in the Church of Jerusalem and yet all these as the Holy Scripture asserteth in many places made all but one Church and the Independents themselves acknowledge there was but one Church in Jerusalem Now how in any ordinary mans understanding can many congregations be one politicall ministeriall Church except only because they are united and associated under one Presbyteriall government that is to say under the government of a whole colledg of Presbyters which the Church of Ierusalem was for there was many Presbyters there as this 21. ch testifieth and the 15. chap. and many other places of holy writ all which had the government over that Church committed to them in common So that it may be a wonder to all rationall men that there should any appear in the world notwithstanding the abundant evidence out of the holy Word of God that should yet assert there were no more beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in one Congregation which assertion of theirs besides the Scripture very common reason overthrows for if we consider Jerusalem it is said to be the city of the great King in which there were never lesse then seven or eight hundred thousand inhabitants who dayly expected the Messiah who it is well known when he came had twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples at his command to go and come at pleasure whose powerfull preaching was such that it is related that Satan was seen fall down like iightning from heaven that is to say whose Kingdome was overthrown by their ministery and by all whose efficacious preaching and miracles we have this testimony that at one of their Miracles and Sermons there were three thousand converted at one time besides dayly additions added unto that Church by the Lord and five thousand men besides women at another and multitudes of beleevers both of men and women at another and that there was dayly increase of beleevers upon increase with a multitude of Priests besides a whole colledge of Presbyters settled Ministers amongst them and that all these should yet prevail to convert no more in future time then could all meet in one Congregation it seems a thing very incredible and truly for any to persevere in this error against all reason and against the evident testimonies of holy Scripture where we have it recorded there were many ten thousands of very weak beleevers in that one Church besides the strong it is an open and wilfull fighting against God and a resisting of his spirit which is a fearfull sin for all these are convincing arguments to prove the numberlesse multitudes and congregations of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem And all thâ—s brigade of arguments militate against the whole Army of the Homothumadon Sectaries and shall I hope for ever serve to vanquish them all and to make good this field of truth That there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and yet they were not every one a Church or Churches severally considered by themselves exercising an absolute soveraignty Independent within themselves respectively as all our new gathered Churches do now here in London but all those congregations in Jerusalem were all subordinate and being combined together made all of them but one Church and were all under a common Counsell or Colledg of Presbyters within that Precinct the example of which Mother-Church is left upon record to all posterity for imitation and therefore that tenent of the Homothumadon Independents concerning the congregationall way hath no ground for it in the whole Word of God but is a meer whimsy of their own brain and hath its foundation only in the aire and will soon vanish or be speedily blown away by the blast and breath of truth Now my other companies drawn out of the Apostles quarters after Christs death and ascension they militate against all the Burtonian Independents who acknowledge that there were many Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem but deny they were Churches properly so called now though by their grant they have lost the day as in the following skirmishes will appear yet that all men may see that this sconse of error to which they have betaken themselves cannot defend their cause I shall with one company at this time beat them out of that hold and fully vanquish them in the pitcht field It is recorded Act. 2. v. 42. of all those new converts which were in many assemblies in many houses that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers This very troop alone serves for the beating of them all out of what bulwark soever they can betake themselves to for shelter for if all these congregations and Assemblies of believers were equall in all priviledges and immunities with any Churches that ever were on earth and had in them severally whatsoever did make the whole Church of Ierusalem the first formed Church then they were all and every one of them Churches properly so called But the antecedent is true Ergo the consequent so that to any rationall man this question is also out of controversie for let any man but duly examine what it was in the whole church of Jerusalem that made it the first formed church and a church properly so called and he shall find the same in every one of those particular congregations and assemblies for the making of them churches properly so called so that thâ—y each of them severally may as truly challenge the name of Church as the whole Church can they communicating in whatsoever is essentiall for the making of any church a compleat church or a church properly so called if partaking in all Ordinances by lawfull Ministers can make any assembly or congregation a church properly so called So that by this one company and by this very argument all the whibling reserves of all the Burtonian Independents are dissipated and scattered and that place of truth maintained against them all viz. that every one of those Assemblies in Jerusalem were churches properly so called and yet all of them made up but one intire Church and they were not every of them severally considered by themselves and apart Independent and exercising an absolute soveraignty within themselves And therefore this truth shall for ever stand good against all sorts of Independents That many congregations combined together and subordinate to some one colledg of Presbyters make all of them within their precincts but one entire Church and that this is Gods Ordinance and not that tenent of the congregationall way which hath neither precept or president for it in all Gods holy Word So that by all these encounters and frequent skirmishes and by the mighty power and assistance of the great Lord of Hostes the Generall of all the Armies of heaven and earth I have vanquished all the forces both of the Homothumadon Independents and all the Burtonian Sectaries and maintained and kept not onely the field of truth but these
world as they do mightily extoll one another and upon the praises and commendations of this man many thousands of people should by and by flock after him wheresoever they should hear he preacheth and some one or more of his followers should come unto this minister that so praysed him and say Sir such a man who you so commended in such a place behold he now preacheth and all men come to him and follow his ministry would such a relation I pray as this made unto him that had formerly praised that minister infer that those that told him of such concourses of people as ran after him not only hesitated but wer right down scandalized at him I am confident that upon mature deliberation no rationall creature would make such an inference Neither can I see any ground why either I. S. or any of his associats or any other should so conclude For the Scripture relateth every where that there was fairer agreement and much love and amity between Johns Disciples and Christs and that they knew one another very well and desired to imitate one another so that they did not envy one anothers masters prosperity nor doubted not of one anothers masters ministry nor were scandalized one at anothers masters happinesse And there is very good reason for it For they all knew that John had so honourable an esteem of Christ as he thought himself not worthy to carry his shooes Mat. 3. 11. they knew also how highly Christ had often magnified Iohn proclaiming him to be the greatest prophet that ever was borne of women and how that Christ had commanded John to baptize himselfe so much he honoured his ministry They by their experience likewise knew that their was great correspondency continued amity between their masters and that they justified each others ministry and that before all the people John teaching the people That he was the Messiah and the Lambe of God that was to take away the sins of the world and Christ upon all occasions making mention of John with great praises saying That his ministry was from heaven and that he was his messenger to prepare his way before him So that I say in all these respects and many more that might be specified it followeth that Iohns Disciples neither hesitated nor were scandalized at the true Messiah as I. S. grollishly and wickedly inferreth Besides they knew that at Christs Baptisme Mat. 3. The Holy Ghost discending like a dove lighted upon him and a voice came from Heaven saying this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased So that Iohns Disciples that were dayly with their master and waited upon his ministry which onely preached up the Kingdome of Christ could not doubt much lesse be scandalized at the true Messiah Jesus Christ Again in the 1. of Iohn it is related there that Iohn openly among all the people proclaimed Christ to be the Lambe of God and sayeth that hee knew him so to be by the discending of the spirit from Heaven upon him because that God that sent him to baptize with water said unto him upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit discending and remaining on him the same is hee which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and I saw saith hee and bare record that this is the Sonne of God And all this was spoke in the hearing of Johns Disciples so that they could not doubt now of the Messias or be scandalized at him for then they should have beene very untaught Schollers which the words following verse 33. shevves they vvere not for two of Iohns Disciples at that time hearing their Master speake these vvords beleeved and follovved Iesus and inquired vvhere he dvvelt vvho inviting them to come and see went with him to his aboad and tarried with him that night and the story and discourse follovving shevves that they vvere so confirmed in their faith and were so far from doubting and being scandalized at the Messiah as they likewise preached him and gained Disciples to him And the same we may say of all Iohns other Disciples that they honoured Christ very much and predicated his fame unto their master upon all occasions as in the 7. of Luke when the rumour of Christ miracles was spred abroad Iohns Disciples were alwayes wont to relate it unto their master Whereupon Iohn at one time calling unto him two of his Disciples sent them unto Jesus saying art thou he that shall come or looke we for another which message was not sent by S. Iohn that either he or his Disciples doubted or hesitated or were scandalized at the true Messiah but that they all also might be as well eye witnesses of his miracles as others and might say another day that they had not onely heard of his fame but that they themselves had seen his wondrous works For John desired by all manner of wayes hee could to publish the Kingdome of the Messias and knew that the more witnesses Christ had and them of knowledge of reputation the more their report and preaching of him would be credited especially when they themselves could say that they had seene him working miracles and that Christ bade them goe and tell Iohn what things they had seene and heard how that the blind see and the lame walke and the Lepers are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised and the poor receive the Gospel and for this very end did Iohn send two of his Disciples to Christ not that either he or they doubted whether he was the Messias or no but that they might be eye witnesses and relate these things with the more confidence both unto the people and to those that should be pen men of the Holy Scriptures as St. Luke in the 1 chapter v. 2. Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye witnesses and Ministers of the Word according to that of Saint Peter Acts the 1. verse 21. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Iesus went in and out amongst us beginning from the baptisme of Iohn unto the same day hee was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of his resurrection So that it may well be gathered that Iohn the Baptist had a speciall eye to the future and desired not only in his owne person to preach up Christs Kingdome but that his Disciples after him might relate to their Auditors and to the holy pen-men what they had both heard with their owne eares and seene with their own eyes and so might the better witnesse unto Christ neither will any man deny but that Iohns Disciples might also be much strengthned in their faith in beholding those wonderful miracles of Christ though they no way doubted or hesitated or were scandalized at the Messiasbefore no more then the people in Samaria doubted concerning him Iohn 4. after the woman had said to the men of that Citie Come see a man which told me all things that ever
as yet any particular visible formed churches for all these severall congregations are but so many branches of that one catholicke visible church and a branch and a member of a church is not a church properly so called in my brother Burtons Dialect and therefore wee have no true visible churches or church bodies upon earth properly so called this I say will necessarily follow upon my Brother Burtons unsound Principles and this his opinion which I am confident upon his more serious thoughts and when he makes not such haste as he confesses he did when he writ this his book against me he will acknowledge to be very erroneous But if he shall against all reason undertake to maintaine the same doctrine concerning the Catholicke visible church he doth about the church of Ierusalem I am assured he will be highly condemned by the learnedest of his party as well as by the universall consent of all the judicious Divines in the world who I know are of a contrary judgement But I say if upon mature deliberation he shall acknowledge and grant that the severall congregations or churches of believers mentioned in the Scriptures as that of Corinth Ephesus Galatia c. and their own severall congregations in their new gathered churches howsoever he will not grant that title unto our assemblies I say if he shall but accord that both the primitive churches and their new congregations be churches properly so called or church bodies though but so many branches and members of the Catholicke visible church which yet is but one and the same church then likewise of necessity it will follow and he must yeild unto it that all those severall congregations and assemblies in the church of Ierusalem were churches properly so called though but so many branches of that one and the same particular church because as the learned know all particular congregations and churches that partake in all the Ordinances as they are similar parts of the whole church so they doe all partake of the name and nature of it and are all of them churches properly so called and therefore by the very same reason I say all those severall congregations and assemblies in the church of Ierusalem being parts of that Nationall city or Presbyterian church that one and the same church as partaking both of the name and nature of that church are all of them churches properly so called one of those conclusions I affirme will necessarily follow from my brother Burtons principles And for the better evidencing of what I have said I will adde a few words more by way of a corollary that whatsoever the whole church at Ierusalem had in it to make it the first formed church properly so called the same had all the congregations and assemblies respectively and severally considered to make every one of them churches properly so called And therefore if the whole church at Ierusalem may challenge the name of a true formed church as the Independents acknowledge then the severall congregations and assemblies respectively and severally considered might do the same and were churches properly so called For if the whole consisted of visible Saints so did every one of those severall congregations and assemblies consist of visible Saints And if the whole had the blessed Apostles in it and Christs seventy Disciples and all sorts of church Officers so had every severall congregation and assembly of that church though but a part and a branch of the whole And if the whole church inioyed all the saving and sealing ordinances and all acts of worship and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking bread and in prayer so did every one of those congregations and assemblies severally and respectively considered And therefore when all the branches of that one particular church at Ierusalem viz every congregation and assembly severally considered and as a part were equall to the whole church in all priviledges immunities and in whatsoever is required for the making of a true formed church so that there was nothing wanting to either of those congregations that the whole church partaked in and injoyed or could challenge for the making it a compleat Church then it followeth and that necessarily that if the whole church be a true formed church and a church properly so called as the Independents confesse that all those congregations assemblies severally considered were churches properly so called This I thought good to premise And now I come to make good what I undertooke which is to prove those severall Assemblies in the church of Ierusalem to be churches properly so called which I do by this argument All such assemblies congregations as daily met together in diverse companies in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and in severall private houses in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and clothed with his power and honoured with Christs presence being all believers and Saints and such as gladly received the word and were all baptized and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayer and injoyed amongst themselves in their severall congregations all the saving and sealing Ordinances and all Acts of worship and whatsoever priviledges and immunities the whole church partaked in and the which the Independents themselves repute and thinke sufficient for the making and constituting of a formed church and who also had amongst them in those severall assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven given unto them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the ende of the world and that whatsoever they loosed on earth should be loosed in heaven and whatsoever they bound on earth should be bound in heaven and that his spirit also should leade them into all truth the which Ministers likewise taught them whatsoever Christ had commanded them and that daily in the Temple and in every house all and every one of them respectively and severally taken were true and compleate churches properly so called But in the church of Jerusalem there were many such assemblies and congregations as dayly met together in diverse companies in the Temple and in Solomons Porch and in several private houses in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and clothed with his power and honoured with Christs presence being all believers and Saints and such as gladly received the Word and were all baptized and continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers and injoyed amongst themselves in their severall congregations all the saving and sealing Ordinances and all acts of worship and whatsoever priviledges and immunities the whole church partaked in and the which the Independents themselves repute and thinke sufficient for the making and constituting of a formed church and who also had amongst them in those severall
assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven given them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the end of the world and that whatsoever they loosed on earth should be loosed in Heaven and whatsoever they bound on earth should be bound in Heaven and that his spirit also should leade them into all truth the which Ministers likewise taught them whatsoever Christ had commanded them and that dayly in the Temple and in every house Ergo all and every one of those Assemblies and Congregations respectively and severally taken were true and compleat churches properly so called For the Major no well grounded Christian will deny it especially the Independents cannot gain say it for if two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name make a true visible church as those of the congregationall way hold and teach then much more where two or three hundreds are met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and in the which also they partaked in all the saving and sealing Ordinances as in the preaching of the Word and Prayer and in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that by lawfull Ministers and Officers appointed and sent by God himselfe I say by far better reason such a congregation is a true and visible and compleate church properly so called as all rationall and intelligible men will easily conclude and therefore this cannot be denied by the Independents especially when as I noted before it is their owne Doctrine taught in all their writings and Preached by every one of the congregationall way and confirmed by their own daily practice And to passe by many books writ of late by the Ministers of New-England and some of the Independent Ministers here amongst us I will only at this time pitch upon one who hath in my opinion dealt more candidly then any of his brethren for he kepes no reserves Donec ad triarios redierit res but sets downe plainly what they hold I will make bold therefore with his new blasing lights lately set up upon that learned Beaken called Truth gloriously appearing from under the sad and sable cloude of obloquy In the which treatise pag. 22. and 23. the author in the name of all the Independents declares their judgement concering this businesse whose words I will set down at large desiring to deliver their minde in their own expressions rather then in mine that they may not hereafter accuse me to have pickt and chose what made most for me and against them and left the rest His words are these Object It may possibly here be objected how will it appeare that so small a number as two or three joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell do constitute a visible Church Answ It will appeare evident by this insuing argument Christ hath given his power and promised his presence to two or three ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell therefore two or three so joyned together do constitute a visible church The Antecedent is proved from the Words of Christ Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it if he refuse to heare thee take two or three if he heare not them tell it to the church if he neglect to heare the church let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican I say unto you whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven Loe Here 's their power given them by Christ The presence of Christ is promised by them vers 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them The consequent cannot be denied for what people in the world may be called a church if they may not to whom Christ hath given his power and promised his presence If the gifts of Christ be of any force if the power of Christ be of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Neither is this destitute of learned men who have given their suffrage to it Humfred de religione vera conservanda pag. 24. Ecclesiam cum dico non unum aut alterum sacerdotem aut ministrum sed legitimum ac Christianum catum nomino et innuo Besides the definition of a visible church will prove the consequent A visible church is a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the members be Saints called out of the world united together into one congregation by an holy covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances This definition though it properly looke upon a compleate church it is appliable to two or three that are joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospell 2 Object But is it like that two or three there is taken for the church mentioned vers 17. to which Christ hath given his power Answ I do not say that it is alwaies so taken for because the church doth frequently consist of many but this I say that it may be so taken as the very coherence of the words shews Beside it will further appeare thus if two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power and honoured with Christs presence then two or three may be the church mentioned vers 17. but two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power for they meet in his name as the text speakes 1. e. clothed with his power for name signifieth power in severall Scriptures Prov. the 18. 10. Philip. 2. 10. and honoured with his presence and therefore two or three may be the church there mentioned 3. Object But such a company being destitute of Officers can be no church Answ If it had been said they could have been no compleate church I would have consented But to say that they are not a compleat church therefore they are no church is a Non sequitur A man that wants a hand or foot or both is notwithstanding a man though a maimed man Officers do not concurr to the esse or being of a church but to the bene esse or well being of a church for otherwise put case the Officers of a church dye then must the church be unchurched and so Toties quoties as such a thing happens which in times of mortality may be often Againe a company of believers ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell hath the matter and forme of a church even before it hath any Officers and therefore is a Church without them it hath the matter of a Church a company believing 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 1. and it hath the forme of a Church viz. a combining and uniting of themselves together into one body by the bond of an holy Covenant I have spoke some thing the more in this particular to strengthen
that if those of their nighest relations should go about to intice any to Idolatry or to the worshipping of false gods or the true God in a false manner or should endeavour but to bring in another Religion than that the Lord had appointed that then they should bring them forth and have justice done against them so that God abhorreth that any Religion amongst his own people should be tolerated or set up besides that he himselfe hath commanded and he had forbid in his law that any man should make to themselves any graven Image or set up any way of worshipping him but that which he himself had ordained and injoyned and commanded that they that should attempt any such thing should be put to death We see likewise what Ioshua did according to the commandment of God who ought to be a pattern to all Christians and all Christian Magistrates chap. 24. verse 14 15 16. Now therefore saith he fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Aegypt and serve ye the Lord and if it seem evill unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell but for me and my house we will serve the Lord And the people answered and said God forbid that we should forsake the Lord and serve other gods for the Lord our God is he that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage c. Here we may observe first that Ioshua injoynes them to serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth and that they might do that to put away all their idols he gives no toleration of all Religions and the like may be said of Ioshua Ioshua 24. 15. and that they might with the more alacrity yeeld obedience to God's command he sets his own example before their eyes with his resolution which was that both he and his houshold would serve the Lord onely and set up his worship and all the people likewise assented to do the same and gave their reason why they would serve the Lord and tolerate no other Religion because say they the Lord hath brought us up out of the land of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage and made us his peculiar people and therefore they resolved to serve him onely and tolerate no other service amongst them but that which God himself had commanded and appointed And this example of Ioshua and the people of Israel is left to all the people of God to all ages for imitation whose duty it is to set up the true worship of God only amongst them and none but that which Christ their Redeemer King and Law-giver hath injoyned them and therefore all such as would have all Religions tolerated do exceedingly forget themselves and are highly unthankfull to Christ their King and Redeemer And if we look into the story of the Judges the book following that of Ioshua when this generation was dead and that they had forgot their covenant and began to tolerate all Religions amongst them they brought down all those plagues upon themselves by it that were written in the law of Moses and for no other cause saith the holy Scripture but for that they set up those Religions the heathens had served their gods by as is manifest from the sixth chapter for when the people cryed unto the Lord because of the Midianites the Lord sent a Prophet unto them first who told them that the cause of all the judgements was because they had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord but had served the gods of the nations which he had forbidden them and afterwards he sent an Angel unto Gideon and commanded him to break down the Altar of Baal which his father had made and to cut down the Grove that was by it and to set up an Altar to the Lord In the first place Gideon was enjoyned to root out idolatry and then to set up Gods true worship onely here we finde no toleration of any Religion but the true Religion when they set upon the work of reformation and when the men of the City made inquiry after him that had broken down the Altar and cut down the Grove and would have put him to death it is related that Ioash the Father of Gideon said to all those that stood against him Will ye plead for Baal will ye save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death whiles it is yet morning if he be a god let him plead for himselfe because one hath cast down his Altar Here we finde no toleration of Baal's Religion but that they that would plead for him should be put to death and surely those that will plead for a toleration of all Religions do no lesse than fight against God But now let us see what Elias did 1 King 18. ver 21. who was counted as the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel with Baals Priests and what he said to all those of his times How long saith he to the people will ye halt between two Religions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be God then follow him The holy Prophet would not admit of a toleration of all Religions but when God had miraculously manifested from Heaven that Elias his Religion was the true Religion and which God in his holy Word had established all Baals Priests were put to death and that by Elias his command who said Take the Prophets of Baal let none of them escape and they took them and Elias took them and brought them down to the Brook Kishon and slew them there And so upon all reformations all other Religions were cast out but the true Religion as we may see through the whole Scripture as in the stories of the Kings and Chronicles and those of Nehemiah and Ezra and through all the Prophets and the Lord in the second of Ieremiah complaineth against his people That they had forsaken the fountain of living water that is they had forsaken the true God and served other gods and forsaken their maker and had been more unconstant than the very Heathen who had not forsaken their idoll gods and therefore for this their Rebellion and ingratitude the Prophet denounces all those plagues that were written in the Law against them as all the other Propheâ—s did for there is not any sinne in all the old Testament that the Lord more complaines of than that of Idolatry and the toleration of many Religions amongst them as is most abundantly set down both in Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezechiel Daniel and in all the other Prophets all which were written for our learning so that if the people of God shall imitate them in their sinnes they must look to partake with them in their
dayes at her first comming to the Crown when there was a mighty Popish faction in the Court and through the whole Realm as all men know and when there was as great an indeavour for the bringing in of a toleration of that Religion as now there is for the setting up a Pantheon of all manner of Sects And such reasons there were then given for the establishing of the Catholique Religion as they called it as I beleeve if they should all be rehearsed there is few of those that now plead for a toleration of all can give the like but better I am most confident they cannon give For if multitudes of a contrary opinion armed with strength power also and they all furnished with malice and resolution to put them upon the imployment of their strength had been able to create danger to the Kingdome if the liberty of their consciences should have been denyed unto them then there was nothing wanting to terrifie a State to condescend to grant a toleration but all this could not then prevail nor all the art of perswasion they then used as that men of a contrary judgement were rather to be won with sweetnesse and lenity and loving perswasions and arguments and reasons then by any coercive way which often brought danger unto Kingdoms many arguments more with great worldly wisdom were then produced which with many that were reall Protestants and then in â—ouncel seemed of some weight but at that time there was a brave Nobleman present and a man of great understanding and as they usually call such a great Statesman but yet such an one as was never taken notice of to be any great zealot for Religion on either side Yet he demanding of the Councell that was then in debate about this businesse the greatest part of which seemed to make profession of the Protestant Religion and something incline to yeeld unto a toleration whether or no they thought the Protestant Religion was the true Religion and that way of serving God that he had appointed and the most of them replyed that they from their hearts and souls beleeved that it was Gods Religion and that which was taught in the holy Scriptures Then said this Nobleman my Lords set up and establish that Religion only and no other do you your duty and labour to authorize it and your life for mine God will help you to maintain his own honour and cause against what power and policy soever shall come against you for he can infatuate their counsell and enervate their strength and blast all their attempts in a moment who is all-sufficient and against whom no counsell nor understanding can prevail for he sitteth in Heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth for as there is no Lord or Master that can indure any servant that shall comply with his enemies give equall honour and service to his adversary that he doth to himself or connive at any so doing so God will never like of your service when you worship him if ye serve the devill also which you must do if you set up any other Religion or any other Religion or any other way of Church Government in the Kingdome then that you beleeve in your hearts God himselfe hath appointed for as two Religions so contrary one to another are incompitible with the glory and honour of God who hath said No man can serve two Masters so they will be destructive to the safety of the Kingdome And therefore my Lords saith he as we have but one God so I beseech your honours let us have but one Religion in the Kingdome and one kinde of Church Government amongst us and that ratified and established by authority for if their be a liberty left for every man or every faction to do what they please we shall speedily bring down the judgements of God upon the Kingdome and a confusion upon us all And many reasons more he gave to this purpose by which he so prevailed with the Councell that they agreed to give no toleration for Popery or allow of any faction in Religion but resolved with all speed to establish the Protestant Religion And truly the same argument may now be used for the establishing of one Religion and one kinde of Govrnment And as Elijah said to Baals Priests and to the people If God be God then follow him c. So if this way of worshipping God that is held forth in the Protestant Churches and hath for some generations been taught in the Church of England be that way then it will be for the honour and glory of God and the safety of the Kingdome that that onely be established which will bring peace to Church and State and take away all occasions of offence and jarrs amongst brethren For the examples of Poland Transsylvania and Holland they are no presidents to other Nations their politique proceedings are no examples for other Christian Countries and Kingdoms to follow for Christians are to live by the rule of GODS Word and Christ's their Kings laws and to follow the examples of his own people onely in their wel-doing and not in their failings and therefore we are to follow the example of Abraham Joshua Elias and the other Patriarchs Prophets and holy Apostles who never tolerated all Religions Yea we are commanded in Romans 12. Not to conform our selves to this world but that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what iâ— the good and the acceptable and perfect will of God This Will of God therefore must be the rule and square that we must ever set before our eyes and hearts in matters of our God and in points of Religion and worship and not the example ot Poland and Transsilvania Now let us heare what is the good will and pleasure of Christ our Law-giver concerning this point of toleration who challengeth and that of all due and right to be our Master saying Matth. 23. 8. Be not yee called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and againe verse 10. neither be ye called Masters saith he for one is your Master even Christ this reiterating of the same prohibition and challenge to be our Master shewes that wee are not to make either men or Angels or whole Kingdomes or Countries our Masters but onely Christ we must alwayes therefore in matters of Religion have recourse unto his good word and will and heare his voice and therefore let us heare what the will of Christ is concerning this busines of Toleration who in in the 8. of Mark 15. speaking there unto his Disciples and in them to all Christians for the Independent Masters hold that the Disciples represented the whole Christian Church he charged them saying take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leven of Herod here wee find a treble caveat a Charge and a Take-heed and a Beware as if the Lord had said I cannot use too many words to make them take heed
Now as I have shewed you the controversie betweene the two parties and the cause of this dispute and set downe the occasion of bringing all these Armies into the field with the words of their challenge and declared also the two sorts of enemies I have to deale with I will according to my promise ad aram veritatis briefly lay downe the title by which they all pretend a right to Independency and shew the ground and foundation of the congregationall way for the which they doe all of them now as pro aris focis dimicare against their Christian Brethren whom they ordinary stile Presbytyrants But by the way I must say thus much that before there was any breaking out to open Hostility all things in the beginning were carried in an amicable and lovely way and the controversie was disputed con and pro in a legall manner every one bringing in their evidences for their way and cause and that in forâ—â—onscientiâ— before Judges of the spirituall Law where all the Advocates for the Independent cause were fully heard speake and plead for themselves and for their party whatsoever they now pretend to the contrary and they had all of them liberty granted unto them freely to bring in their witnesses which were fully likewise heard Now they had but one witnesse to speake of that made for their cause and he being found doubtfull in his expressions and the truth also of his testimony being fully examined it was abundantly made appeare by the Advocates of the contrary party that should his Affidavit be allowed of as cleare in every particular and punctilio of it as they would have it yet it would not be a sufficient witnesse to prove any just title they had to their Independency nay though they had many such whereupon the Court could neither in iustice or equity admit of that witnesse his testimony and all those that have any understanding in causes of this nature when they shall heare the debate fully on both sides will I am most confident conclude that should the Judges have allowed of their witnesses testimony and so have granted the Independents their cause that they had beene unrighteous Judges and there had beene then just cause of appeale to some higher Court and Tribunall but the Judges in conscience having given sentence according to Law and justice against the Independent party and they notwithstanding still challenging a right and title to Independency although I say it was made apparently evident to all men that they could not justly challenge or claime any right thereunto by the Charter of the great King of his Church they still persisting in their obstinacy and groundlesse challenge and being resolved that they would be either soli aut nulli would admit of no faire accommodation as can sufficiently be proved by a cloud of witnesse brake out into open Hostility and war against their brethren and all this contrary unto Covenant and Agreement as is briefly set downe in the Schismaticke sifted set forth by Mr. John Vicarâ— and let fly their arrowes and quils at us and with the poyson and venome of them wounded and slew not a few invading our Frontiers and Territories beating up our quarters plundering and spoyling of us of our best and fattest sheepe and lambs making ever and anon false alarums upon us and upon every occasion sending us challenges to the terrifying of many in so much as they forced some to run into the rivers and Jordans round about starke naked over head and eares like mad men aud that in the middest of winter to the killing and murthering of certaine of them yea they began to rob us of our wives of our children and of our servants and indeed of our very substance so that the Presbyterians were constrained in their owne defence to come out to meet them for the preserving of themselves and their soules and bodies both which would be destroyed and that speedily if these Rovers might goe on without controule and resistance and yet in all this combat the Presbyterians hitherto have used no other weapon but the sword of the spirit which is the word of God But before I come to the main battel I shall here set down the ground and warrant by which they challenge a title and right to Independency and withall I will set downe the manner of their pleading before they came to Hostility with the names of some of their chiefe Advocates and Patrons who lived sometimes in the Low-countries amongst the Countrey Courtiers there where they became excellent Proficients in their art and where they learned this Lesson perfectly well viz. how to spread their bread with the Independents butter which is the chiefest part of their skill and learning which made their tongues in all their pleadings run very glib and these being all very well feed pleaded their cause in manner and forme as followeth The Court being set the chiefe Judge or Prolocutor after the hearing of the debate and cause desired the Advocates for farther satisfaction and for farrher proofe of the soundnesse of their plea to bring in their witnesses and evidences with their reasons out of the holy Scripture the great Charter of heaven by which they would prove their title and right to the Church of Jerusalem and by which they laboured to evince there were no more Beleevers in that Church then could all meet in any one place or congregation to partake in all the Ordinances and that this Church consisting of no more then one Congregation was independent promising and that faithfully withall the other Judges that if they could by sufficient evidence witnesses and testimonies out of the holy Word of God the Charter of the great King make it appeare that the controversie then should speedily be decided betweene them and that they would yeeld the Cause then the which nothing could be spake more honestly Wherupon first Thomas Goodwin a sturdy Advocate produces for witnesse the first v. of the 2. chapter of the Acts in these words when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were al saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in one place Ergo saith he the Church of Jerusalem consisted of no more Beleevers then could all meet in one place Thus did hee plead and evidence Now before I come to tell how the other Advocates argued their cause I will set downe the Greeke words in Roman characters that the most unlearned may reade them and I will afterwards give the true and genuine interpretation and sense of them and shew how both these Advocates and all the Independents and Sectaries are mistaken in that witnesse and testimony which indeed is the onely evidence they build their whole new Babel upon and shew withall how they with violence force that witnesse to speake otherwise then hee meaneth and that the words taken according to the originall and according to all solid reason bring in no such evidence nor carry no such sense or
God was just faithfull mercifull and gracious and therefore beleeved his promises and repented and were baptized and were all as good Christians and Beleevers as any were if any credit may be given to Christs words Whether therefore we ought rather to beleeve the words of Christ and his testimony or I. S. his language I refer it to the judgement of the advised reader Christ declareth they were Beleevers and Christians for they justified God and rejected not his councel but imbraced his grace and favour and free mercy I. S. saith the contrary It is true that the name of Christian was not given to beleevers till they were called so at Antioch yet to beleeve in Christ and to be baptized into Christ made them as well Christians before his suffering as after for otherwise Abel Enoch Noah Moses Abraham David and all those Martyrs spoke of Hebrewes the eleventh and all those baptized by the Apostles before Christs death should not have bin Christians which were wickednesse to think when the Scripture affirmeth that they not only lived by faith but did all those wonders by vertue of their faith in Christ and that they all injoyed the promises and therefore it must necessarily follow they were Christians as all beleeving in Christ and living and dying in that faith So that howsoever they had not the name of christians and were not so called which makes nothing against the reality of the thing for we contend not about words yet they were all true christians they being all built upon that Corner stone and upon the foundation Jesus Christ and differing nothing for the essence and substance or object of their faith from any that did succeed them in all ages to come And therefore I. S. affirming that by the baptisme of Iohn the beleevers then were not made Christians and that the Israelits Baptised by Moses in the cloude were no Christians overthrowes the holy Scriptures and gives Christ the lye and confutes Paul himself who in the 10. of the 1 of the Cor. ver 1. 2. 3. affirmes that our fathers were under the cloude and all passed through the Sea and were all baptised by Moses in the cloude and in the Sea and all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drink the same spirituall drinke for they all drank of the same spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ by the which testimony of the Apostle they were as good Christians as the Corinthians for he comparing them together sheweth that they were equall to them in priviledges and were as good Christians as they according to that of Peter Acts the 15. vers 9. and put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith as he had proved that the Israelits were equall in Priviledges with the Corinthians and all other Christians so he declareth likewise if the Corinthians and all other Christians did offend against God as the Israelites did they should likewise be equall to them in punishments For God was no respector of persons but as inevery nation he that feareth God worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10. ver 35 so whatsoever Christians of what Nation so ever whether Iewer or Gentiles shall offend as the Israelites did they shall be equally punished So that by the witnesse and testimony of Paul in this tenth chapter of the 1 of the Cor. and the 11. of the Hebrewes and from the above cited Scriptures all our fathers under the cloude and all the Patriarkes and all those Martyrs and all those that were baptised by the Baptist and Christ Disciples were all as good Christians as any Baptized after Christs death or now by those of the Congregationall way or any Christians in the world and all that I here say is most true if any beliefe may be given to the holy Word of God And therefore I. S. affirming the contrary blasphemeth And now I come to his fourth Argument Which is this The learned and judicious know saith he that Iohn was but the Messenger before Christ Mal. 3. ver 1. And his baptisme was but as the streaming of light in the Heavens before the day and he did only bring and restore all things to their legall perfection by water the element of the law but Christ Iesus he comes and Baptizes with fire consummats all things with this transforming powerfull element even his spirit Thus I. S. speaketh To examine all the errors in these words would take up much time and require a large discourse but I study brevity As for the first part of this his answer where he saith the learned and Iudicious know that Iohn was but the Messenger before Christ c. it is a peece of vanity in him to produce the testimony of men to prove that Iohn was a Messenger of Christ when the holy Scripture in many places assertsit and when Christ himself hath declared that Iohn the Baptist was that Elias that was foretold should prepare the way before the Lord and make his pathes straight but this I may truly say of I. S. that he is a meere stranger in all good learning and as ignorant in all Divinity and in the holy Word of God as those judicious he speakes of were singularly excellent and mighty in the Scriptures and all sound theologie whose works and godly solid writings if ever he had read with understanding he could never have bin so prodigiously blasphemous as he is in all his discourse and chiefly in these his answers for there is not any one of them in which there is not great impiety to be discovered as in this to accuse Iohns Baptisme and Ministry of imperfection and to say they were but as the streamingsoflight in the Heavens before the day when notwithstanding Christ himself hath often given so many honourable testimonies of Iohn and his Ministry saying in the 5. of Iohn 32. that he bare witnesse of him and that his witnesse was true and in the 35. ver in expresse words affirming that he was a burning and shining light and that the Iews for a season did rejoyce in his light And yet I. S. boldly and peremptorily affirmeth that the Baptisme of Iohn was but as the streamings of light and that they were not consummate Christians that were baptised by him Who shall we beleeve I. S. or Iesus Christ Christ saith Iohn was a burning and shining light I. S. sayeth he was but as the streaming of light if this be not to give Christ the lye I know not what it is Christ in the seventh chapter of Luke and the 28. verse sayth That Iohn the Baptist was the greatest Prophet that was ever borne of women Then he was inferior in his Ministry to none of them no not to Moses himself of whom the author to the Hebrewes chap. 3. vers 5. saith with a verily that he was faithfull in all the house of God as a servant for a testimony of those things that were to be spoken
such as have built upon this foundation that upon the reading of any books or hearig of any arguments on the contrary side their hearts may not like the heart of Ahaz Isai the 7. 1. when he heard of the confederacy of Syria and Ephraim be moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde This is the discourse of that Author whose words I have related in their full length and extent not intending at this time to shew all the errors of them which would require a just volume though occasonally I shall meete with some of them and make it appeare that according to his discription of a church which he hath taken out of Master Cotteos booke of New England none of the congregationall churches at this day are compleate churches properly so called And if that also my brother Burton speakes be true then the very church of Jerusalem as I said before which he calles the first formed church was not a true formed church properly so called All this occasionally I hope to make evident In the meane time I will make use of such Arguments as the new lights from the Summer Ilands afforde me for the proving of my major proposition which was that All those Assemblies and Congregations met together in those severall houses at Ierusalem every one of them respectively and severally taken were churches properly so called And this I doe the more willingly because I conceive it will better sound in my brother Burtons eares and those of his party to heare one of their own great Rabbyes who they usually call Giants and tall fellowes then to heare me who at pleasure they stile a Pigmy and Dwarfe from his words therefore I thus argue If two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence doe constitute a visible church as he asserteth and laboureth to prove in the name of all the Independents then much more two or three hundred met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence having amongst them also their lawfull Officers and Ministers and injoying likewise all those saving and sealing Ordinances within themselves which the Independents confesse are sufficient for the constituting of a Church properly so called then I say and that with far better reason that such a company doe constitute a compleat visible Church or a Church body properly so called but in the Church of Jerusalem there was not onely two or three met together or two or three such Assemblies and Congregations but at least twelve if not halfe twelve score yea innumerable in all and every one of the which they met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name and clothed with his power and honoured with his presence and in all and every one of the which respectively and severally they had also their lawfull Officers and Ministers and injoyed all those saving and sealing Ordinances which the Independents confesse arr sufficient for the constituting of a Church properly so called Ergo all and every one of those Congregations severally and respectively considered were Churches properly so called This Argument is grounded upon the Independents owne Principles and upon their very words and corroborated with their owne reasons For what people say they in the world may bee called a Church if they may not to whom Christ hath given his power and promised his presence If the gifts of Christ be of any force if the power of Christ bee of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Thus the Independents speake and therefore without they will renounce their owne Principles and abjure all reason and the very light of understanding given them of God they must acknowledge those severall congregations in the Church of Jerusalem to be Churches properly so called as having in every one of them whatsoever they thinke requisite and sufficient to constitute a formed Church for there were in each of them respectively such Ministers and Officers as to whom Christ had given his power and promised his presence and that to the enâ— of the world Matth. 28. vers the last They had also in all those congregations all those Priviledges Immunities and Ordinances the injoying of the which the Independents thinke sufficient to make any one of their new congregations a compleat and formed church or church body properly so called as for their Ministers and Pastors they had all the blessed Apostles amongst them and Christs seventy disciples and many other Preachers abundantly furnished with al gifts as who had gone in and out with Christ from the very beginning of his and Iohns Ministry the meanest of which was thought fit to be an Apostle as is manifest from the first of the Acts and they had amongst them also in their severall congregations many Beleevers and Saints and all of them extraordinarily gifted and qualified and such as continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers therefore they were visible Churches I doe not with the Author say mysticall bodies the Members of the which were visible Saints such as were called out of the world and united together in their severall congregations and that with the holy covenants of Baptisme and breaking of bread to worship the Lord in all his holy Ordinances and therefore they were so many compleat churches and churches properly so called as being joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospel and having in all those assemblies and congregations severally and respectively both for matter and forme that which the Independents hold ever sufficient to constitute and compleate churches properly so called for the matter of those congregations they were visible and miraculous Saints not ordinary ones as being inspired with the Holy Ghost and having amongst them Officers and Ministers of incomparable sanctified transcendent indowments viz the holy Apostles al the which were led into all truth by the Spirit of God who spake in them and by them infallibly who had all and every one of them the Keys of the Kingdome of Heaven viz. the power of order and jurisdiction by which they preached the Gospel and ordained and constituted all other churches and gathered and formed churches both in Ierusalem and in all other cities and countries wheresoever they came And as in all those congregations and assemblies they had the materials both for Officers and Members of true compleate formed churches so tâ—â—y had likewise that which the Independents call the forme of compleate churches properly so called to speake in their owne language for they were all united and combined together in all and every one of those severall congregations by the bond of an holy covenant or covenants as that of Baptisme and breaking of bread those sealing Ordinances and they had the preaching of the Word and prayer amongst
publickly or privately reprove them for their malversation or for any erroneous opinion they hold and they will become your secret if not your open enemies and upon the least occasion be ready to side with any to do their Minister a displeasure which when their Ministers well know they are very fearfull of offending any especially their more wealthy and abler Members besides we know upon what slender occasions differences many times do arise amongst nearest friends when it concernes their profit or reputation or their judgement in things of their estates or religion for if you jumpe not with them in their opinion in all things they stand at a distance or hinder them in the least thing but in their gain and profit and they will beare a secret grudge unto a man and wait an opportunity to do him a displeasure and to be even with him and this every man knowes is the practice of most men so that for any of these reasons men will be ready to harbour a displeasure against any Member and if hee be called in question for any conceived miscarryage or scandall or for any different opinion and this come once to banding and debate in the Church or Congregation and there be siding on both sides and parties made on each side so that they grow into a heat the Ministers and Presbyters in their severall Congregations are by this meanes brought into many straights not knowing what many times to do as not daring to displease either side which way soever their private judgment leads them but ordinarily it is observed That the Ministers will go with the strongest party and will gratifie that and that for their own emolument and private interest neither is this all but the Presbyters and Ministers themselvs in their Churches many times are subject to the same passions and affections as I said before that other men are and for some secret and private grudg against the person in question they may use the extremity and pronounce the sentence of excommunication against him which when it is once past there is now no remedy of appeal left unto him be the unjustice or wrong never so great and presidents of this nature there are many to be met with in the congregationall Churches as I shall if occasion serve be able to prove What a sad condition therefore are such poor oppressed men in when this formidable sentence is once passed against them and when it lies in the brest of a two or three Presbyters amongst them and what a horrid yoke of bondage do miserable men by this means by their voluntary subjection bring upon themselves through their wilfull giddynesse when they yeeld to so unwarrantable a government as to stand to the verdict either of a little ignorant congregation or of two or three men that are subject to the same temptations that other men are and then to be without all help or hope of reliefe be they never so much injured by them But let it be supposed and granted that a slender Congregation of people or those two or three Elders in every one of their Congregations were as fre from infirmities and temptations as Angels which they are not yet the weightinesse and solemnity of the censure requires to be performed by a whole Councell and Colledge of Presbyters and Elders of a combined Presbytery which is Gods Ordinance as I have abundantly evinced so that it being passed not by the votes of a few people or by the voice of two or three Elders only and they lyable to so many temptations also but by the conjoynt agreement and consent of a great Presbytery free from any such temptations and exceptions it may be done with the more advised and combined authority and be more dreadfull to the party and be the better accepted and submitted unto without heart burning and grudging against either the Congregation or particular Elders or fear of revenge But will some say How if this whole Colledge of Elders should erre in their consure and do iniustice for some of the above mentioned reasons what remedy or reliefe then has the iniured person offended by their censure For answer he hath the benefit of his appeale to a higher Presbytery or Classis if wronged there he hath the benefit yet of appeal to a higher Presbytery and Classis and if he have no releife there yet he hath the benefit of an appeal to a Synod which is Gods Ordinance also so that he hath still hope of reliefe and he still in Gods way and so long as there is hope and he takes a right course he needs not dispair and if at one time he finde not redresse in one Presbytery nor in one Synod and Councell he may in another it is good ever to wait upon God in his Ordinances for in so doing we have a promise of a blessing and here is alwayes comfort and expectation of reliefe and this is not onely Gods method but the custome of all Nations and Kingdomes for the well ordering and governing of them and for the redressing of grievances and abuses and iâ— there can no justice be had by this his endeavour in no Court this still doth uphold a drooping spirit and comfort him that he hath used all lawfull meanes and doth for ever commit himself and his wayes to God who is a reliever of the oppressed and a revenger of the wrongs and injuries done unto his Elect who hath said Luke 18. ver 7 8. Shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them I tell you he will avenge them speedily So that there is mercy with him that he may be feared and therefore I say There is ever hope in the use of lawfull meanes and in all their just appeals But grant there be no justice on earth to be found in any Courts and that there were such an universall corruption amongst all judges both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall which were great uncharity to suppose much lesse to say Yet I say the people of God when they are unjustly oppressed shall ever be able to solace themselves in this That there is forum poli as well as there is forum soli that there is a Court in heaven as well as there are Courts on earth there is a great tribunall before which all men must one day appear to give an account of all their unrighteous dealing on earth the thought of which will support the most drooping and oppressed spirit which not withstanding doth not alwayes cast away his confidence as long as there are any Courts and higher councells to appeal to here in this world which all those that submit themselves to the Presbyterian Government are like to enjoy whereas those of the congregationall way and that stand for the II-dependent Government deprive themselves of and not onely bring themselves under an unsupportable slavery but would subjugate the whole world to the same bondage and tyrannicall usurpation
it as the insuing places sufficiently prove Rom. 16. ver 17 and 18. Now I beseech you brethren saith the Apostle marke them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoyde them 1 Cor. chap. the 5. ver 11. But now I have writ unto you saith Saint Paul not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a raylor or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eat 1 Tim. chap. the 6. ver the 3. and 5. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse from such withdraw thy selfe and 2 Tim. chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5. In the last dayes saith the Apostle shall perilous times come For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents without naturall affection covenant or truce-breakers false accusers or make-bates incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good trayterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such tâ—rne away for of this sort are they which creep into widdowes houses and lead captive silly women laden with sinnes c. Tit. 3. ver 10. A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject saith the Apostle 2. John ver 10. If there come any unto you saith Saint John and bring not the doctrine of Christ receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds And Gal 1. ver 8 9. If we or an Angell from Heaven saith the Apostle preach otherwise then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed as I said before so I say now againe if any man preach unto you any other Gospell then that you have received let him be occursed Out of all the which places and many more that might be produced we are taught to shun and decline the society and fellowship of all such Christians as are corrupt in their doctrine or manners and such as either preach or practise otherwise then they have precept or example for in the holy word of God especially we are to have no communion with them when they not only preach another way to Heaven then that which Christ and the holy Prophets and blessed Apostles have chalked out unto us and delivered unto the Church but have joyned themselves in a wicked and unwarrantable Covenant to persist and continue in this practice for they are no Saints But such are those of the Congregationall way whose Teachers and Members are combined together to persevere in their wicked practices and courses and therefore by expresse command from Heaven we are to have no communion with such unlesse we will be found fighters against God and partake in their punishments And these places of holy Scripture with these reasons shall suffice for the proofe of the Major proposition For the Minor that the churches and assemblies of those of the congregationall way consist of Raylers Revilers Slanderers and covenant-breakers c. it is evident and well knowne to all such as are acquainted with the practise of the Independents and are verst in their doctrine and have read their Pamphlets which consist chiefly of errors untruths and right-downe raylings as amongst others those of my brother Burton and Iohn Lilburne not to mention the Pamphlets of all the other Independents the very names of which would make a booke in all the which there is little other but rayling and dangerous novelties Some of my brother Burtons and Iohn Lilburnes expressions with an other or two more which write in the name of all the Independents I will produce that by the mouth of two or three of their witnesses the truth of their proceedings in their Raylings Errors and Lyes and bad practises may be yet more evident My brother Burton in his Vindication hath these insuing words against all the Presbyterians both Ministers and people and first against the Ministers of whom hee saith that they deny disclaime and preach against Christs kingly Government over mens consciences and churches so that such a conversion as is wrought by them comes not home to whole Christ and such with their converters doe deny Christs kingly Government or at least and best they are converted but in part and that maine thing is wanting to wit Christs kingly Office And in his Vindiciae veritatis hee accuseth mee pag. 21. for taking Christs name in vaine because in my Booke I asserted that the Ministers of the church of England set up Christ upon his Throne which for mee to affirme hee saith it is to take the name of Christ in vaine his words are these And here saith he I challenge our brother for taking Christs name in vaine when insteed of finding Christ set upon his Throne in their congregations we find there no more but an Image such as Michal had made up insteed of King David or as those that in mockery made of Christ a Pageant King stripping him and putting on him a scarlet Robe and on his head a Crowne of Thornes and in his hand a reed saluting him with Haile King of the Iewes with which title over his head they crucified him therefore saith he those passages quoted out of my Booke will stand good against their opposers These are his words against all the Ministers of the Church of England Now of all the people that are not of the congregationall way and of their new Assemblies my brother Burton in his Vindication hath these words Wee exhort them saith he to set up Christ King in their hearts Wee exhort them to become and professe to be those Saints of whom Christ is King for hee is King of Saints Revel 15. 3. but they will not beleeve us saith hee they will not depend upon Christ as the only Law-giver and King over their consciences Now what would you have us to doe in this case saith hee baptize the Infants of such parents as will not in this respect professe or confesse Christ to be their King why doe you not know saith hee that no Infants have any title to Baptisme that are not within the Covenant visibly and how are they within the Covenant visibly but by vertue of their parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith is there in their parents that refuse Christ for their onely King that are ashamed or afraid to professe to be in covenant with Christ as their King if therefore the parents professe not yea refuse thus to be in visible covenant can the children be said to be in visible covenant and so to have a right in Baptisme the externall Seale of the Covenant here is an obex a barre put These are my brother Burtons owne
not despise But for all such as pharisaically boast themselves of their own righteousnesse God will despise and resist especially when they come far short of the Pharisees righteousnesse who fasted ordinarily twice or thrice a week and gave tythes of all they had and were very bountifull and charitable to the poor and did many other things praise worthy whereas all the Il-dependents are so far from giving tythes of all they have as they would not willingly that any other should give them writing books to the contrary and that bitter ones and for the many other acts of holinesse in the Pharisees as fasting deeds of charity the world knows they are not so frequent in them towards their poor brethren that dissent from them but in running from sea to land and from one place to another to make Proselytes and seduce the people they are very like the Pharisees and in boasting and glorying of their own righteousnesse in this they â—qualise if not exceed the Pharisees and Justiciaries of old and if they repent not God will have a controversie against them for God resists the proud and will give grace unto the humble and in the 30 of the Proverbs ver 72. God saith there That there is a generation pure in their own eyes and yet they are not purged from their filthynesse Gods people were ever humble but the Il-dependents are not as will by and by appeare in the sequell The third part now to be proved viz. That the Il-dependents do both falsly and pharisaically boast themselves when they call themselves the pretious and holy servants of God c. Now that they boast and glory of their own holinesse and that they are the onely people and the godly party all that are acquainted with their language and have heard their Sermons and have seen their books can bear witnesse with me of the truth of that I now charge them with neither can the Il-dependents themselves deny it And that they falsly glory and boast of their own righteousnesse holinesse and sanctity is my taske now to prove which by the grace of God I will do running through all and every severall branch of their gloriations And to begin with the first when they call themselves the onely pretious servants of God and the godly party in this their glorying I say they as falsly as Pharisaically boast which will evidently appear if we duly examine who in Gods dialect are a holy people and the onely holy servants of God In the 1 of the Corinthians chap. 7. ver 34. The Apostle there describes who are the holy people they saith he are such as care not for the things of the world but for the things of the Lord how they may be holy in body and spirit They were such as being bought with a price studyed how they might glorifie God in their bodyes and in their spirits which were the Lords 1 Cor. 6. ver 20. And how they might cleanse themselves from all filthynesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesle in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. ver 1. The holy servants of the Lord are such as present their bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God as their reasonable service and that from the consideration of Gods great mercyes unto them Rom. 12. ver 1. They pressed toward the mark to the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 14. Whose conversation was in Heaven ver 20. Those Saints minded not earthly things but being contented with food and rayment they esteemed godlinesse the greatest gain 1 Tim. 4. Gold and silver saith Peter I have none Acts 3. He studied onely to be holy and regarded not the world The life of all the godly and holy party was above in heaven according to that of Solomon Prov. 10. They were not groveling upon the earth nor regarded not the things of this life they were changed from that they were before they were now no longer conformable to this world but they were transformed by the renewing of their mind that they might prove what is that good that acceptable will of God Rom. 12. ver 2. According to that of Paul Eph. 23. 24. They were renewed in the spirit of their mind they had put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Yea they were renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created them Coloss 3. ver 10. In a word all the truly holy and godly party have an universall change wrought in them their understandings witts and affections are changed they are all heavenly the whole frame of their lives and conversations are changed they are all heavenly so that they by all their actions declare they are such as really minde nothing but heavenly things they are mortified men they seeke not great things nor they intangle not themselves with earthly businesses they onely mind heavenly things where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Coloss 1 2 3. No sooner was Levi called from the receipt of custome but hee relinquished and left the world and followed Christ The same did Zacheus distributing that hee had liberally to the poore and manifesting to the world by giving full satisfaction to all men that could say they were damnified by him that now hee minded nothing but heavenly things the things of the Lord how he might be holy in body and spirit which were the Lords and this was the practise of all the holy servants of God in all ages they were heavenly minded lowly humble meeke they were of one mind having compassion one of an other they loved as brethren they were pittifull and courteous they rendred not evill for evill or rayling for rayling but contrariwise blessing knowing that they were thereunto called that they should inherit a blessing they refrayned their tongues from evill and their lips spake no guile they eschewed evill and did good they sought peace and ensued it 1 Pet. 3. verse 8 9 10 11. they loved without dissimulation they abhorred that which was evill and cleaved to that which was good in honour they preferred one an other Romans 12. verse 9. in Lowlinesse of mind they esteemed of others better then themselves Phil. 2. ver 2. 3. they wete all heavenly minded men who regarded no worldly things neither doe we ever reade in all the sacred Scriptures that any of the holy Prophets or Saints of old were taken up with the world or aspired to the Honours and Dignities of the same but chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to injoy the pleasures of sinne for a while yea they esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt they chose rather to wander about in deserts in sheeps skins and goats skins naked despised and contemned in the caves and dens of the beasts of the earth then to dwell in the greatest affluency of worldly things they slighted all the world and all the Glory of it
he killed a man after he had beene told and forewarned of it that it was a dangerous creature as wee may see Exod. 21. 28 29. where the Lord thus speaketh If an Oxe gore a man or a woman that they dye then the Oxe shall be surely stoned and his flesh shall not be eaten but the Owner of the Oxe shall bee quit But if the Oxe were wont to push with his horne in time past and it hath beene testified unto his owner and hee hath not kept him in but that hee hath killed a man or a woman the Oxe shall bee stoned and his Owner also shall bee put to death I say if the wilfull tolerating of but a mischievous creature to goe loose after his owner was informed of the dangerousnesse of it and that the owner himselfe was to be put to death if hee killed either a man or a woman after it how much more may wee thinke the Lord will severely punish those men that will suffer heresies and most dangerous and blasphemous opinions and idolatries to goe at liberty which with their hornes push men into hell it selfe to the destroying both of the soules and bodies of the poore people for in the fifth of the Galatians it is said that heâ—esies and idolatrie c. are amongst those sinnes that send men to perdition And we are informed by the Law of God of the deadlinesse of all sinnes but especially of those there named and God hath often taught us in his holy Law how much hee detesteth all false religions and false worships and by a speciall edict Exod. 22. verse 20. hath informed us saying He that sacrificeth unto any God save the Lord shall bee put to death so that wee cannot pretend ignorance and here is no exceptions of either persons or sexes and the same Law is reiterated in many more places of holy Writ and especially Deuter 13. where the whole Chapter is spent about the punishment of Idolaters and such as set up a false way of worshipping God and for the Morall Law many of the Independents themselves as I can out of severall of their writings prove hold that it is not alterable but it is of the same force now it was then and if they grant this as they doe they must likewise acknowledge that all the sanctions of it and penalties are also in force and that whatsoever was death by the Law of God then is by the same Law death nâ—w or else either God is changeable or the Law is altered both which I have yet so good opinion of some of them as I am confident they will not assert and therefore they must necessarily yeeld unto this if God and his Morall worship or Law bee the same and unalterable they must I say then also accord unto this that whatsoever was not then to be tolerated in Religion is not now to be suffered but severely be proceeded against Yeâ— Christ himselfe in his Epistles to the Church of Pergamos and Thyatiria and Laodicâ—a Rev. 2. and 3. as I proved before shews by threatning such heavie judgements upon those Churches for but conniving at and tolerating of Idolatry and those other filthy abominations there and by threatning with all their destruction and the killing of them and their children with the sword and the removing from them the Candlestick that is the Gospel the greatest punishment that can happen to people to be left in darkenesse and blindnesse and in the shaddow of death and in the power of Satan and to be punished moreover with temporall miseries I say all these comminations and threats sufficiently declare unto all advised Christians that Christ the Lord and King of his Church hath not altered his mind but that that Law is still in force that was made by him to his people of old yea hee hath farther declared unto hiâ— people Matth. 5. 17. 19. that hee came not to change the Law but to fulfill it and that whosoever should teach the breaking of the least of his holy Lawes should be the least in the Kingdome of Heaven Now by all those his holy Lawes made unto his people of old and by the practise of all his holy servants and Prophets hee hath declared how much hee detesteth and abhorreth the toleration of all Religions and not onely by his words often reiterated but hee hath also declared his displeasure by the punishment and immediat judgements hee laid upon Idolaters as that before mentioned in the two and thirtieth of Exodus where Moses from the Lord verse 32. said Who is on the Lords side let him come unto mee and the sonnes of Levi gathered themselves together unto him and hee saith unto them thus saith the Lord God of Israel put every man his sword by his side and goe out from gate to gate through the Campe and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour here wee find according to that of Deut. the thirteenth that in Gods quarrell and for the vindicating of his honour wee may neither spare brother companion or nighest alyes So that if God would not then tolerate all Religions hee will now much lesse indure it amongst us especially when hee hath so often manifest his displeasure against us as wee may see also Number the â—5 where it is recorded how much hee was angery with his people for going into the sacrifices of the gods of the Moabites and for their eating and bowing downe to their gods and for joyning themselves with Baalpeor for it is said there that the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and hee said unto Moses take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the sunne that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel and Moses said unto the Iudges of Israel sâ—ay yâ—â— every one his men that were joyned unto Baalpeor verse 2. 3 4 5. This president also wee have of Gods displeasure against a toleration of any false Religion or false way of worship So that all such as pleâ—d for a toleration of all Religions shew that they have either no Religion at all or very little zeale for God Yea certainely they shew themselves all enemies of Christs Kingdome that thus violate his Lawes and trample them under their feet and that would have the Kingdome of the Devill set up every where and all Religions whatsoever tolerated amongst them which must needs provoke the Lord to anger and displeasure against that nation that doth so provoke him But how unsufferable a thing then is it in any that have the name of Christians that when they should with all their power and might oppose all innovations in Religion much more a toleration of all Religions as some of them with the hazard of their lives and liberties in former times opposed the innovations and the novelties of the Prelates and inveighed against the Booke for toleration of sports and recreations on the Lords day
I will first discover the ground of your fury against me and then goe on You preach and write that Independencie according to your practise is the onely way to advance Christ upon his Throne and that narrow path which all Christians are commanded to walk in but hitherto your confident saying so is the strongest Argument you bring to maintaine your Assertion Now in that I durst not take your bare word nor no mansliving have he never such fairepretences in Gods matters but with the Bereans searching the Scriptures whether those things were so or no and finding that way contrary to Gods Word and Apostoli call practise having by cleare Scripture and Arguments grounded thereupon discovered the errour of that way out of a Christian remorse and godly pitty to the soules of poore weake tender hearted Christians who are easie to be seduced and carried about with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4. 14. Exhorted Magistrates Parents Masters and all that feare the Lord in sincerity to put to their helping hand to keepe the people from wandering into by-paths and to see that they and their families together doe serve our God live in his feare and walke in the wayes of his commandements according to Scripture rule and the example of the faithfull holy servants of the Lord c. This forsooth is the ground of your quarrell which I thought fit to mention by the way of Preface and for this you accuse mee to be an Adversary of Christs Kingdome an open enemy and Persecutor of the Church and what not to which with a good conscience I answer you scandalize me for according to the Apostles exhortation 2 Tim. 2. 15. I have studied to shew my selfe approved unto God nay further I say I am ready if the will of God be so to lay downe my life for the Regality and Kingly office of Jesus Christ and for the peace of his Church but not in your notion having no warrant for it Brother give me leave to aske you the like question which Paul did the Galatians Gal. 4. 16. Am I therefore an adversary to Christs Kingdome a Persecutor become your enemy because I tell you the truth I appeale to the righteous Judge to judge betweene you and mee herein and passe to other particulars in your charge handling them together as they have neerest relation one to the other Now where you speake of mee as if I were an Hypocrite and boldly accuse me of walking scandalously to the shame of the very name of Christian Religion for these and all your other false calumnies God who is the just Judge of all men will one day call you to an account in the meane time let mee tell you though your accusations be founded as deepe as hell yet neither Satan who is the Accuser of the Brethren Revel 1â— 10. nor any Instrument that hee doth worke in or by can be ever able in the words of truth to prove your charge but it is an old stratagem of Satan when a man labours to walke uprightly to feare God and eschew evill thus to accuse him for when God himselfe had declared the integrity of his servant Job Iob. 1. 8. notwithstanding Satan durst accuse him to be an Hypocrite and say that if God but put forth his hand to touch all that hee had hee would curse God to his face Iob. 1. 9 10 11. and when God gave Satan power over all he had verse 12. and Job still blessed the name of the Lord hee sinned not nor charged God foolishly verse 21 22. yet Satan went on in accusing Job and ceased not untill God gave him power over his body Iob 2. 5. 6. yea his friends through Satans instigation spake against him and condemned him to be a man who had onely shewes of Religion or to use your words faire flourishes of holinesse Iob 4. 6 7 8. Iob 15. 2 3 4 5. Thus hath Satan dealt with mee God gave him power over all I had and over my body hee cast mee into prison that I might be tryed Revel 2. 10. and hee hath stirred up such as should have beene and seemed to bee my friends to accuse mee for an Hypocrite a scandalous Walker and what ever hee falsely suggests unto them yet still I have and will by the grace of God in mee retained mine Integrity and with holy Iob I answer you and all such Traducers My witnesse is in Heaven and my Record is on high My friends scorne me but mine eye poureth out teares unto God Iob 16. 19 20. Brother Burton it cannot be denied but that you and your party have brought the same accusation against me as Satan and Iobs friends brought against him yet as God reproved them accepted of Iob Iob. 42. 8. so my God whom I in truth and sincerity serve with the twelve Tribes of Israel day and night Act. 26. 7. hath approved and will accept of mee maugre all the power false accusations Revilings subtle Wiles and workings of Satan for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2. 11. I am not ignorant of his devises nay herein I have comfort because I know the faithfull servants of God in all ages have beene traduced and accused for Hypocrites and scandalous Walkers wee reade 2 Cor. 10. 2. that the false Apostles did thinke or reckon of Paul as one that walked according to the flesh but as the Apostle speaketh to them in the third verse of that Chapter so I say to you that though I walke in the flesh yet I doe not warre after the flesh c. For I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Act. 23. 1. But were all true you have said and that of your owne knowledge or could you by the testimony of honest sober and approved Christians prove mee such an one as you have decyphered me it had beene a brotherly part more Saint-like and would have brought lesse scandall to the Gospel if you had pleased to have made knowne betweene you and mee wherein you conceived or had been informed that I walked scandalously and if I could not have cleared my selfe from all such wicked aspertions and made it plainely appeare that it was a malicious evill report raysed causelessely then if you had reproved me sharpely you had done as a Christian ought to doe For to reprove sinne is warrantable and an Argument of brotherly Love Levit. 19. 17. but to receive a false report of me or slily raise it up and publish it in print before you had laboured to restore mee in the spirit of meeknesse according to the Apostles exhortation Gal. 6. 1. or told me my fault betweene you and mee and used all such other meanes to have gained a brother as Christ our King and Law-giver hath commanded Matth. 18. 15 16 17. is an open disobedience to his Royall Mandates and doth demonstrate that in all things you have not as you pretend obeyed Christ nor made his will revealed in Gods Word your rule to walke