submit themselves to the Presbytery which is Gods Ordinance and that will not receive the brethren into the Churches but upon their own termes and conditions But of this businesse when I come to the second Question In the mean time I must here make reply to what Mr Knollys by way of Answer hath to say to this Argument drawn from Diotrephes his practise which was occasioned as I related before by reason of a discourse between me and an Independent who affirmed That Diotriphes was the patriarch of all the Presbyterians which opinion of his Mr Knollys doth seem to favour as by his words may appear but I hope to make the contrary
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
the officers replyed saying That never man spake as this man ver 47 48. Then answered the Pharisees are ye also deceived Doth any of the Rulers or the Pharisees believe in him But this people that knoweth not the Law is cursed Take here notice of the confession of the very Pharisees excepting themselves and the High Priests they acknowledge that the generality of the people believed in him Here was increase upon increase of Christians and Believers all the people generally believed in him certainely one place could not have contained them all And which is yet more to be observed that whereas the Pharisees said none but the cursed people believed in him and none of the Rulers in this very chapter we finde one Ruler one Nicodemus Vers 50. none of the least of the Rulers And in Iohn 12. 42. it is affirmed That among the chiefe Rulers many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him lest they should be put out the Synagogue And in Verse 11. of the same chapter it is asserted That many of the Iewes went away and believed on Iesus here was multiplication upon multiplication of Believers And in Vers 19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves perceive ye how ye prevaile nothing behold the world is gone after him These words the Pharisees spake in private among themselves deliberately and confest that the world of men were turned Christians all Ierusalem swarmed with Believers without doubt all these could not meet in one place And indeed through all the Evangelists we shall reade of infinite multitudes that believed in him and the reason is given Matth. 7. 29. Because he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes and did such works of wonder and wrought such miracles as in Iohn 7. 31. they confest none could do but Christ and in Chap. 12. Vers 11. it is related that the raising up Lazarus from the dead made many believe on him and was the cause that such multitudes of people followed him and did so highly honour him and magnifie him and did receive him comming into Jerusalem with such an acclamation crying Hosanna as in this 12 Chapter is specified and is more largely set downe in Matth. 21. 8. where it is related That a great multitude spread their garments in the way and others cut down branches and the people that went before and they that came after cryed Hosanna and said this is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth they all believed in him and confessed him before the world Now our Savionr saith He that shall confesse me and own me before men I will confesse and own him before my Father in Heaven Here is a whole City of Believers and Confessors Yes the very children believed in him and openly and in the Temple cried Hosanna And Christ himself allowed of their testimony and avouched they did well and accordingly as was written And in Luke 19. 47 48. it is said That he taught dayly in the Temple but the chief Priests and Scribes and the Elders of the people sought to destroy him and could not finde what they might do for all the people were very attentive to heare him The universality therefore of the people by all these places were believers and such as followed Christ So that a man may wonder how that Ierusalem it self though it were a mighty City could containe such multitudes of people as believed in Christ so far improbable it is that any one place or Congregation could containe the hundreth part of them And we may also gather that the great miracles at his Suffering and at his Resurrection and the apparition of so many that rose from their graves and went into the holy City made a great increase and addition of Disciples and new Believers so that the number was daily augmented we finde no diminution but if some that followed Christ for bread that were but Hypocrites left following him yet in those places we read again and again of numberlesse companies that daily came in and believed in him And to all this we may adde that Iohn the Baptist and his Disciples a little before his death and Christ and his Disciples by reason of the increase of the multitudes of Believers were forced to baptize in severall places For so it is in Ioh. 3. 23. After these dayes came Iesus and his Disciples into the land of Iudea and there he tarried with them and baptized and Iohn also was baptizing in Enon neere Salim because there was much water there and they came and were baptized And very reason will tell all men that of necessity there must be an innumerable multitude of beleevers for none were Baptized but beleevers that must take up an hundred preachers or thereabouts for our Saviour had twelve Apostles and 70. Disciples as we may see in the 9. of Luke and in the 10. chapter of the same book and Iohn had also many Disciples though not so many as Christ and all these were imployed in preaching the Gospell and many of them in working miracles and wonders so that the very Devills were subject unto them as they rejoycingly confest to Christ when they returned to give him an account of their Ministery And without doubt if these miracles wrought so with the very Disciples they prevailed much more generally with the people to make them beleeve so that infinite multitudes of people came in and were Baptized as the Scripture it selfe informeth us And of necessity so many Ministers must have severall places to Preach in and severall congregations and Assemblies to Preach to and severall places to Baptize in for otherwise there would have beene great confusion for but one of them could speake at once and all these Disciples were taken up in their severall Ministeries and had their hands full as the Scripture it self sufficiently declareth in expresse words for it is said That Christs Disciples Baptizedin Indaea and Iohn in Enon neere Salim because there was much water there It seemes there was too little water to Baptize them in in others places which expression is worthy to be taken notice of And amongst those that came to be Baptized multitudes of them came from Ierusalem And if wee compare times with times which will make much for the evidencing of the truth and consider the divers passages in the holy Scriptures wee shall find the like division of the people in those dayes some standing for Christ and Iohn Baptist and speaking in the justification of them and their Ministery and others that were of the Pharisaicall faction and of the high Priests company as is even in these our dayes betweene them they call Caviliers and those they call Parliamentiers Now what twenty or thirty places in the Citie of London can containe all the Parliamentiers to partake in all acts of Worship Or what ten places can hold all those of the Prelaticall Faction that contend for their Bishops and Service and all their other trumpery
and accoutrements And yet although they be in divers and sundry Assemblies they are still the Prelaticall party and all of them of the Malignant Church and as the diversity of the places changeth not their complexions so it altereth not their faith nor manners but they continne still Malignants and remaine all Members of the Malignant Church And as in these dayes all that wish well unto the true Religion through both citie and kingdome and love their countrey stand for the Parliament so in those dayes those that loved Zion and the prosperity of Jerusalem cleaved unto Christ and the Gospel and stood for him and all his Ministers and by all computations though all the power and Authority was in the hands of the malignant Magistrates of those times who were swayed and guided by the Scribes Pharisees Elders and the high Priests yet to one Pharisee or Malignant Scribe or Ruler there was ten of those that beleeved in Christ and honoured him and all his Ministers and Disciples Yea the Pharisees themselves do acknowledge it not once but many times as is evident from the places above cited and many more that might be produced So that if I should frame no Argument out of them it is apparent that those new additions of Beleevers that were converted by Christ and his Ministry considered by themselves a part from those that Saint Iohn the Baptist converted were so great and numerous that they could not all meet in any one place for partaking of all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would all be edified much lesse could they all meet together being joyned to those that beleeved through the Baptisme and Ministry of Iohn But out of the former places above specified I thus argue Where there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers in a word the whole people and Citie of Ierusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed there they could not all meet at any one time or in any one roome or place and in one Congregation to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must bee distributed into severall assemblies and divers Congregations if they would all bee edified But in Ierusalem the Scribes and Pharisees and Rulers by their owne confession being excepted there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers and in a word the whole people and Citie of Jerusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must be distributed into severall assemblies and divers congregations if they would all be edified For the major no rationall man will deny is that hath but read the Scriptures or is but a little acquainted with the Histories of those times For the minor it is evident from the places produced and therefore the conclusion doth necessarily follow But I yet further thus argue Where there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place and office with infinite multitudes of men and children all the people they could not al meet together at one time and in one place and congregation to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers assemblies and severall congregations if they would all be edified But in the Church of Jerusalem there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place and office with multitudes of men and children and all the people Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would be all edified For the Major it is evident by the very light of nature neither will any rationall man deny it that hath not resolved to sacrifice himselfe to stupidity For the Minor the places above specified prove it for in expresse words it is said that the world followed him that is believed in him and that great multitudes entertained him with their acclamations and crying Hosanna the very children also seconding them And that the chiefe Priests Scribes and Elders soughâ— to destroy him and could not find what to doe for all the people were very attentive to heare him The whole people we see here or the generality of them except the Scribes Pharisees Elders and High Priests which in comparison of them were very few beleeved in Jesus Christ and were his Disciples and such as were converted by his Ministry and such a multitude there was of them as for that present they so awed the High Priests and Elders that they durst not destroy Christ though they desired it so that the minor stands firme and from the premises the conclusion necessarily followeth But out of the former places I yet further thus argue Where ther was such an increase of multitudes of Beleevers as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himselfe and his seventy Disciples and twelve Apostles and Iohn Baptist and all his Disciples were for the numerosity of them forced in severall places to preach unto them and baptize them there they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place or roome or in one Congregation to partake or communicate in all acts of worship but of necessitie were to be distributed into severall congregations or assemblies if they would all be edified But in Jerusalem there was such multitudes of beleevers that went out to the Baptisme of John and Christ as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himselfe and his seventy Disciples and his twelve Apostles and Saint John Baptist and his Disciples were for the numerosity of them forced to divide themselves into severall places and severall assemblies and congregations that all the people might partake in all acts of worship and be edified Ergo they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place but were of necessity forced to divide and distribute themselves into divers places and severall congregations and assemblies that they might all be edified For the Major and Minor of the Syllogisme they are so evident both by reason and the holy Scripture that no man that hath not resolved with himselfe to remaine incredulous and continue in his obstinacy can deny the truth of them so that the conclusion of necessity must from the premises be granted And all these multitudes of people were beleevers before Christs Suffering Resurrection and Ascension Now before I goe on to declare what infinite multitudes of beleevers were added to those that were converted by Iohns and the Disciples Ministry in the Church of Ierusalem after Christs death and ascension which makes it an
likewise wanteth nothing for matter and forme but hath plenary authority within it selfe and therefore is as compleat a Church within it selfe as any church in the world by all which it must necessarily follow and that upon their own principles that it is brought forth in perfection in one day and hath no neede of a graduall growth Now I shall never beleevethat those glorious churches founded by the holy Apostles in every city in the which they had their Elders and Presbyters and all other Officers appointed them the which churches also consisted of visible Saints that they were not at their first constitution as compleat churches and in the which Christ was not as well set up upon his Throne as any of our new gathered churches of the congregationall way Yea it were an impiety to think that the blessed Apostles did not know how to gather churches and how to set up Christ upon his Throne in them and how to bring them to perfection in one day at their first constitution as well as our brethren the Independents who notwithstanding do all proclame they but imitate the Apostles both in the gathering and constituting of their new churches And therefore if the Independent congregations are all compleated at their first founding and constitution and be all compleat within themselves as having plenary authority and power within themselves much more had all the Apostolicall and Primitive Churches absolute jurisdiction within themselvs at their first constitution which is yet more manifest from the reproofe given to the Church of Corinth by S. Paul who blameth them for not casting out the incestuous person and from the reproof given to some of the 7 churches of Asia by Christ himself For otherwise they if they had not bin perfect and compleat at their first constitution might have replyed and answered That they had no power to cast out corrupt Members and that their churches were not compleatly moulded up at their first founding and that they wanted that part of Discipline but none of these churches pretended any such thing neither could they for Saint Paul had given the church of Ephesus by name a caveat to take heed of Wolves that would rise up among them after his departure and had armed them likewise with power and authority for the casting of them out as it is at large to be seen in the twentieth of the Acts and that church executed its power in finding out of false Teachers and is praised for it though the other are blamed So that the neglect of this their duty and not executing of their Discipline was that that was found fault with in them and that they had not exercised that power that was given them in casting out of those corrupt Members from amongst them This I say was their failing and for this were they blamed so that it was not for want of Discipline or that they were not perfect at their first constitution but their negligence and their not doing their duty was their sinne Neither was the Church of Ierusalem inferior to any other church in power or wanted that part of Discipline of casting out corrupt Members as my Brother Burton boldly and without all reason affirmeth for it is well knowne that the church at Ierusalem had power of life and death as wee may see in the storie of Ananias and Saphira his wife the which if it could take away the very life of offendors as it did theirs for lying to the Spirit of God then it had power to cast out any corrupt Members and scandalous persons if they had had any amongst them as all reason will dictate to any well grounded Christian But that wee reade not of any excommunicated in the Church at Ierusalem it was not for any want of Discipline or power in that Church of casting out offenders but because there was no open Delinquents and scandalous persons for they were all zealous of the Law as it is well knowne and would suffer none in the least to transgresse it without questioning them nay if they conceived but an offence in the Apostles themselves they would call them to an account as wee may see Acts the â—1 where they questioned Peter for going in to the Gentiles and it is conceived by learned and judicious Christians that the punishment also that was inflicted upon Ananias and Saphira strucke so great a terrour of offending into all the Ghurch as it is in expresse words declared that they durst not in publike be vitious and therfore that made them all afraid of publike open and scandall withall it is recorded that they were all true Beleevers and Saints in the Church of Ierusalem and that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayer and were all true converts and Saints indeed now no church useth to cast out Saints and men of a holy and unblameable conversation and such as persevere in goodnesse and doe their duty but the wicked and scandalous which when there was none in the church at Ierusalem there was no need of excommunication or at least they had no occasion of exercising that part of discipline at that time For discipline in any church is as Magistracy in a Common-wealth or Kingdome which is not a terrour to the good but to the wicked as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. the 13. it is a comfort to well doers and as the Magistrate useth the sword onely against Offendors and Delinquents so the Officers of the Church exercise that part of Discipline only in casting out corrupt and scandalous Members which is solely to bee put in execution against them and therefore that wee reade not of excommunication in the Church at Ierusalem it was not for want of that part of Discipline but because there were no publick and scandalous persons there as in the church of Corinth Besides all men know that Discipline is one thing and the execution of discipline is an other and is but the result and effect of discipline as the church is one thing and the Administration of the Sacraments is another Power and Authority in a court whether ecclesiasticall or civill is one thing and the execution of the power of that court is an other and as the execution of its authority makes it not a court nor giveth not the power to it but declareth it to be a court invested with authority as in the Parliament the great and supreme court of this Kingdome the cutting off of Strafford and the Prelates heads gave not power to the Parliament but declared the power they had by their first constitution for they were a court before and had the power of execution before but upon this occasion they exercised it but will any man say if they had not at this time exercised their authority as they have not done for these many years before that the great court had wanted that part of Discipline all men that should attempt to say that great councell
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
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
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
of the Arraignment of Mr Persecution in many more of their scurrilous writings plead for a toleration of all Religions under pretence of liberty of conscience whatsoever they be as Judaisme Turcisme Popery Paganisme and all manner of sects and for the confirming of this their diabolicall tenent they bring in the example of the heathen Nations who suffered all Religions amongst them and the example of Poland Transsylvania and Holland those pantheons of all Religions add tell us of the Parable where Christ commanded that the Tares and the Wheat should be suffered to grow together till the harvest the day of judgement And use or abuse rather some other places of Scripture which as they conceive make all for a toleration of all Religions To all which their pretences I shall at this time briefly anwer after I have set down some grounds out of holy Scripture and produced some examples of Gods dear children friends and servants out of the same which must be the warrant of all Christians to follow to the end of the world for whatsoever was written before was written for our learning 1 Cor. 10. Rom. 15. and by the Word of God and from the example of Gods servants we are ever taught that diversity of Religions amongst Christians ought not to be tolerated And first to begin with Abraham the Father of the faithfull and his seed whose examples all that are his and their children ought to set before their eyes for imitation The Lord called Abraham as it is in Joshua 24. out of his Father Terah's house and from his kindred when they served other gods and made a Covenant with him as it is at large set down in the 12. of Genesis and in divers other places of the same book and in speciall in the 17. of Genesis verse 1 2 3 c. where the Lord reneweth his Covenant with him and his seed and sets down the conditions of his Covenant with Abraham which was that Abraham should walk before him and be perfect and that then he would be his God all sufficient to provide for him and protect him wheresoever he came which covenant the Lord ever kept with Abraham and his seed delivering them out of the hands of all their enemies when they served him according to the conditions of the covenant walking uprightly before him as he will do to all his children to the end of the world walking in father Abraham's steps and of Abraham the Lord says this in the 18. of Genesis ver 17 18 19. Shall I hide from Abraham that which I doe seeing that Abraham shall become a great and a mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him for I know him that he will command his children and houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Iustice and Iudgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him c. In these words we have Gods testimony of Abraham in the which he gives this witnesse of him that he would command his children and houshold after him that they should keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement Then it is manifest that Abraham tolerated neither in his children nor in his houshold any Religion contrary unto that that God had taught him nor suffered no idolatry nor Sects in his family for this had not been to walke uprightly before God for it had been unjust dealing with God so to have done for Abraham and his seed were to walk perfectly and sincerely before God and therefore he would never tolerate all Religions or the worshipping of a false God or the worship of the true God after a false manner which also is Idolatry for this had not been to do justice and judgement but Abraham set up the true worship of God wheresoever he came as the whole story of his life doth abundantly declare And so did Isaac after him and Jacob after him as in the 33. of Genesis doth appear where Jacob said unto his houshold and to all that were with him put away the strange gods that are among you and be clean and change your garments and let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make there an Altar unto God who answered me in the day of my distresse and was with me in the way which I went and they gave unto Iacob all the strange gods that were in their hands and Iacob hid them under the Oak that was at Sechem and the terror of God was upon the cities which were round about them and they did not pursue after the sons of Iacob In these words we have a president for imitation with the fruit and benefit that doth redound to all those people and Nations that set up the true worship of God and root out all Idolatry and false worship out of their families and Countries for Jacob gives no toleration in his house nor amongst his people for all Religions or for any other but that which God himselfe had appointed he sets up the true worship of God and that onely within his Jurisdiction and buries all the Idols of what price and how rich soever they were and he found the comfort and benefit of this his so doing for the Lord for this his faithfull service blessed him and protected him from the fury of all his provoked enemies for the terror of God was upon them all so that they durst not pursue him And if we take notice in our reading of the holy Scriptures we shall find and that through the whole Word of God that the Lord ever followed that people and those Kings and governours and their whole Kingdomes and Countries with speciall blessings and singular favours that purged their Country from idolatry and all false worships and struck a terror into all their enemies round about them neither did they ever purge their Countries from Idolatry and root out Idolaters but the anger of the Lord was presently appeased by it and it is alwayes recorded to the eternall praise and honour of those Kings Rulers and Judges that were most forward in reformation and that set more throughly upon that good work of reformation and those that did things but to the halves in reformation have not so honourable a testimony in holy Scripture as the other and that God hath ever been pleased when Idolatry hath been rooted out and Idolaters put to death there be many presidents of it in the Word of God Amongst others that in the 32. of Exodus how highly was God displeased there with the making of that Calf and how well was he pleased when execution was done upon the contrivers and authors of that Idolatry that place sufficiently declareth yea in the 13. of Deuteronomie the Lord declaring how much he detesteth Idolatry and all false worship giveth a dispensation to children for disobedience to their parents who by his law they are bound to obey in Gods matters so