why is it now under Presbytery matter of just report against others 2. If Excommunications Deprivations Suspensions c. were esteemed so burdensome and cruell then why are Fines Penalties and imprisonments so much preached for now why do not the Brethren of the Presbyteriall way thinke it as hard for the Magistrates to aflict their Brethren as they thought it hard in the Prelates to afflict themselves 26. No Presbyters to be Ambitious Neither in any of his writings the least intimation of superiority of one Presbyter over another save only where he names Diotrephes as one ambitiously affecting such Supremacy Quaere If none but such as Diotrephes is observed in Scripture for affecting Supremacy and Superiority and if one Presbyter cannot be found affecting place above other Presbyters in opposition to Bishops then how is it cleared that a Presbyter may be supreame to a whole Church or Congregation and that it is not as much Superiority for some few Presbyters to affect being above many Saints together in one Church as for one in name or office as a Bishop to affect place above another in name or office as a Presbyter and so Episcopacy be as warrantable as Presbytery and both alike unwarrantable A Beame of Light to discover a way to the peace both of CHURCH and STATE By way of Considerations Consid 1. LEt it first be considered where the great obstructions lie against Liberty or Tolleration of Brethren of severall waies and if it may not be found to be in these things 1. A taking the whole Kingdom of England for the Church of England and so setting up the National Magistracy of Israel in the Nation now as it was then which how it may be warranted would be well considered 2. A jealousie how to preserve the present Ecclesiasticall Interest without the choycest power of the Magistrate to help it which if well observed makes it appeare to be lesse of God and more of Man 3. An interpretation of these Gospell Scriptures which concerne Magistracy Rom. 13. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 12 14. which I humbly conceive to be so far as concernes any good or evill either of the Law of Nature or Nations into a good or evill purely spirituall and of meere revelation in the Gospell as things of Gospell-light and mystery and notions of Heresie and Schism are this latitude of interpretation of the generall Rules in the Gospell concerning Magistracy into all particulars of Truth and Heresie is of high consideration Consid 2. Let it be considered how the Kingdome of England may be called the Church taking in all the Northen parts the Western parts the whole Nation generally to the very wals of London with Mr. Marshals Testimony that many thousands nay thousands of thousands which accordingly reckoned takes up almost the greatest part of the Kingdom not knowing their right hand from their left in the very principles of the Doctrine of Christ and saith Mr Marshall no land can be esteemed Christs Kingdom where the preaching of the wâ—ra is not established is any country esteemed a part of a Princes Dominion that is not ruled by his Laws Consid 3. Let it be considered then seeing the Kingdom of England is not a Church but in the generall a Nation baptized into they know not what at first and beleeving generally they knew not in whom ever since as Mr. Marshall whether there may not be a free peaceable cohabitation of the people together viz. of those called Presbyteriall Independent Anabaptists enjoying there severall waies of practice in things of outward cognizance and order as Baptism Church-Order c. in all peaceable demeanure and godlinesse as well in this spirituall variety as so many Corporations Counties Divisions Armies and severall Companies in that their civill variety and yet in all a civill comelinesse peace and unity Consid 4 Let it be considered whether the Civill power in such a Gospell-mystery as Presbytery is and the way of Baptism is and the way of Independency is may not with more lawfulnesse lesse hazzard of sin and safety keep off or suspend his engagements from all sides seeing there lies Gospell-strength and Arguments on all sides and walke only according to those generall Rules the Gospell hath laid him down in Rom. 1. 3 4. 1 Tim. 2. 2 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. not daring to draw himselfe to revenge any misbeleefe of particular Scripture misteries forcing either side either for Presbytery Independency or Baptism which the Gospell hath no where warranted him in speciall or in any cleare consequence to do but such as the present prevailing Brethren draw out from the judiciall law of Moses to help and from these generall Gospel rules which can bring forth but an opinionative justice as their Arguments an opinionative truth or Presbytery whether the Magistrate ought not to demand a more clear equitable rule in things of spiritual cognizane I humbly present to be considered Whether there ought not to be a certain Rule for a certaine justice so if there should ever be a proceeding to Fines Imprisonment Banishment the Divines can administer no more certain grounds for the Magistrates conscience then such as they have for their own which are but probable controvertible doubtfull as the Arguments on all sides will make appeare Consid 5. Let it be considered whether it hath not been one of the Nationall sins viz. Making Laws against all other I ormes but what it did establish it self Nationally by which experience hath told us how Gospell Truths have been kept out whole Generations â—opish States kept out Protestantism and Prelacy kept out Peesbytery and whether Presbytery proceeding on the same ground is not in the same danger of sin and of keeping out other Truths and whether upon this ground any Gospell Revelation or Light of which there shall be an Encreasing every day as Mr. Case himselfe preached ever shall come into this Nation but of the Nationall size and temper and we know that is not often the Gospell way the Lord hath chosen the weake things and base things Consid 6. Let it be considered whether part of the great Mystery of iniquity be not that of drawing in the strength of the Nations the Princes of the earth to support the Ecclesiasticall or Church glory and let this be sadly considered did not Popery get in the Kingdoms of the world to support itselfe Did not Prelacy stand by the same power Doth not Presbytery hold it selfe by the same strength of Magistrates Are not the same Iron rods and scourges of steele conveyed over from one of them to the other Did not the Pope whip the Protestant with fine imprisonments and the Prelate take the rod out of his hand and whip the Non-conformist and the Non-conformist or Presbyter take the same â—od out of the Prelates hand and scourge those that are Non-conformists to him Consid 7. Let it be well considered whether the design of the Nationall Ministery eversince
and severall Colours in wars whereby men are gathered into severall Orders Armies and bodies of division one against another one saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas Is Christ divided 3 Passions and railings forborn Let a spirit of meeknesse run in the arterie of Preaching and Printing Let not passions evill speaking railings which inflame and doe not edefie be heard amongst us the angry stir up strife wherefore let all bitternesse wrath malice with evill speaking be put away from you 4 Reviling each other for infirmities forborn Let there be no rifling into each others infirmities to the advantaging or disadvantaging the cause What is any thing of the man to the thing it self What is ones darknesse to the light he professes Any ones errours to a single truth There is rubbish enough every where if swept from every corner 5 The sins of any not to be laid on the Cause Let not the miscarriages the failings the sins the hypocrisie c. of any that professe a Truth with others be charged upon the Truth he or they professe making such sins to be the sins of opinion not of the Person as one of late who hath charged the unfortunate end of one as a fruit of seperation whereas he might so argue against the very Doctrine of Christ because of one Iudas who did the like to himself 6 Liberty for Printing and speaking Let there be liberty of the Presse for Printing to those that are not allowed Pulpits for Preaching let that light come in at the window which cannot come in at the doore that all may speak and write one way that cannot another let the Waters of the Sanctuary have issue and spring up Vallies as well as Mountains 7 Let all subscribe their names to what they Print Let all that Preach or Print affixe their names that we may know from whom the contrary is a kind of unwarrantable modesty at the best if it be truth they write why doe they not own it if untruth why doe they write Some such must either suppresse themselves for shame or fear and they that dare not own what they doe they suspect the Magistrate or themselves 8 Let all be severally accountable Let all that Teach or Print be accountable yet in a severall way if it be matter of immediate disturbance and trouble to the State let them account for it to the Magistrate under whom we are to live a peaceable and quiet life if matter of Doctrine c. let them be accountable to the Beleevers and Brethren who are offended by conference where there may be mutuall conviction and satisfaction 9 Free Debates and open Conferences Let there be free debates and open conferences and communication for all and of all sorts that will concerning difference in spirituals where doores are not shut there will be no breaking them open so where debates are free there is a way of vent and evacuation the stopping of which hath caused more troubles in the States then any thing for where there is much new wine in old bottles the working will be such as the Parable speaks on still allowing the State to secure all tumults or disturbances 10 Let us call Beleevers though of severall opinions if the Name Brethren cannot be justly allowed Let all who pretend to come out of the Antichristian State be acknowledged as those severall Iewes and Christians who came out of Iudaism and Gentilism in the Apostles times some were more and some lesse zealous of the Law yet all Beleevers some made conscience of the Idoll and sacrifice some not 11 No Beleevers to esteeme too highly of themselves for what they attain to Because we are but yet commings out of Babylon and the fall of Babylon not yet the Smoke yet in the Temple the Angels but powring out the Vials the Angell that enlightens the earth with glory not yet flying through the heavens let not any account of themselves to have attained any thing yet as they ought or to know there is not any Church or Beleevers but if one see more of one truth another may see more of another if one see one thing for a truth another sees another thing for a truth and yet all see short of the fulnesse of truth there is so much want darknesse and so little light or glory in each as is rather matter of humiliation and praise then glorying and exception one against another If any man thinke he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. 12 No assuming infallibility over each other Let us not being under no further degree of the revelation of Truth and comming out of Babylon assume any power of infallibility to each other so as to force up all to our light or degree of knowing or practising for there lies as much on one side for compulsion as on another respectively to one another for anothers evidence is as darke to me as mine to his and mine to his as his to me till the Lord enlighten us both for discerning alike So as when there is no power in us to make that appeare to another which appeares to us there can be no reasonable equity for any inforcing or compelling in spirituals The first great rent betwixt the Eastern and Western Kingdomes began when the Bishop of Rome would needs excommunicate the East for not beleeving as they beleeved 13 No Civill Power drawn into advantages Let not those Beleevers who have the advantage of the Magistrate strive to make any unwarrantable use of it one against another because Scripture principles are not so cleare for it and because they know not the revolution of Providence and we are to do as we would be done to That very day which should have been a bloudy day to the Iewes was turned into the contrary Esther and the Jewes had power over them 14 Tendernesse in offending each other in things of an outward nature Let there be much tendernesse in not offending each other but pleasing one another to edification Paul would not offend the Idolatrous weak The weakest and most superstitious makes most conscience of outward things and the strong should know that Idoll or Idoll-Temple is nothing Many a one are more offended at Truth by the carriage of another who sometimes reformes with as much superstition as the other offends It is as much below the glory of the Gospell to thinke one place unholy as holy No place can defile now Salomons Temple is not standing yet let all Truth be brought forth peaceably Truth and Peace can offend nothing but that which may be justly offended which is the corruption not the person 15 Severall Opinions from the Gospels first discovery yet all Beleevers Consider the differences and severall Opinions from the first discovery of the Gospell Some beleeved not Christs sufferings and Resurrection as the Disciples whom yet Christ took to
Because the Discipline is an hedge or wall about the Doctrine a goad to the Means of Grace a curb to licentious courses though with many it go but to the outward man that is not to be imputed to the Discipline but their corruptions c. 4. Because where the Discipline hath been rightly chosen and setled God hath blessed it with better fruits as in Scotland where there is no Heresie nor Schism c. 5. For that of Elihu in Job Why do not daies speak c. it makes not for his purpose but that Wisdom is with the ancient and gray-headed to be heard before young or green-headed Counsellors c. Reply To your first That the fault was in the choyce of a wrong Government c. I answer That is the feare now least there should be a choyce of a wrong Government and so the same fault should be committed again And this very Government hath no Image of Divine Right upon it nor hath it warrant in all things from the Word as your self acknowledge To your second That Doctrine and Discipline go together c. Yea pure Doctrine and pure Discipline go rightly together and if either be impure or unsound there is so much the more danger So as this is an Argument rather against you because where Doctrine opens the conscience and lets in any thing of Discipline but that of the pure Word there is one evill only mended with another And for your instance of a Schoolmaster who both teaches and corrects You know we are not to prove but to illustrate by similitudes And that of a Schoolmaster is a fitter illustration for the Pedagogie of the Law and that Discipline then the Gospels You know the Apostle uses it only to that The Law was our Schoolmaster c. Gal. 3. To that of your description of the Government that it is a curb a goad c. I answer There is nothing you say of Government in these words but may be said of any civill Government nay of Prelacy when it was in its primitive form But that only which you ought to say and that which only differences it from all devised forms of men as your Covenant binds you and ought to be your only reason for erecting and setting it up is this Is it the Scriptures form or model Is the people so in the exercise and capacity of it as in the Gospell times If so then you prove something And further All this you say is true in a kind too of Christs Government but yet in some sort communicable with devised Governments The only distinguishing and essentiall marks are not to be a curb and goad but the Scriptures only mark and image and some spirituall operations c. which no other devised form of man hath To your other of the blessings and blessed fruits in Scotland that there is no Heresie nor Schism there Let Master Coleman our learned and pious Brother speak for us both from his experiences And for that Kingdom time will shew whether it will prove to be a blessing or no to want that which you call Heresie or Schism Surely to be free from Heresie and Schism in a Scripture sense it is such a blessing as the whole Gospell cannot patern What No Heresie in a whole Kingdom No Schism in a whole Kingdom Never such a pure Church heard on Corinth Ephesus Colosse Jerusalem Antioch all not comparable The worst I wish our Brethren there is that all were so pure as we heare on Indeed Scotland had the honour to awaken us first in the work of Reformation and Liberty but lest Scotland should be puffed up England shall have the glory I hope to improve that liberty to a fuller light which some would close up too soon in the narrownesse of a Presbytery Methinks there is something of this nature considerable in the Lutherans who though they follow the first Light in Germany yet the Lord hath suffered them to stick there without a fuller Reformation that the first may be last and the last be first For if a State be covenanted so close to the Word they had need be favourable and free to all that are accordingly covenanted for each mans conscience is the Interpreter in himself of what makes for or against the Covenant he takes and by this very Covenant you are all to be tender to consciences because the Spirit of God not power of men can intterpret the Will of God but in their civill and prudentiall things only they may interpret themselves To that of Job That with the ancient is wisdom and with the gray-headed which you apply in way of reproach to the younger whom you call as it were green-heads I answer That the elder I esteem as fathers and the younger we know are such in whom the Lord speaks more gloriously as he himselfe saith Your young men shall see visions and upon your sons and daughters I will powre out my Spirit your old men shall dream dreams Now whether is it more excellent to dream dreams or to see visions The Lord delivered Israel by the young men of the Provinces Surely we may more safely hearken to the younger that see visions of Reformation then to the elder that dream dreams of it only Master Ley's Resolution pag. 15 16. There is great disproportion of times Men were then converted from Paganism and while they were so they were uncapable Our Congregations in England are professed Christians and though there be many not so wrought on by the Word c. That is rather a reason for the establishment of it Ezek. 22. 26 1 Cor. 4. 21. Prov. 23. 13 14. Nor can Sabbath nor Sacraments be administred without it Reply To that of the disproportion you speak on of times and conversion c. I answer The Apostle's and Primitive times are the times we are to looke at for a patern and modell 'T is true there is great disproportion for they were Apostles who gave the government then yet are but private Divines as you say by me if you be compared with them For that of the conversion from Paganism to Christianity There is no such disproportion there neither but that very proportion which our Saviour hath himself foretold and set forth For how doth a Iewish and Antichristian State differ Nay how doth a Heathenish or Paganish State differ from an Antichristian or Parochiall State as Parochiall or Parish is in that notion Christ hath put them that are out of the Church under that very notion Matth. 19. 17. and the spirit in the Revelation makes the Antichristian State to be as unlawfull as a Paganish and cals out equally from that as from the other as by comparing 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. together will appeare So as speaking of things and notions I cannot but speake in a Scripture way nor am I uncharitable in this neither though I thus speak I looke on thousands in this State as godly beleevers It is not the
We are not of those that speake evill of dâ—gâ—iâ—ies or despâ—se government unlesse you count your Presbyterie to be that government and dignitie spoken on by the Spirit and that remaines to be proved That which cannot be proved to be a Scripture-government cannot challenge a Scripture-law to defend or secure it You say If the Byas run most towards government it is but as it should be Yea if towards a Scripture-government else it is as it should not be and not as it should be You say The Bishops government 's put down some must be set up and that is Presbytery But there is one set up already a civill Parliament arie government and will you set up another above that or cordinate with that Will you set up one government to rule another or tutour another And must you needs set up as large a Dominion as the eivâ—ll Power hath Must our Presbytery be full as ample as high and supream as our Parliament Will no lesse territory or Kingdom serve it but all England Whole Nations Must Christs government be just as broad and long as the worlds You find not the golden Read for the Temple of that length Now Reader judg which government affects Dominion Which brings in whole Nations under the Scepter of it Poore Scripture-government can be content to sit down in a Village To the Church in thy house saith the Spirit In a City as Corinth and over but a few there the Saints only in fellowship to the Church in Corinth In a Countrey not over a Countrey so the seven Churches in Asia not to the Church of Asia or the Church Asia a Church taking in halfe part of the world Sure if Christ would have had such a Nationall compreliensive Church he could have converted King and Princes first and they should have given up their Scepterâ— and Kingdoms to Jesus Christ in the way of a Presbyterian Nay it ought to have been so Jesus Christ was bound in the way of righteousnesse to have be un the practice and modellâ— to us over whole Kingdoms having not left it in precept in the whole Gospell and we ought either to have had practice or precept to order and command us in what we obey You say If other Truths be set by it is by those that so oppose Government and not by the Presbyteriall I see the Presbytery must be in no fault Happy men that have nothing but Truth on their side You wish I had more caution in my mind and paper and â— shorter Refutation had served Cautions are not amisse both for you and me and I think you had need of more caution of the two by how much more vast and nationall the Government is you manage You that put yokes upon whole Nations in a day had need to have the cautions of a yeers provision laid in before hand And for your Refutation of my paper do not beare witnesse of yourâ—selfe let Truth judge bet wixt us and let the Reader pray for a spirit of discerning to judge both what is Truth and which is Truth that which you or I affirme Nor will I say I have made here a Refutation of yours If I have done well What have I that I have not received And if I have not the Lord enlighten and enable me to refute my selfe Master Ley's Resolution pag. 36 37 38. To that of his that the matteriall Temple was more clearly left and known then the Gospell paterne c. Answer 1. He would not be thought to side with Sanballat and Tobijah and so endeavours to shew some considerable difference 2. If it beâ—toâ— soon now for the Government will he set a time for it when it will be seasonable or will he have it stay till it be a matter all building or till we have inspired Prophets 3. It cannot be of too quick dispatch if we set it up by the dictates of the Holy Ghost in the New Testament nor the determination sudden if after consideration with Scriptures with the best Divines and collation of the exactest paterns after long debates in the Assembly of Divines where the dissenting and liberty to object and lastly received by Parliament 4. By the builders speciall regard hath been had to Jesus Christ for Foundation c. And now by Master Saltmarsh his consent the work may go on c. Reply You say I would not seem to side with Sanballat and Tobljah You say true I would not But every building is not Temple-work And though I would not with knowledge hinder the Temple of the living God yet if another kind of frame were in building I would do my best to hinder and be no Sanballat neither But they are Sanballats not whom man but whom the Lord counts so But surely they hinder more that set up another kind of Temple then Christs then he that advises to look well that all be right and Temple-worke that is set up To the difference I made of the materiall and Gospell-paterns you say nothing and that is the only considerable It may be as you said by me you are best able to deale with the other You say I should set a time then for the setting it up Yea I shall set you a time yet not in mine own authority but Christ's When your Patern is all Gospell and your people all qualified in that Gospellpatern then is my time for setting up and then is Christ's time too Nor would I stay you for a materiall building as you say You know I call you on to the Gospell I am very far from turning you back to the Law I call you on to Christ I would not turn you back to Solomon And for the inspired Prophets you tell me I stay for and would have you stay too Is not that a very Gospell-way to stay for the Spirit 's coming into the servants of the Lord Take heed of denying inspired Disciples You know it is part of the fâ—lâ—illing of the great Prophecie Acts 2. Indeed some of the Prelates many of them being uninspired themselves and having little of the Spirit or none would needs say therefore All inspirations and Spirituall enlightnings c. were ended in the Church because ended in them and because they were so carnall themselves they thought none was Spirituall And you remember how they made Laws even against the Spirit in Prayer I speake thus only to remember you who spoke most against inspiration and the Spirit lest you may let fall some words which may be taken up by some of that way to countenance them in their Invectives Not but that I esteem of you as one inspired your selfe in a measure and having the Spirit of God in you therefore I know the Spirit will be very tender in opposing the Spirit You say you ought to dispatch the Government because you have followed the dictates of the Holy Ghost of the Assembly and Parliament Then let me put one Question Why is it not called Christs Government Why
them I had not ventured so far in my Quaere I considered the sad and farall troubles which attended the Magistrates ingagements with the Ministers the bloud which hath been powred out by Nationall compulsion of tender conscâ—eâ—ces and like a spirituall Watchman I could not but blow my Trumpet and give warning And for my comparison or Papists and Prelates I appeal to the world if there be any reproach whether it be not in the Interpreter rather then in the Author But I know no such thing by my Paper And if it be lawfull to draw in consequent conclusions and then father them I could prove you to speake Treason Blasphemy Idolatry Atheisme Heresie nay Independencie which some of your Way thinke worse Aâ—abaptisme Separation which would seeme to be as hatefull to you But I judge you not in any such sort nor had I spoken so far now but in a just Vindication You say You will conclude with my Politicks and upon such Principles as mine Church-government is ordained I have told you my Politicks were written by my dimmer light And if your Government be built upon no better Principles then mine I cannot but be out of conceit with that Government being so far out of conceit with mine own Principles and it makes me think the worse of it because my former Principles fit it so well Those Principles you speak on are partly of Câ—vill power and the Sword and the Dominion or Scepter in the Gospell is more Spirituall You say of my Text in the Revelation Revel 18 1. that as I began so I end with misapplication of Scripture Misapplication is a word sooner writ then proved and my reasons were rather crowded then ordered in my Paper The Scripture was this For the Angell that came down from Heaven hath great power and the earth is lightned with his glory Which Scripture there applyed doth hint to any that will not rather cavill then interpret that my only reason for delay of Government was in this An Angell was yet to come with power and glory or the Gospell would fill the earth with more light â—o as we should not shut up our selves too soon in the dark And now Reader judge whether it be my mis-application or his misinterpretation Spirituall Principles drawn forth Gospell-Truth is one and the same THat which is only in some parts of it warrantable by the Word is not purely nor in a Scripture-way warrantable For there is not any Will-worship but it hath something from the Patern of the true The Samaritan-worship was coppied after the Jewish and the Jewish when Christ came had Priests and Temple and Sacrifices and was copied by the Law But then there was Traditions and Commandements of men That is pure Gentilism which hath no Image of Gospell nor lâ—gall Truth Antichrist sits in the very Temple of God though rather upon it False Christs call themselves Christs as well as the true The great Image had a head of Gold though feet of Iron and Clay Every Heresie hath a Scripture Word in it But Truth must be all one and the same and Homogeneall not in parts so but all so There is but one Lord one Faith c. Prudence and Consequences are the great Engines of Will-worship THings of Prudence meerly are not to be admitted into the Spirituallway and Gospell-designe Prelacy had its Prudence for every new additionall in Worship and Government And once let Prudence open a doore and then will more of man crowd in then the 〈…〉 of God can keep out Nor is that to be admitted which is so received a Maxime Though not directly yet not repugnant to the Word Christs rule is not such he opposes any Tradition to the Commandements of God Not direct from Scripture is indirect and repugnant though not to the very letter of such words yet to the form and Analogie of truth to the generall Scripture-Law viz. the will of God that nothing shall be added or diminished ye are only my friends saith Christ if ye do what I command you and the Lord will raise you up a Prophet him shall yee heare For if any thing of Prudence is to be let in then something of Tradition for Prudence can make nothing higher noâ— purer nor better mâ—n can but give his own Image to the things â—e makes himself though he make them up of divine materials from Scriptures yet the form none but the Lord himself can give and the form is that which stamps Christs Image upon every Truth Every thing in the Word hath a form that is it is â—uch a thing of truth and not another Nothing but Gods power and will can make a thing Truth his power creates it and his will creates it such a Truth Nothing is agreeable to the Will of Christ but the very Will of Christ The Will of Christ is the only Legislative power in the Gospell Nothing is agreeable to his Will but what he wils every thing is repugnant to his will but what he wils so as this will is the supreme general law indeed the very form or essence of Scripture the Word of God And whatsoever is devised by Prudence though upon Scripture-materials yet being not the work of this will nor having the Stamp or Image upon it is none of Christs but as repugnant as any other Tradition or invention of men And here let us look to that new though old design against Truth the most subtill undiscernable and divinest kind of Will-worship in the world that which some call Scripture-consequence an unwholsome word as it hath been used for under colour of consequence what Conclusions may be promoted What may not Reason draw from Scripture and what may it not fashion like a Truth But consider in Parliament Laws or Ordinances or Commissions is it lawfull to take them and from every part of them to draw out results of our own and when there is but one Law make many subordinate Laws of our own and frame Laws out of Laws and Ordinances out of Ordinances and Commissions out of Commissions No sure But we must keep to that one generall entire litterall Law and Will of the Parliament Is it thus in Laws humane and not much more in Ordinances divine Yea there is the same onenesse entirenesse indivisibility and essentiality of the Truth Nor do I here disapprove any Scripture-consequence if meerly consequent and not formed up into a Law by meere reason for then mâ—n makes Laws from the Laws of God and this is not the least engine that Antichrist hath wrought with The people are Brethren and Saints in Christs Church but in Antichrists Parishioners and Servants VVHat kind of Government is marked out in Scriptures for sitting on the waters or people Christ governs by the people ministerially not over the people authoritatively only and the people being once in his Church-way lose their old capacity for a new and are raised up from people to Brethren to Churches It is a saying