whiles with their scriblings they trouble the world in making rents and schismes in church and state But heare yet how hee cavilleth the church of Ierusalem saith hee cannot bee a paterne to all churches for then all Churches must have seven Deacons and must bee all subject to some one Church because things in question were there debated and determined and sent to other Churches to be observed and in regard also that that Church was infallibly guided by the Holy Ghost in which respect the resolution of that Church was with authority it pleased the Holy Ghost and us which no particular Church since can ever say In these respects saith hee it followes then that the Church of Ierusalem remaines not in all things a patterne for other Churches for a paterne must bee in all things imitable and perfect Thus my Brother Burton makes a noyse to little purpose contradicting all those of his owne party that I ever yet read or talked with who all acknowledge that the Church of Ierusalem was a paterne to all churches and from the example of that church as they pretend they forme and governe all their churches and labour to reduce all to that paterne and ground all their proceedings upon the Plat-forme of that church and doe all as they affirme in imitation of that holding Synods to bee one of Gods ordinances and ground it upon the meeting of the Apostles and Elders in the 15. of the Acts and yet my Brother Burton here maintaineth the contrary as his words sufficiently declare for which his grollery I beleeve all those of his Fraternity will give him little thankes and blame him for his so great haste in answering mee who in his wise Epistle to the Reader saith I hasted at last as fast as before I was slow if possible to recover our brother so that it seemes hee made more haste then good speed according to the Proverbe Canis festinans caecos parit catulos and will have cause at leisure to repent for hee hath by this his jugling and conjuring quite rased the foundation and overthrowne the whole Fabrick of the new Bable of Independency which his brethren had beene so busie and diligent to lay erect maintaine and uphold and that from the example of the Church of Ierusalem But it will not be amisse to examine his trifling reasons of this his gain-saying and denyall that the Church of Ierusalem cannot be a paterne to other churches for then saith he every Church must have seven Deacons and all Churches must be subject to one Church and to the Decrees of that Church which they cannot be there being none now infallibly guided Thus my Brother Burton out of the acumen of his wit disputes at randoun after the very same manner did the Prelates in their generation dispute against the godly people they termed Puritans when they alleaged the example of Christ and the blessed Apostles in receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as that they all received it either sitting or using a Table-gesture and therefore that all Christians and Christs Disciples were bound to imitate and to follow his and the Apostles examples rather then Antichrists as a paterne set downe to them of receiving the Holy Communion to the end of the world To which the Prelates and those of that faction replyed that if the Puritans would make Christ and his Apostles in receiving the Lords Supper a paterne for their imitation then they must always celebrate it in an evening and that after supper and in an upper roome and in a private house and not in publick and then they must never exceed twelve or thirteene communicants and they must be all men and no women and an hundred such other toyes they brought to prove that the example of our blessed Saviour and his holy Apostles was not to be a paterne of imitation for the receiving of the Lords Supper to all Christians in succeeding ages and after the same manner doth my brother Burton now trifle to no purpose For as the example of Christ and the blessed Apostles was a paterne in respect of substance and not in every circumstance which was never required so was the church of Ierusalem in respect of substance and not in every circumstance to be a paterne to all churches for their imitating to the end of the world As for instance The church at Ierusalem had liberty given them by the Apostles to nominate and make choyce of Deacons when there was a necessitie of such Officers to nominate and make choyce of as many as they thought sufficient for their occasions And in this it was a paterne to all churches in succeeding ages that they likewise if they had need of Deacons might make choyce of holy and godly men and of approved integrity and of as many as they had need of whether fewer or more and as often as their occasions required no church being limited for the number and as the Apostles onely in that church ordained the Deacons and not the people so the Ministers and Presbyters only in all churches should doe the same And as upon any difference amongst the brethren that are joyned together in church Fellowship as it hapned then betweene the Grecians and the Hebrewes Acts 6. about their widowes who they thought were neglected in the daily Administration they made their appeales to the Apostles for redresse so in this the church at Ierusalem is a patern to all other churches upon any occasions of such or the like difference to appeale unto their severall Presbyteries and as they willingly submitted themselves to their determination so when the Presbyters command or appoint any thing in the Lord and according to his word the people are to yeeld willing subjection obedience to their order and in their so doing to make the church of Ierusalem their paterne and as in the church of Ierusalem there were many congregations and churches and all these were combined together and subordinate to one Presbyterie in this also the church of Ierusalem is to be a paterne to all churches in succeeding ages that they may doe the like in imitation of that church which is for ever to be a paterne to them and as upon occasion then certaine men went downe from Iudaea to Antioch Acts 15. 1. and troubled the people there and in other churches with words subverting their soules saying that they must be circumcised and keepe the Law vers 24. pretending they came from the Apostles and had a command from them of their so doing so that upon this the churches sent unto the Apostles and the Elders at Ierusalem for the determination of this busines in debate waited patiently for their resolution without making any rents or schismes in the church and as the Apostles and Elders of that church and of other churches called a councell and Synode and there disputed and debated the matter with arguments and reasons searching the holy Scriptures What was the good will
and pleasure of God in them and accordingly determined that difference and question by the written Word and from thence commanded that the Decrees of that Councell should be observed in all Churches After the very same manner in this their so doing the church of Ierusalem is a paterne to all other churches upon the like occasions it any difference of opinion rise amongst the churches or if any new heresies spring up tending to the subversion of the soules of the people how holy and godly so ever they seeme to be that broach them and what pretence so ever they make that they have them from divine Authority I say upon the like occasions in Imitation of the Apostles and Elders in the church at Ierusalem Kings and Princes and Christian Magistrates and those that are in Authority may call a councell or Synod of Divines together and as the Apostles and Elders there debated things by dispute and reason and by searching the holy Scripture found out the truth and determined the question and sent their Decrees which were binding to all other churches so I affirme also in this their so doing that church is a paterne of imitation to all churches in all Nations and Countries and Christian churches in them that Ministers out of severall Presbyteries in a representative body may meet together by the appointment of their Magistrates and dispute those questions by reasoning and discourse and finding by searching of the Word of God what his good will and pleasure is may determine the question accordingly and give out their decrees grouned upon the written Word with authority to be observed by all those churches under their severall Jurisdictions and as the people then did patiently wait till the determining of that difference without making of any rents schismes or separations one from another and did then yeild obedience to those decrees without any reluctation but observed them all willingly after the debate so ought all people in imitation of them and following their example with patience to wait without making any rents and divisions till things are fully discussed and determined in any such Synode or councell and then willingly and cheerfully submit themselves and yeild obedience to them and in their so doing they have the church at Ierusalem for a paterne and the Apostles and Elders of that church and the other churches for an example of imitation so long as they injoyne nothing contrary to the Word of God For this way of governing the church by Synods and Councells upon differing and dissenting opinions betweene church and church and upon occasion of any new Heresies sprung up in Christian Countries or any old ones revived as it hath its paterne from the church at Ierusalem and that of Antioch which is left for our imitation that all churches upon the like occasion should follow it So this way of ruling is grounded upon most excellent reason as most agreeable both to the Law of God and nature and the practise of all Nations and Kingdomes of which we have many presidents in the holy Scriptures besides this councell at Ierusalem and some others For as all Nations and Kingdoms have been ever governed by generall councells and have ever had their severall appeales from inferior Courts and councells to Superior upon either publicke grievances or upon any differences betweene Province and Province and County and County or betweene Corporation and Corporation or City and City or upon any Pressures or oppressions or impeachments or incroachments of each on the others liberties or through injustice or injuries done to each of them from some that are in power and authority So the church of Iesus Christ which is his Kingdome is inferior to no other Kingdome upon earth but in that also the severall Corporations that are under it which are so many Presbyterian churches have in like manner the liberty of their appeales upon any of the aforesaid or above named occasions And although they all injoy equall priviledges amongst themselves as the severall Provinces Counties Corporations and Cities in any kingdome do so as they cannot severally and by themselves considered give a Law each to other yet as in a generall councell in Kingdomes and Common-wealths when the Knights and Barons and Burgesses of each of them are all met together in their representative bodies in a Parliament or Diet may being so Assembled together not only redresse any abuses and punish Delâ—nquents but also for the better government of those severall Doâ—inâ—ons for the future give Lawes to each Province County City and Corporation yea and unto the whole Country And enact penall Statutes both to them and to the whole Countries under them according to the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdomes and Countries In the same manner it is in the visible Catholicke church which is Christs Kingdome although in it the severall Presbyteries and churches considered by themselves and as having equall Authority amongst themselves cannot give Lawes to each other severally and by themselves considered as the Church of Corinth and that of Antioch and Ephesus and the other could not prescribe to each other a rule or Law to walke by with Authority but only in an examplary way by well doing yet all these severall churches ioyning together in a generall councell as they did at Jerusalem Acts the 15. and having from each of them deligated and sent their Presbyters and Ministers as so many Burgesses of their severall cities and Corporations and they being all met together upon any grievances and having by debating of the matters and differences in question by dispute and by disquisition found What is the good will of God and what is his pleasure in his good Word and in the holy Scriptures which are the Fundamentall Lawes of his Kingdom may in any Christian councell so called and ordering their businesse as the councell and Synod of Ierusalem did give out their Decrees and those binding ones to all those severall churches that are under their jurisdictions and all these severall churches ought to yeild obedience to them And in this their so doing they have the church of Ierusalem and the other churches a president and a paterne For I say in all these respects the church at Ierusalem is a paterne to all other churches And as in the church at Ierusalem Corinth Philippi Samaria Ephesus c. the Apostles Evangelists and the Presbyters in every one of those churches had the charge of each of those churches committed to them in common as is manifest from all the places above quoted and through the holy Scripture and as they fed them all and governed them all in common so in that also both the church at Ierusalem and all the other churches according to my brother Burtons doctrine who saith they must all come in for the making up of a compleat platforme I say as all the Presbyters and Ministers fed those severall churches in common so they are a paterne to all churches in all
Doctor might have also considered that the brethren even the whole Church the multitude how many soever the Doctor can make of them were present as well as the Presbyters Acts 15. 4. 12. 22. 23 25 27 28. and so have made the brethren the multitude even the whole Church Independent also and the Doctor might as well have affirmed that the brethren even the whole Church might say it seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us Thus Master Knollys pleaseth his own humour in heaping up a senselesse and confused multitude of words and that onely to delude the people But should I make a full discovery of all the errours of this his babble and nonsense and give a full answer to them truly I might make a very large discourse I will therefore study brevity and answer him in a few words though I will omit nothing worthy to be taken notice of But by the way I may say thus much that this his answer is nothing to the purpose and his reasons are as vain frivilous and fond as by the sequell will appear But whereas he denyeth that the Apostles though they be called Presbyters acted as Presbyters and that they cannot therein be a pattern and president for Presbyters it is a meer begging the question and a fond trifling in a serious and weighty matter when it was sufficiently proved and that out of the holy Scripture that the blessed Apostles were not onely called Presbyters but that they were Presbyters really as well as virtually which the Independents themselves deny not and that they acted also as Presbyters at Jerusalem that is as ordinary rulers and officers in all acts of government as also in that Councell in the 15. of the Acts for otherwise their example could not indeed have been a pattern of government to all Ministers and Presbytes in all succeeding ages if in either of them they had acted as extraordinary men by a transcendent and superlative power and by an inimitable authority and as men immediately assisted by the holy Ghost as when they wrought Miracles and when they writ the holy Scripture Now that the Apostles in all those acts of government were and are to be a pattern to all Ministers in the ages to come all the learnedst of the Independent tribe and all their brethren of New England do acknowledge it and take the ordination of Deacons and Elders in their new Churches from the example of the Apostles in the sixth of the Acts and the fourteenth chapter of the same book and they acknowledge and accord that Synods and Councells in like manner are one of Gods Ordinances and ground it upon the Apostles and Presbyters meeting in the 15. of the Acts and take their example for a pattern and president of gathering into Synods and Councells upon the like occasions all which they could not do if the Apostles in all those acts of Government had acted and managed them onely as Apostles and in an extraordinary way with a transcendent and infallible authority and by a speciall dispensation from heaven and as only peculiar unto themselves as miraculous and extraordinary governours So that whiles Master Knollys fights against the truth and against mee he with the same weapon wounds his own cause and overthrows the Independents doctrine who from the examples of the Apostles though extraordinary men take their ordination of Deacons and Elders and of calling Synods And therefore in the first place this may serve for the discovering of his ignorance and futility As for his reasons of his denyall that the Apostles cannot be a paterne and president for Presbyters because the Apostles as he saith had the care of all churches and the Presbyters were limited and confined to their particular charges they are foolish and vain and make nothing for the enervating or weakning of my argument for it doth not follow as the learned well know that because the Apostles in some respects were extraordinary men and rulers therefore in all acts of Government they did nothing ordinary or for the imitation of other Church governours I say this can never follow with any good reason neither will any judicious man thus argue because the Apostles were extraordinary men and officers therefore they did not the acts of ordinary governours whereas when they assembled themselves about the affaires of the Church and for the good of it it was for this very end and purpose that they might leave an example and president to the ages to come and to all Ministers that should succeed them of doing the like and therefore we are ever to consider the Apostles in all acts of government to have acted as ordinary governours and rulers and for a president and pattern to all Ministers to the end of the world But whereas Master Knollys grollishly saith that the Apostles were Independent in the Government of all the Churches and that the Presbyters of Jerusalem and Ephesus and all the Churches were Dependent upon the Apostles and the Apostles onely Dependent upon Christ by whose spirit they were alwayes guided in the government of their Churches and therefore they said Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us In every sentence I might say word there is an error For first the Apostles were not Independent at all no more then the Presbyters but they were ever tyed unto the word of God and his revealed will and that by Christ himself who said John 5. search the Scriptures and Luke 14. They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Yea Saint Peter 2 Epist chap. 1. v. 19. teacheth us That we have a more sure word of prophecy whereunto we do well to take heed c. So that the Apostles themselves were tyed to the Scriptures And Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles in the 24. of the Acts and in many other places makes the Law and the Prophets the rule of his faith professing that he beleeved all things according to them So that when Peter swarved from that rule began amongst the Galatians to halt temporize Paul resisted him to his face and accused him openly of prevarication Nay which is more so far they were from being independents that they were alwayes to follow the guidance of the spirit they were not to move but as he directed Act. 16. Yea the Apostles themselves were subject to the Presbytery at Ierusalem and were to give an account of their actions to them at any time as we may see Acts 11. where Peter was questioned and was forced to give in his answer for satisfaction the other Apostles also were subject unto that Presbyterie and gave an account how they had spent their time amongst the Gentiles yea Paul himselfe received orders from the Presbyterie in Ierusalem Acts 21. and was ruled by them yea they were not onely subject to the Church in Ierusalem but to all other Churches also and were sent on their message at any time For Peter and John were
run in the name of the brethren 1 the Church as well as the Apostles and Elders these are his words And for confirmation of this his opinion that the Apostles and Elders were but a Committee and onely prepared the busines and then reported it and could not without the assistance and concurrence of the brethren have ratified the Decrees made in that Councell hee in the same page produceth his reasons for this his fond conceit saying that Paul and Barnabas were sent unto the Church and brethren as well as to the Apostles and Elders for they were received of the Church withall saith hee the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord verse 25. imports a multitude met together and this to bee the result of that multitude else it were no great commendation of the resolution that it was convened about and issued forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in verse 22. it is said that it pleased not onely the Apostles and Elders but the whole church also therefore the Church also came together to consult or the Apostles and Elders as a Committee first prepared the dispute c. Thus worshipfull I. S. sayes and un-sayes determines and concludes and then goes from his resolution againe affirming that Paul and Barnabas were sent unto the Church also and that the multitude was with one accord together or else it had beene no great commendation of the resolution and he asserteth that the whole Church came together to consult and yet in the same breath as if hee had forgot himselfe hee comes in with his perhaps as a man doubting and wavering in his opinion and altogether in uncertainties saying that perhaps the Apostles did not count it safe to admit the weake to the dispute while it was intricate so that here all men may see that hee makes it suspicious and doubtfull whether the brethren the multitude the whole Church were present there or not and that for a double reason both in respect of the Apostles discretion and wisedome as also in regard of the weaknesse of the Brethren saying that the Apostles and Elders were but as a Committee to prepare the dispute and after reported it for the churches assistance and concurrence and so hee learnedly concludes and determines by all this his babble that they were all there and they were not there where can any man find this creature and what man of understanding is hee that shall behold the levity vanity rashnesse and ignorance of this fellow to say no more that would not conclude that hee is a meere Catechumenos and that one had need to instruct him instead of confuting him for as much as it may seeme to any man unmeet that a man should be polemically exercised before hee be positively principled these are I. S. his wise expressions concerning mee in his 16. page which whether or no they may not fitly be applyed to himselfe I leave to the judgement of the wise and learned who whiles hee will bee a Teacher of the Law according to that of Saint Paul 1 Tim. chap. 1. verse 7. understands not neither what he sayes nor whereof he affirmes I am most assured there scarce ever in the world appeared upon the Theater of learning a more unlearned payr of wicked triflers then this I. S. and Hanserdo Knollys But it will not be amisse to consider the reasons of I. S. by which hee laboureth to prove that which hee himselfe had first positively set downe to be a truth to wit that all the brethren the multitude and the whole Church were together in the Synod and yet he after doubteth whether they were present there or no I say it will not be amisse to consider the reasons by which hee affirmes these two things the first that all the whole Church were present in the Synod the second that they all had their vote and concurrence without which there had beene no great commendation of the resolution of the Councell as hee prattles and without which the Decrees of the same had not beene ratified his first reason is this because saith he Paul and Barnabas were received of the Church Ergo they were sent unto the Church as well as to the Apostles and Elders as if one should thus conclude the Embassadours of France and Swede were sent unto the King and Parliament and the Citie of London entertained them Ergo they were as well sent unto the Citie of London as to the King and Parliament againe the Citie of London assented unto whatsoever the King and Parliament accorded unto to gratifie those Embassadours after they had made them acquainted with what they had done Ergo all the Citie and the whole multitude of Citizens had not onely their votes and concurrence in those great businesses and were Iudges also in the Parliament but they were altogether in the great Councell and that the Parliament could have ratified nothing without them would not all men that should heare any man thus argue gather that that man that should make such inferences from such premises and should so conclude that hee were crased in his braine or else a very Ninny and void of all reason And yet this is the manner of I. S. and Hanserdoes disputing and which is more to shew the vanity of this man he understands by the brethren the multitude and the whole Church agreeing and according with Hanserdo in this sottish opinion who holds that by brethren the multitude and the whole Church all the beleevers in Jerusalem both men women and children are to be understood and that they all had their Votes in that counsell and ratified the Decrees without the which they had not been valid whereas it is most certain as I shewed before in my Answer to Hanserdo that there was not only an impossibility that such multitudes of beleevers as were in Ierusalem should all meet in any one place but that by multitude there and the whole Church must necessarily be understood some choice and select men such as Iudas and Sylas were who are called Prophets and Ministers of the Gospell of which the Church of Ierusalem was furnished with good store and of which that great councell onely consisted and who debated and argued con and pro about the businesse in controversie which is manifest from the seventh verse where it is said when there had been much disputing Peter rose up c. and in the 12. verse for farther confirmation of this truth it is related that then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul c. And that Iames after they had held their peace gave in his judgement to which the whole multitude and Church assented so that out of all these words it necessarily and undeniably followeth that by the brethren there the multitude and the whole Church are to be vnderstood not the common people men and women in the Church of Ierusalem For it is said they were brethren and therefore all the sisters
And all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee And Psal 72. it is said All Kings shall fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him And Psal 86. 9. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name Innumerable places to this purpose might be produced for the proving of Nationall Churches for all Nations are Christs by donation Psal 2. 8. Ask of me saith the Lord speaking to Christ and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Yea they are his by conquest who hath vanquished the strong man and disarmed him and vindicated the Nations into his own possession yea they are his by purchase also viz. all the elect of them for he hath redeemed them with his precious blood 1 Pet. 1. Acts 20. Yea they are his by call for he sent his Apostles into all nations to invite them to come in Matth. 28. Marke 16. And many of them obeyed the call and are his by covenant as we may see it Revel 11. v. 15. where it is said The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever And Paul in the 11. of the ROM speaking unto all the Gentiles in as much as he was the Apostle of the Gentiles saith ver 17. That some of the naturall branches being broken off the Gentiles which were the wilde Olive tree were graffed in amongst them and with them did partake of the root and fatnesse of the Olive tree So that now all the Nations were equall in priviledges with the Jews in all respects so that as that was a nationall Church so are they and yet all make but one Church for there is but one shepherd and one sheep fold one Church consisting of Jews and Gentiles now as the Church of the Jews is said to be but one Nationall church because all the tribes in that Family or Nation and all the visible and publike assemblies of the same being parts of the catholicke church and living under one ecclesiasticall and civill government were by the profession of the same faith and fellowship and communion of the same worship and government united into one body ecclesiastick or ecclesiastical commonwealth So for ought I know all those Kingdomes Nations Countries and Provinces that shall imbrace the Gospel as I said before and come under the government of Jesus Christ the great high Priest and King of his church which was typified by the legall high Priest and the Kings of Judah and do yeeld obedience unto him and that government he hath appointed in his church may all of them being joyned in a particular consociation and community in any country Nation or Province or Kingdome receive their denomination from the several countries nations in which they are For the Church eatholick being an homogenial and similar body retains the name of church into what cities countries nations or Kingdomes soever it be divided into for as those many Congregations in the Church at Ierusalem made all of them but one church within its precincts and had its name from thence so may the many Parishes and Villages which being met together in their severall bounds in the profession of the same Christian faith make but one Church being all of them through that countrie combined together under one government both Ecclesiasticall and civill for as for the division of the nations it is not to be considered meerly as an humane and politicke Ordinance as many conceive and therefore would make Provinciall Churches and Parish Churches a humane invention for in the 32. of Deut. v. 8. it is said there when the most high divided to the nations their inheritance so that God was the Author of this division and gave their severall names unto them and set all their bounds and limits yea he hath set the bounds of every man as it is sufficiently proved by the Apostle Acts 17. where hee saith verse 26. that God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitations so that the division of the whole world into divers nations and those nations into severall Provinces and Counties and those counties into so many hundreds and Wapentakes or Rapes or Tribes and all these into so many severall Parishes is said to be Gods owne appointment for he is said to have divided the nations tohave set them their bounds and therefore I can conceive no reason why Parish Churches amongst us may not as well be accounted Gods Ordinance as Parish Synagogues amongst the Iewes and why citie Churches amongst us may not as well be Gods Ordinance now as it was then for so by divine institution they were then in the Apostles times esteemed and it is well knowne that in New-England all their severall Townes as that of Plymouth Bostorne Cambridge c. have all their bounds and limits prescribed unto them and all the people within that precinct and no farther that submit themselves to that their government are said to be Members of each severall Church and of no other and yet all this is as much politick as the division of our Parishes and Cities and those Churches constituted by the Apostles in every citie village and countrey were as much politick as ours and yet are called Gods Ordinances and truly I know no good reason why our parish churches should not farre rather and with farre greater reason be of divine institution then those churches of the congregationall way for it is well knowne that all the Members in our severall Parishes dwell within such and such limits and for the most part are all well and familiarly knowne one to an other and every weeke once at least see all one an others faces and can daily meet together for to watch over one another whereas those of the congregationall way dwell many of them twenty miles one from another and some threescore miles one from another and all for the most part a great distance one from another scattered here and there so that they cannot possibly one watch over an other as is pretended and behold one an others conversation for that is impossible and therefore for my particular I know that the parochiall or parishionall assembling of themselves together for the injoying of the Ordinances hath presidents for it in holy Writ and that many both in cities and villages but wee have not one president of such congregations as are now in our new Churches in all the whole Booke of God and therefore I conclude that all our parochiall meetings are farre more of divine institution and Churches properly so called then the Assemblies of the congregationall way And by the same
this truth is so well known and perceived by all such as will not wilfully blinde themselves as it cannot be denyed hourly experience furnishing men with Presidents of it For if any Delinquents be found out they are not hailed before the people but before such as are in authority there is not an ordinary Hew and Cry that is sent to any Parish but it is carryed to the Constable or his Deputy and to such in that Town or Village as are in place or authority so that the people trouble not themselves with it yea they will ordinarily say it concerneth them not it is not their place to intermeddle in the businesse of State that they affirme belonges to those that are in authority And as it is in the affaires secular and in the State so it is in the affaires of the Church those in authority in the Church are to mannage the affaires and businesses of the Church and not the people for God had appointed in all Churches in the New Testament which were but so many Corporations a standing Presbytery and Order of Ministers and Rulers in each of them in whose hands the government of them all within their severall Precincts and Jurisdictions lay the which Government they were ever to mannage and order by common consent and joynt agreement with which the people had nothing to do and with the which they ought not intermeddle for that had been to confound that Order God had established in each Church and this all well-instructed Christians knew and therefore in the Apostles times not any that I ever read of opposed that Government before Diotrephes who is blamed for this his temerity by St. John to teach all men not to do the like left they fall into the same condemnation so that they knew very well that howsoever all the Epistles of Sant Paul and the other Apostles were directed to the severall Churches of their times yet the managing of the affairs of those Churches belonged only unto the Presbyters Stewards and Angels of those respective Churches as we may see in those seven Churches of Asia where the Letters and the Epistles are directed to the Angels and Ministers of those Churches as those that had the Government of them in their hands and not to the people And so it was in the Church of Corinth a place that the Independents so much abuse Howsoever Pauls Epistles were directed to the whole Church yet the officers only and Presbyters of that Church had the managing of the whole businesse concerning the incestuous person both for the casting of him out and the taking of him in againe upon his repentance as is evident from the 2 Epistle and the second chapter where the Apostle saith sufficient to such a man is the punishment inflicted of many So that all the people did not censure him or inflict that punishment upon him but many to wit the Presbyters and those in authority in that Church And this agreeable to all reason and therefore Master Knollys is mightily mistaken in his Commentary exposition of this place and that of the Epistle to the Colossians in saying that as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and as the Church of Colosse had power to admonish Archippus Coloss 4. 17. so the Church whereof Diotrephes was a member might as warrantably admonish him These are his words in which there is a double yea a treble fallacy for first he taketh the word Church in another sense then the Scripture speaketh of it which in all the Epistles of the holy Apostles for the most part is taken collectively for a combination of many congregations under one Presbyterie within such a precinct and he onely understandeth it for a particular congregation and assembly and by this he deceiveth the reader 2ly By Church he understandeth the people the Presbyters excluded and saith that they had power to judge their Ministers whereas indeed though in all those churches there was a power yet it lay soely in the Presbyters hands and they only were invested with it and the people were ever to stand to their orders so long as they commanded in the Lord and the place of the people was to obey and therefore all that he saith about this businesse is a meere non sequiturâ—unc and this is the third error that insueth from groundlesse principles for this is not a good consequence Paul writing unto the Church of Colosse hath these words say unto Archippus that he take heed to his Ministry and writing unto the Church of Corinth the 1. and 5. saith vers 5. Deliver such a man unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh c. Ergo the people have the power in their hands over all the members of those Churches both Ministers and people This I assert doth not follow in all good reason No more then it will follow that if any Embassador should be directed to the kingdome of England now or if any Message should be sent unto any corporation of the Kingdome commanding such service from it to the State that the people in this Kingdom or the people in those corporations should intermedle in the affaires of publike concernment but all sound understanding men will say It belongeth to the great and grave Councell of the Kingdom to mannage publike affaires and to the Major and Aldermèn and the Common-councell of each Corporation to transact and order the publicke businesse and affaires and for this only reason because they are the men in those severall places that God and the people have invested with authority over them and it only belongeth unto them to order all affaires of publicke concernment who God and the people have called and appointed to this end and purpose And so it was in all the primitive and Apostolicall Churches the Epistles were writ to the churches but directed to the Angels and Ministers in them as whose place it was to watch over them for their good and who only had the power of the Keyes to bind and loose to cast out and take in according to Divine authority Yea all the world knowes that God never gave the Keyes to the people in any Church but to the Ministers therefore the authority of order and jurisdiction only belongeth to the Ministers and presbyters in every Church now when Master Knollys by Church understandeth a particular congregation or assembly and the people in it and not the Presbyteries in every Church he is much mistaken in his Commentary exposition and abuseth not only himself but all those poore deluded people that follow him Yea he destroyeth his own principles and those of the congregationall way for both he himselfe and I. S. do acknowledge That the Government lay in the Presbyters hands in every church Master Knollys his words to this purpose I have often ciâ—ed before and I. S. his words are these page 11. in asserting that the
all the power in their hands in awe that they durst not so much as open their mouthes against Iohn the Baptist From all which places and many more that might be produced to prove That there were so many Believers in Ierusalem as could not all meet in one place or roome or in one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship I thus argue Where there was an infinite multitude or a mighty City of Believers there they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one Congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Churches 1 Cor. 14. 26. but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies and divers divisions that they might be all edified and partake in all Ordinances But in the Church of Ierusalem by the very baptisme and preaching of Iohn there were infinite multitudes and a very City of Believers Ergo they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying of all acts of worship and for edification which is required in the Church of God but of necessitie must be distributed into severall congregations and assemblies and divers divisions that they might all be edified partake in all ordinances For the major it is cleare by the very light of nature and all reason for there is no one place or house that can contain a whole City or infinite multitude of Believers and if any great place could containe them they could not all be edified and partake of all the acts of worship For if the very great raw-bon'd building of Pauls it self were cramm'd full of people and had a Preacher of the strongest lungs in the City half the people could not hear and be edified as daily experience telleth us so that of necessity if they would be edified and partake in all the Ordinances they must be distributed into divers congregations and severall assemblies I am most assured that there were such multitudes of Believers in Jerusalem that five such buildings as Pauls could not have contained their very bodies within their wals much lesse receive them or entertaine them for edification So that for the major I am confident there is no intelligible man will doubt of it For the Minor it is manifest from the places above produced for our Saviour saith excepting the Pharisees and the Lawyers which were but a little handfull all the people or the generality of them justified God and were baptized and were Believers So that the conclusion from the premises doth necessarily follow But from the former places I argue yet further after this manner Where there was such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept a tyrannicall King in awe and all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a fear and terror into them all that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it There of necessity the number of the Believers must be so great as they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all the acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies But in Ierusalem there were such an infinite company and multitude of Christians and Believers as kept Herod himself the tyrant in awe all the Magistrates and Elders in whose hands was all the power and authority and struck such a feare and terror into them that they durst not exercise their cruelty and tyranny over them though they were their inveterate enemies and desired it Ergo of necessity the number of the Believers was so great as they could not all meet together in one place or roome or in one congregation for the enjoying and partaking in all acts of worship but if they would be edified must be distributed into divers Congregations and Assemblies For the Major and Minor of this Syllogisme besides the force of reason and common understanding which were enough to convince any rationall creature of the truth of them the holy Scripture it self as from the places above specified is manifest proves them So that none can doubt of the truth of the conclusion but such as will call in question truth it selfe I might out of the severall places above mentioned draw many more Arguments to prove the conclusion but because I study brevity these for the present shall serve to prove That by the very baptisme and Ministery of S. Iohn the Baptist there were such an infinite company of Believers in the Church of Ierusalem as they could not al meet together in one place or congregation for the injoying of all the Ordinances To these first arguments of mine by which I proved that by the very Baptisme of S. Iohn there were more converted and made Christians and believeres in Ierusalem then could meete in any one place or Congregation Master Knollys answers by denying the minor of my Syllogismes and I. S. by denying they were Christians as we shall see I will therefore reply unto them both in order beginning first with Master Knollys whose words are these pag. 8. I do deny the minor proposition of these arguments saith he Neither hath the Doctor proved that there was an infinite number of beleevers nor a very City of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem The Scriptures quoted by the Doctor speak no such thing Those places in Matthew Mark and Luke tell us of very many who were baptized by Iohn and by Christs Disciples but doe not declare how many of those baptized persons were of the Church of Ierusalem and the Scripture witnesseth Act. 9. 31. That there were Churches through all Iudaea as well as in Ierusalem and for ought I know or the Doctor either many of those baptized persons might be in those Churches yea the most of them and but a few in Ierusalem it may be no more but those hundred and twenty mentioned Act. 1. 13 14 15. to whom were added about three thousand soules who continued in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of bread and prayers Acts the 2. 42 43 44. This is all Master Knollys hath to say by way of answer for the enervating of the strength of my Arguments and Reasons by which I proved there were more converted by Iohns Ministerythen could meet in any one place in Ierusalem Now here before I come to reply I referre my selfe to the judicious Reader whether from the forgoing places which I quoted out of the Holy Word of God from the Reasons and Arguments deduced out of it it was not sufficiently evinced That there were an infinite number of beleevers and a very Citie of them in the Church of Ierusalem and therefore more then could meet in any one place or Congregation I demand I say of any intelligible Christian
that were baptized by Iohn Baptist were Christians and beleevers but also that they were in such multitudes as they could not all possibly meete in any one place or congregation to communicate in all the Ordinances and all Acts of worship to edification The dint and force of the which Argument he thinkes he sufficiently evadeth by denying that they were Christians at all So that if this Answer be well looked into and examined it will appeare that whiles he boasteth and glorieth that he hath beate up my quarters he beates up Saint Iohns quarters yea Christs quarters and all his Disciples quarters before Christs death and Ascension and all the quarters of all Christians that now live in the world For if none are well Baptised and made Christians indeede but such as are Baptised with the Holy Ghost and with fire then all those that were baptised before Christs Ascension were no true Christians nor no Christians in these our times nor many Generations before us who were not baptised by the Holy Ghost and with fire and by these his fond cavills he overthroweth the Scripture it self and all Divine and humane Authority and gives the Spirit of God the lye And truly such a peece of impious ignorance with such impudent confidence my eyes yet never beheld before I. S. and his complices came into the World So that it stranges me eceedingly that such men as he and they are should be suffered by those of the Congregationall way to go unpunished who may shame them all as indeed they are a shame to all Christian Religion For I appeale to the judgement of all such as have any knowledge in Religion or love to the truth or have any moderation or good temper yet left in them whether this be a thing tolerable in any that has the name of a Christian to play not only the juglers to deceive and delude the poore people but to give the Spirit of God the lye and then to vapour and brag of it as of a conquest But now I will set downe his Arguments in his owne words and give my answer to them severally We saith he answer to your reasons So that he writes in the name of all the Independents as one of the Commanders and Captaines in their Militia and as one of their Champions and therefore in the name of them all sayeth We answer to your reasons Now take notice what he answers in the name of the whole Fraternity 1. Iohns Baptisme was into Christ but it was in Christum moriturum not in Christum mortuum This is J. S. his first answer Truly one that should but looke on all his Answers to my Arguments would wonder what the man meant by them and to what purpose he uttered these words for they are a manifest fighting against the Scripture of truth as all the judicious and learned will wel perceive And I have heard both learned pious men say that they did not beleeve that I. S. did well understand himselfe when he writ this book and there is some reason of this their opinion for hee confesseth in his wise Epistle that hee was in a course of Physick at the wels who knowes but the man might then be somewhat distemperd in his braine and so might doe the actions of a man crased and his very language doth in a manner speake as much both in this his Answer and in many other passages of his Book as in their due places will appeare yea the very title also and his Epistle being senselesse calling his Pamphlet Flagellum flagelli and the beating up of Doctor Bastwicks quarters when he never came nigh them and the taking hold and shaking of the Pillars of his discourse when hee never so much as touched them with many such other expressions all which have no correspondency amongst themselves and shewes that the man is either a very stranger in Rhetorick not knowing how to keep himselfe to his Metaphor or else that hee is crased indeed and truly so every one will conceive if they duly weigh and consider all passages in his booke especially this answer of his to my Arguments by which hee labours to prove that those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were no Christians no Beleevers which he doth by very senselesse reasons the first of which I have related viz. that they were baptized into Christ to dye and not dead and therefore in his opinion they were no Christians I omit his latine expression as thinking it a vaine thing in him to insert latine sentences writing in the vulgar tongue especially in handling points of divinity those of great concernment which the people should have set before them in perspicuous and plaine termes But now take notice how the man contradicteth himselfe in his answer for the drift of it is to prove that those that were baptized by Iohn the Baptist were no Christians and yet hee sayeth they were baptized into Christ Then they were Christians by his owne confession for Iesus Christ was yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. and He was ever the Messiah the seed of the woman that should breake the Serpents head that Rocke upon which the Church was built against which the gates of Hell should never prevaile Mat. 16. So that they that were baptized into Iesus Christ whether whiles hee was living or dead whether before his Nativity death or ascension or after are all good Christians therefore he contradicteth himselfe in saying they were not Christians for it is not the circumstance of time that makes an alteration in the substance and essence of any thing for the Passeover in Egypt was the same for substance that it was in the Wildernesse and in the land of Canaan for otherwise it should follow that the Supper of the Lord celebrated by Christ himselfe before his passion and in memoriall of his death should not be the same with that it was after Christs Resurrection and Ascension and that the Apostles that received the Lords Supper were not Christians then as well as after his death which I thinke I. S. will not dare affirme but if he should I am confident all the well grounded Christians in the world would be his adversaries in this for the Apostle Saint Paul in the 1. of the Corinth 11. 23 24 25. makes them all one for substance and as the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was the same for essence before Christs death that it was after so was the Sacrament of Baptisme to all that were baptized and hee was as good a Christian that was baptized in to Christ before his death as hee that was baptized into him after his Ascension as all good reason will perswade for Christ was ever the Messiah and King of his Church which will yet more evidently appeare if wee compare earthly things with heavenly I demand therefore of I. S. or any of the congregationall way whether all such subjects as take the oath of allegiance
For the Scripture never speakes of that of the congregationall way And this shall suffice to have spoke at this time and in this place concerning the manner of the Administration of the government both in respect of the Ceremoniall service and morall worship under the Law and what it ought to be under the Gospel And now a word or two concerning the manner of admitting members then into the church of the Iewes and what was reputed necessary for the making of any one a member and Proselite there after the old testament forme and what is required now for making of any a member of the Christian church The whole Scripture of the old testament and the new declares that all those that were aliens and strangers unto the common-wealth of Israel if they desired to be made partakers of the priviledges of the Iews and to be all accompted in the number of the people of God they were to be instructed in the Law of Moses and they were to yeeld obedience unto that and in token that they beleeved in the true God and submitted themselves to his Law and to that discipline he had taught in the bookes of Moses and the Prophets they were to be circumcised which when they yeelded unto and tooke the Covenant of Circumcision they were forthwith made members of the Church of the Iewes and had as good right to all the ordinances of God under that government as any other of the Iewes and this I say is sufficiently confirmed in the holy Scriptures everywhere Now under the New testament the Church of God being compared sometimes to a Kingdom and Empire and sometimes to a city and all the members of it being compared to free Denizons and citizens where so ever the Gospel of this Kingdom and City is faithfully preached and the people by the Embassadours and Ministers of the same being invited to come in and yeeld obedience unto it if they do believe and obey that is if they do beleeve and repent and willingly submit unto the sound of it and offer themselves to make profession of it and in signe of this their obedience and faith receive the seale of this Covenant and are baptized they are forthwith to be admitted without any reluctation and having once received the seale of this Covenant the seale of Baptisme they are forthwith made free Denizons of this Kingdome and free-men of this city and have as good right to all the priviledges of the same as any other and may through the whole world of Christians partake in all the Ordinances of that Kingdome and City as well as any other Christians as in the Roman Empire and now in all Corporations through the world they that were Citizens of Rome or they that are Freemen in any of them as they did then partake in all the priviledges of the Romans and might abide and dwell in any place and trafficke buy and purchace in what part of it they pleased injoying all those inmmnities that any then did and so likewise now as those that are Free-men of any city or corporation do in their severall precincts injoy all the priviledges of each of them and may set up in any Parish or in any part of the city or within the jurisdiction of the same and exercise all their severall trades and have as much priviledge for their so doing as any of the other Citizens so I say in the same manner it is in the Kingdom of Christ and his city which is his church Every one that makes profession of the Gospell that beleeves repents and is Baptized has as good right to all the Ordinances of the Church as any Christian in the primitive times or any Independents now in the world and that by vertue of the great Charter of this Kingdome and City the Gospell and by the practice of Iohn the Baptist and the Apostles who required no more of all men and people in their time for the making of them members of Christs Church but that they should repent and beleeve and be Baptized as we may see in the third of Matth. and in the second of the Acts and in those of Samaria in the 8. Chapter and in the Eunuch Paul Lydia and the Goaler and those of Cornelius his house of all the which no more was required for the making of them Christians but to repent and beleeve and to be Baptized by which they were invested with a right to all the priviledges through all Churches in the world and might partake in all the Ordinances of Christs Kingdome where so ever they came as we may see in Paul and those that accompanyed him in his journies Wheresoever they came they communicated with them in all Churches in all the Ordinances as in the breaking of bread and prayer So that to repent and beleeve and to be baptized is all that according to the Gospell of Jesus Christ is required of any man or of any people to cast them into a Church mould according the New Testament forme and to make them not only members of the Catholike visible Church but of any church in particular if the Word of God is to be beleeved and given credit unto Now when all those that came out of Ierusalem unto Iohn did repent and beleeve and were baptized by Iohn the Baptist they were cast into a Church mould after the New Testament forme and were all made as good members of that church as any that were baptized after Christs death and ascention by Peter and the other Apostles and might whensoever they went from Jerusalem to any other place where christians dwelt partake in all the ordinances as those did that by reason of the persecution were scattered who we read of that wheresoever they came they went into their Synagogues and Churches and they preached and converted the people and partaked and communicated in all the ordinances amongst them without any gain-saying and so all the Christians that are true Beleevers and are baptized wheresoever they travell or dwell whether in France or Germany Italy or the Low Countryes or in any part of the world amongst the true Protestants they have as great right to all the ordinances in those churches as any of the Natives For they are all free Denizons of Christs Kingdome and free men of the city the church of God which is Christs mysticall body and therefore as members of the same may partake in all the Priviledges and Benefits that any member may do I mean in respect of the ordinances as breaking of bread hearing of the word preached and in prayer and all the essentiall priviledges for to all those they have right unto by their very admission into the church by their baptisme and whosoever shall refuse communion with them that beleeve and are baptized and live a godly holy and pious life unlesse they will observe their own traditions they are Delinquents Prevaricators against the King of his church Iesus Christ and do no way set
this also he is a great offender where by this jugling craft of his he labours to seduce the poore people But for farther answer I have learned of Christ himselfe that the Disciple is not above his Master and therefore if I. S. will apply the worke of conversion and adding of Disciples to the Church unto the Ministry of the Apostles after Christs ascension as he doth I do not conceive it any paradox in me or any mistake or Anticipation to apply that worke unto Christs Ministry in his life time for the Master is ever more to be honoured then the servant as all reason will dictate and therefore there was no paradox in me in giving that honour unto Christ that belonged unto him who was the Master for he came to save the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and so he did gathering daily some of them into his fold and adding many more sheepe to those that Iohn the Baptist had converted and therefore I do not think it a paradox in me to give as much honour to the Master as I. S. doth to his Disciples and servants for the honour of conversion and adding unto the church is a work primarily belonging to the Lord and Prince of the Church Jesus Christ It is great rashnesse therefore and very unchristian dealing in I. S. to make mee a subject of his scorne and ludibry for well doing and to make that a sinne and error in mee which is a vertue for to give Christ his due honour is a vertue now the honour of converting of men and adding them unto the Church is his proper work and it peculiarly belongeth unto him first and last to adde unto the Church such as should bee saved The Apostles were but the Instruments Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God the Lord of his Church giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3. Hee maketh the Church grow and multiply into mighty numbers and adds daily unto it by the mighty working of his Spirit and it is marvellous in our eyes And therefore I. S. is severely to be censured and that deservedly not only for abusing his brethren making them offenders when they are not but chiefly for anticipating that honour which is onely due unto Christ and God and giving it and attributing it unto men as it is the daily practise of the Independents to give the glory of all victories which only belongeth unto God to the party which they call the praying army and so hee ascribeth that honour that peculiarly belongeth unto God and Christ unto the Apostles which indeed pertaineth unto them only as they are instruments and accuseth me as of an anticipation and mistake saying I ascribed that unto the Ministry of Christ himselfe which belonged unto the Disciples of Christ after his ascension It seemes to I. S. that I am a very erroneous man and very unjust that I give that honour unto Christ himself and ascribe that work unto him which saith I. S. belonged to the Apostles But if this be an error in saying that Christ added unto the Church as Ierusalem before his death and after his death such as should be saved I will live and die in this error for this is only the worke of God none can come unto God but by Christ hee is the doore the way the truth and the life the author and finisher of our faith that begins and ends the worke of conversion the Apostles and all other Ministers are but his instruments hee is the hand of god and the arme of the Lord that doth the worke in the hearts of the people Whether therefore I. S. or my sâ—lfe be the most erroneous in their opinions and speake most Paradoxes about this point I leave it to the censure and judgement of those that have more skill in Divinity then I. S. or any of his Fra ternity But should I grant unto I. S. that the Apostles after Christs Ascension had of themselves and by their owne power without any helpe from Christ added many unto the Church which I yet never did doth this I pray in the opinion of any wise man exclude Christs adding unto the Church before his death or was it such an obstacle or hindrance to his worke of converting men and adding them unto the Church that because it is said of the Apostles after Christs death that the Lord by them added to the Church therfore it is an error or mistake to apply that unto the Ministry of Christ that was done to the Disciples I am confident none that are not senselesse will say there is any error in so speaking neither is there such a gulfe betweene these two things but that they may well meet Christ may adde and the Apostles also For the same reason that made Saint Luke in the second of the Acts say the Lord added unto the Church daily such as should be saved confirmes mee in my opinion that as it was the Lords worke after his ascension to adde men unto the Church so it was his worke in his life time for hee was yesterday and to day the same for ever alwayes the author and finisher of our faith and therefore it was no anticipation or mistake in me nor no Paradox as I. S. fondly saith to conclude that those that were converted by Christs Ministry were added to those that were converted by Iohn so that there was addition upon addition and it was no sinne in mee to say that of Christ then that was afterwards ascribed unto him in formall words for although the very words be not exprest â—et that is set down that is equivalent unto them for it is said Christ made moe Disciples then Iohn it was his work so that the disputation now is not about words terms of expression but about the substance of things viz. about beleevers and Members of the Church of Ierusalem which when the Scripture holdeth out unto us affirming that Christ made moe disciples then John that at Ierusalem then any rational man may without any anticipation or mistake or any error or Paradox conclude that these new Converts were added then unto the Church as well as those that were converted after his Ascension were said to be added to the Church and he that with the eye of understanding should behold what the Scripture saith and shall but duly consider my Arguments drawne from thence will not gather that I make false Musters as this fresh water souldier I. S. childishly speaketh but on the contrary he will shrewdly suspect the ignorance to say no worse that I may use some of his Rhetoricke of this novice in Divinity and will also evidently gather that the Church at Ierusalem was a particular Church in that Nationall Church of the Jewes and that in the time of our Saviour and withall hee will conclude from the premises and all that I have now said by way of answer to Master Knollys and this I. S. that there were more beleevers in Ierusalem then could
word of God teacheth us So that to any intelligible Christian there can be no doubt or scruple any longer left about this point For that which God himselfe hath dictated by his holy spirit and recorded in his holy word we may not gainsay but God hath dictated by his holy spirit and recorded it in his holy word that the multitude that was converted and believed upon that new miracle and preaching of Peter Iohn was about five thousand men Ergo it is not to be gainsaid but to be beleeved and received as an everlasting truth by all Christians For as I said before this was a new effect or a new act and distinct and different from the former and therefore these five thousand are to be considered by themselves and apart Now five thousand and three thousand put and joyned together make up eight thousand which were all added to the Church to all the former that were converted by the Ministery of Iohn the Baptist Christ and his Disciples in Christs life time and therefore there is no mistake in my addition as Mr. Knollys fondly and childishly concludes and his reasons by which he would prove my mistake are as vaine and senselesse For saith he some of the three thousand may be were women and how can the Doctor say there were eight thousand new converts besides women Take notice I pray of the vanity of his expression Some of the three thousand saith he may be were women and it may be they were not and it standeth with as good reason they were not as any he can bring to prove they were although I did not set it down as my own opinion but said onely That it was the judgement of many learned men that all those eight thousand that were converted by those two miracles and Sermons were men and not women and children and therefore Mr Knollys here commits a double errour first in making that my opinion and ascribing that to me which I onely then related as the judgement of others and then left it in medio that is his first error his second is worse for whereas the Holy Scripture saith that there were three thousand soules added unto the Church by the first Miracle and Sermon and five thousand by the second in the fourth of the Acts Master Knollys peremptorily affirmeth they were but five thousand in all so gives the Spirit of God the lye who declares there were three thousand at one time five at another added to the Church But if there were but 5. thousand in all as M. Knollys asserteth then by his own acknowledgement they were all men and not women and so then I had committed no error neither can M. Knollys convince me of an error if I had said it as my own opinion that al those that were converted by those two Miracles had been all men and not women and children For for the five thousand the word of God saith they were all men and not women the words are these in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the number of men according to Master Knollys his owne interpretation was five thousand and if there were five thousand men then not women And wee find in the Holy Scripture that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is alwayes taken for men as we may see it Matth. 15. verse 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they that did eat were foure thousandmen besides women and children So that amongst these five thousand by the testimony of the holy Scripture and in the judgement of Master Knollys by his owne interpretation they were all men and no women now then if all the whole number of Beleevers that were converted by those two Miracles and Sermons mounted in all but to five thousand as Master Knollys affirmeth they did not and were all men as hee accordeth to what purpose then doth hee rayse a new and needlesse cavill against mee because I said that it was the opinion of many learned men that those that were converted by these two miracles and sermons were all men and not women and children For I did not as I said before relate it as my owne judgement neither did I say there were no women amongst those eight thousand but that it was the opinion of the learned that they were all men only and not women and children But were I of as contentious a spirit as Master Knollys and that it tended to edification I could bring better reasons to prove they were men only and not women then either he or any of his Fraternity can produce to the contrary But Mr. Knollys himself seemeth but faintly to assert that there were any of them Women and Children for he saith it may be some of the 3. thousand were women thus he trifles in his answer to my first Argument saying it may be there were no more Beleevers in Ierusalem at the Feast of Pentecost but the hundred and twenty names Now all the learned know that to say it may bee there were some women makes no reall conviction of a mistake it is but a naked and groundlesse supposition of a mistake especially when there may be many solid reasons produced to prove they were all men and no women and children And therefore such kind of triflings are not sufferable in any that pretend to fear God for vain janglings and needlesse contentions about words is that that is condemned by the Apostle in all Ministers in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus and it troubles me not a little that I have to do with such vaine kind of creatures whose cheese bable is about words But notwithstanding I see a providence in it for in this the man shewes but his ignorance and whiles he would perswade the Reader that he is very acute he shewes himselfe to be a very child in the art of disputation There is an old saying give some men rope enough and they will hang themselves Even so it is here with Master Knollys whiles he takes that liberty to himself to run out in his discourse he intangles himself on every side as by the sequell will appeare as here He sayd that there was no mention in any Scripture quoted by me of eight thousand and he denyed withall that the Scripture doth prove any such thing and asserted moreover that the whole number of all those converts amouted but to five thousand and he said that all these were men and not women and yet here he confutes himself I desire all therfore to take notice of the vanity of the man He had confidently concluded there were but five thousand in all and asserted that they were all men and notwithstanding as it were in the same breath he makes mention of three thousand more of another company amongst the which he sayth some of them might be women So that by his own concession here is two distinct numbers or companies one consisting of 5. thousand
I say as he affirmeth and whether I have not both Scripture and reason for what I say through my whole book and if he shall upon mature examination perceive that I have good authority for what I say then let him judg whether or no M. Knollys all his complices that thus upon all occasions traduce me bee not a generation of the accusers of the brethren and whether both Mr Knollys and all his confederats be not a company of calumniators raylors and Lyers rather then Saints For I bless God I have both Scripture and sound reason for all that I say and I speak it here in the presence of the great GOD that if I had ever seen the least ground of truth in all the Scripture of truth for what they of the congregationall way hold about their Church I would rather have suffered any misery in the world then ever have opened my mouth against their way much lesse have written against it but finding it not only a novell Opinion but hereticall indeed the very sourse of all heresies and errors and of dangerous consequence and such an one that if it be not speedily looked unto will not onely bring down the plagues and judgements of God upon the Nation and overthrow all the Christian Religion and all power of godlynesse but all government in Church and State through City and Country and bring a miserable desolation and utter ruine upon the 3 Kingdoms which God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse prevent And the consideration of all these things in the presence of God I say it again and no other put me upon this imployment to oppose the error of the wayes of all the Independents and Sectaries and in this course I am now in by the grace of God and his blessed assistance I will persevere in with all my endeavours to the last period of my dayes And now I come to reply to what Mr Knollys hath here set down by way of answer and although I have formerly given an answer to all the fond cavills of the Independents concerning their severall meetings together in the Temple and in Solomons Porch which the Reader I am confident will say is satisfactory enough to any that know what reason is yet here again for Master Knollys farther satisfaction if he will with any thing be satisfied I answer as followeth to what he childishly bables against this Argument of mine This argument of the Doctors saith he I answer first by denying the Assumption c. One would have expected that when Master Knollys began with this word first which amongst learned and rationall men in disputing it being a word of relation hath ever reference to some second answer at lest if not a third and fourth that he had had some second and third reserve of reasons at least to have fallen upon my argument with this I say all wise men would have imagined And yet there followes neither a second third or fourth answer But howsoever he may speak nonsense by his calling and by vertue of his Independency I will take no advantage against him for that I will examine onely the futility of his denyall which he calls a reason which indeede is a meer contradiction not only of himselfe but of the holy Scripture and is a giving of the spirit of God the lye as at other times as will forth with appear For whereas he saith that the Scriptures produced by me do not in expresse words declare that there were divers Assemblies and Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and that the Scriptures quoted do in expresse termes declare the contrary it is most abominably false and that by his own confession as we shall by and by see For should I grant unto Master Knollys which I cannot do for many reasons set down in my foregoing Discourse That when there were but three thousand converted and added to the Church that they might then all meet together in any one place or congregation to partake in all Ordinances and that when there were five thousand more added to them they might still likewise all meet together either in the Temple or in Solomons Porch to hear the Word I say should I to gratifie Master Knollys grant him all this yet it will not follow that when there were dayly new additions upon additions of other Converts and Beleevers and that of many thousands that then they could still doe the same But I cannot grant all this for it would be against all reason and contrary to daily experience which tels us that eight thousand men cannot meet in any one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship to edification Yea if I should grant this to Master Knollys both hee himselfe and all his Fraternity would laugh at mee all learned men would conclude that I were indeed a mad man as my brother Burton speakes of mee for it is most certaine that all the Beleevers and Converts in the Church of Ierusalem did never all together partake in all Ordinances and in all acts of worship either in the Temple or in Solomons porch for wee never reade that they either baptized or brake bread in either of them neither would the Magistrate have ever indured or suffered it and yet both these were the discriminating and sealing Ordinances by which all Christians were distinguished from Jewes and Gentiles and all Vnbeleevers and it is well knowne that there was no room in any private house that could containe such a multitude to partake in all Ordinances to edification and this my brother Burton accordeth to saying in expresse words that there was no roome or place large enough to containe them all and the very Scripture also is cleare in this point in many places Yea Master Knollys assenteth to this though hee takes no notice of what hee sayes at any time But because hee perhaps will beleeve himself rather then me and because also his Followers and Schollers will give credit to his words rather then to any reasons produced by mee let them I pray heare what hee saith The Apostles and all the Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem saith hee met together with one accord in one place to wit the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domatim not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per singulas domos and thus they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quotidie day by day and they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer c. These are Master Knollys his owne words From the which all learned men may easily perceive the force of truth and the weaknesse and feeblenesse of errour for whiles the man labours to enervate my Argument he contradicteth himselfe and the holy Scriptures and overthrowes his owne Principles and confirmes my opinion for by his owne words it is evident there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers in Ierusalem
Jerusalem then before for although I should grant that this persecution was very great in respect of the intention of the persecutors as reaching to imprisonment and death of all sorts chap. 22. verse 4. and although I should likewise accord that in regard of the extent of it it reacheâ—h to all sorts both Preachers and Christians because it is said They were all scattered abroad through all the Regions c. except the Apostles both which notwithstanding I cannot yeeld unto for some reasons following but I say should I grant all this yet I affirme that this persecution rather made more Congregations in Ierusalem then fewer then there were before though they might be smaller and lesser then so to wast them and bring them to such a paucity as they might all meet in one Congregation for this their division was a cause of their multiplication at home and abroad as I said before and will afterwards appear And even as it was here in England in the time of the Prelates power when any assembly of those they called Puritans were at any time found together they were haled before Authority as the whole Kingdome can witnesse and these people were all scattered yet so as they still had their meetings in lesse numbers and whereas before they met perhaps a hundred in a company now this hundred was divided into three or four severall assemblies which were so many severall Churches for in all these they enjoyed all the acts of worship and did partake in all the Ordinances as fully as if they had been in the most crowded assemblyes but this they did for their own safety and that there might not be such notice taken of them for commonly if men see a good company of people goe into a house and none of them come out again they will by and by gather that there is something there to be done more than ordinary and that there is some exercise of Religion or some consultation and plotting about some designe or other and therefore it stirs up the people to take more notice of it and then they begin to examine the occasion of that concourse and to pry into their proceedings whereas if they come but in slender companies they conceive it to be some ordinary entertainment and think no farther of it so that they then more peaceably enjoy the society and fellowship one of another without any interruption which they could not so well have done if they had come in greater assemblies and companies And even so it was among the Beleevers and Christians in Ierusalem in that persecution they could not now meet in the Temple nor possibly at their wonted meeting houses and yet even then they had their assemblies no terrours could make them forsake the companying of themselves together For in that persecution that is spoken of in the 12. of the Acts we finde the Church assembled in severall places for they were praying in the house of Mary verse 12. there was one Congregation to which Peter comes and relates unto them the manner of his delivery and bids them go and tell it James and the brethren and there was another assembly and without doubt Peter went unto a third for he would not goe among the enemies and it stands with all reason that in this persecution also they were as zealous as then and therefore did not forsake the assembling of themselves together Neither would the Apostles be idle who gave themselves continually to prayer and the ministring of the Word which they could not have done if there had been but as many Christians in Ierusalem as could all have met in one place and in one Congregation for one or two of the Apostles could have preacht unto them all and then to what end or purpose did all the other Apostles tarry in Ierusalem who in all their motions and stayes were directed by the Spirit of God unlesse it were to comfort and support the Church there in the heat and rage of this persecution when they had scattered their other teachers from them From all which it may evidently appear that there was a very great multitude of beleevers at this time in Ierusalem and that they were not diminished or scattered though all their Pastors and Ministers saving the Apostles were And I have very good reason to induce me to beleeve That this persecution did not extend to all Christians promiscuously and that all the Beleevers were scattered and disperst except the Apostles as our brethren conceive For if wee consider the usuall method of the persecuting Jews and the manner and custome of all the enemies of the Church in all ages wee shall ever observe that they chiefely aymed at the taking away and extirpating of their teachers and Ministers and those that instructed them So the Iews malice was greatest against the Prophets in all ages as we may see Matth. the 5. verse the 12. For so they persecuted the Prophets and in the 23. of Matthew our Saviour saith verse 29. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hyprocrites because ye build the tombes of the Prophets and say if we had lived in the dayes of our Fathers wee would not have been partakers with them of the blood of the Prophets and therefore ye witnesse unto your selves that ye are the children of them which killed the Prophets Wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and some of them you shall kill and crucifie c. Here our Saviour Christ declares what method they had formerly used in their persecutions and that was chiefely to persecute their teachers and what method they would for the future take and that was principally To kill and crucifie the Prophets Wisemen and Scribes which Prophesie of Christ was here in this persecution manifestly fulfilled for here it is said They were all viz. their teachers scattered abroad and persecuted except the Apostles It was I say ever the method and custome of persecutors to ayme principally at the rooting out and taking away of those they supposed were ablest to teach and instruct the people and this enraged them against Iohn the Baptist and Christ himselfe and that made them at this time so mischievously to persecute their Ministers and Teachers Neither do I read in all the New Testament before thss persecution that as yet they were come to the massacring of the common people they had slain the Lord of Life and stoned Stephen and after in the 12. of the Acts we read How Herod slew James and because it pleased the Jews he proceeded to take Peter they alwayes had their eyes upon their teachers and haled them to prison as they did Peter and Iohn in the 4. of the Acts but for the people the onely punishment they under-went till this persecution was this That they were cast out of the Synagogues if any of them did publickly professe Christ Indeed in this persecution their violence extended to the haling of men and women to prison
But before we read of no violence offered unto the people onely they railed on them reviled and reproached them as all wicked men whose tongues are set on fire from Hell use to do on all the generation of the just The same method did the Prelates here in England use they chiefly and more principally persecuted the faithfull and painfull Preachers and Ministers every where and such as they thought best able to instruct the people and selected but here and there some private families for to scare others and this method Antichrist and his complices had learned from the devill and the Jewes So that when it is said they were all scattered except the Apostles it is to be understood that all their Preachers and Teachers the Apostles only excepted were scattered For the word all in this place must be understood either of all the Beleevers or of all the Teachers and Officers in the Church of Ierusalem except the Apostles But it cannot be understood of all the beleevers that they were all scattered and therefore it must be understood of all the Teachers and that for many reasons The first if all the beleevers had been scattered and none left to what end then should the twelve Apostles have remained in Ierusalem They were not to Preach to the walls neither would they have remained there idle but would rather have shaken off the dust of their feet as Christ commanded them for a witnesse against them Luke 10. And would have departed and have gone away with the rest of the Teachers as all good reason perswades A second reason is because if this particle all be alwayes exceptive or taken to the utmost and in the largest extent as some of the brethren imply and would have it then there should not one believer have been left in Ierusalem besides the Apostles which is expresly against the Text for vers 3. It is said That Saul brake into houses haling men and women committing them to prison and this he did at Ierusalem at this time as he acknowledgeth himselfe Acts 26. ver 10. And therefore of necessity it must follow That all the beleevers were not scattered abroad for some of them were in prison in Ierusalem And for ought I can gather all the rest were in their severall houses or else the Apostles could have had no harbour for if all their friends had been scattered by this tempest and if all the sheep had been drove away and the whole flock dispersed their Pastors without doubt would have followed them for he would be counted a very bad Shepherd that should not follow or look after the poor sheep that were scattered by the Wolves Neither can we imagine that the Apostles that were the Pastors of the flock of Jesus Christ and to whose care he had committed his sheep and his Lambes with a speciall charge that they should feed them would relinquish their care and choose rather to dwell amongst a company of Wolves from whome they could expect no faire measure then amongst the sheepe But in that all the Apostles still remained in Ierusalem I rather gather and that without all controversie they continued there for this very purpose that they might comfort and support the Church there and refresh the Beleevers in this heate of Persecution when they wanted the helpe of their other faithfull Ministers and Pastors Thirdly it is very evident from the Text they were onely the Preachers that were scattered for verse 4. It is said That they that were scattered went every where preaching the Word which expression in the Originall as may be proved by innumerable places signifieth such teachers as were Ministers by Office and such as preached by way of Sermons to a multitude though they might likewise in private conference instruct which their publike Ministery did not exempt them from And although private Christians may teach and instruct one another as Aquila and Priscilla taught Apollos and as all Christians are commanded to instruct one another Col. 3. verse 16. Yet this text speaks not of such a teaching but of preaching They went every where saith the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching the Word For teaching may be an act of Charity but preaching is an act of Office for how can they preach except they be sent Rom. 10. So that by vertue of their Office they might both publikely preach and in private converse also instruct others wheresoever they came whether they were sent out by persecution or by mission As I do conceive of any of those Godly Ministers that were not many yeares since drove from their habitations and that were persecuted out of their places by the Prelates that they might have preached publickly in any Congregation as Ministers and men in Office and might also have instructed privately but the one was an act of duty as it was their Office and the other of love and charity And so may a well gifted private Christian instruct and teach others upon occasion and in private conference which is an act of love but hee cannot properly be said to Preach which is an act of one in Office and belongs onely to the Presbyters and Pastors and such as for their sufficient learning and abilities are called unto the Ministry and ordained and set apart to this Office and such onely were those that were scattered except the Apostles and by all probability these Ministers and Preachers that wee scattered were those that were at the choosing of Matthias the seventy Disciples and many more So that for ought I can gather all the beleevers in Ierusalem yet remained in their severall habitations and dwellings except those that were haled to prison And therefore of necessity there must bee many Assemblies and Congregations yet in Ierusalem that made all the Apostles abide and continue still among them all which makes exceeding strongly to prove that there were innumerable multitudes of Beleevers still in Ierusalem which of necessitie were forced to divide their assemblies into more distributions and lesse Congregations then formerly and therefore rather multiplyed their assemblies then otherwise that by such Privacy they might avoide persecution as in our times good Christians here in London were wont to doe when the Prelates were in their ruff But out of this place I thus argue Where there were twelve of the most able painfull and diligent Preachers in the world and that gave themselves continually to prayer and the Ministery of the Word and at such a time as there was most need of preaching and when they could not publikely come together by reason of the Persecution and where there were innumerable multitudes of beleevers of all nations to be taught and preached unto in their severall Languages and tongues there of necessity there must be severall Congregations and assemblies for the imployment of them all both Preachers and hearers But in the Church of Jerusalem in the time of the hottest persecution there were the twelve Apostles the most able painefull
also the word is capable of this construction as may be proved if need required so that the conclusion doth follow And truly that of Saint Paul in the first of the Galatians is an excellent Argument to evince that there were more Congregations in Ierusalem then one where proving that hee had not received the Gospel which hee preached from men but from God hee useth this reason That if hee had received it from men it must bee from the Iewes and from the Apostles for the Gentiles were ignorant of it and hee was to carry the Gospel unto them and therefore they could not teach it him and to prove that hee received it not from the Apostles hee thus speaketh of himselfe When it pleased God to reveale his Sonne unto mee that I might preach him amongst the Heathen I immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Ierusalem to them that were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia Then after three yeares I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and aboade with him fifteene dayes but other of the Apostles saw I none save James the Lords Brother Out of the which words besides the singular testimony wee have that the preaching and writings of Saint Paul are the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the Word of the living God against the Papists we may evidently gather against the Independents that after the persecution there were more believers in Ierusalem then either did or could all meet in one place for in saying that he was with Peter fifteen dayes but in all that time saw none of the Apostles save Iames this I say is a sufficient Argument to prove more Congregations and assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem which so imployed the Apostles in their severall Ministeries asthey had not so much spare time to visit Paul and that Paul also was so taken up in preaching there that he had no leisure to visit them And for the diligence of the Apostles in their Ministry it is said in the sixth of the Acts That they gave themselves continually to prayer and to the Ministery of the Word and therefore they were never idle and that the Apostles either all or the most of them continued resident for many years in Ierusalem before they distributed themselves into severall Nations and Countries and that very few of them were sent abroad there are frequent testimonies in the Acts of the Apostles neither as yet did I ever hear it scrupled or call'd in question whether the Apostles were then there or no when Paul was at Ierusalem for it is taken pro confesso that either all or the most of them were at that time in Ierusalem neither doth Saint Paul say I saw none of the other Apostles because they were absent or were gone to Preach the Gospell in other places And for Saint Paul we reade that wheresoever he came he went into their Synagogues and into their Assemblies to Preach and that he preacht from house to house and he that gave so strict a charge to Timothy and in him to all Ministers that he should Preach in season and out of season he himselfe without all doubt would not neglect his duty who in the 20. of the Acts sets his owne example before all the Presbyters for their imitation in their diligent preaching and he ordinarily preached by the day and by the night as is manifest out of the same Chapter and many other places and surely the time he remained with Peter in Ierusalem he was as diligent in Preaching as he was in any of the other Churches and he professeth of himself that the care of all the Churches lay upon him that he laboured more then all the other Apostles in their particulars so that it standeth with all reason that while he was in Ierusalem he was very sedulous in Preaching as who had both strength of body and Gods speciall assistance and his immediate inspiration alwayes to help him in his Ministery so that I conceive as of charity I am bound that Paul was daily in one assembly or other now if there had been at that time no more beleevers in Ierusalem then could have met in one place congregation and Assembly then of necessity Paul must have seen the other Apostles there as well as Peter and Iames for they also were good Church-men to speake a little in the Prelats dialect and they never left the Word but were alwayes taken up either in praying or preaching amongst them in the Temple and from house to house yea in every house and if there had been but one Congregation or Assembly of beleevers in Ierusalem the Apostles would daily upon all occasion have been with their flock Now in that Paul saw them not in all that time he was in Ierusalem it is evidently apparent there were more Congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then one and more Christians then could all meet in any one or a few places But to proceed to a place or two more for the further confirmation of this truth Acts 12. verse 24. It is said there that the word of God grew and multiplped Here also we have another good effect of a new sierce persecution in Ierusalem it increased the number and multitude of Believers there after the Persecutor was taken away For the Word of God grew and multiplyed saith the Holy Ghost Out of which words I thus argue Where the Word of God daily more and more grew and multiplyed after the persecution that is to say where there were more multitudes and greater numbers of Believers added unto the Church through the Ministery and preaching of the Gospell then was before which notwithstanding was then so numerous as they could not all meete in any one place or roome to enjoy all the Ordinances to edification there of necessity they must be distributed into diverse assemblies and congregations to enjoy all the Ordinances to edification But in the Church of Ierusalem after a double persecution the Word of God daily more and more grew and mnltiplyed that is to say there were more multitudes and greater numbers of Believers added unto the Church through the ministery and preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles then was before which notwithstanding was then so numerous as they could not all possibly meet in any one place and roome Ergo there was a greater number of Beleevers after the Persecution then before and therefore of necessity they could not all meete in any one place or roome to communicate in all the Ordinances but must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would all be edified For the Major I conceive it is so evidently clear as no man of ordinary understanding will not see the truth of it For the Minor the Text proveth it and if we will compare Scripture with Scripture the truth of it will by and by be out of controversie for in the 15. of Iohn verse 16. Our Saviour
and Christs Disciples beleeved the maine points of the christian Faith and professed subjection unto the Gospell of Jesus Christ and his Kingdome as well as the hundred and twenty names and the other three thousand and this was as much as Iohn the Baptist Christ himselfe and all his Apostles required for the forming of them into a church or churches and making of any men or women Members of the same as is manifest in the second of the Acts verse 38 where Peter saith repent and be baptized And where likewise it is recorded That as many as gladly received the Word were baptized verse 41. and the same day were added to the church about three thousand Soules Neither was there required any more of those converted by Philippe in the church of Samaria Acts the 8. or of the Eunuch or of the Goaler or of any other that were admitted into church-fellowship in the Apostles â—imes then that they should beleeve and be baptized as is apparent through the whole story of the Acts. Now then when all that were baptized by the Baptist and Christs Disciples did all repent and beleeve as the Scripture relateth they did of which the hundred and twenty names were a part as well as those three thousand then they were all moulded into a church forme and formed into a church or churches as well as the three thousand that my brother Burton confesseth following the expresse Scripture were the first formed church And if beleeving the Gospell then and yeelding subjection unto it and repenting and being baptized were sufficient to make them Members and forme them into a church or Churches then beleeving and repenting now and being baptized and yeelding subjection unto the Gospell is sufficient for the making of either men or women Members and forming of them into a church or churches for these were the principall things and the only things then thought sufficient by the Baptist Christ and the blessed Apostles and all the Evangelists for the making of any Members and that in the Apostolicall prime and purest churches Neither have any Ministers of the Gospell in these our dayes any other rule to go by informing or gathering of churches or receiving of Members into any church then that Iohn the Baptist and the glorious Apostles and Disciples of Christ had all the which notwithstanding did then set up Christ upon his Throne as well as any Independent Ministers in our times and therefore as it is high presumption and rashnesse in those of the congregationall way to make or frame to themselves and to the Church of God any other rules to go by in forming of churches then those set down by Christ himselfe who is only to be heard Mat. 17. So it is a great sinne and breach of charity in them to deny those to be formed into a church or churches that observe not their new rules and yet observe and follow Christs injunctions and commands from all which I may well and safely conclude That when those that were baptized by the Baptist and Christs Disciples imbraced the Christian faith and professed subjection unto it and unto Christ the Messiah and were baptized by them into Christ or in his name who were men in office and sent of God to this purpose as having their commission immediately from him for their so doing for so Saint John saith Ioh. 1. v. 33. He that sent me to baptize c. so Christ saith Go teach all Nations and Baptize them c. Mat. 28. I say when this was the substance of Iohn the Apostles commission and when John performed it accordingly baptizing all Jerusalem and all Judea and all the Regions round about Matth. 3. and when the Disciples of Christ baptized more then John Iohn 4. then it followes that all those they baptized were all moulded into a Church or Churches as well as the hundred and twenty names who were baptized by their Ministery and those thousands that were converted baptized and added unto the Church in the 2. of the Acts by the Preaching and Ministery of Peter and the other Apostles and were all by the same reason formed into a Church or Churches not withstanding whatsoever my brother Burton and I. S. speake and dispute to the contrary and therefore they ought to have beene taken notice of by my good brother as formed into a Church or Churches And if it be duly considered what the Independents teach and hold concerning a true formed Church after the New Testament forme and according to their Principles then this very Church my Brother Burton saith was the first formed Church wee reade of was neither in his owne opinion nor according to the doctrine of those of the congregationall way a true formed Church as not having distinct Officers and Members united into one Church body respectively and therefore not a church properly so called and so then it will follow there was not at that time a true formed church in the World which is impious to say or thinke as in the sequell of this tractate by Gods assistance I shall abundantly make appeare and that from my Brother Burtons owne words and from the Independents definition of a Church and therefore my Brother Burton ought as little to have taken notice of those converted by Peters Sermon for the first formed Church as of those that were baptized by Iohn and Christs Disciples for they had not their distinct Officers and Members united into a Church body respectively according to their learning yea they had not then Deacons at all nor Elders as many of the Independents hold nor other of their requisits for the making of a formed Church and therefore it was notachurch properly so called to speake in their Dialect But of these things in their due place I will now examine his following discourse by which the vanity of my Brother Burton will the better appeare and for the which I perswade my selfe he will receive if not a severe censure at least a moderate check such an one as I causelessly had not long since from a Plumporidge Presbyterian brother one of their fellow comoners and a trencher friend to that party for my Brother Burton doth in exprâ—sse words grant that which all the Independents and those of his faction absolutely deny viz. That there were many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Jesalem this I say he granteth which all they deny attesting the contrary as all their dissenting Arguments shew who labour to prove that there were not many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem and in formall words affirme That there were no more Beleevers in that Church then did and could all meet together in one place and congregation for they knew very well that if they should grant that the day on their side is lost and this caused Master Knollys by name and I. S. to come out against me for holding there were many congregations with a promise that if
was a mighty company for it is related that the people of the City with one accorde from the greatest to the least both men and women believed and were baptized Now if any man shall duly consider and weigh things this City was no contemptible one as appears from that I said before and yet it is asserted by the holy Ghost who is worthy to be believed and credited that all the people of that City from the greatest to the least both men and women believed and were baptized and therfore they could not all meet in any one place or a few neither was any one Pastor able to Teach them all which appeareth in that the Church of Ierusalem at first sent two of the chiefest Apostles Peter and Iohn to Samaria so that all this shews there was an innumerable company of believers in that City all which could not meete in any one or a few places as all reason will easily perswade Besides the Apostles Evangelists and the Ministers of those times had an other manner of converting faculty then the Independents in our dayes who I never yet heard converted any though they have perverted and seduced many For the Apostles and Evangelists and the primitive Ministers there were immediatly sent of God and inspired with the holy Ghost and spake in all Languages and did Miracles such as none could doe but those that came from God as Nicodemus said unto Christ that none could doe such works and miracles as he did except God were with him Iohn 3. 2. for they cured all manner of diseases with their word and shaddow they raised the dead made the lame to walke and cast out Devils and did whatsoever was wonderfull Withall they Preached unto them the glad tidings of joy and peace and of everlasting happinesse after a miserable life here and did also instruct them how to order their wayes and conversations here so that they might live with honour and dye with comfort and be usefull to all men both in life and death and after death And the Apostles Evangelists and Ministers of those times as they did good wherever they came so they lived so holily and unblameably in all manner of conversation and were men of such integrity sincerity and of such plaine upright dealing as the people that beheld their conversation and saw withall their workes of wonder that they did said of them that gods were come downe amongst them in the likenesse of men so that they converted whole cities and countries wheresoever they came yea it was an ordinary thing with them to bring whole Nations in a short time and with a few Miracles to the obedience of the faith as wee may see through the whole Storie of the Acts and from that of Paul Rom. the 15. verse 18. 19. where the Apostle abundantly declareth the effect of the Gospel and Miracles of those times who wrought so powerfully wheresoever they came even to the converting of whole countries and cities and so they prevailed in this citie of Samaria that the people of the same were speedily converted from the greatest to the least both men and women who all beleeved and were baptized and what rationall man will thinke or can beleeve that all the people men and women of a mighty and royall citie could meet in any place or a few to partake in all acts of worship but must necessarily be distributed into divers congregations and churches if they would partake in all ordinances and yet all these made up but one Church as being under one government that of the Presbyterie for there were Presbyters ordained in every Church and in every citie as is apparent from Acts the 14. verse 23. and Titus the 1. And now I have proved that the two Mother cities of Palestine Ierusalem and Samaria consisting of many congregations were Presbyterially and classically governed I will goe on to the other cities of the Gentiles enumerated by my brother Burton and prove that they also consisted of many congregations and assemblies and were all subordinate to their severall Presbyteries and Classes And first I will begin with the citie of Corinth w ch was a famous citie and in the which there was an illustrious church and therfore in it also there was constituted a Presbytery that was many Presbyters to governe and rule that Church and those congregations under them for it is said Acts the 14. that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every church and Paul and Barnabas were Ministers in the church of Corinth yea Paul planted this church and Apollo with Barnabas and the Presbyters watred it and therefore there must necessarily be many congregations and assemblies in that church For one Pastor or Minister would have beene sufficient for owne flocke at least a Pastor and a Teacher or a Doctor would have beene sufficient to have fed one congregation now in that they had many ordinary Pastors and many extraordinary Teachers in it with all good reason it followeth that there were many assemblies and many congregations in that church which will yet more abundantly appeare from its first constitution or planting for wee reade of multitudes both of Jewes and Gentiles in that Citie that beleeved Acts the 18. verse 5. 7 8. c. and that besides Iustus Crispus also and all his houshold and many Corinthians beleeved and were baptized and the Lord also said that hee had many people in that Citie ver 10. which by the diligent preaching of Paul for eighteene moneths together were converted verse 11. for whose further building up in their most holy faith Paul Apollos Timothy Cephas and many other extraordinary famous Ministers and Teachers besides their owne Presbyters were all constantly imployed in season out of season in preaching the Gospel and administring the holy Sacraments and labouring in word and doctrine 1 Cor. 3 4. all the which imports many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers in that Citie Besides both the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians shew that there were multitudes of deceitfull Teachers Seducers and false Apostles which urged the ceremoniall Law and the observation of it and they also had their congregations and assemblies there were also many vaine Instructers and idle Teachers who though they kept the foundation yet built upon it wood hay and stubble Now all reason will suggest that Pastors of such severall minds and teaching such severall discrepant doctrines had all of them schollers followers of the same opinion wherof their several Pastors were as now we see in the several Sects in our times therefore they did not all meet in one or a few places except we understand their meetings for the convention of their Officers with a part of the more choyce people for discipline besides as wee have expresse mention of a Church in Aquila and Priscylla's house 1 Cor. 16. so there were many other meeting places in Corinth where the Christians assembled themselves together for in expresse words there
Characters are evidently visible and apparent and those that either countenance vile persons and honour not such as fear the Lord or break their vows promises and covenants with either God or men they in Gods repute are not Saints indeed pretend they what they will but are wicked and ungodly men and such as bring down the wrath of God upon the place where they live For as Solomon saith By the blessing of the righteous the city is saved so by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown Prov. 11. ver 11. Wicked and ungodly men are the cause of the ruine of Cities and Countryes according to that of Saint Paul the second of Timothy chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5. This know also saith he that in the last dayes perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection covenant-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traiterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turne away For of this sort are they which creep into widdows houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts c. In the which words briefly we may take notice that the Apostle setting down the reason of the perilousnesse and danger of the latter times saith not that either in respect of wars or pestilences or famines or earth-quakes or inundations or murthers slaughters and robberies or for any such calamities the lastdayes and times shall be perillous but they shall be perillous times saith he for that men shall be lovers of themselves covenant-breakers false accusers covetous c. So that selfe-love covetousness false accusations of their brethren and covenant-breaking c. are the cause that makes times perillous and brings down the judgements of God upon any city and places where the Inhabitants are practicers of these sinnes And therefore the Apostle after he had forewarned all such as fear God of the cause of all the evills that are comming upon the world commands all the true Saints indeed to take heed of such men and in expresse words sayes from such turne away have nothing to do with such for all covenant-breakers and false accusers and such as countenance vile persons and honour not them that fear the Lord and such as keep not their word and promise with neither God nor men are the cause of the perils and miseryes that shall come upon the world and therefore all such are not Saints indeed but ought to be abhorred and avoyded according to that of Solomon Prov. 4. ver 14 15. Enter not saith he into the path of the wicked and go not into the way of evill men Avoyd it passe not by it turne from it and passe away Here we see the wise man as if he could never have given caution enough to all his schollers by many reduplications of his words gives all the people of God a strict charge not so much as to company with such men and that for the many reasons set down in the following verses but this reason specified by Saint Paul may suffice who saith That all covenant-breakers and false accusers and self-seekers are the causes of perillous times and so are all such in whose eyes a vile person is not contemned and who honour not such as fear the Lord and who keep not their covenant and promise For all such are no Saints in Gods esteem and therefore a wicked generation of men and such as make the times wherein they live perillous and dangerous and therefore ought by all the true Saints and godly to be shunned and avoyded Now if it can be proved that the Independents be such as in whose eyes a vile person is not contemned and such as honour not those that fear the Lord and such as keep not their word and promise neither with God nor man but are notorious covenant-breakers or assenters to all such persons then it will follow that they are not Saints indeed For the Characters of the true Saints are to contemn a vile person to honour those that fear the Lord and to keep their vowes and promises both with God and men for not onely the Psalmist thus describeth the true Saints but Saint John also saith By this men are known to be Saints if they love the brethren by this saith Christ ye shall be known to be my Disciples that is Saints indeed if ye love one another I shall therefore demand of any well grounded Christian Whether they beleeve that those that run from place to place and joyn with any wicked and ungodly men and seeke their advancement that to places of the greatest trust in the Kingdome and prefer them before such as they dayly acknowledg to be godly and truly religious and will run from Committee to Committee to do the most wicked and vile men and known Malignants any courtesie and will both in word countenance and deeds favour and honour them I demand I say whether they think that in such mens eyes as will do all these offices to wicked persons and that in opposition to any of their godly brethren and that will at any time joyn with any such against either the godly and painfull Ministers or their Presbyterian brethren to defame them or do them any mischiefe or to remove them from their places and livelyhoods or for the hindring of their preferments yea and which is more for the hindring of the work of Reformation in the Church I demand I say of any truly godly Christian whether they think that in any such mens eyes as do all these offices and courtesies to wicked and ungodly men a vile person is contemned when he dayly seeth the contrary that they honour them and prefer them before such as fear the Lord I am most assured he will conclude and affirme That in their eyes a vile person is not contemned Now that this is the dayly practice of the Independents I undertake upon my life to prove it by a cloud of witnesses and that there is not the vilest person nor the wickedest wretch that they will not joyn with to do any of their Presbyterian brethren a mischief that they will not give credit to in falsly belying their brethren yea it can be proved that when the Independents have been demanded by some godly and orthodox Ministers why they have left the publick Assemblies seeing there was now no ceremonies nor any thing in their doctrine that they could finde fault with and they have replyed That it was in regard that their Congregations were mixt that tagg ragg and all sorts of men were admitted to the Sacrament with whom they could not joyne Whereupon the Ministers that they might remove this scandall and offence laboured by all means to perswade the people so to behave themselves as they might manifest unto
and seduced and deceived such multitudes of simple people as they have done and that in a short time what multitudes of people may all men thinke those learned Rabbies those Priests with all the Apostles daily converted in Jerusalem when their doctrine was so crowned with so many miracles If the holy Scripture should never have delivered it unto the world that they converted innumerable companies yet common reason would perswade every man that they must needs have converted many thousands by the Ministry of them all but when the Scripture relateth unto us Matt. 3. and Marke the 1. and in many other places that all Ierusalem went out to the Baptisme of John and that they were baptized by him in Iordan and were made good Christians and when it farther also recordeth that there were three thousand converted at one Sermon and Miracle and saith in the same chapter that the Lord added daily unto the Church such as should be saved and when in the fourth chapter it relateth the conversion of five thousand men more and in the fifth chapter saith that more multitudes both of beleevers of men and women were added to the Lord and when in the sixth chapter it saith that the word of God increased and that the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith all these places witnesse unto the world that they came into the Church in such great bodies as they could not now bee told for when they came in by by three thousand at a time and five thousand they could speedily be reckoned but when the increase grew so great they were forced then to set them downe as it were by whole sale not in enumerate parcels and spake of them as of numberlesse companies saying multitudes of beleevers both of men and women that is to say mighty congregations and great assemblies of both sexes in such abundance came in as they could not be told and as if this had not beene enough the holy Scripture speakes upon all occasions of the increase of the Word and sets downe in generall termes that the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were also obedient to the faith and as if this had not beene sufficient in many other places of the Acts there is mention made of the increase of Beleevers and in expresse words in the 21. of the Acts it is said that there were many ten thousands of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem now all men know that all these could not possibly no not a quarter of them meet in any one place or a few to communicate in all Ordinances to edification neither was there any place or roome spacious enough to containe the very bodies of the tenth part of them and if any place could have held the tenth part of them yet then it had beene impossible that they could then have partaken in all acts of worship to edification for they could not have heard the voice of their Ministers preaching unto them for by daily experience wee see it that in one of our Churches here in London which will not nor cannot hold halfe ten thousand that halfe of them ordinarily cannot well heare the voice of the Minister though hee have a strong paire of Lungs yea I heare men daily complaine that they could not understand the Minister preaching they stood so farre off from him when notwithstanding there were not three thousand then in the Church yea and I my self have been in lesse Assemblies where all the people could not heare to edification and therefore all reason will perswade any man that is not resolved ever to resist the truth that there must of necessity be many congregations of Beleevers in Ierusalem where there were such infinite multitudes especially they are bound to beleeve it when the Scripture in so many places as I have quoted saith there were many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers in that Church which I have at this time briefly related that if be possible I might at last satisfie Sir I. S. and perswade him to beleeve the Scripture and be satisfied with it if hee will not beleeve mee or be satisfied with any thing I can say to convince him of his error But if all I have hitherto writ will not satisfie his tender conscience and take his scruples out of his mind I shall now before I conclude this point for a Corallary desire him to heare what my brother Burton Saint Hanserdo two faithfull brethren of his society have writ concerning this busines It may be I. S. upon the testimony of two such approved witnesses and great Masters of the Assembly of the congregationall way will be perswaded that there were many Congregations of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem though he would not be satisfied with any thing I have delivered I cannot but often make mention of my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo because all the Ill-dependents judge them to bee very honest men and suppose that they will speake the truth and I beleeve also that Sir I. S. hath a very venerable opinion of them both for their singular wisdome and erudition I intreat I. S. therefore in the first place to heare my brother Burton sapientum octavum it may be his words may satisfie his scrupulous and tender conscience who in the ninth page of his wise booke sayes that the beleevers in Ierusalem when there were but three thousand of them and five thousand at most were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in severall private hou es to communicate Saint Hanserdoes words are these page 10. 11. The Apostles and all the Beleevers in Ierusalem met together in one place to wit the Temple and in Solomons Porch and brake bread from house to house Thus they both declare their faith and opinion cencerning the number and assemblies of Beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem and that in the infancy of it Now then when there were but about three thousand and six score soules at the first and five thousand in all at last according to the computation of my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo they were then forced into many congregations and companies as having no convenient place spacious enough as wherein to break bread so that they were forced to heare the Word in the Temple that is one place and in Solomons Porch that is another place and to communicate in severall private houses according to my brother Burtons doctrin and to break bread from house to house or house by house and that dayly or day by day according to Saint Hanserdoes learning that is in innumerable places I say when by the testimony of these two Seraphicall Doctors it is evident that in the very infancy and childhood of that Church There were many Asse blies and Congregations and that in severall private houses or from house to house how many congregations and assemblies of beleevers
may we suppose were then in the Church at Ierusalem when many more great congregations and Assemblies of Beleevers were dayly added to that Church and when the holy Word of God in expresse termes in the 21. chap. of the Acts saith There were many ten thousands of beleevers there without all controversie there must needs at that time be a mighty many of Assemblies and Congregations and yet in the very infancy of it and when there were but five thousand beleevers as my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo do both witnesse they then had divers Assemblies and Congregations and communicated in severall private houses and brake bread from house to house that is to say in every house And therefore I have now great hope that not onely Mr Knollys will confesse the brethren have acknowledged That there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem but that Sir I. S. his scrupulous conscience also will be satisfied about this point especially when it commeth ratified not onely by Scripture but by the testimony and witnesse also of my brother Burton and Saint Hanserdo But if Sir I. S. shall still persevere in the error of his wayes and shall be so far from beleeving that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of beleevers in the Church of Ierusalem as he will yet swear there were no more Saints there then could or did dayly all meet in one place or congregation then I will conclude of him that he is a gentleman very fit to be made a Knight of the post whether I send him to be whipped out of his grolleries Having for the gratifying Mr Knollys and Sir I. S. and for the undeceiving of all cordiall and well affected Christians and such as desire to know the truth been the more large in this controversie I shall now refer my selfe and all that I have said concerning my first and second propositions to the judgement of every indifferent Reader whether I have not sufficiently proved not onely that there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem but that it is likewise acknowledged by the brethren that there were many Assemblies of them there if any credit may be given either to my brother Burton or to Saint Hanserdo and if they shall judge that I have sufficiently proved it both from Scripture and Reason and from the testimony of two prime witnesses of the Independent party against whom there can be no just exception by any of the Congregationall way they being of their own fraternity Mr Henry Burton and Saint Hanserdo by name I shall again challenge Mr Knollys his promise who hath ingaged himselfe That if I could by the expresse word of Scripture evince there were many congregations of beleevers in the Church at Jerusalem that he would relinquish his grollish opinion of Independency Now therefore when I have done it both by Scripture and the two witnesses above specified I say again I challenge his promise and if he notwithstanding all I have writ will not abandon this his error I shall never esteem him to be either a man of faith or common honesty and shall for ever hereafter proclaim both himself and all such teachers as he is fighters against God and his truth and resisters of his holy Spirit and such as withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse And so I conclude this second Proposition and come now to see what they have to say to the third My third Proposition is this viz. That the Apostles and Presbyters Governed Ordered and Ruled this Church consisting of many congregations and Assemblies by a common Councell and Presbytery This is my third Proposition which is evident out of many places of the Acts and sundry other places of holy Writ some of which with my Arguments I shall here relate in order as they were first set down in my book called Independency not Gods Ordinance the which Mr Knollys I. S. and my brother Burton indeavoured to Answer unto And after I have faithfully related the Arguments I deduced from those severall Scriptures by which I then made good my third Assertion I shall also truely set down the Answer of Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. to all those Arguments The places therefore of Scripture with my Arguments gathered from thence are these following Acts 11. 27. And in those dayes there came Prophets from Ierusalem to Antioch and there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth through all the world which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar then the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send reliefe unto the brethren that dwelt in Iudaea which also they did and sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Here in these last words we see that the Presbyters and none but the Presbyters received the Almes for it is said They sent it to the Presbyters by the hands of Barnabas and Saul which sufficiently proveth That the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in government as who had the Ordering and authority of appointing unto the Deacons how they should distribute those monyes that they might be best improved and disposed of which is an act of government as all men that know what belongs unto government will acknowledge Now should it be granted that these Presbyters here spoken of were the Presbyters of Iudaea which notwithstanding is not specified but onely the distressed brethren in Iudaea yet had it been in expresse words set down That the Almes had been sent to the Presbytery of Judaea the Presbytery of Ierusalem must necessarily have been included in it as being the Metropolis of Iudea and it was an ordinary thing for the Churches that were abroad and particularly that of Antioch to send to the Apostles and Presbyters of Ierusalem as we may see Act. 11. ver 22. and Act. 15. And by all probability Paul and Barnabas brought these Almes to the Presbyters of Ierusalem for he in the fifteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans maketh mention of a contribution that was made in Macedonia and Achaia for the poor Saints in Jerusalem Whether the Apostle saith he was going to Minister unto them and desired the Romans to pray for him that he may be delivered from the unbeleeving Jews and that his service for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints which by the learned Interpreters is generally taken that Paul speaketh of this time and that they were then sent to Ierusalem from Antioch But howsoever it should be understood that these almes were sent to the Presbyters in Iudea yet these two conclusions necessarily result from it The first that this expression comprehends also the Presbyters of Ierusalem as being the chiefe City of Iudea The second that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men to whom the government and ordering of businesses was committed and in whose hands the power and authority lay of
disposing of the very charity and bounty of the brethren to all the necessitated Disciples within their jurisdictions and who gave directions to the Deacons how they should be distributed to the best emolument and benefit of the poor and according to the intention of these benefactors which as it is an act of Government and that a principall one so of necessity the Presbyters must then meet together that by their joynt and common consent and councell all things may be rightly ordered But in the chap. 15. v. 2. 4. 6. 22. the Presbyters of Ierusalem by name are expressed and in chap. 16. and in Act. 21. v. 17. 18. in these words Then they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine other of them should go up to Ierusalem unto the Apostles and Presbyters about this question and they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Presbyters to whom they declared all things that God had done with them and how that there rose up certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which beleeved saying that it was needfull to circumcise them and to command them to keepe the law of Moses and the Apostles and Presbyters came together to consider of this matter c. ver 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and Presbyters with the whole Church c. and chap. 16. v. 4. And as they went through the Cities they delivered them the Decrees to keepe that were ordained of the Apostles and Presbyters which were at Ierusalem c. and chap. 21. v. 17 18. And when we were come to Ierusalem the Brethren received us gladly and the day following Paul went in with us unto Iames and all the Presbyters were present and v. 25. As touching the Gentiles which beleeve we have written and concluded say the Presbyters that they observe no such thing Out of all which places before I forme my arguments to prove That the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies was governed by a Presbytery that is by the joynt consent and common Councel of the Apostles and Presbyters which made but a grand Presbytery I shall desire all men to consider that howsoever the Apostles in the places above specified are differenced by that title from the Presbyters yet in all acts of government performed by them in the Church of Jerusalem they were for the substance of them ordinary acts such as Presbyters dayly performe and therefore answerably the Apostles themselves are in them to be considered as Presbyters that is men governing in an ordinary way as such as had received the keyes which is the power of jurisdiction and therefore were in their ordinary imployment though at other times in their severall ministries and going from Nation to Nation to preach as Christs extraordinary Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. they used superlative authority which God had invested them with and graciously bestowed upon them for the benefit of the Church and the good of his people and I am induced so to beleeve because the Apostles in holy Scripture are called Presbyters that is the ordinary Governours and Magistrates of the Church though the more principall and primary ones and therefore did act as Presbyters in ordinary acts of Church Government and for a pattern to all Churches in like administration Neither may any suppose for all this that the Apostles did fall lower in their power in that they acted as Presbyters for our brethren do acknowledge that at Ierusalem the Apostles acted as Presbyters of a particular Congregation Now then if they did not fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a particular Congregation what reason will dictate to any man that they should fall lower in their power by acting as Presbyters in a joynt Presbytery The truth is to govern and to rule the Church was the ordinary imployment of the Apostles and therefore they are stiled Presbyters which is to say the Rulers Councellours Magistrates and Governours of the Church neither for all this did their Presbyterships exclude their Apostleships nor did their acting as Presbyters deprive them of their Apostolique power nor of that Apostolique spirit which guided them even in these things wherein they acted as Presbyters for although under one notion we looke upon the Apostles as extraordinary men yet under another as in all those affaires of publique concernment and in matter of government and for that end the assembling of themselves together we do not consider them as Apostles for therein they did not act as Apostles with a transcendent and infallible authority and in an extraordinary way but as Presbyters and ordinary Governours and Councellours and in such a way as makes their meetings and actions a patterne and president to succeeding ages and of the Presbyters congregating of themselves together for common acts of Government whether in a Presbyterian or Synodicall way And as it is in civill affaires and in the government of Kingdomes and States so it was then in the Church of God in a Kingdome some of the Counsellors are of the more secret admission and are generally called Cabbinet Counsellors and are counted of as extraordinary men and others of the generall ordinary Councel yet when all these sit in a Common Councell together to consult about matters of State and publique concernment they â—it then together as ordinary Councellours and every one of them has as much authority and liberty to debate things by reason and dispute in way of consultation and to give his vote about any thing as well as any of the most extraordinary Councellors and this hath been the practise of all ages We read that Hushy when he was by Absalon called into counsell had his voice and gave his vote as well as Achitophel the Oracle of that time and as in the Common-Councels and Parliaments of Kingdomes whatsoever honour dignity or extraordinary imployments any of them were taken up in before their session and meeting or whatsoever dignity or titles of honour they have extraordinarily above others and take their places accordingly before they come together into the Parliament yet they all sitting as Judges and Peeres in the Kingdome the meanest Lord in the Kingdome hath as much authority there as the greatest and so in the House of Commons as they are Judges and chosen by the people for that purpose have all of them even the meanest as much voice and authority in way of consultation as the greatest And so likewise in the Synod or Assembly now of Divines the meanest Presbyter hath as much voice and liberty in way of debate and voting as the greatest Prelate there And even so it was in the Church of Jerusalem when the Apostles those extraordinary gifted men and the Ordinary Presbyters met together in counsel they all acted there as counsellors and ordinary presbyters and therefore in all those particular actions of the Apostles wee have mention of in their severall meetings whether wee consider them by themselves alone and not joyned with the
office of Elders or Presbyters in the 14. chapter where it is said that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every Church and therefore they appointed them first in the Mother-church Jerusalem for out of Zion saith the Prophet shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem yea they gave those Officers their names and invested them all with power to execute their severall Offices as is manifest Acts the 6. and in the 20. of the same booke and in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus They also had the power of making warre and peace with the Nations and all the Inhabitants of the earth for they preached and published the glad tydings of peace to all such as received the Gospel and denounced warre and death with all manner of judgements to those that obeyed not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 1. verse 8. and to the Apostles and Presbyters in Ierusalem likewise as to their ultimate and extreme refuge and reliefe and helpe all appeales were made as we may see in the fifteenth of the Acts and in the 6. and in the 9. and in the 15. of the same booke as to the supreme Tribunall upon earth in Gods matters in whose hands all the highest power and soveraigne authority for Ecclesiasticall matters then resided and whose place it was not only to hear the controversies and differences of greatest concernment in Christs Kingdome his Church but also to decide and determine them and put a finall period unto them the which example of theirs was left as a presiâ—ent of imitation to all succeeding ages for Ministers to doe the like upon the like occasions as in that controversie that arose among the Christians at Antioch through false Teachers by whom that heresie was broched viz. that it was necessary to salvation that the ceremoniall Law should be observed and that Beleevers could not be saved without it by which great scandall was given to the weak lewes who by this meanes were alienated from the beleeving Gentiles because they did neglect those Ceremonies whereupon there arose a great schisme and rent amongst the brethren to the disturbance of the Church of God Now for the deciding and determining of this controversie the Christians of Antioch appeale to the Apostles and Presbyters at Ierusalem as knowing that all power was given unto them both Dogmaticall Diatacticall and Criticall yea authoritative and commanding who entring into a Councell and Synod and there debating the busines by Reason Arguments and Disputation and finding by disquisition of the whole matter what was the good will and pleasure of God what hee had revealed concerning the Gentiles and the New Covenant under the Gospel they determined the whole matter according to the written Word of God not pretending any new Revelation or new light or any extraordinary or superlative assistance in the deciding that debate but only exercised that ordinary soveraigne power in the church of God which God had invested them with and given unto them in his holy Word the rule and square of all Doctrines and not onely unto them but to all his faithfull Ministers his servants to the end of the world and in the deciding of this controversie they first shewed and put forth their dogmaticall power confuting and convincing the heresie and vindicating the truth Secondly they declared their diatacticall authority making a practicall Canon or Law for avoyding of scandall and abstaining from such things as gave occasion of it Thirdly they exercised their criticall power and judiciary authority verse 24. condemning and branding those Teachers with that infamous and blacke marke of Lyers subverters of soules and troublers of the Church Fourth and lastly they sufficiently manifested their imparative and authoritative power in sending those Decrees unto the Churches of the Gentiles with doe this and live v. 29. for so much the words imports all which are acts of soveraigne power and authority in all governments whatsoever as the learned know which when they resided in the Apostles and Presbyters of the Church at Ierusalem and were exercised by them there it is sufficiently manifest that all the power of government likewise remained and resided wholly and solely in the Apostles and Presbyters hands and that they exercised it by joynt consent and the Common-councell of them all for all acts of government ever run in the name of all the Apostles or in the name of the Apostles and Presbyters Lastly they had the disposing of the treasury of that Church in their hands as all the Presbyters of all the other Churches had for they brought the monies alwayes to the Apostles and laid them downe at their feet as it appeareth Act. 4. and afterwards all the monies and almes were sent to the Presbyters through all Churches as in whose hands the soveraigne authority lay which they never gave out of their hands or relinquished but upon all occasions gave directions to their severall Deacons how to distribute them for the good of the church and for the common emolument of the poore Saints for otherwise to what end should the almes and benevolences of the Gentiles be sent unto the Presbyters in the churches in Iudaea if they had not beene the men in authority in those churches and to whom the government of them belonged and who only and wholly had the disposing of them Now then when the contribution and releefe was sent unto the Presbyters of the church in Ierusalem as wel as the other churches it followeth that they and they only had the power and authority in that church which they ever exercised by the joynt consent and common councell and agreement of them all for it was sent unto all the Presbyters in every church and therefore they were in common to dispose of them Now before this reliefe was sent thither and long after that as the story of the Acts declareth most of the Apostles resided there and all the Apostles were Presbyters as the Independents themselves doe acknowledge and the same Scripture that relateth that the almes and reliefe were sent speaking in the plurall number saith they were sent unto the Presbyters now they were all Presbyters and therefore they were sent unto them in common and if wee observe the Dialect of holy writ through the whole story of the Acts wee shall find for the most part if there be any mention made of any act of government that either all the Apostles or some more of them are ever made mention of to be the chiefe Moderators and prime Agents in the busines which was never carried by any one of them or by the multitude or people and it it is credibly beleeved that most of the Apostles resided in Ierusalem or in Judaea till after the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem Act. 15. and for the Apostle Saint Iames it is the opinion of most of the Ecclesiasticall Writers that hee continued President of the Presbytery in Ierusalem his whole life time
sent to Samaria by the Apostles Act. the 8. and Paul and Barnabas were sent from Antioch by that Church there to Ierusalem and from Jerusalem they were sent againe to Antioch Syria Galatia so that they were as much dependent as any other Ministers of the Gospel and therefore M. Knollys is altogether in error in asserting that the Apostles were independent neither is that true also that the presbyters were dependent upon the Apostles any farther then they commanded in the Lord for there was a speciall caution caveat made to the contrary not only by Christ himselfe who said to all his Followers and Disciples beware of false Prophets and false Christs but also by the Apostles themselves and that in the Synod at Ierusalem Acts the 15. who bad all the Gentiles beware and take heed that they listned not to any as comming from them unlesse they taught according to the word of God and their decrees yea Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians Gal 1. verse 7 8. gives them and all Christians a speciall charge that if hee himselfe or any of the Apostles or an Angell from heaven should teach otherwise then hee had taught them that they should account him accursed and the same doctrine hee delivereth to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 10. and 11. charging them to take heed of fals Apostles although they transformed themselves into the Ministers of Righteousnesse and injoynes Timothy and Titus to doe the same and in them warnes all Christians to beware of false Teachers though they come in the name of Apostles if they bring not the doctrine of Christ and teach not according to sound words and the same doth Saint Peter in his Epistles and Saint Iohn in all his Epistles and commandeth them withall that they should not receive them into their houses nor bid them God speed and the same doth Saint Iude in his and the Church of Ephesus Revel the 2. verse 2. is commended for discovering and casting out the false Apostles by all which and many more proofs and reasons that might be alleaged it is apparently evident that the Presbyters did not depend upon the Apostles themselves but upon Christ whose Ministers and Angels they were and the stars in his right hand Apocalyp the 2. verse 1. who had their authority and Commission as well from Christ as the Apostles themselves had theirs and who preserved and protected them as well as hee did the Apostles bidding them not to be affraid what man could doe against them as the second and third chapters of the Revelations sufficiently declare and therefore they were all dependent upon Christ and not upon the Apostles as Master Knollys fondly saith who were their fellow servants though in a higher degree and order and if wee duly consider the transaction of all the busines in the Synod at Ierusalem Acts 15. the Presbyters were as much guided by the spirit in that Councell as the Apostles themselves as I said in my Argument and shall by and by by Gods assistance more abundantly prove that all the world may see the vanity of Master Knollys who thinkes all men should take for an Oracle every word that fals from his pen though it be never so erroneous and never so lyable to exception and just controule as that other of his expressions is where he saith that the Apostles were alwayes guided by the spirit in the Government of their Churches in the which words there is a twofold error for Peter was not guided by the spirit neither when Christ called him Sathan neither when he denyed his Master nor when he temporized amongst the Galatians besides the Churches were not the Apostles Churches as he erroneously and ignorantly speaketh but they were Christs golden Candlesticks Revel 1. ver 20. who walked amongst them And the Apostles professe 2 Cor. 4. ver 5. that they preached not themselves but Jesus Christ the Lord and themselves the servants of the Church for Jesus his sake and in the first of the Corinthians chap. 3. ver 21 22 23. Therefore let no man glory in men saith the Apostle for all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods If the Churches therefore be Christs golden Candlesticks and his Churches and his houses as Paul in the 1 of Timothy averreth ch 3. ver 14 15. where he saith These things I write unto thee that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth if therefore I say Churches be the houses of God and the Churches of the living God and the golden Candlesticks of Jesus Christ and he be the Lord of them and there be also a speciall prohibition given by Christ himselfe to all his Apostles and to all ministers that they should not Lord it over his people as the Princes of the Gentils did over them that were their subjects how then can Mr Knollys say that the Churches were the Apostles Churches Every man I conceive that hath any ordinary understanding that with deliberation shall read Mr Knollys scriblings will conclude of him That he is altogether ignorant in sacred things and if he had not been a frontlesse man and without all shame he would never have published so many errors and so much ignorance as he hath done to the view of the world neither would he ever have said that though the Apostles were called Presbyters in the Scripture yet they acted not as Presbyters especially when it was proved unto him and all those of his fraternity in my first book that they acted in all acts of Government and in that Synod at Jerusalem Acts 15. as ordinary Presbyters But because Mr Knollys is not yet satisfied about that point nor perhaps never will be for the more ample satisfaction if not to him at least to others I will here prove that point a little more fully viz. that the Apostles acted as Presbyters in an ordinary way as the other did and after I have done that I will briefly also answer Mr Knollys his grolleries concerning the fufferage and votes of the Church and people in that Synod in Ierusalem But first I will prove that the Apostles in the debate and controversie in the Synod and in that whole businesse did not act as Apostles with a transcendent and infallible authority but as Presbyters in such a way as makes their meeting a president and pattern to ordinary Councels and Synods For first Paul an Apostle and Barnabas though both extraordinary men and indued with an infallible spirit yet were at that time sent to Ierusalem by the Church of Antioch ver 2. as servants of that Presbytery who willingly and in obedience to the order of that Church subjected themselves to their determination which they would not have done had they acted as
Apostles and not as Members for that present of the Presbytery of Antioch now all men know that they that are sent as Messengers by command and appointment as they were were not greater then those that sent them which is one of the reasons all orthodox Divines use against Peters Supremacy in that the Apostles which were in Ierusalem Acts 8. 14. sent him and Iohn to Samaria and therefore they conclude that the Colledge of Apostles had authority over him and that they were not subject to him And the same may be concluded concerning Paul and Barnabas that they were subject to the command of the Church And it is yet more evident out of the second verse of the 15 chapter of the Acts Where it is said that when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention disputation with them that then they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Ierusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question out of the which words every one may observe these conclusions following First that Paul and Barnabas used not any transcendent extraordinary and Apostolicall authority in that Church neither did they challenge unto themselves an infallible authority for the deciding of that difference which they might have done if they had then and there acted as Apostles and put forth their Apostolicall power yea which is more it is in terminis said that Paul and Barnabas had no small dissention and disputation with them intimating by those words that they argued and debated the matter by Reasons and Arguments as the other ordinary Presbyters of that Church did which they would never have suffered if they had acted there as Apostles and with an infallible authority and this is the first conclusion may be gathered out of those words to prove that Paul Barnabas acted there as ordinary Presbyters and were not onely at that time subject to that Church but Members of the same The second conclusion that may be gathered out of those words is this That they were sent as the other ordinary officers and the same commands laid upon them that were laid upon the other Now if they of Antioch had looked upon Paul and Barnabas as extraordinary Messengers indued with Apostolicall authority they would have made some difference between them and the certain others spake of in that place but sending them all with equall authority and with one and the same Message and making no distinction between them it sufficiently proveth that they of Antioch in this imploiment lookt upon them but as ordinary Presbyters The third thing observable is this that Paul and Barnabas with those certain others were sent as well to the Elders or Presbyters at Ierusalem about the question as to the Apostles for so runs the text they were all sent unto as having equal authority and as the ordinary Governours and Councellours of the Church and as to such as sat by one and the same Commission Writ or Charter and governed with a joynt consent and by a Common Councel and Agreement And therefore they are all to be considered as ordinary Presbyters in that Councel and Synod and all this I say may be gathered out of that text But there are many other Arguments to prove it because the Presbyters all of them and that all along through the whole debate acted as authoritatively as the Apostles For as the Presbyters were sent unto as well as the Apostles and assembled themselves accordingly v. 6. So they did decree and write the Epistle as well as the Apostles ver 22. 23. and Act. 16. 4. they are called also the decrees of the Apostles and Elders and Act. 21. the Presbyters say Wee have written and concluded manifesting unto all the World that they in that Synod sat and acted by the same authority and were assisted and guided by the same spirit the Apostles were as sitting by the same Commission or Writ And therefore when the holy Ghost makes no difference between them in respect of their authority but only in regard of their names it is a very great rashnesse in Mr Knollys and those of his fraternity to say that the Apostles acted not as Presbyters which is indeed to confute the Scripture and all this to delude the poore people Many Arguments more might be produced to prove that the Apostles acted as Presbyters and were no more then guided by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit then the other Presbyters but for brevity sake I shall only name one more which is this in that they stated the question and debated it from the holy Scripture in the ordinary way disputing Con and Pro arguing and reasoning what they should write and what they should judge of that busines as it is apparent in the 7. verse and many more places in that Chapter by their deliberate suffrages and discourses in that Councell and having by searching the Scripture saith the Holy Ghost found what was the good and acceptable will of God thereupon they say it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us as any Synod or Councell of Divines upon the like assurance of Scripture warrant may doe Now I affirme had the Apostles at that time acted by an apostolicall and infallible Spirit a when they writ the holy Scripture and not as Presbyters they would never have admitted any disputation nor entred into a serious debate and consultation what they should write and judge of that matter but would speedily have dispatched the busines and by their Apostolicall authority and that infallible Spirit they were led with they would have decided the matter and either have said thus saith the Lord as the Prophets of old did or take notice that what wee write are the commands of the Lord dictated unto us by the Spirit of God and would never have gone to consult with others about it or debated the matter by Arguments and reasons which when they did it is a sufficient Argument to prove that the Apostles acted as Presbyters in that Councel and therfore from all that I have now said it is apparently evident that all the Apostles at Ierusalem acted as Presbyters and that the other Presbyters had equall authority and power with them notwithstanding all Master Knollys his bable And this shall suffice to have spake by way of answer to that part of his fond cavill and now I come to reply to his Grolleries concerning the votes and suffrage of the people in the Church at Ierusalem whom Master Knollys joyneth with the Apostles and Elders and makes them equall with the Elders in authority misconceiving what is meant by brethren there his words are these page 13. The Doctor saith hee might have also considered that the Brethren even the whole Church the multitude how many soever the Doctor can make of them were present as well as the Presbyters Act. 15. 4. 12. 22 23. 25. 27 28. and so have made the Brethren the multitude even the whole Church independent also
and Presbyters may any man suppose if they had been admiâ—ted into that Synod and should then and there have heard them dispute against the ceremoniall law condemning it as a burden too heavy for them and to be such as neither they nor their fathers could bear and therefore decreed that it should not be imposed upon the beleeving Gentiles I say it stands with all good reason if the weak believers in Ierusalem which were many ten thousands should have heard these disputes it would have put them all in such a heate and rage as they would have set the whole Citie in an uproar to the hazarding of the lives of both the Apostles and Presbyters there and all such as should have sided with them and so much the more it would have incensed them against the Apostles and Presbyters because they granted greater Priviledges to the Gentiles and gave them an immunity from the observation of the Ceremoniall Law which the Iewes still observed and strictly kept so that many of the Iews going from Iudaea wheresoever they came urged the observation of the ceremoniall Law amongst the Gentiles also as necessary to salvation now I say if these Zealots of the Law had all both men and women how many soever can bee made of them to use Master Knollys expression beene present as hee groundlessely affirmes and should have heard these disputes they would have beene so farre from voting with the Apostles and Elders and saying it seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and us as they would have voted the contrary and for this that I say it is evident from the Holy Scripture for in the one and twentieth chapter of the Acts it is said that they would have staine Paul for this their jealousie onely that he preached and taught the Gentiles against the Ceremoniall Law which they would never have beene offended with him for if the Brethren in Ierusalem those beleeving Iewes the multitude even the whole Church how many soever the Doctor can make of them as master Knollys saith had then had their voice in the Councell and Synod at Ierusalem and had assented and voted against the ceremoniall Law and for the abrogation of it as Master Knollys against all reason saith they did for then they would never have beene displeased with Paul for instructing the Gentiles and all people in their christian liberty and for teaching them that they were freed from the Ceremoniall Law for that Councell and Synod made those Decrees for the benefit of the Gentiles but they would rather have beene offended with Paul if they had heard that he yet urged the observation of it amongst the Gentiles if they with the Apostles and Presbyters had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one unanimous consent and agreement had by searching the holy Scripture found out what was the good and acceptable will of God and from thence had decreed the abolishing of the Ceremoniall Law I say if all the beleevers in Ierusalem the whole Church and multitude as many as can be made of them as Master Knollys affirms had been present in the Synod with the Apostles and Presbyters and should have voted with them it seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us to abrogate the Ceremoniall Law and to free the Gentiles from it they could not then have been displeased with Saint Paul for observing their Order and Decrees and for obeying their injunctions but when they were displeased with him for but hearing he taught the Gentiles against the Law of Moses and the Temple it is apparently evident that by brethren spake of in the text by the whole church the multitude cannot be understood all the beleevers in Jerusalem how many so ever could be made of them as he grollishly asserteth could they have all possibly met together in one place for then they themselves should be transgressors of their own Decrees and be offended with others for observing what they themselves had commanded which is a sin and therefore by brethren there First all sisters are excluded for they are not numbred amongst them and so then not all the beleevers for sisters also are beleevers and of the multitude and Secondly all those zelots spake of in the 21 chapter had no vote in that Synod and were not present there for they were enemies to Saint Paul for Preaching according to those Decrees made and Voted there so that Mr Knollys in time may come to see his Error and by brethren there and the multitude and the whole Church may very well understand that they were such as Judas and Sylas were viz. Prophets and chosen men and assistants to the Apostles members of the Church in Jerusalem of which they had store for many of the Priests were converted and were members there though not fixt Officers and Presbyters and Elders as the other were who Synecdochically were called the Church a part being understood for the whole which is usuall in the holy Scripture and to these may be added all the Presbyters that came out of all the Churches of Iudaea from among whom those false teachers were gone and had taught among the Gentiles the observation of the Ceremoniall Law as necessary to Salvation which was a cause of their meeting together and with these also may be reckoned those that came with Paul and Barnabas to that councell from the Church of Antioch which were the brethren spoken of as the Text doth sufficiently declare so that to all men that read but the 15 chapter of the Acts with judgement they will soon be satisfied That by brethren and the whole Church and the multitude there spoken of are to be understood some chosen men men of eminency for all divine knowledge Prophets who disputed and argued the businesses there and debated the matter by reason such as Iudas and Sylas were for so the Scripture speaketh and not the people men and women the whole Church the multitude how many so ever the Doctor can make of them as Master Knollys and those of his fraternity dayly though falsely assert and upon this false ground and rotten foundation laid in their own brain would erect and build their new confused Babel of Independency admitting all people both men and women not onely to Votes in their new Congregations but also in Councells and Synods and free them from all dependency upon other Churches which tends to nothing else but to the bringing in of a confusion in Church and State and to meer Anarchy and therefore from all that I have now said these two conclusions will evidently insue and plainly arise First That all the Apostles and Presbyters were all equally Depending upon God and his Word and that all the Churches we read of in the New Testament were all likewise Dependent one upon another and upon their severall Presbyteries Secondly That the people neither brethren nor sisters in those dayes were to have their Votes or suffrage in the Government of the Churches and admission of members
nothing â—ut Peacocks Parrets and Jackanapes or more mischievous things though gayly set forth with the which he befooles himself and amases yea deceives the poor and ignorant people whiles they go gazing after them For saith he We distinguish between authority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other and this latter belongs unto the people the other is proper to the officers c. But before I come to my answer I must tell I. S. that from whom soever he hath borrowed this distinction it is groundlesse and has no Warrant for it in sacred writ yea I hope to make it good that it is contrary unto it and therefore it was well said by a learned Professor of Divinity in the University of Oxford that it was an easie thing to finde distinctions in schoolmen to mocke God and destroy their own souls and thereupon exhorted all his Scollers to be very carefull lest out of respect to mens persons and from the conceipt they had of their piety and abilities in learning they were not deceived And the same exhortation may now in these our dayes be of very good use especially when a lying spirit is gone out into innumerable false Prophets as it did in Ahab his time and when a spirit of error is gone out into the world and is to be found in every house of the Independents in all these regards I say the caveat and exhortation of that reverend Divine may now be very usefull and serviceable for these our times And therefore it stands all men upon to prove and examine all things according to the Apostles rule 1 Thess 5. ver 21 and hold fast that which is good Now in Divine matters and in the matters of our God we must be especially careful that we see a ground warrant out of his word or from excellent reason or good consequences deduced from thence for whatsoever opinion or distinction in sacred things shall be brought and propounded unto us and if it have not its authority or ground from thence or some example or president or sollid reason or good consequence out of the same word to warrant and confirm it it is to be rejected by all good Christians especially if it consist of captious doubtful and ambiguous expressions and which will admit of various and different interpretations and to all the rest be found contrary to the word of God as this grollish distinction brought by I. S. doth for he makes a distinction between authority and jurisdiction on the one hand and power and interest on the other as if there were some vast difference between them when all learned men know that authority jurisdiction and power are all one as when a Magistrate making use of either of these words says such an one is under my authority or jurisdiction or power all men know that either of those words signifies his authority over him and those expressions intimate one the same thing But as for the word interest which he makes a Synonima with power it is a meer grollery for that is a word of ambiguity and of various significations and admits of divers interpretations and therefore cannot be the same with power the meaning of the which I am confident that I. S. himselfe knoweth not but this word serves the turne of our American brethren and those of the Congregationall way here to juggle withall But if a man would but seriously consider and weigh what the meaning of this word interest signifieth in their dialect and what they understand by it if they would speak out they shall finde that by that distinction of power and interest in the people by interest they mean and understand a title or right or due in the people both to the property and possession of all the power in Church and State and beleeve that it is originally and radically in the people and that it is properly their due and right and from them onely delegated to the officers of Church and State whom as they do betrust with it so they may at pleasure take it from them again and this that I now say the Pamphlets of these times many of them can witnesse is their meaning by interest amongst others that of Englands birth right and John Lilburns learned Letter who in the 14 Page of the same hath these words For my part saith he I looke upon the House of Commons as the supreme power of England who have residing in them that power that is inherent in the people who yet are not to act according to their owne wils and pleasures but according to the constitutions and customes of the Land c. out of whose words it is apparently evident that they make all power to be inherently in the people as their birth-right to which they may at any time make as good title and claime as to their inheritance and that they in their language call interest this also can be proved out of many of the Independents Pamplets and from their words that if they conceive the Parliament use not that power they are intrusted with according to the constitutions and customes of the land they may at any time by the people be devested of it or at least questioned I am confident I say there would be no great difficulty to prove as much as I now say has beene uttered by the Sectaries of these our times and I am most assured if they increase but to a little greater number that unlesse the Lord shew his mighty power in preserving the Parliament if they should in the least displease them and not humour them to their content they would put that in execution and really act what now they but mutter in corners and set forth in libellous Pamphlets and in warning peeces as in Londons late Warning-peece so that this truth is very wel knowne that by power and interest in the Independents language which they place in the people and not in the officers they meane the soveraigne and supreme authority and all say that it is their peculiar birth-right and that they are the Parliament and Iudges and that the officers are but their servants either to prepare matters for their hearing or for executing of what they would have them to doe and that whatsoever they speake of authority and jurisdiction in the officers it is onely to please them a little by putting a rattle into their hand that may looke gayly and make a little noyse but have no strength in it for they keepe all power in their owne hands and this I hope to make good out of I. S. his distinction and that to the dishonour of God himselfe as well as to the overthrowing of all authority in time through the world and therefore this distinction must necessarily be against the word of God But that my charge against I. S. and those of his party for hee writeth in the name of them all may the better appeare to all that shall
were excluded who were not at any time permitted to vote in churches 1 Cor. 14. And therefore the whole multitude of beleevers were not there for women were part of the multitude neither were the weak brethren to be admitted to doubtfull Disputations by a speciall command from the Apostle Paul Rom. 14. v. 1. and this is accorded to by the wise I. S. that confident disputant who saith that the Apostles and Elders as a Committee first prepared the dispute and after reported it not counting it safe to admit the weak to the same whiles it was intricate so that from Saint Pauls Doctrine there were neither women nor weak brethen there and from I. S. his own concession the weak were not admitted all the time of the dispute and therefore the whole multitude of beleevers that were in Ierusalem were not in the Councell by all which it is apparently evident That by brethren and church and multitude there the whole company of Beleevers in Ierusalem cannot be understood and therefore by Brethren Multitude and the whole Church we are necessarily to understand the learned and godly Prophets Ministers and Members of that church chiefe and eminent ones such as Judas and Sylas were and with them are to be joyned the other Presbyters that came out of all the Churches of Iudea with those that came with Paul and Barnabas from Antioch which being all confidered together made up a great number and multitude all the which are called the Church v. 3. the Scripture there speaking Synecdochically and taking a part for the whole I say of all such as these are did that Synod consist and not of all sorts of believers w ch were not members fit for a Synod and Councell which was to be managed and ordered and consist of such men only as had received the Keys and upon whom the government of the Church was laid which was never committed to the people much lesse to women therfore I say in all these respects by the Brethren and Multitude and the whole Church we are to understand it Synecdochically as before for all those that were in the councell which were but a part of the whole for the eminent Ministers and Prophets that were Commissioners there and assistants to the Apostles and Eldâ—rs he which yet is more evidenâ— from this reason That they onely could bee Iudges and Voters in that Synod which had heard the whole debate and the full dispute on both sides for none can be Iudges in any cause to give righteous judgement that have not fully heard the allegations and probations on both sides which I. S. acknowledgeth the weak neither heard nor could judge of because they were intricate ergo they could not be Iudges nor give their voices there upon no terms for they could not be Judges of things they had not fully understandingly heard now the weake neither heard neither could they have understood if they had heard both which I. S. accordeth to and therefore by multitude and the whole Church the weak brethren cannot be meant much lesse the sisters and if men would but with deliberation weigh and consider of things as they ought to be pondered and considered of very reason without the warrant of holy Scripture would perswade every rational and wel grounded christian that none could or can be Iudges in any cause but such as have heard the pleading of the whole busines and controversie from the beginning to the ending which none but the apostles presbyters and the Commissioners and such as Sylas and Iudas and Barnabas were did for the Scripture saith verse 6. that the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider of this matter and when there had beene much disputing c. out of which words wee may gather that none but they that managed the disputation and heard the whole debate were or could be Iudges which all the people neither did nor possibly could doe neither may we conceive of the Councell of Ierusalem that they had any raw headed boyes or giddy braind creatures or Minors in it or any such as were ever running out and in for wee may not imagine that that great Councell was like a pigion house where they are continually fluttering out and fluttering in for that Councell consisted of such men onely as were holy grave and approved all Prophets such as Sylas Iudas and Barnabas were such as for gravity and experience were thought fit companions to sit with the Apostles and Elders in consultation so that it is apparently evident that Councell consisted of none but venerable pretious godly and staid men of whom wee can not by the Law of charity thinke that they did the worke of the Lord in that Synod negligently or to the halves or that they did not all sit close and diligently to the worke from the beginning of the Session to the conclusion of the same and therefore that as they met altogether at a set houre or time so that they continued and kept together in consultation and dispute as long as any other sate and till they in their wisedome by their joynt consents and agreements thought fit to sit to the full determination of the whole busines and till the Decrees were made were it fewer or more dayes or weekes and although it be not recorded how long the Councell continued yet wee reade no where in the 15. chapter but that they sate altogether in judgement the Apostles and Elders and Commissioners till they had heard the whole debate and diâ—pute and none but they This truth may be gathered not only from the holy Scripture and from that I have formerly spake but from I. S. his owne words above specified viz that there were neither weake brethren nor the sisters and therefore it is a great wickednesse in I. S. from such uncertainties as hee goes upon to raise and make such conclusions as he doth which tend to no other end but for the taking away all the authority and power from the Apostles themselves which God notwithstanding had invested them with and to put it into the hands of the people which they had nothing to doe with for as his words declare hee accounteth the Apostles and Elders but a Committee onely to prepare the dispute and then to report it that they might have the assistance and concurrence of the people without the which as hee affirmeth there were no great commendation of the resolution that is to say if the people had not assented unto the Decrees they had beene of no effect which if it be not wholly to devest the Apostles of all power and authority and lay it and place it upon the people I leave it to the judgement of the learned then the which there cannot be a greater sacriledge and injustice perpetrated against Ministers and servants of God in the world by any and as this dealing and proceeding of I. S. is most injurious to the Apostles so this his doctrine is contrary to all divine
and humane learning yea contrary to the very opinion of the learnedst of the Independents for this I. S. his judgement is that the Apostles and Presbyters without the concurrence of the people and Church could not have made the Decrees valid and binding whereas all the Independents besides himselfe joyning with the Papists against the Protestants affirme that the Apostles onely in that Synod and Councell by their infallible authority ratified those Decrees and so they exclude all the Presbyters saying that the Apostles acted not as Presbyters in that Councell but as Apostles stles with a transcendent power and were onely the men who were led and guided in that Session by the Holy Ghost and by a spirit of infallibility which say they the Presbyters were not indued with and therefore their presence onely as Apostles made their Decrees binding which opinion of the Independents howsoever it is very erroneous as I have often shewed in the foregoing Discourse yet it is point blanke against the Doctrine of I. S. who places all the power in the people robbing both the Apostles and Presbyters of their authority and on the other side his brethren they place all authority upon the Apostles and deprive the Presbyters of it and count them but ordinary men and not infallibly there assisted by the Holy Ghost both which opinions as they are contrary unto the word of God so they sufficiently prove that these men are but Babel Builders whose tongues and language are divided and tend to confusion for they are diametrically fighting one against ano ther so that all the world may see that those men that begin once to fight against the truth like the Midianitâ—s they destroy one an other But this has generally beene observed that such men as these are that study to invent Engines to beate downe the truth yet all the vapours of their braine cannot so much as cloud so bright â— Sunne but it will evermore gloriously shine forth to the dazeling of the eyes of all the enemies of the same So that it is a wonder of wonders to mee to see the people generally so hardned by obstinacy that they cannot yet discerne into the craft and juggling of the Ill-defendents predicants who whiles they give the people or Church power and interest to humour them it is not so much out of love to them as hatred to the Presbyterians to build up their Diana Temple of Independency hoping by raysing it to ruine the truth it selfe and to overthrow the whole Fabricke of Presbyterian government which Christ the King of his Church hath appointed and in fine by this meanes to bring in a confusion of all things and a mâ—â—re Anarchy in Church and State But howsoever the Ill-defendents seeke to put out the light of the truth by this their snuffing at it they make it burne the brighter as I. S. and Hanserdo Knollys have done by their snuffing at it And this shall suffice by way of Answer to have replyed to what both these Gentlemen Master Hanserdo and I. S. had to say to my third Proposition I come now to my fourth which I will first set down with their Answers to it and then make my reply as I have done to all their former cavills and I will go on in the same order first answering to Hanserdo and then to I. S. My fourth Proposition is this viz. That the Church of Jerusalem and the government of the same is to be a pattern for all Congregations and Assemblies in any City or Vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers and Presbyters of those congregations to govern that Church joyntly in a Colledge or Presbytery And for the proofe of this there needs no great dispute for all men acknowledge that the mother Church must give an example of government to all the daughter Churches now then when it doth evidently appear that this mother Church of Jerusalem in her most flourishing condition and by her first constitution was consisting of many Congregations and severall Assemblies and that they were all governed by a Presbytery or a joynt and common Councell of Presbyters then it followeth that all other Churches should be governed after the same manner as the mother Church was to the end of the World neither doe the brethren deny but the government of the church of Jerusalem must be the patterne of government to all churches and therefore out of that misprision and mistake that she was consisting of but as many as could meet in one congregation they take the church of Ierusalem for imitation and teach all their severall congregations to do the same and to exercise the same power among themselves Independent and to govern with as absolute an authority in their severall Congregations as the whole Colledge of the Apostles and Presbyters did in the church of Ierusalem and from the which they allow of no appeale as all that know their tenents can witnesse So that this last Proposition being strengthned both by reason and the consent of the brethren needs no further proof Now to this my fourth Proposition and the Arguments contained in the same Master Knollys thus replyeth Page 14. Neither do the Brethren deny but the Government of the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all Churches But the Doctor knows that the brethren deny that the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers Congregations and severall Assemblies under a common Councell Consistory Colledge or Court of Presbyters And this they have not granted neither hath the Doctor proved And this may be sufficient to be said in Answer to the four Propositions touching the first Question This is all Mr Knollys hath to say by way of Answer to this my last Proposition in the which Answer of his I desire the Reader to observe what he in the name of all the brethren granteth and assenteth unto and what both he and they all deny at least as he saith for he personateth them all He grants in behalfe of them all that the Church of Ierusalem must be the pattern of Government to all churches And this is as much as I desire But by the way take notice that Master Hanserdo reckons before his host for I. S. is one of the brethren and yet he Page 13. asserteth that the example of that Church is not bindingly presidentiall Now what he and all the brethren deny if Mr Knollys be worthy of credit are these two things viz. The first That the Church of Ierusalem consisted of divers congregations Secondly they deny that the Doctor hath proved it That all the brethren deny as Mr Knollys saith that the church of Ierusalem consisted of many congregations is not altogether to be believed For my brother Burton none of tne meanest of the Brethren doth not deny it yea he not onely grants it but by arguments proves that there were many Assemblies of Believers in the church of Ierusalem and therefore Mr Hanserdo in this also his assertion
esteemed of to be godly as walking unblameably being also diligent hearers of the word before they knew them yet after their acquaintance with them being first by their meanes seduced from our Churches after some time they fell from their congregations also into wicked and desperate opinions and in a short time after became so prophane and beastly yea so atheisticall as it would exceed ordinary beliefe to relate and truly if I had not very good witnesse to prove what I say besides my owne knowledge and experience I would not have mentioned it but because if occasion serves I shall be able to produce many Presidents of fearefull Apostasies even amongst those that were their Schollers and the Disciples of the Independent way I am the willinger to speake of it that I might arme all men with some caution in reading their Pamphlets which they write against the Presbyterians for they never deale candidly neither with them nor with their own brethren for first they either wholly disswade them from reading our bookes or else by their emissaries and rayling Libels they most shamefully vilifie and belye them so that they come prejudicated to them and then they send their owne putrid and corrupt scriblings amongst those of their Fraternity whom they miserably cozen and abuse with their fraudulent jugglings and that against all the Lawes of piety and common honesty to the disturbance both of Church and State This I thought fit I say to speake before I come to my second question and severall Queries arising from it concerning the gathering of Churches and their answers unto them wherein they rather trifle then dispute as will by and by appeare I shall therefore in my replying unto them first set downe the question fully with all my queries and then answer to all the materials of their fond cavils and evasions with their silly responsals to them and after I have done that I will set downe Gods method and the Apostles practise in the gathering of Churches with the manner of their admitting of Members and then reply to whatsoever they have to say against my Arguments and Reasons deduced from holy Scripture and for further confirmation of the truth I will adde many more Presidents and them undeniable ones of the Apostles receiving of Members and that into Churches formed after the New-Testament forme according to their owne description besides those that were received into the Catholike visible Church and all without any of those conditions they now require of their Members and I shall by Gods assistance evidently make it appeare that God by his holy Apostles and Ministers uses but one way of admitting of members into the church whether it be the catholike visible church or any particular presbyterian church whether they be admitted in an ordinary or an extraordinary way I say by thegrace of God I shal clearly elucidate this truth that God useth one and the same method in gathering his people out of all nations into Church fellowship and the communion of the Saints which ought to all Ministers to be a rule to walke by in the receiving in of Members into their Congregations Having thus set downe what order I will proceed in I come now to the second question betweene us and the Brethren which is concerning the manner of gathering of Churches and admitting of Members and Officers viz. Whether Ministers of the Gospel may out of already congregated Assemblies of ` Beleevers select and choose the most principall of them into a Church-fellowship peculiar unto themselves and admit of none into their society but such as shall enter in by a private covenant and are allowed of by the consent and approbation of all the Congregation And this question brancheth it selfe into these severall Queries The first whether for the gathering of Churches there bee either Precept or President in the Holy Word of God that the Preachers and Ministers of the Gospel did ever leave their owne ordinary charges to which they are called and whereto they are fixed with a command not to leave them and under pretence of a new way or a new borne truth or a new light did runne about and alienate the minds of the people well affected formerly to their severall Ministers as of duty they were bound as who had converted them to Christ by their Ministery and fed them still with the sincere milke of the Word and built them up in their most holy Faith I say the first Quere is whether there be precept or example in the Word of God of any true Ministers so doing and whether it was ever heard of in the Apostles and Primitive times that any beleeving Christians were in great numbers congregated from among other beleeving Christians and moulded into severall Congregations and Assemblies as separate and distinct bodies and Churches from them and who had no Church-fellowship with the other Congregations nor communicated with them in the Ordinances but were independent from them and absolute among themselves and whether this way of gathering of Churches was ever heard of before these dayes and whether this be to set Christ upon his Throne to make divisions and schismes in Churches and among Beleevers and brethren and that upon groundlesse pretences The second Quere is whether for the making of any man or woman a Member of the Church it be requisite or necessary to the beleeving and being baptized that they should walke some dayes weeks moneths perhaps yeares with them that they may have experience of their conversation before they can be admitted and after that a confession of their faith should be publikely made before the Congregation and the evidences of their conversion as the time when the place where the occasion how they were converted should likewise openly be produced for satisfaction to the Church before they can be admitted to be Members and if any either men or women shall except against their evidence that then they are not to be admitted this is the second Quere The third is whether for making any man or woman a Member or an Officer of a Church the consent of the whole Congregation or the greater part of them besides the Presbyters and Ministers be requisite The fourth Quere is whether for the admission of any one into Church-fellowship and Communion a private solemne Covenant be requisite or necessary for the making of any one a Member the neglect or refusall of the which makes them incapable of their Member-ship and admission There is no question betweene us and the brethren about a publike covenant for we have Presidents of that in holy Scripture in all publike reformations The fifth Quere is whether the women and people as well as the Presbyters and Ministers have the power of the Keyes and whether the women have all their voices in the Church both for election and reprobation of Members and officers as well as the men and whether the consent of all the women or the greatest part of them bee requisite for
godly conscionable and learned Ministers as they did thus meet together so they have ever since laboriously searched the Scriptures to find out what is the good will and pleasure of our God herein and they have not concluded of any thing but what they bring their warrant for out of Gods word being taken from the example practice precepts and commands of the holy Apostles and the Churches in their times for that government which they stand for and humbly desire to have setled aud established in the Church of God Now can it be justly said that if men waite patiently while these truths are discussing which have beene the longer by reason that daily opposition and many cavilling argumentations that have beene brought against that truth which they hold forth by some irresolvable spirits that this is to tye them to waite on the Synods finall Resolution no surely for to waite on the meere resolves of men the wisedome of the State would never permit to tye any man but to waite on Gods word and those warrantable and unquestionable truths which by the Synod are clearely demonstrated out of the same concerning Church-government and this is a truth cannot be denyed or gain-said that it is better and the safest way for men to waite see and seriously consider of what God shall out of his word reveale to his faithfull servants the Ministers who are met together in his name and feare for this very end and purpose diligently to seeke and find out his good will and pleasure in this particular then for men to tye themselves to the private opinions and wayes policie of some particular men who under the pretence of going before others in Reformation set up what government they please and cause people to enter into a Covenant of their owne framing for all which when matters are rightly stated and tryed by the ballance of the Sanctuary there is not any colour nor warrant out of Gods word nor in the solemn Covenant which we have taken therefore in the judgement of all who are humble and low in their owne sight and who sincerely aym at the glory of God Zions peace it is not thought any usurpation upon our Christian Liberty nor diminution of the Scriptures authority nor retarding of the worke to waite and see what God shall make cleare to the Synod out of his word upon their debates consultations and answers to all opposing parties for this is a way to make truth perspicuous and as wee are exhorted to try all things and hold fast that which is good so those that are godly and will not be deluded with shewes they bring all these results to the Touch-stone of Gods word and if they find that they indure the teste then they dare not but receive and hold them fast being the words of sound and wholesome truths so that the finall Resolution for Church government which men waite for is not from the Synod further then they hold it forth and make it manifest to be agreeable to the Scriptures and to that rule all men are bound to submit and we ought to waite and see what the Synod doth conclude of out of Gods word as the Church of Antioch and other Churches did Acts 15. where we have a President for our imitation set before our eyes in the which wee may observe that the Christians of those times were as well instructed as any in the new gathered Churches or any of the dissenting brethren whether assembled or not assembled and yet all those holy and godly Christians thought it no usurpation upon their Christian Liberty nor no diminution of the authority and sufficiency of the Scripture nor no dangerous retarding of the worke of reformation and of setling their Church-government to waite upon the Synod at Ierusalem for their finall resolution about that question there in debate and which had caused so great a schisme betweene the Jewes and Gentiles I say these glorious and truly precious Christians had none of these panicke feares the Ill-dependents of our times are troubled with but willingly and cheerfully waited upon that Synod and Councell without making in the meane time any rents and separations from their Christian brethren and this their doing was left for our example to teach us to doe the like and not under a semblance and shew of going before others in â—reformation to make rents and schismes in the Church and State and to gather new Churches and separate Assemblies and this shall suffice in way of answer to have spake to all my Brother Burtons cavils against my first Querie and for answer likewise to the question propounded by him to mee and now I come to see what my Brother Burton hath to say concerning my second Querie viz. touching the requisites in those that are to bee made Members the Reader may looke backe to the querie by which hee will the better discerne the Grollery of the man As for I. S. hee answers to that querie although it be the practice of many of new gathered Churches that hee knowes none such who hold it so so that it seemes I. S. is but a Catachumenos in the Independents doctrine whiles hee undertakes to instruct others in it But my Brother Burton he is well verst in all the Ill-dependent discipline both for the Theory and Practick who answers thus to my second querie page 14. I pray saith he what harme is in that that none are to bee allowed of but by the consent and approbation of all the congregation for answer I say very much harme in regard they impose a Law upon their brethren that Christ the King of his Church never laid upon his people by which they deprive them of that Christian Liberty Christ hath purchased for them and in the which they have a command to stand fast Gal. 5. 1. which is not to bee intangled with any yoake of humane bondage But it will not be amisse to heare his reasons They saith he who are to walke together should first be agreed together as Amos the 3. 3. an two walke together except they be agreed If therefore any one of the Congregation can object any thing as a just cause of non-admittance of a Member hee ought to shew it not onely for his owne peace but the peace of the Church c. A second reason is this to know those well saith hee that are to be admitted abundans cautela non nocet in things weighty we cannot be too wary nor do we so much look at circumstances in conversion as the substance This is all my brother Burton hath to answer to my second quâ—ry which he calleth a caption But for answer I expected that he should have produced some command or example out of Gods Word for the ratifying of this their practice in their new congregations for that is ever to be the rule of Christians obedience and where our King Christ Jesus hath ceased to command there all his servants must cease
of their conversion or that they should enter into a particular explicite Covenant or that they should have the consent of the whole Church nothing of all this was required there neither had the people any hand in the admitting of them but the Apostles by themselves and by their sole authority managed the whole business for those that were converted and pricked in their hearts applying themselves unto the Apostles said Men and Brethren what shall we do and the conditions upon which they admitted them upon their repentance were these onely beleeve and be baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus the blessed Apostles were not acquainted with our new modell nor with the conditions of the new Congregations But by the way let me tell the Illdependents that the Apostles and Disciples had then a just ground of making such conditions if ever any had for they might with great reason have said howsoever these souls be not miracle proof but that they are wounded to the heart by them and by the Sermon of Peter yet we are not by and by to confide in them and to admit them into church fellowship unlesse they will walk some time with us that we may have experience of the truth of their conversion and unlesse also they will make all and every one of them a publike and particular confession of his faith and bring in the evidences of their conversion and enter also into a particular explicite covenant for observing all the Laws of membership and that they come in by the generall consent and approbation of the church I say if ever there was a time that these conditions might have been required by any it might then especially have been because all those had had their hand in crucifying of the Lord of life as Peter told them and therefore they might all be well suspected that howsoever for the present they were all struck into a trembling condition yet that they could not judge upon so short a time of the soundnesse of their conversion and therefore they might well have urged all the former conditions and chiefly because they had our Saviours own example freshly before their eyes in the second of John where it is related that he would not commit himselfe unto men which had been convinced by his miracles although they beleeved in him so that I say in that regard when Christ would not commit himselfe unto them the Apostles and Disciples might much more have pretended in all these regards that they had no reason to confide in these men until they had had better experience of them for the truth of their conversion But when neither the Apostles nor none of all the Disciples so much as urged any conditions upon them beyond the commission given them by Christ to wit Repentance Faith and Baptism the example of this church is for ever binding to all churches that they in the admission of their Members should do the same and they that propound other conditions do no lesse then accuse the Apostles of injustice and imprudency as of taking that authority into their own hands from the people and of so suddenly and without any deliberation admitting of Members into church-fellowship which ought according to my brother Burtons doctrine ever to be done with great caution who saith in his 14. Page Multa cautela non nocet adding moreover that in things weighty we cannot be too wary in regard they look not so much at circumstances in conversion as the substance and in regard also there ought to be a provident care for preventing inconveniences and scandalls seeing turpius ejiciâ—ur quam non admittitur hospes it is easier for a guest to be kept out then to be cast out by all which his expressions and by their dayly practice they do no lesse then proclame unto the world that the Apostles took too much upon them and were not so prudent in the admission of Members into church-fellowship and communion as they should have bin for if they did not accuse the practice of all the Apostles of deficiency why do they not follow their examples and why do they impose new laws of admitting of Members and other conditions then either Christ the King of his church God blessed for ever or his holy Apostles did Which whether or no it be not one of the presumptuous and blasphemous wickednesses both in the Ministers and the people that exercise this new Government that ever was in the world I leave it to the judgement of all consciencious and solid Christians This one example in the church of Ierusalem might be a sufficient president for all churches imitation for ordinary admission of Members into church-fellowship But I will produce other admissions in the same church that there may be no want of witnesses to corroborate this truth In the last verse of the second chapter besides this first admission in terminis it is said there that the Lord added dayly unto the Church such as should be saved Here we finde additions of Members upon additions for they were dayly added saith the Scripture and that by the Lord and King of his Church Iesus Christ and that upon the former conditions for we learn of no other viz. of repenting beleeving and being baptized Here we finde nothing of walking sometime before their admission here is nothing of publike confession of their faith nothing of bringing in of the evidences of their conversion nothing of a particular explicite Covenant nothing of the consent of the Church the Lord Jesus whiles the Government of his church whose yoke was easie and his burthen light lay upon his shoulders and as long as the rule lay in his own hands and before it came to my brother Burtons fine white fingers which he saith in his learned Epistle that some of his friends would not have him foule with me I say whiles the Government of Christs Church lay in his own hands and before it came to my brother Burtons fingers and into the paws and clutches of those of the congregationall way all Christs Disciples and pretious ones were admitted into church-fellowship without that heavy burthen of those conditions they have most arrogantly brought into the Church of God by which in as much as in them lies they have not only put the whole world in a combustion but most blasphemously dis throned Christ preferring their own vain traditions before his most holy Laws and doing all in the Churches name and inslaved his people whiles notwithstanding they pretend they set up Christ upon his Throne and they preach the liberty of the Gospell unto the people which is most impiously to juggle on all sides But now to go on to the other presidents of admitting Members in that Church In the fourth chapter we have it recorded verse 4. that many of them which heard the Word beleeved and the number of the men was about five thousand And all these were admitted into church fellowship and into the Communion
let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church And what Saint Paul writ to this Church of Corinth he writ to all Churches and proclames that what he writ to them were the commandments of the Lord ver 37. so that God had commanded that the women should not speak in the Church and saith that it is a shame they should and yet in these our dayes in many of the new congregations they have their voices in choosing of officers and admitting of Members and have all of them Peters Keys at their Girdle and make learned parts of speech in the congregation and dispute questions and debate of matters and give their reasons con pro as it is credibly reported and others of them set â—orth and print learned Treatises in polemicall Divinity with great applause and admiration of the Independent Ministers who cite their authority and quote them in their writings as classicall authors to the shame of the Nation and ludibry of Religion and howsoever there is not any that shall more honour the truly vertuous and pious of that sex than my selfe yet I must confesse when I see how far they become transgressors of the law of God and do those things that the holy Apostle hath not onely forbidden but proclamed a shame I cannot but exceedingly blame them and those Ministers that allow of and approve of such rebellion against God and nature And as if it had been the speciall care in the Apostle to prevent this evill of womens intermedling in matters of the Church he foreseeing the confusion that would be brought in upon it In his first Epistle to Timothy and in him to all Ministers to whom the Government of the Church was committed he gives him direction how to behave himselfe in the house of God which is the Church of the living God in chap. 2. verse 11. 12. hee saith Let the women learne in silence with all subjection for I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence for Adam was first made then Eve and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression c. Here the Apostle againe and againe twice in these few words enjoyns them silence in the church and imposes upon them subjection and obedience I suffer not saith he a woman to teach or to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silene and he giveth his reasons of this his command because saith he Adam was first made not by the woman nor of the woman but the contrary and therefore shee may usurpe no authority over the masculine sex especially in Gods matters and she is to be the disciple of the man and not the man her scholar and therefore that superiority that the God of order had established upon the man in the first creation hee doth now re-establish upon him againe in his holy Word after all things through sinne had beene disordered and confused and commands the woman to be both subject and silent especially in the Church Another reason of this his command is because the woman was first in the transgression and was the cause of Adams fall as hee accuses her and her disputing and voycing of it then brought confusion upon all man-kind and for this her so doing S. Paul concludes for ever hereafter that she ought to hold her peace be in subjection to her husband and ought to learne in silence at home but more especially in the Church for if they come to voice it once againe in the Church as Eve brought confusion upon man-kind by her disputation and reason so these with their loquacity and babble and confusion of voyces will bring in a new Babel into the Church and State as they have prettily well already begun to doe Saint Paul saith I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority over the man but to be in silence Here the Apostle as in the place above cited out of 1 Cor. chap. 14. commands them silence and permits them not to speake and expressely forbids them to usurpe authority over the man that is the viril sex Now I appeale unto any understanding creature whether or no to make large parts of speech in the Church as many of them upon occasions doe and dispute and give their reasons con pro be not to speak in the Church and whether to have their voices in either admitting of Members or Officers or in the casting of them out be not to usurpe authority over the man for all the world knows that they that have the power in their hands of either admitting of any into the fellowship or communion of the Church or of hindring their coming in or have their voices for the casting of them out when they are received exercise and usurpe authority over those they so deal with and there-fore they do against the expresse prohibition of the Apostles and all those women that have usurped this authority and all those Ministers that have permitted them so to do or taught this doctrine unto them are all guilty of great contumacy against God and ought seriously to repent for this their temerity and rebellion and it will be the imortall honour of those women that have not intermedled and if there be not some speedy course taken by authority to forbid such disorder we may promise nothing to the Church and whole Kingdome but confusion It hath ever been observed that Hermaphrodite councels in any Kingdome or Country when women that are subjects intermeddle in government and matters of state that that Kingdome and Country is very crased and not far from ruine and destruction and we need not look into many ages or countries for presidents of this kind and if Hermaphrodite counsels in Kingdoms have ever been so fatall unto them what may any man think in time will become of this Church and Kingdome when the women have gotten Peters Keys at their girdle and have their voices in many congregations and a power of ordering and disposing of things in Church affairs Certainly nothing but confusion can be expected for this their doing is against the expresse command of God who is the God of order and injoyns the contrary Yea it is not onely against the law of God but against the very law of nature and the practice of all Nations for never was it yet heard of in any well governed City or Commonwealth or Kingdome that women that were subjects had their voices in choosing officers or Burgesses or making of freemen or disfranchising of them or were permitted so much as to sit in counsell with them much lesse to rule and give laws to others out of their own houses And therefore as it is a thing odious to God and man and that which is a shame to that sex it ought to be cast out of all wel-governed Churches and States and as the women ought to know their
and diligent Preachers in the world and that gave themselves continually to prayer and the Ministery of the Word and when they could not publickely come together by reason of the persecution and where there were innumerable multitudes of beleevers of all nations to be taught and preached unto in their severall Languages and tongues Therefore of necessity there must be severall Congregations and Assemblies for the employment of them all both Preachers and hearers For this Syllogisme all and every part of it is so cleared by what hath formerly beene said as I am most assured no rationall man will call either of the Propositions in question But from the former place I thus further argue Where there were such multitudes of beleevers of all Nations and Countries still remayning even in the hottest time of persecution as had for many years imployed and continually taken up above an hundred painefull Ministers and Teachers there they could not all meet together in any one place or roome but of necessity must bee distributed into divers Congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and much more now they were forced unto it if they would avoyd Persecution and provide for their owne safety But in the Church of Ierusalem in the hottest time of Persecution there were such multitudes of Beleevers of all Nations and Countries still remayning as had for many yeeres imployed and continually taken up above an hundred painefull Ministers and Teachers Ergo they could not all meet together in any one place or roome but of necessity must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and much more now were they forced unto it if they would avoid persecution and provide for their owne safety The Major of this Syllogisme by the very light of nature and reason which we may not in a matter of disputation especially relinquish is manifest and evident For the Minor it is also apparent from the foregoing discourse by which it is proved that their Preachers only were scattered and all those Ministers that were at the choosing the Apostle Matthias chap. 1. and many more that instructed the people but for the people and beleevers they remayned still in Ierusalem the conclusion therefore is firme But I will now goe on to evince that after the persecution there were more beleevers still in the Church of Ierusalem then could all meet in any one place and room together and therefore of necessity they must be distributed into many Congregations and Assemblies And for proofe of this Assertion the places following will suffice and first that in the 9. chap. of the Acts verse 31. Then had the Churches rest through all Indaea and Galilee and Samaria and were all edified and walking in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed Out of which words it may evidently appeare that persecution is but the bellowes of the Gospel and that which the enemies of the Gospel thinke to be a meanes of extinguishing the light of it makes it but more gloriously shine forth and the farther to spread its rayes for by blowing and puffing at it they spread it the more and extend it here and there farther abroad as wee see by this persecution and scattering of those Preachers and Ministers of the Gospel for this their dispersion by which the persecutors had thought to have wasted the Churches was an occasion of the multiplication of them and the cause of the increasing of Beleevers every where And here wee may also observe That by how much more the rage of the enemy is great and violent by so much it is lesse durable for this great persecution was but short And it cannot be conceived but they who were scattered by persecution would upon the ceasing of it returne againe to Ierusalem as most people commonly do tâ—â—â—eir owne Countries Cities and places of habitation after persecution And this also must needs be a great Argument to induce others to the love of that Religion which they see God so much favoureth the Lovers and professors of the which the Lord so preserveth comforteth and followeth with so many mercies and upholdeth in all their afflictions and tryals never forsaking nor never leaving them But if those that were scattered had never returned that maketh nothing for the weakning the truth of this Proposition that there were many Congregations and Assemblies still in the Church of Ierusalem for this Text proveth that it was not decreased after the dispersion Out of the which words I thus argue That Church before the Persecution and Dispersion of whose Ministers and Pastors was so numerous and had such multitudes of Beleevers in it of all Nations as they could not all meet in any one plaee or roome for edification and to partake in all acts of worship but were forced to preach in divers and sundry places as in the Temple and from house to house and after the persecution ceased and the Church had rest was greatlier yet multiplied then before and whose companies were more more in number increased they of necessity could not al meet together in any one place or room for edification and to partake in all acts of worship but must necessarily be distributed into divers and sundry Congregations and Assemblies if they would all bee edified But the Church of Jerusalem before the Persecution and Dispersion of her Ministers and Pastors was so numerous and had such multitudes of Beleevers in it of all Nations as they could not all meet in any one place or roome for edification and to partake in all acts of worship but were forced to preach in divers and sundry places as in the Temple and from house to house and after the Persecution ceased and the Churches had rest was greatlier yet multiplyed than before and whose companies were more and more in number increased Ergo Of necessity after the Persecution there were more beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet together in any one place or roome for edification and to partake in all acts of worship but must necessarily bee distributed into divers Congregations and Assemblies if they would bee edified For the Major besides common understanding and ordinary reason which confirme it it is manifest from the 2 3. and 5. Chapters of the Acts which in expresse words signifieth That they met daily in the Temple and from house to house yea in every house and therefore that is true and out of all doubt and for the Minor it is evident from the place above cited where it is said The Churches that is to say all the Churches in Iudea of which Ierusalem was the Mother Church were multiplyed the word in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly an increase in number and multitude and not in measure and is so to be understood in this place and cannot being applyed unto persons bee otherwise taken whatsoever it may of sinnes and graces and then
as hee was President in that Councell in the 15. of the Acts and it stands with very good reason for many yeares after he continued still the prime man in authority there amongst the Presbyters and knew very well the condition of all the Beleevers there and what numbers and multitudes of Disciples there were Inhabitants in that Church all which sufficiently demonstrateth that hee had his residence continually or for the most part in Ierusalem so that Paul comming thither to the Feast as it is related Acts the 21 chapter was informed by him not onely that there were many ten thousands of Beleevers in that Church but what those Disciples had heard concerning his preaching which sheweth not onely that Saint Iames had his aboad in that Citie but that those beleevers likewise were dwellers and inhabitants there and that now hee had very good acquaintance and familiarity with them yea which is more at that very time that Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem with those almes Peter and Iames were then in that Citie if not other of the Apostles also as the twelfe chapter of the Acts abundantly sheweth and without doubt they all joyned with the Presbyters and in a Common-councell ordered how the Alms should be disposed of by the Deacons to the necessity of the Saints yea it doth most necessarily follow what so ever Mr. Knollys and those of his Fraternity shall be able to say to the contrary for the Scripture recordeth that the reliefe was sent to the Presbyters through Iudaea Ierusalem was the Metropolis citie in Iudaea and in the 12. chapter v. 25. it is related that Barnabas Paul returned from Jerusalem whither they had carried the almes so that many of the Apostles being at that time in Ierusalem and the princiall and chiefe Presbyters in that Church amongst the other Presbyters it may not bee credited that they I say being the prime Magistrates and Governours did sit still and leave the rule ordering and government of that Church to other of their fellow Presbyters and them of inferiour ranke but they also acted their parts in the government at that time as well as at others and therefore I say when the disposing of the treasury of the Church or State is an Act of soveraigne power and belongs only to those that are in authority in either and when all the Apostles and Presbyters governed that Church by a Common-councell and joynt consent and when the almes were sent unto all it necessarily followeth notwithstanding all Master Knollys his garrulity that my Argument out of that Scripture will ever stand good to prove that the sending of the reliefe to the Elders makes good these two things the first that the Presbyters were the onely men in authority there and secondly that the Apostles and Presbyters of that Church governed and ruled it by a Common-councell and Presbytery yea Master Knollys his owne words confirmes mee in my opinion who saith it is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the government of the Churches in which they are Elders so that all businesses of publicke concernment were to bee transacted and managed by the common consent and agreement of them all and not by the determination of any one particular Presbyter in either of those Churches much lesse by any other persons or people in them but the Presbyters And this shall suffice to have spake concerning the confirmation of my first Argument grounded upon that Scripture that the reliefe and almes were sent unto the Presbyters of Ierusalem And now I come to what he hath to say against my second argument by which I proved my third proposition which is this as he himselfe set it down in the 12. Page of his book They that in the holy Scripture are called Presbyters and acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbyters and exercised that ordinary power committed to them in the 18. of Matthew they acted as Presbyters But the Apostles in governing the Church of Ierusalem consisting of many Congregations and Assemblies acted and ordered things in a joynt body and common Councell with the Presbytery of that Church as Presbyters Ergo the church of Ierusalem was Presbyterially governed and by a common Councell of Presbyters The Major and Minor of this Syllogisme being proved saith the Doctor the conclusion will necessarily insue Thus Master Knollys relates this Argument wholly passing by all the rest And to this argument he first thus replies I know not saith he that the brethren ever deny ed that the Church of Ierusalem was presbyterianly governed So that he assenteth unto the conclusion which is all I contended for by that argument So that by this it followeth that the people had no hand in the government for they are not Presbyters by office And yet such is his ambition to be thought some body in the art of disputation that he quarrels the forme of my Syllogisme and takes upon him to shew me how I should have framed it aright but all those that know indeed what really belongs to learning will easily perceive the man doth but babble and if I should spend time in trifling with him about forms moodes and figures in Syllogisms who knows no more in Logick then the horse he preaches on I might be thought as vain as himselfe therefore intreating him hereafter to learn his Grand-dame to suck and not mee to make Syllogisms passing by all those his grolleries I will set down what he hath farther to reply to this argument in the 13. page and then answer to that and after I have done with him I will come to I. S. that learned Gentleman and profound Clerk Master Knollys to this argument thus farther answereth Though the Apostles saith he were called Presbyters in the Scripture yet it followeth not that they acted as Presbyters but as Apostles Act. 15. And they cannot therein be a pattern and president for Presbyters First because the Apostles had the care and charge of and over all Churches 2 Cor. 11. 28. But the Presbyters had the care and oversight of some one Church onely as Ephesus Act. 20. 28. or Philippi Phil. 1. 1. and this the Doctor often inserts in his book That all the Churches we read of in the New Testament though they were presbyterially governed were Dependent upon their severall Presbyters page 12. And secondly because this would make the Presbyters Independent indeed for so the Apostles were in the government of all the Churches the Presbyters of Jerusalem of Ephesus and of all the Churches were Dependent upon the Apostles and the Apostles only Dependent on Christ by whose holy spirit they were alwaies guided in the government of their churches and therefore they said Acts 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us And though the Doctor say the Presbyters might say so as well as the Apostles because the Elders and Presbyters are mentioned there The