c. and of what even of a Toleration of any Religion but the true Religion and of that Religion Christ hath taught us by what authority soever it comes ratified unto us whether by Ecclesiasticall or civill yea though it bee imposed upon us by the command of Kings and Rulers themselves for saith Christ our Master I charge you all take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leven of Herod Now by leven our Saviour understands all traditions and doctrines of men and injoyns all his Disciples to beware of them and commands them to take heed of them and not to tolerate them amongst them and that this is his good will and pleasure he hath ratified it when hee was in heaven for writing unto the Church of Thyatira Revel 2. verse 20. I have saith hee a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants c. Here Christ hath declared his will and good pleasure and how much he displeased with that Church that shee suffered those false Teachers and Seducers amongst them and that they but connived at them and pronounces fearfull judgements against both that Church and the Church of Pergamos and that of Laodicea for tolerating the Doctrine of Baalam the Nicolaitans and for suffering those luke-warme Christians amongst them so that there is nothing that Christ abhorreth more then a toleration of all Religions but that wee may farther yet know what the good will and pleasure of God is concerning this point let us heare Paul who made knowne the whole counsell of God to his Church Act. 20. Now hee in the 17. of the Acts declareth the will of God touching this matter for after that hee had reproved the Athenians for their superstitions ver 22. and undertaken to teach them the knowledge of the true God who they ignorantly worshipped and the right way of worshipping and serving him and informing them that hee is not worshipped with mens hands that is with any of their inventions and with what way or in what manner they thinke fit God saith hee is not to bee worshipped after any traditions of men but according to his owne appointments and this hee challenges by right from all men as being the absolute Lord of them all for he made them they are saith the Apostle the off-spring of God and his Generation and they live in him and move in him and have their being in him and their breath and life from him yea saith the Apostle hee hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation Now God saith hee hath given you all these things that yee should seeke the Lord that is that ye should worship him as hee is your Lord and King and to whom all honour and service of right is due now then as wee are his off-spring we must not thinke of God after our fantasie and set up such a worship as pleaseth our selves or allow of any kind or way of worshipping God that men please to follow as you superstitiously doe at Athens no saith the Apostle God will be worshipped after his owne way and after his owne appointment and howsoever God winked at the times of this ignorance yet now hee commands all men every where to repent that is to set up the true Religion and to worship him after one way for saith hee all the nations are now to set up one way of worship and if they will not obey this Lord of the whole world and imbrace that one and onely true Religion that I teach and preach unto you then I tell you plainely that as God hath appointed a day wherein hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by Christ Iesus if you will not set up his true worship and the true Religion and the right way of serving him but will tolerate all manner of Religions amongst you still as formerly you have done and give liberty to every man to serve God after his owne will and pleasure and not according to this good will and pleasure of God you shall be eternally damned for this is the meaning of the Apostle so that the will of God must be our rule for worship and not Poland and Transsylvania the will of God saith the Apostle must be that wee must follow in worshipping and serving him Now when by the Word of God that acceptable and perfect will of his wee are taught that hee was displeased with his people the Jewes for tolerating of all religions amongst them and that he was highly offended with those christian Churches in Asia for tolerating the doctrines of Balaam and Iezabel we are sufficiently taught and instructed that Christians ought not to tolerate any other Religion but that which Christ the only King and Law-giver of his Church hath taught us and that whosoever should take that authority upon them to tolerate all Religions would bee found fighters against God and such as deservedly would bring downe his judgements upon the Land by it for if but conniving at evill and consenting to it be a thing displeasing unto God how would the tolerating of it by a Law be abominable unto his sacred and divine Majesty for this were to establish iniquity by a Law We are taught in the holy Scriptures that the consenting with a thiefe makes a man as guilty before God as the acting of thievery Psal 50 and that they that assented unto Jezabel in killing the Prophets made themselves all as guilty as Jezabel her selfe and that the Heathen Romans Rom. 1. verse 32. who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but consent with them that doe them made themselves as equally guilty as the Actors of them as Paul in his bill and information put up in the Court of Heaven against them sufficiently declareth the same did Elias in his bill of information against the people in his time accusing them all as equally guilty of the blood of the Prophets and destroying Religion as Jezabel and onely because they consented unto it They saith Elias have killed thy Prophets and have broken down thy Altars Which they all the people that assented unto her as well as the Officers and Executioners And so our Saviour in his time accuseth the people as well as Herod for slaying of Iohn the Baptist saying They have done to him whatsoever they pleased They which they all the Nobles that sate at Table with Herod that did not disswade Herod from that bloody and tyrannicall act and all the people that liked well of it the sinne of this Nation who assented unto the bloody Decrees and censures given in the High-commission-Court and in the Star-chamber and in all other unjust Courts the people that assented unto all their cruell censuâ—es against Gods people and liked well of it are as equally guilty who would ordinarily say that had they beene Judges
this thy Book doth shew for all their talk That in Truths paths thou persever'st to walk Thy blamelesse life and godly conversation They cannot stain with slandrous exclamation Fight still the fight of faith most certainly There is laid up for Thee in heav'n on high A Crown of righteousnesse which at that day The Lord the righteous Judge shall give and say To Thee Come blessed of my Father take The kingdome I prepared for thy sake From the foundation of the world and shall Then Crown thy head with glory immortall S. B. TO The Victorious Worthy M r John Bastwick D r in Physick and Captain in the Presbyterian Army upon His industrious and learned Book intituled The Vtter Routing of all the Independent Army c. TRiumphant Victor Thou hast won the day And Routed Legions too without a fray Or shedding blood Thy deep mysterious skill Hath been always to Cure and not to kill Thou 'st purg'd their melancholy that began To make all Zeal their own complexion Their Il-dependent Choler 's cool'd by thee And Spleen and Sanguine may Religious bee While they take leave to rage and rail upon Thee as thou wert the Whore of Babylon Then thou couragious Captain undertake To vanquish Error for Christ's Churches sake Arm Thee with Samsons strength or Davids thus Like Paul fight Thou with beasts of Ephesus Then sound a charge utterly Rout all those Peace-Church-disturbers Separates that expose Our Zion like to Sodome what they 're able Raze down Christ's Churches to erect their Babel On Thee a furious Rabbie fouly fals Beats up Thy Quarters All their Generals Hanserdo Knollys namelesse I. S. Burton Have not a Scripture weapon that can hurt One Arm'd as Thou art their fury to abide With Arguments by Gods Word justifi'd The Scriptures Thou unvail'st we can behold Their sacred Truths Thy works do plain unfold Their mysteries Thou with th' Apostles keyes Unlockst Christs Churches hidden Treasuries In this Thou hast all Sectaries overthrown Now they 'll cry out of Persecution To whom th' dissenting brethren do accord Who with Hugh Peters keyes Paul Hobsons sword Advance they will boldly march madly on For all Religions a Toleration Which to Christs faithful Spous doth bring great scandal Such wasting New Lights shew Theeves in the candle Who from Christs fold His Church the fat sheep steal Saints Converts Zealots Rich-men in our Weal 'T is better grow in grace like thriving Lambs Then in short time become such hurtfull Rams But Thou well prove'st their sacrilegious theft Christ nor His blest Apostles ever left Them such a Pattern th' issues of thy pen Shews their false Lights to all enlightned men And in their new ways thou hast them pursu'd So close that Thou their Champions hast subdu'd Routed their Army all their force and might They have's to rail They are too weak to fight George Lindsey THE ERRATA In the Epistle to the Reader PAge 1. line 14. expression read expressions P. 2. l. 3. election r. affection ibid. l. 9. new r. knew P. 3. l. 31. Independent r. Independents P. 15. l. 29. unihilate r. annihilate In the Book PAge 6. line 7. papisticiae read papisticae ibid. l. 15. Hrivie r. Privie P. 9. in some copies in divers lines Pounties Porporations Pompanies read Counties Corporations Companies P. 20. l. 20. his time r. in his time ibid. l. 26. in some copies how saith God r. how saith he P. 129. l. 18. Syllogism r. Syllogisms P. 256. l. 18. given or them r. given them or P. 373. l. ult Punies r. Ninnies P. 374. alribiadian r. Alcibiadian P. 635. l. 19. hollownes read holiness The Reader in his wisdome will both discern and pardon the other literal escapes in the printing To the Ingenuous READER Christian Reader WHEN it was but noysed abroad after my returne from my last imprisonment that I was writing against Independency it would exceed beliefe if I should relate the indignation of all that party and their severall expressions of the same against me so that at that time there were no lesse nor fewer ignominious calumnies cast upon mee nor more variety of virulent censures given out against me then were uttered by them all to my disparagement upon the late comming forth but of the Title and Frontispice of the ensuing Discourse many of them affirming that I was a vaine glorious wicked fellow that I was mad that I was a base rogue and that I deserved hanging and that I would never be quiet till I were hanged with innumerable other unchristian expression of like nature So that it seems it is a greater piaculum by farre now to write against the Independents and Sectaries then scandalum magnatum was a few yeares since Truly at that time I could scarce passe by any of them as I cannot at this day without some contumely or other all which I beare with patience And amongst others I could never meet my Brother Burton but he would alwayes after his salutation in a deriding and scornefull manner aske me when my Book came forth telling me that he expected some Monster It seemes he thought I was bringing forth such a prodigious brat as he not long after laid at my doore which though it were a Monster indeed borne with teeth and nayles and did nothing but scratch and bite me yet comming from his loynes my Brother and quondam Fellow-sufferer I gave it entertainment and for the love I beare to him I have ever since danled it upon the knee of my election Now as soone as I had satisfied his expectation and sent him my Booke so long looked for he very liberally expressed his thankes for it and his opinion concerning both it and my selfe and that with many opprobrious words amidst others he asserted I was crased in my braine and that I had need of some hellebore and spake of me as an Apostate and a Persecutor who before he new my differing opinion from him both prayed for me and immoderately praysed me such is the uncertainty of all that is under the Sunne there being no stability in any creature and withall hee triumphed that he would give me a speedy answer making nothing of what I had written as it is usuall with all the Independents to vilipend and slight whatsoever the Presbyterians either speake or write and meeting with an other Independent not many dayes after he told me that there were twenty pens at worke against me and that I should have my hands full And howsoever it was some moneths before I heard from any of them in print yet all that interim they whetted their tongues against me like so many Razors Swords and Arrows to wound me in my reputation yea there was scarce a weapon in all the arsenall of calumny that they used not against me Now after some moneths one Hanserdo Knollys comming to me told me he had writ a moderate Answer unto my Booke complayning that the Presses were all shut against them though the whole Kingdome
I am most confident will by and by evidently appeare though all the former Arguments to the contrary should not so much as be thought of and withall it will also be obvious to any judicious man that in all respects their Argument makes much against themselves For if I should grant unto them That at this instant of time that that place speakes of the whole Church in Jerusalem or the number then of Beleevers were no more but that one place might have contained them all for the enjoying of all Ordinances which I cannot doe for innumerable reasons and some of them above specified yet it doth not follow nor evince that after there were daily such additions of Believers and such multitudes of new Converts added unto the Church that then also one place or roome could containe them all and that they might still meet in one Congregation and all together partake in all acts of worship For there is a vast difference betweene one hundred and twenty names for there was no more in this assembly and in many ten thousands which all the World knowes could not bee contained in any one place of Jerusalem to communicate in all the Ordinances though that place had equalized the most magnificent Structure that ever the World yet saw especially they could not have all met there to edification for they could not have all heard and understood and wee know that in the Church all must be done to edification and this would rather have hindred the mutuall edification of the assembly and have brought a confusion rather then any profit or benefit unto them But the truth is the number of names here spoken of if wee will goe to the genuine interpretation of the place not to speake of the universall consent of all the learned Interpreters who gather that in this assembly the seventy Disciples the Lord Jesus sent out to preach through all Judes and all those other Ministers of the Gospel that had beene Christs and Saint Iohn the Baptists Disciples every one of the which was thought fit for learning and divine knowledge to succeed Iudas in his Apostleship and to be a Disciple all these or most of them or such like were those that are included in the number of names I say to omit this Interpretation of all the most Orthodoxe Divines and their universall agreement and harmony in their learned Commentaries about this portion of Scripture the very words themselves following shew they were select and eminent men and men of note and Disciples of longest standing and all of them or the most of them Ministers and Preachers themselves and were indeed the Presbyters of the Church to whom with the Apostles the power of ruling was committed and who within themselves and without the consent of the common multitude of Beleivers had power to oâ—daine their own Officers and that by their own authority as we may see Vers 21. 22. Wherefore saith S. Peter of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Iesus went in and out among us beginning from the baptisme of Iohn unto that same day he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witnesse with us of the resurrection And they appointed two c. and they prayed c. and they gave forth the Lots c. all businesses here were managed and carryed in an Aristocraticall and Presbyterian way and all was done by a joynt consent and the common councell of them all Here wee finde none of the multitude of the people though Beleevers here were no Women that gave forth their lots Neither doth the Apostle Peter say Men Mothers and Brethren or Men Women and Brethren or Men Brethren and Sisters but Men and Brethren For howsoever in the foregoing Verses it is said that these meaning the Apostles and Elders all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his Brethren by which they fitted themselves for the Ministery after they should receive the Holy Ghost though I say they joyned with them in those duties of humiliation and prayer which any women may do in the society and company of godly Ministers yet when they went about other acts of Church government as choosing of an Apostle then the Apostles and Elders onely by themselves to whom the power of the Keyes was given ordered that businesse and left the Women to their private devotions and their severall imployments for in this action of giving forth their lots there is no mention of the Women And it is manifest from the Text it selfe that this choosing of Matthias was at another time and without all doubt upon a set day for this purpose for it is said Verse 15. And in those dayes Peter stood up in the middest of the Disciples and said Men and Brethren Here was onely Disciples Men and Brethren and no Sisters Till Pope Joans time and our dayes Peters Keyes never hung at any womans Girdle and we heare not in Scripture that they had any voyce in choosing of Church officers and admi ting of members into the Church or casting out of any till these unhappy times an usurpation not beseeming that Sex as afterwards in its due place I hope to make appear But this by the way Now to the matter in hand I say it is apparent to any that will not shut their eyes that all those or most of them that were in Peters company and at that time met together were capable of an Apostleship and such as were the most eminent of all Christs followers and such as were best instructed in Christian Religion as having been bred up in the doctrine of Saint Iohn the Baptist and under the Ministry of Christ himselfe the Prophet of his Church and therefore they were the Teachers of the Church and people who were their flock which they all fed in common And from thence it argueth That the multitude of Beleevers in Ierusalem was not onely a distinct company from them but that it was exceeding great and numerous that had so many Pastors and Teachers over them For if they had been but so small a company as is here mentioned and that the whole Church had consisted but of sixscore names then the Pastors exceed the number of the flocke which is not onely absurd to thinke but against the evident truth of the holy Scriptures which relate unto us multitudes upon multitudes that were dayly converted by the ministery of John the Baptist and of Christ and his Apostles and added unto the Church before this their meeting So that by this I have now said it is most clear and evident that all or most of these were the most eminent Ministers of the Gospell and the Presbytery of the Church But in this that our Brethren do acknowledge That this assembly here spake of were the church it makes as much against them and greatly for us for it is manifest from the Text
widdows were neglected in their dayly ministration Then the twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them and said It is not reason that wee should leave the Word of God and serve tables Wherefore brethren looke you out among you seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdome whom we may appoint over this businesse But we will give our selues contiunally to prayer and to the ministery of the Word vers 7. And the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient unto the faith In the which words we may take notice briefly of these observables The first of the cunning and policy of the Devill who when he cannot by all his wiles and stratagems assault the Church without then he labours to assaile it within as here with civill discords and differences among brethren and in other Churches in all ages even in and from the Apostles times by dissentions in opinions by Sects Schisms Factions and Heresies and by these his wiles and craft he first bringeth in difference in opinion and afterwards diversity of affection and that among brethren and all this he doth that in fine he may bring ruine upon them all And thus he began with the Church of Ierusalem raising a controversie between the Hebrews and the Greeks who complained That their widdows were neglected in the daily ministration as either that they were not made Deaconesses as the widdows of the Hebrews were or that there was not an equall distribution of the Almes according to the intention of the Church who sold their possessions and goods to that end that they might be parted to all men as every one should have need Acts 2. vers 44 45. chap. 4. v. 35. And this their supposition was the cause of that controversie The second observable is To whom the differing and dissenting parties did apply themselves and appeal and that was to the Presbytery or Colleage of Apostles not to any one of them particularly but to the twelve as in that difference at Antioch Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas and certain other of the Brethren in the Church of Antioch appealed to the Apostles and Presbyters and in both those differences all the Churches submitted themselves to the Apostles Order and that willingly and this example of the Apostles is the Rule for ordering of all controversies that all the reformed Churches set before them deciding all debates in Religion by the Word of God and according to the president they have laid downe unto them by the Apostles and Presbyters in Ierusalem Here I say the whole Presbytery and Colledge of the Apostles determined the businesse neither do we reade that the Assemblies of the Hebrews and Greeks at Ierusalem or the Church of Antioch pretended their own Independent authority though severall Congregations or challenged a power within themselves of choosing their own Officers or determining of differences amongst themselves or pleaded that they had Authority within themselves to make their own Laws by which they would be orderd or that they challenged any such priviledges unto themselves but they all appealed unto the Presbytery at Ierusalem as the supreamest Ecclesiasticall Court and freely submitted themselves to their arbitrement and to the Order they set down as the story specifieth The third observable is the imployment in which the Apostles were all taken up and the effect of it and their imployment is said to be continuing in prayer and the Ministery and preaching of the Word and the effect of this their Ministery was That the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith By all which it is most apparent that such multitudes being dayly added to the Church and where there was such variety of teachers and so many Apostles and all of them taken up in preaching and where there was so many different Nations and such diversities of tongues and languages as was in the Church of Ierusalem they could not all meet together at any one time or in any one place to edification and that they might all communicate in all the Ordinances but of necessity they must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would avoyde confusion and all that I now speak is evident by the very light of Nature and all reason and therefore it followeth That there were many Assemblyes and Congregations in Jerusalem and yet all made but one Church and that that Church was Presbyterianly governed But that I may make this truth more evidently yet appear I will first out the former discourse frame severall Arguments and then go on to the ensuing history And out of all these six chapters I thus argue Where there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by vertue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church of Ierusalem and the society of beleevers besides those that were convertedby John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministery before his suffering and to the which also there were afterwards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of the Priests joyned in so much that they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struâ—k a feare and terrour into them there they could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of Worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblies and Congregations But in the Church of Jerusalem there were eight thousand new converts besides women and children by virtue of some few miracles and Sermons after Christs Resurrection added to the Church and society of Beleevers besides those that were converted by John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles Ministry before his sufferings and to which also there were after wards great multitudes of Beleevers both of men and women and a great company of Priests also joyned insomuch as they kept the very Officers and Souldiers in awe and struck a fear and terrour into them Ergo They could not all meet together in any one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers Assemblyes and Congregations if they would all be edified For the Major it is so evident that I cannot beleeve that any rationall man will deny it for who yet did ever see an Assembly of above ten thousand people in any one place or Congregation that could partake in all the Ordinances to edification Yea to affirme this is to fight against common reason and dayly experience For the Minor it is proved by the severall places above quoted and therefore the conclusion doth also of necessity follow This Argument is so well grounded upon the Scripture of truth and corroborated also with such solid reasons as it is a wonderfull thing that there should bee any man
Religion neither is the true Religion nor that it leads men the true way to salvation And affirmes that hee groundedly and absolutely denies that either the Church of England is or ever was a true Church innumerable more such sentences might be produced out of this Pamphlet to this effect and from many such premises as these hee exhorts all good people that are in the bosome of the Church of England as they love their own inward peace and spirituall joy to withdraw their spirituall obedience and subjection from her Now here againe I appeale to all judicious Christians what the Devill the Accuser of the brethren could have spake more raylingly and falsely against the faithfull servants of God both Ministers and people then what Iohn Lâ—lburne in the name of all those of his Fraternity hath uttered against them all Surely if any Enemies Persecutors Raylers and Revilers of the people of God and false Accusers ever lived upon the earth they are those of the congrâ—gationall way and therefore they are no Sâ—ints Yeâ— when they write most mildly against the Presbyterians they call them Lyons Beares Wolves Tygers and in their ordinary language in towne and countrey they never see almost any Minister passâ— by them but they call them Baals Priests the lims of Antichrist the Antichristian brood the Devils Ministers Presbytyrants with a thousand other words of conâ—umely and of all their Presbyterian brethren both Scots and English they speake of them most shamefully upon all occasions terming them sonnes of earth sinners carnall people enemies of Christ Jesus and his Kingdom nay they revile us in the open streets when we passe by them and all that I now say the Independents themselves cannot deny to be most truly related by mee and their very bookes and all their Pamphlets are now in the hands of the people and daily read by them and they all can witnesse for mee that I have wronged them in nothing by all which that part of my Minor is sufficiently proved that all the Independents are notorious Raylers Revilers and false Accusers and therefore no Saints nor good Daemons but such as ought to be separate from and not to be communicated with in holy things as not formed into a church or churches after the New-Testament forme which ought to consist of all visible Saints And that they have caused divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine of Christ is also apparent and that from the great rents schismes and factions they have causelessely made amongst their brethren in church and state having neither Precept nor President in the whole Booke of God for any of their practises and proceedings in their new congregations and therefore this truth also being by the sad experience of all men notoriously knowne wee have a command to shun them and take heed of them as of a company of Seducers and false Teachers who so long as they persevere and continue in these their ungodly wayes they proclaime themseves to be no Saints nor good Daemons but a Generation of vipers and serpents and such as all godly soules ought to have no communion with whatsover their pretences of holinesse and sanctity be And that they are notorious covenant breakers it is most evident and apparent to all that will not wilfully shut their eyes for they have entred into a solemne covenant and oath and that made in the presence of God to labour for a through reformation of Religion in the Kingdome of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship and Discipline according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and in expresse words also they have vowed and covenanted in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to performe the same as they shall answer it at the great day that they will without respect of persons indeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse lest they partake in their sinnes and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagnes They have vowed also with all faithfulnesse to indeavour the discovery of all such as have beene or shall bee Incendiaries Malignants or evill Instruments by hindring the reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdomes from an other or making of any factions or parties amongst the people contrary to thâ—s league and covenant And all the Independent Ministers in the Reverend Assembly did faithfully promise unto their brethren and under their owne hands by writing confirme it that they would preach such doctrines publickly only as tended to Faith Repentance and Salvation and that they would not trouble the people with any of those controversies concerning Discipline and Church-government till they saw what Plat-forme of Discipline the Parliament and the Assembly should set downe and solemnly promised also by such a time to bring in their modell and others of the Ministers of the congregationall way when they came out of New-England entring into serious discourse with some of their brethren the Ministers of the Church of England that had suffered much under the Prelates tyrannie and that indeed had indured the brunt and undergone the heate of the day of their cruelty and persecution and of whom they had experience for their faithfulnesse and constancy in the truth I say some of these fugitive Ministers after their returne entring into communication with them and demanding of them what Discipline and Government they intended now in place of the Prelaticall usurpation to establish and set up for answer they told them that their indeavour God assisting them should be to set up a Government according to the word of God as nigh as they could after the example of the best reformed churches in Scotland France Germany and Low-countries whereupon they immediately replying said if this be indeed your reall intention then in the presence of God wee give you the right hand of Fellowship resolving to stand to you and by you faithfully unto the death All that I now relate can be proved by an Iliad of witnesses Notwithstanding all these Covenants Promises and serious ingagements and that in the presence of God they have all of them blake all these covenants and promises made both to God and man and have violated them all and every one of them and have not only neglected to bring in their modell of government though promised by them and againe and againe urged to it but made factions rents and schismes in the Church and preached up the congregationall way and brought an odium and hatred of the Presbyterie amongst the people and most shamefully continually inveighd against their brethren the Presbyterians and all their proceedings and have laboured also with all their might and power to hinder the reformation of Religion and to breake the union betweene the two nations Scots and English and to bring in a toleration of all
their duty and according to the will of God Therefore when the Il-dependents pray for a Toleration of all Religions under the name of liberty of conscience and labour for it and hinder with all their power the setting up of the onely true Religion and worke of Reformation and the setting up of such a Government in Christs Kingdome which is his Church as he hath revealed in his blessed will and they have also covenanted to bring in in their so doing they neither pray that Gods name may be hallowed nor that his Kingdome may come nor that his will may be done nor that they may not be led into temptation and be delivered from evill and therefore they pray not aright and are not as they falsly boast themselves the only true praying people for they pray not according to Gods will Now when those Churches of the Congregationall way consist of such kinde of praying Members it is apparently manifest they are a mixt Generation of men and not the Generation of the just nor the men of Gods right hand which is another title they falsly and pharisaically also claime and challeng unto themselves as they did the former as will by and by appear upon due examination and discussion of the true sense of that expression For those that are the men and people of Gods right hand properly so called are such as with all their might stand up in defence of Gods true Religion and earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the Saints Jude 2 3. and are not onely ever ready to lay down their lives for that ancient faith but with all their power to fight for it to the last drop of their blood in opposition to all errours superstition heresies and all manner of false worship and in opposing whatsoever is against the power of godlinesse as a Toleration of all Religions is which tends only to the bringing in of all prophanenesse and irreligion Now the Il-independents deny that they did ever fight for Religion Yea I my selfe have heard many of them say That it is unlawful to fight for Religion and they professed that when they went out with the sword in their hands they fought onely for the liberty of their consciences and for a Toleration of Religion which is a part and branch as they said of the Subjects birth-right All this I can with many more depose and therefore they falsly arrogate unto themselves that title of being the men of Gods right hand which no more belongs unto them then the other ensignes and titles did And as little right have they to the title of Saints and the generation of the Just which is so frequently in their mouthes if wee bring them to the true touchstone of that mettle therefore it may be to very good purpose to turne to the 15. Psalme and briefly to run over that where we shall finde a true description of Saints indeed Who saith the Psalmist shall abide in thy Tabernacle and who shall dwell in thy holy hill that is to say who are Saints indeed and the generation of the Just For answer the Holy Ghost that best knew who were Saints indeed sets down the characters of true Saints The first of which is his upright walking He that walketh uprightly saith the spirit of God This is a metaphoricall expression signifying the trade of a mans life his custome and carryage in it as when a man is said to walk after the flesh it is as much in the dialect of holy Scripture as to say He goeth on in his naturall condition and in his irregenerate state in his ignorance blindenesse wicked courses and practises and hath no work of grace wrought in his heart nor any chang in his will and affections nor in his whole frame of life and carriage but he is the old man still Rom. 18. ver 1. So to walk uprightly in Scripture language is to walk after the spirit to be regenerate to be a holy and heavenly minded man who doth all the actions of one borne again of the water and of the spirit he makes the Law of God his delight and squares his life and actions according to that rule and the direction of his blessed word and he orders his life by that rule in all integrity sincerity and without hypocrisie or any base or by-ends or wordly respects He makes it his employment with Enoch and Noah to walk with God secretly as well as openly in all manner of conversation in his thoughts words and deeds as if he were ever in the sight and presence of God walking uprightly also towards men carrying himselfe justly towards all but especially his main aime is to indeavour that the true worship and service of God may be set up in his family and wheresoever he hath power hee declines not to the right hand nor to the left in matters of Religion but keeps himselfe strictly to the rule and goes right on according to the direction of that He halts not between two Religions or more for he knowes how much that is disspleasing unto God who said unto the people by his Prophet Why halt ye between two Religions That God cannot indure in any people no more then he can indure the lukewarme Laodiceans that are neither hot nor cold but indifferent what Religion be set up so they may injoy their case all such he knows God hath and will spew out of his mouth Such therefore as halt and limp in Religion and hop first on this side to this Religion and then on the other side to that other Religion and a little after limp into another opinion and soon after hop into another Sect all that walk thus are no Saints in Gods dialect For the true Saints indeed they walk up â—ghtly before God in that one Religion he hath appointed they turne not to the right hand nor to the left they take no by-way or crosse path in Religion they halt not nor limp not nor doubt not of their way neither do they sit still or make a stand nor set not a foot backward in Religion all which were not to walk uprightly before God but all the true Saints walk uprightly they go on with constancy without interruption in their Religion that way Jerem. 6. They are not carryed sometimes this way with this wind of doctrine and sometime that way with that blast of opinion but they walk right on they set not a step backward from their first love to Religion like the Church of Ephesus Revel 2. but passe forward toward the price and mark of their high calling with as great a zeal and fervency as at first and hate all false wayes and erroneous religions they persevere in all the wayes of God and in the footsteps of all the Saints of old and imitate all those vertues and graces that are commendable in the Saints and all the Churches They cannot indure that any doctrine of Baalam Jezabell or of the Nicolaitans should be connived
at amongst them or tolerated or any other Religion but that which the Lord our God hath appointed and established in his blessed word and in that they walk and persevere they decline not in their love to it they go not backward with Demas to imbrace the present World nor with Hymeneus and Philetus they will deny no truth of God nor with any Hereticks innovate any thing in their Religion but they walk uprightly to the marke of the high calling in Jesus Christ They stand not still neither nor make no pause in their way but they are ever journying and in the action of well doing going from strength to strength till they come to the heavenly Zion they go on cheerfully in their Religion yea they run the race set before them with patience and that through thick and thin of all afflictions and persecutions and abate not their pace casting aside every thing that presseth down as the love of the world the love of honours and riches the love of pleasures the love of profits the love of friends and all earthly emoluments yea and the sin that sticks so close unto them all their hereditaty and inbred corruptions yea they reject likewise all novelties in Religion nothing can hinder them from walking uprightly in the old way God has appointed them to walk in but in despite of all impediments they not onely walk but run the race and the whole race set before them Looking upon the author and finisher of their faith Jesus Christ who for the glory that was set before him indured the crosse despised the shame and is now set down at the right hand of God in heaven Heb. 12. 2. He made that good confession to the death before Pontius Pilate and witnessed the truth All they therefore that are conformable to Jesus Christ and desire to walk in his steps and that are Saints indeed and the generation of the Just can never indure a Toleration of all Religions for that is not to walk uprightly with their God nor after Christ example for Christ whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple and would not tolerate them but layd corporall punishment upon them for their evill doing and preached against the Scribes Pharisees and Saduces and all erroneous Sects in his life time and after he was ascended into heaven he wrote unto the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatyra sharply reproving them for suffering and tolerating amongst them any other Religion then that he had appointed and for but conniving at any novelties in Doctrine and Religion They therefore that follow the ill example of those of the Church of Pergamos and Thyatyra and not onely suffer all manner of Religions amongst them but labour and indeavour to have an indulgence and a toleration for all under the pretence of liberty of conscience they follow not the example of Christ the Prophet of his Church nor the example of Abraham Jacob Ioshua and all the Patriarks and blessed Apostles who abhorred all novelties and tolerations and therefore they walk not uprightly with their God and are not Saints indeed according to Gods own description of a true Saint Now whether therefore the Il-dependents by their practises can challenge this Character to themselves I leave it to the judgement of the learned when they would have a Toleration of all Religions But now to passe on to the second Character of a true Saint He that worketh righteousnesse saith the spirit they that make it their imployment to render to every one their due obedience and subjection to the higher powers Rom. 13. Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour is due and they that will owe no man nothing but love and that love one another knowing that he that loveth fulfilleth the Law they are Saints properly so called v. the 7. In a word all that are Saints indeed in Gods repute worke righteousnesse they first give unto God his true worship and labour for the establishment of that Religion onely that he hath appointed they cannot indure the Toleration of all Religions neither will they connive at or indulge that any way of serving and worshipping of God should be permitted where they have power and ability to hinder it but that which God himselfe hath commanded for they know that that is not to work righteousnesse for that is not to give God his own For he appointed but one Religion and that he challengeth for his own so then they that set up any other but that or tolerate more or allow of a Toleration of all Religions they work not righteousnesse towards God for that is unjustice and a thing highly displeasing unto his divine Majesty as taking his right and authority out of his hand who is King of his Church and substituting themselves in his place which is the greatest injustice and unrighteousnesse in the world and therefore all that are the true Saints indeed and the generation of the just dare not attempt any such unjust thing for they work righteousnesse Again the true Saints in like manner work righteousnesse towards all men they yeeld all subjection to those that are in authority over them and they give the Magistrates their due honour and reverence yeelding unto them all the duties of obedience and subjection and veneration and they yeeld unto the Ministers and all their Brethren the duty of love and their true honour and so are fulfillers of the law of God They therefore that maligne their brethren and detract from their praises and hate them and speak evill of them and of those that are in dignity and authority and raile of those in the Ministry and as much as in them lies endeavour to make them odious to the world by their daily traducing of them and assuming the honour due to them unto themselves and all such as do assent unto them in this their unrighteous dealing they do not worke righteousnesse and therefore in Gods dialect they are not Saints indeed nor the generation of the just for it is great injustice to detract from any their due honour Now I appeal unto the judgment of any intelligible man whether or no those that write defamatory books and daily utter injurious and reproachfull words against the great councell of the Kingdome traducing them before all the people and accusing them of injustice and of exercising a lawlesse and an arbitrary government over the people proclaiming them tyrants and as bad as Strafford and the Bishop of Canterbury and guilty of the same crimes and that at pleasure can impeach any of the Parliament and accuse them to the people as traitors and such as keepe correspondency with the enimy and are betrayers of their liberties and those that do allow of such men favouring them and incouraging them by their countenance or connivance I say I appeal to the judgement of any whether they that do or assent to such doings do work righteousnesse when they do apparently
sowed good seed in his field that whiles the men slept his enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat and went his way which place is worthy to be taken notice of For in terminis it is said that whiles the men slept this I say is to be taken notice of for their dishonour that is to say after they had so wen the good seed and published the truth the Ministers and Preachers grew carelesse and like the people of Laish Judges 18. ver 7. and 10. Where they lived secure and the Magistrates were negligent in their place putting no man to shame for any evill they did which was the cause of their overthrow as it is there recorded and will be of ours and the ruine of the whole Kingdome if not timely prevented as being guilty of the same crime This indeed through the craft of the enemies hath bin one of the principallest occasions of the overspreading of this leprosie of all the heresies that now swarm through the whole Kingdome that the Ministers have not been so zealous and servent against them as they should have been and so valiant for the truth in the which guiltinesse Master Edwards is not involved for he hath all this time stood valiantly to the truth and shew'd himselfe a man of â—ourage and that against all opposition for which he deserveth especially to be honoured and all those likewise that have seconded him in discovering the danger of those devillish and damnable doctrines which have so poysoned the people every where that if the Lord of his infinite goodnesse do not speedily send helpe and put into the hearts both of Magistrates Ministers and all the people now at last to rouse up themselves and shew themselves valiant for the truth once delivered to the Saints which they are commanded to contend for Jude 3. they will but the more provoke the Lord to indignation against the Nation And in this good work they should set before their eyes the good example of all those worthy Kings and Governours whose names are recorded in holy writ to their everlasting honour for their diligence and care in suppressing of Errors and Idolatries withall they should lay to heart and consider that it highly concernes them if they desire the good of themselves and the welfare of their posterity and the peace of the whole land all which they will be deprived of if they speedily labour not to prevent them which a toleration of all Religions can never do for that must needs provoke the Lord to jealousie against us all for if we but duly weigh what the holy Ghost hath made known unto us in many places then that I now say will be out of doubt but omitting many places I will pitch upon one or two Judges 5 and 8. it is said there They chose new gods then was warr in the gates Here we see when all Religions came to be tolerated then was war in the gates And in the second of the Chronicles chap. 15. ver 3. 5 6. Now for a long season saith the holy Ghost Israel hath been without a true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law And in those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Country And Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vex them with all adversity Now the cause of all these miseries and calamities that did come upon all these people was for their corrupting of their Religion And this we shall find through the whole Scripture to be the cause of the wrath of God upon the Nations for the corrupting of their wayes and for the tolerating of Idolatry and the adulterating of the true Religion amongst them as is sufficiently manifest both from the places above specified and from the second and third of the Revelations where the Lord denounceth Judgements against the Church of Pergamos and Thyatira c. for but conniving at and tolerating of the false doctrines amongst them in the which places as the Lord sheweth he is the same in the time of the New Testament not changeable so it should lesson both people and Ministers but especially the Magistrates now to add their helping hand for the suppressing of these damnable and wicked doctrines that are now every where too much divulged and published They should also consider what the Lord saith Zachariah 13. ver 3. And it shall come to passe saith the Prophet that when any shall yet prophesie then his father and his mother that bare him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakst lyes in the Name of the Lord and his father and mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth Here we may take notice that the nighest alyes and kindred of any false Prophet are not to spare him and there is most excellent reason for it for if the taking away of the naturall life of any wan or woman deserveth death by the law of God and Nations how much more is that punishable in any man that shall labour to destroy and poyson the soules of the people which all false teachers do when they spread heresies and damnable doctrines amongst them And for this place out of Zachariah it is acknowledged by the very Independents themselves that it is a Prophecy pertaining to those that are under the Gospell and belongeth unto all Christians as instructing them in their duty what they should do for the suppressing of false Prophets and they also do acknowledg that the establishing of pure Religion and the Reformation of corruptions in Religion do much concerne the civill peace confessing if Religion be corrupted there will be war in the gates and where Religion rejoyceth the civill state flourisheth all this I say the Independents themselves accord unto But they referre it and that truly unto the civill Magistrate partly by commanding and by stirring up the Churches and Ministers thereof to go about it in their spirituall way partly also by civill punishments upon the wilfull opposers and disturbers of the same Yea they apply that place out of Zachariah quoted by me to the times of the New Testament as I said before and confesse that it is prophesied there that in some cases capitall punishment shall proceed against false Prophets and that by procurement of their neerest kindred And moreover they say that the execution thereof is described Revel 16. v. 4 to the 7. Where the Rivers and Fountains of waters that is the Preists and Jesuites that convey the Religion of the Sea of Rome throughout the Countries are turned to blood that is have blood given them to drink by the Civill Magistrate These are the very expressions of the Independents themselves Now if this in their opinion doe hold true against the Priests and Iesuits whether it doth not also hold true against all the erroneous and blasphemous Sectaries and hereticall Teachers that by
they would have done the like and that they were men worthy of death which made them I say as equally guilty as their wicked Iudges and Executioners as wee may see also in those that assented unto the High-Priests and to the Scribes and Pharisees in putting to death the Lord of Life they made themselves all guilty of his blood and by that meanes brought the curse of God upon them and their children by it to this day as well as the High-Priests themselves a fearefull sinne though the world take no notice of it and which all these Kingdomes have yet to repent of Saint Paul also makes himselfe as guilty of Stephens blood as they that stoned him saying When thy holy Martyr Stephen was stoned I stood by and assented unto it and held the garments of those that stoned him By which hee acknowledgeth himselfe equally guilty and so all those that assented to all the cruelty done to the people of God in these Kingdomes and were approvers of their tyrannie are as guilty as the actors of it for consenting unto any treason or conspiracy or with any malefactors and all their complices both by the Law of God nature and nations makes them all guilty before God and men and as liable to justice and punishment as those that acted in those malefices and therefore those that but assent unto a toleration of all Religions a sinne so highly displeasing unto God are as guilty as the Actors of it and if but consenting make them guilty how guilty are they then that use Arguments to bring in a toleration of all Religions and abuse the Scriptures to this end and plead for it and would have it established by a Law surely they are offenders against divine Majesty in an elevated nature and have a great deale to answer for it before God especially when they doe it in a most scurrilous and rayling manner by which they manifest to all the world that they are more verst and better acquainted with the doctrine of Billings-gate then with the language of Canaan But this may seeme a wonderfull thing to all judicious men that that people which within these six yeers were afraid of a Surplice and of the crosse in Baptisme and of any popish ceremony or of any of their vaine traditions and will-worship which was their honour then should now plead for the toleration of the body and soule of Popery and for all other both Iewish and heathenish Religions and all manner of sects so destructive to that Religion which the King of Saints and King of Kings and the onely King of his Church the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe hath taught us and to the peace and quietnesse of the Land this I say must needs seeme a monstrous thing to any moderate minded Christian Nay how unreasonably doe these men deale with their brethren they plead for a toleration of all Religions here in England and yet in New-England banish men into Ilands from amongst them for dissenting from them in their new modell of Church-government and for but dissenting from them in their opinions about Religion and hâ—re amongst us what impious and rayling bookes doe they make against the Ministers for endeavouring to establish that Religion and that Church-government that God himselfe in his holy Word hath set downe and what approbrious names doe they give the faithfull and painfull Preachers and Pastors of the Church of England calling them Baals Priests the profest enemies of Iesus Christ and his Kingdome the lims of Antichrist false Prophets the brood of Babylon terming some particular men of them Rabshekes others Bauds others Black mouths legall Preachers and stiling all of them the cursed enemies of Iesus Christ and thinke of them as men not worthy to live and in expresse words professe it and yet these men plead for a toleration of all Religions when both by their words and deeds they manifest if it were in their power the first worke they would doe should be to root us all out of the Kingdome so that all men may see they say one thing and mean another that they would tolerate all Religions but onely that which is the true Religion and so by that meanes have no Religion at all but one of their owne making which by their new lights they have of late found out which they call the straight way to Heaven and the onely way of setting up Christ upon his Throne which is nothing else to say the truth but to dis-throne him and set up themselves and their new modell for who doth not see how already they lord it over all good Christians not admitting them to the Sacraments but upon their owne termes nor suffering their children to be baptized amongst them nor so much as suffering any they call Presbyterians to preach in their new congregated Assemblies and if this be to give a toleration of any Religion but their owne let all the world judge but I say and will ever by Gods assistance be able to make it good in that they plead for a toleration of all Religions they are guilty of hainous and foule sinnes being complices as well as they that are Actors Now then when the Presbyters of the Church of England seeke and endeavour in all their proceedings to establish that Religion which Christ the King of his Church hath taught them and his blessed Apostles and labour to set up that Government that was ordained in all Churches to be perpetuated to the end of the world in their so doing they imitate all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles and in that they doe more advance Christs Kingdome than the Independents who under pretence of liberty of conscience would bring in a toleration of all Religions and confusion upon us all Surely if ever any Ministers deserved well from the people the Ministers of England now do who by all their endeavours shew that they seek to bring them to the knowledge of God and of his Sonne Jesus Christ and to the knowledge of themselves which is life eternall For what could men do more than that which they have done who have Petitioned the House of Lords and Commons now sitting in the great Councell of the Kingdome that they might be armed with authority from them in their severall charges to have the examination of such as shall be admitted to the Sacraments that they may be rightly informed in the knowledge of those holy Mysteries and that â—one that are either ignorant or scandalous in their lives may be suffered to communicate at the Lords Table by which their endeavour they shew the Christian care they have of their eternall welfare for which the people are ever bound unto them and by the which also they take away all scandall and occasion of offence to others which formerly pretended that the cause of their separating from our Congregations and Assemblies was in regard they could not communicate with doggs and swine and with the tag ragge and bobtaile of all the Malignants
hopes are frustrate now they labor for a toleration of all Religions which both God noble Nehemiah and Ioshua all the Holy Prophets Christ and his blessed Apostles continually were displeased with and denounced judgements against all which holy Lawes now they desire may be dispensed with to gratifie them with a ful toleration of all religions or at least with an indulgence for their new-fangled Independency which by all their indeavours they make way apace for and howsoever it was thought a thing worthy of death in Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury that they but laboured to alter the Lawes of the Land and the Religion that was established by publick authority and for the which they both suffered the very Sectaries and Independents themselves being the principall Agents to bring them both to their end who by their tumultuous and disorderly running up daily to Westminster were never satisfied in craving justice at the Parliament against them saying that as resolution was the life of action so execution was the life of the Law and justice and would never be contented and appeased till they had obtained their desires against them and only for this very cause as they pretended that they indeavoured to alter the Lawes of the Land and the Religion established by publick authority and many of our Fugitives were as eager in that busines as any of the rest some of them standing upon the Scaffold to see the execution of them and rejoycing at the justice done upon them and yet behold the very same men are all of them guilty of the very same crime that they dyed for yea of a farre greater for the Prelate and the Earle of Strafford were adjudged for but indeavouring to alter the Religion and Lawes established in the Kingdome but all the Sectaries and Independents they have really altered Religion and have set up many new Religions and that without any authority yea they have altered both Law and Gospel rejecting all the Holy Scriptures and making nothing of the glorious Word of God as can be proved and they have not only established by their sole authority divers Religions amongst us that were never knowne before but they proclame all the Presbyterians enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sons of Belial and esteeme of them as so many Infidels in no wise to be communicated with in holy things And for the fundamentall Lawes of the Land they not only speake against them as a yoake of tyrannie and bondage unsupportable to be borne but they write whole bookes against them desiring they may be altered notwithstanding all men injoy their lives and estates by them yea they write not only in general against all the laws of the land but against the very Ordinances of Parliament daily publishing Pamphlets against all their proceedings and especially they have taken great paines to dismount the Ordinance of Tythes established both by Law and a particular Ordinance of Parliament they would faine starve the Presbyterians preaching and practising hourely against the Covenant and many knowne Ordinances for whereas it was by Ordinances injoyned that none should preach publickly but such as were authorised and thought fit for the soundnesse of their Doctrine and for the sufficiency of their parts and abilities and that nothing should be printed but by authority notwithstanding these Ordinances the Sectaries and Independents both preach print whatsoever they please to the seducing of the people and for the perverting and corrupting of religion and disturbance both of Church and State and whereas by an Ordinance of Parliament the manner of government consisting of the three States King Peers and Commons hath been againe and againe confirmed established with the sitting of the Reverend Assembly of Divines and the ratifying of the Directory and for the establishing of the Presbyterian government neverthelesse they write against them all especially the King Peers and Assembly making nothing of them no nor of the â—ouse of Commons it selfe if at any time they displease them but they dash them all a peeces subverting the whole government at once proclaming the people the soveraigne Lords of them all and some of them have beene so temerarious as they have abused the whole Parliament to their faces first the King then the House of Commons and then the House of Lords slighting their authority and power affirming that they could not so much as commit any freeborne subject to prison which every Justice of peace or Constable may doe yea it is well knowne that in insolency they have exceeded all Delinquents that ever appeared before the great Councell of the Kingdome so that it may be spake to the honour both of Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury that they both of them behaved themselves with far greater modesty and reverence towards both Houses then many of the Sectaries have done for they ever yeelded due honour and reverenciall respect unto them all both with bowed knees and gracefull and seeming language which those paultry Fellowes out of an insulting impudency denied them despising Dignities and Dominions and these creatures have had their complices to applaud them in these their Rebelliouspractises yea some of them have beene so bold as to petition the Parliament in their behalfe though they could not be ignorant how unchristianly unreverently and undutifully they behaved themselves before them which was the greatest affront that was ever offered to any Parliament and the greatest breach of the priviledge of Parliament that hath beene knowne in any nation and yet all these things have beene perpetrated by the Independents and Sectaries all which gracelesse proceedings the old Puritans of England abhorred as the way of unrighteousnesse This also can be proved that many of their Independent itinerary preachers run from place to place preaching against the Nobility and Gentry against the Citie and against the Reverend Assembly against the Directory against Tythes against the Presbytery yea against all that is called authority and against all our gallant renowned and valiant presbyterian souldiers saying in their Sermons come out yee old base drunken whoremasterly rogues shew what you have done for the safety of the Kingdome ascribing all the glory of those noble victories to their owne party Truly if I should make but a repetition of the very contents of their prayers Sermons and diabolicall practises and set downe but the very heads of them it would fill a mightie volume by all which it would evidently appeare that they are greater Delinquents against the Religion and Lawes established by publicke authority then ever Strafford and the Prelate were and greater Malignants to the State then ever the Cavaliers were yea greater enemies to all Reformation in Religion then ever appeared in the world before they were hatcht and which is not the least thing of admiration and wonder in all these creatures they are fledge in wickednesse as soone as they are disclosed Truly these their practises manifest unto the whole world that they are
Presbyterian Brethren and of that great familiarity they have with Christ and what transcendent knowledge they have received from the mind and bosome of the Father it will not be amisse here to recite some passages of that seraphicall Doctors Sermons he preacheth in the Army I will take them out of the booke called the Vindication of certain Citizens where page 9. they set downe certaine points of doctrine that Saint Dell taught in the Army in their hearing viz. 1. That there are no more of a Church of God in a Kingdome then there be such as have the Spirit of God in that Kingdome 2. Neither Old nor New Testament doe hold forth a whole nation to be a Church 3. Whatsoever a State an Assembly or Councell shall say ought not to bind the Saints further then the judgement of those Saints shall leade them 4. The Saints are those that are now stiled Anabaptists Familists Antinomians Independents Sectaries and the like 5. The power is in you the people keepe it part not with it 6. The first party that arose against you namely the prophane ones of the Land are already fallen under you and now there is an other party Formalists and carnall Gospellers rising up against you but I am confident they shall all fall under you 7. They are willing to become subjects to make the Saints slaves nay they are all willing to become slaves themselves that they may tread upon the necks of the Saints These points of sublimated doctrine I find set forth publickly and published by authority as delivered by Saint Dell in one of his sermons at the Army which I had not put in to this my Epistle to the Reader had I not some dayes after the publication of them inquired whether Saint Dell had answered to this accusation against him and understanding that he had replyed nothing to it which he might have done in two houres if he had beene innocent and not guilty I tooke it pro confesso knowing that the Presses are open for all mens just Apologies and defence especially when I find them open to all wicked and impious Pamphlets and this as not all that made me beleeve the charge is true against him but because I have heard and that from men of reputation and worthy of beliefe that it is ordinary with him and his complices to preach such doctrines as these are publickly and privately and to maintaine them wheresoever he comes all the which I shall ever be able God assisting me to prove he never had nor received from the mind and bosome of God the Father nor from Jesus Christ though he boasts much of the Familiarity he hath with Jesus Christ If this be the knowledge the Sectaries vaunt so much of and if these be the things they pretend they have received from the mind and bosome of the Father I must confesse in these their notions they out-strip the knowledge of the Saints of old and of all the holy Prophets and Apostles and of the old Puritans of England who were ignorant of them all which was a learned ignorance in them knowing that God the Father taught a far different doctrine to his people as I shewed a little before and shall more fully declare in the insuing Discourse But this I will againe and againe assert that neither the old Puritans of England nor our godly Presbyterians now are inferiour to any of the Sectaries for an holy and conscionable outward walking in all manner of conversation or in the knowledge of God or of Jesus Christ or in any kind of knowledge that may truly be called learning or science whatsoever the Independents and Sectaries may glory and boast of themselvs I do farther assert that al the godly Presbyters in the church of England do preach Jesus Christ faith repentance and free grace and that in every Congregation upon all occasions more orthodoxly solidly sincerely and learnedly with all practicall divinity then ever any of the Sectaries did or can doe and therefore they do not know more of God then the Presbyterians doe as that Homothumadon Brother pharisaically and falsely gloried and all the Sectaries with him vaunt So that I see no reason why wee may not here make use of the Apostle Saint Pauls words concerning this busines who in the second of the Cor. 10. v. 7. 12. 18. Doe you looke on things after the outward appearance saith he if any man trusts to himselfe that hee is Christ's let him of himselfe thinke this againe that as he is Christ's even so are wee Christ's For we doe not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselvs but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise or understand not for not he that commendeth himselfe is approved but whom the Lord commendeth So that it seemes by Saint Pauls words not only in this Epistle but in others that the false Apostles and Seducers of his time had some high esteeme of themselves and of their own holinesse knowledge and abilities above others yea above the Apostles themselves as the Independents and Sectaries of our times have of their great piety and sufficiencie above their brethren as all their words Pamphlets and Vindications daily witnesse in which they slight all that oppose their novelties and stile them vaine men and such as neither know what to say norhow to hold their peace vilifying them all as the off-scouring and things of nought which practice of theirs when it was blamed in the false Apostles as sinfull it cannot be prayse-worthy in the Sectaries now in our times who walke in that way of unrighteousnesse those false Teachers then did and contrary to that rule prescribed by God which is to preferre others before themselves in honour which way the old Puritans of England walked in and not in the way of the false Apostles and the Sectaries of our times for they kept the road way and the royall way of righteousnesse esteeming of their brethren better then of themselves But the world was never without such a sort of men for Solomon speaks of the like There is a generation of men saith hee and how lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids lifted up and of such creatures Saint Paul speaks 2 Cor. 11 ver 22 which made him compare himselfe with them after this maner are they Hebrewes saith he so am I are they Israelites so am I are they the seed of Abraham so am I are they the Ministers of Christ I speake saith he as a foole I am more c. Thus the holy Apostle laughs at these seducers and vaine boasters and to make them more ashamed he compares himselfe with them not fearing to be counted a Jeerer and scorner of piety and religion though hee made himselfe merry with them whom he knew very well for all the shewes they made of being the Ministers of righteousnesse that they were a company of Impostors and therefore
Church then the doctrine of the Congregationall way falleth to the ground or vanisheth for if there were many and severall Congregations there that had not an absolute authority and jurisdiction Independent within themselvs respectively but were subordinate and subject to another authority above them then of necessity that tenent of the Congregationall way is but a meer chimera or whimsy of your own heads as all the learnedst of your tribe do acknowledge Now when my brother Burton hath not onely granted there were many Congregations of beleevers in that Church but by arguments proved it he hath utterly I say lost the field before he entered into the combat as will yet more perspicuously appear in the following discourse but by that I have now said you may see how unhappy you are in all these your Champions and Generals that give as great wounds unto your cause as any adversaries you have in the world now living ever gave That which I have now to say in the first place to all your leaders and guides is earnestly to intreat them as they look for true comfort in life and death and as they desire the peace of the Church and quiet of this distracted State and Kingdome they would now no longer withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousnesse which hitherto they have done but that they would unfainedly bewaile the errors of their wayes and repent of their seducing and misleading of the poor people let it be enough that they have so highly provoked God and caused the enemies to blaspheme our Christian Religion And in the second place I desire all you that have hitherto been misled and carryed about with every wind of their new doctrine that now you would more seriously prove and examine all things according to the Apostles rule 1 Thess 5. 12. and hold fast that which is good Lay not out your time and moneys for that which will profit you nothing but whiles it is called to day set your selves seriously upon the work of examining all those new doctrines that have been taught you set before your eyes the example of the noble Bereans search the Scriptures whether things be as they have taught you and if you please diligently to read what I have writ out of a zeal of the glory of God and out of love to your selves and a true desire of your eternall felicity If any of you that have erred from the truth shall be converted by it let him know that he that converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins James 5. 19. 20. John Bastwick THE ANTILOQVIE SOLOMON the Wisest of men and one beloved of God gives this counsell to all the sons and daughters of God and to the universality of all man-kind saying unto them all Prov. 23. ver 23. Buy the truth and sell it not also wisdome instruction and understanding He counsells them all to prise truth with wisdome instruction and understanding above all things as the onely means of making men happy not in this life alone but eternally for so Solomon that wise man asserteth Prov. 3. ver 13 14 15 16 17 18. saying Happy is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold Shee is more precious then rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her pathes are peace She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her If all the Orators of the World had been gathered together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they could not with so illustrious a brevity have set forth the excellency of wisdome and understanding nor with more glorious encomiums and ellogies have decipher'd the amability of them for the making of them specious and lovely and for the inviting of all men to the ready and willing imbracing of them for if either life profit pleasure honour or any delectable content or any thing indeed desirable in the world can invite any creature to be inamored with any object of love all that can be said in way of the praise thereof is contained in this description of wisdome and understanding delivered by Solomon And yet truth hath the preeminency before them all the first place for dignity being given assigned unto her and by a speciall command from God himself who spake by his servant Solomon all men are injoyned to buy the truth and that upon any termes and not to bartell it away or sell it or to part with it though it might be with never so much worldly emolument unto them Buy the truth saith God sell it not keep it for ever For by the truth thou shalt perfectly attain unto liberty which is the life of life yea which is better then life liberty being that the whole world contends for every man not onely desiring it but fighting for it Now the truth will make every man free so saith Christ John 8. ver 32. The truth shall make you free from all error and from the fear of Hell and Death and from the very terror of both And lest any man should seriously doubt what truth is as Pilate scornfully did Christ himselfe hath taught us John 17. v. 17. saying Thy Word is Truth and that Truth that sanctifieth his people For every thing is sanctified by the the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4. v. 5. This precious good Word of God and the faith once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. contained in it is that that all men are exhorted earnestly to contend for And therefore more especially in these our times every one ought vigorously to stand up and contend for it yea upon any termes or at any rate to buy it when it is become such a rarity as it is scarse to be met with being almost lost in the thickets meanders and labyrinths of so many errors so that the faith once delivered unto the Saints is very rarely to be found amongst the sons of men through the involutions and intanglements of writhing and restlesse spirits whose whole work and designe it is as by their dayly practices it doth appear either wholy to eclipse or darken it or totally to take it away that by this meanes Truth and Light being once removed the deceivers and impostors may the better put off their corrupt and putrid wares and commodities and the poor deluded people may the more facilly and readily be deluded cheated and consened and those that are wayfaring men for the want of its direction may wander in the by-paths of darknesse to their own eternall perdition And the verity is too too many by their needlesse vain and unnecessary janglings about the truth
scandall which was the neglect of their widdowes in the daily Ministration where they applyed themselves unto the Apostles for the particular congregations assumed not the authority into their hands of redressing the abuse nor challenged not any right to the government but appealed unto the Apostles for remedy who ordered that whole businesse by joynt consent to which all the people willingly submitted themselves as it is at large to be seene in the sixt Chapter of the Acts. The third appeale we finde Acts the ninth where Paul assaying to joyne himself to the Disciples and they being afraid of him and doubting whether he were a beleever Saint Paul forth with appeals from them to the Apostles who he knew had the authority in their hands and making knowne his cause unto them they forthwith admitted him into Church-fellow-ship with them without the consent of the people who indeed had nothing to do either in the admitting of members of casting of them out and therefore they allowed of the appeale of Saint Paul to teach all men whether to fly to wit the to Presbytery if they be injured by the people or debard from any Church-priviledge by them for they only are the stewards of the Church and have the Keys of the kingdom of heaven to open and shut the doores to whom they shall thinke fit or unworthy and this is the place of the Presbyters and not of the people for they are injoyned to obey their guids and to submit themselves in the Lord to what they order and appoint according to the Word of God Here we have three presidents of appeales in the mother-church of Ierusalem to the Presbytery upon any abuse so that by the mouth of their witnesses out of the word of truth this truth of appeales is sufficiently confirmed And that the Presbytery at Ierusalem had plenary power over the very Apostles and could call them at any time to an accompt is manifest from the eleventh of the Acts where Peter was convented questionedbefore them and was forced to give an accompt of his going in to the Gentiles and Preaching unto them which he willingly yâ—elded unto knowing it was their place to question any yea the Presbytery in every Church could send the very Apostles Ministers to Preach in any place or city or upon any Message as we see they sent Peter and Iohn to Samaria and the Church of Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas with other Ministers to the Presbytery of Ierusalem as is evident Acts the 14. and Acts 15. and therefore all these examples sufficiently prove that all the people of every Church made their appeales to their severall Presbyteries if there arose any controversies and abuses among themselves and if there arose any difference between Church and Church or betweene Presbytery and Presbyterie about any points of Doctrine or Religion then they made their appeales for the determining of those controversies to Councells and Synods as we may see it Acts the 15. and this is one of Gods Ordinances as the Independents themselves doe acknowledge So that for the Doctrine of appeales it is so cleare that all the learned and judicious cannot doubt of it and I am most assured that those that shall but with due deliberation seriously examine the Scriptures above quoted and those that follow in this discourse for the confirmation of the same truth will wonder that any man that pretends to learning as Master Knollys doth should ever dare say that appeales cannot be made good to be according to the Scripture of truth whereas there is almost no truth in the holy Scripture more cleare and evident than this of appeales Yea this method of dealing and manner of handling of businesses of publike offences and scandals and for the redressing of them is ratified by the very light and Law of nature as we may reade in all the governments under the very Heathens and Paul made use of it by appealing from inferiour Courts to Caesars tribunall And I shall never be brought by all the arte and wit of man to beleeve that Christ hath left his Church under the New Testament in a worse condition then it was under the old where we know they had appeales from one Court to another Nay if Christians now had not the liberty of appeales in matters of conscience and Religion they should be inferior to the Pagan nations and surely Christ hath not left his Church which is his Kingdom in a worse condition then either the Iewish or Ethnicke Kingdomes were and therefore by all reason besides the Testimony of Christ Matth. the 13. and besides the Presidents I produced out of the Word of God to confirme appeales the lawfulnesse of appeales is sufficiently established and ratified So that I hope that which I have now briefly set downe may satisfie any rationall man But before I go on to prove that the people or Church have not power to judge their Ministers which is the last thing I undertake to make good I must say something by way of answer to a vaine and frivolous cavill of Master Knollys which is this If the Doctor can prove these appeales saith he I aske him whether that higher Presbytery or Councell of Divines be not as Independent as the brethren and their Churches against whom the Doctor hath written and if so then such a high Presbytery or Councell of Divines is not Gods Ordinance by the Doctors own confession and affirmation The very reading of this fond cavill had been enough for the confutation of it to any solid man and truly had not I to deale with such a trifling creature as he is in serious businesse who compts every word he scribleth an oracle I would have passed by it with silence as being nothing to the question between us and as little to his purpose as all his other wrangling is except it be to declare to all men that he knoweth not his owne principles nor no good learning But for answer all such as know any thing in the controversie betweene us and the Independents know that it is my opinion and settled beleefe that all Churches and Councels are to depend upon the Word of God and to be ruled and ordered in all their proceedings and Governments according to the direction of the same an Angel from Heaven is not be heard that speaks not according to the written Word Gal. 1. and this Word hath directed us to the law and to the testimony Isay 8. and proclamed all men that speak not according to that to be in darknesse and therefore according to this my opinion no Church or Councell in the world is Independent and therfore all such Churches and Councels as have not either precept or example for their proceedings in the ordering and governing of them out of the Word of God but follow their own vaine and idle phantasies and affect Independency in my opinion they in so ordering their Churches do not according to Gods Ordinances Now when the
manner these men argue except say they the Presbyters by the imposition of their hands upon their Disciples can inable them on a sudden to speake with strange tongues to foretell things to come and heal the sicke c. we will not acknowledge them to be true Elders but let them do all these things by the imposition of their hands and then wee will acknowledge them for a true Presbytery See the vanity of these men and the instability of their faith by their own confession miracles will make them believe any thing if we may credit their own words though never so contrary to their judgement and to the faith once delivered to the Saints It is well known to the Learned that the Apostles and those Primitive christians had extraordinary and wonderfull gifts that ravisht the world then into admiration and it is confest also by all understanding Christians that those wonder-working miracles were but temporary as the miraculous feeding of the people with Manna in the Wildernesse where they were fellow-commoners with the Angels and continued but till they came into the Land that flowed with Milk and Honey So those miracles of the Primitive christians continued but for a time till the Gospell and the truth of the Christian faith and doctrine was confirmed and established which being once done and the holy Scriptures which were to be the rule of faith to the end of the world being left to posterity and to which we are tyed and commanded not to be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. and forbid in Gal. 1. 8 9. to believe otherwise then we have been taught though the Apostles or an Angell from heaven should teach otherwise after I say the Doctrine of the Christian Faith and Religion was confirmed the ordinary working of Miracles ceased And it is said of Antichrist in 2 Thess chap. 2. That he shall come with strong delusions and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved So that I cannot sufficiently wonder to see the dealing of these men who in these dayes expect and look for miracles to confirme their faith when notwithstanding we are forwarned to take heed of all false delusions and commanded to the contrary Shew us some miracles say they and then we will believe you are true Presbyters So dealt the Jewes with Christ What signe shewest thou that wee may beleeve in thee But when Christ had shewed them signe upon signe and miracle upon miracle were they ever the more convinced Did those miracles create beliefe in them No surely but rather hardned them and made them blaspheme When he cast out Devils they say he did it by the Prince of Devils So without doubt if the Presbyters had those gifts of miracles that they could gratifie these men with daily prodigies and workes of wonder they would then say they came with lying wonders and with the working of Satan and they would make the world abhor them the more There is an old saying that hee must rise early and never goe to bed that will please all men and truly it would be not onely difficult but an impossible thing for any State or great Councell were it never so wise to please all the people under them God himselfe nor Moses nor Aaron his servants could please the Israelites though they saw never such wonders continually before their eyes to confirme their authority yea they told Moses and Aaron to their faces that they tooke too much upon them And afterwards they cast off Gods own government God himselfe as the Lord complains to Samuel in 1 Samuel and would set up a governement after the modell of their owne braine as it is at large set downe in that Booke And not long after they changed the manner of Gods worship in Ieroboams time and taught the feare of God as the Lord complaineth Isay 29. after the precepts of men and rejected Gods commandements as Christ saith Matth. 15. and Marke 7. So that what they thought best in their owne eyes that was ever best pleasing unto them They would not content themselves with the Written Word though they were never so often by Moses and all the rest of the Prophets commanded to cleave unto it saying to the Law and to the Testimony Isay 8. Even so it is now in these dayes they content not themselves with that Ordinance that is set downe in the Written Word but say Come shew us some miracles and then wee will beleeve you are a right Presbyterie Our Saviour speaking to the Jewes concerning Saint Iohn the Baptist and Himselfe Iohn saith hee came neither eating nor drinking and ye say behold hee hath a Devill the Sonne of Man came both eating and drinking and ye say hee is a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners So that whatsoever method or way God used to convert them they cavil'd against it and were never satisfied alwayes resisting the Spirit of God as Stephen told them in Act. 7. So now in these our times they looke for miracles and a new way of teaching But all good Christians are forbid to listen after or to give heed to miracles and are sent unto Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. and are commanded to search the Scripture John 5. Yea our Saviour himselfe in the person of Abraham Luke 16. saith That if men will not beleeve Moses and the Prophets they will not be perswaded by miracles and I am confident that could the Presbyters doe all those miracles these men desire they would the more reproach them and exclaime against them and affirme they wrought by the Devill as the Jews told our Saviour he did I must confesse I am of a contrary opinion to these men not only in the matter of miracles but in all external performances for I am instructed in the holy scriptures that the Devill can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and that the Deceivers and false Teachers shall come forth in sheeps clothing and for outward appearance shalequalize if not exceed the faithfullest truest Pastors and Ministers of Christ and therefore we are in speciall commanded to take heed of such and for my particular if any men whatsoever of never such seeming sanctity sufficient abilities unblameable life should come forth and teach any other Doctrine of Faith Manners or Government then that I have been taught in the holy Scripture and should confirme this their Doctrine with never so many miracles I will still continue stedfast in the Doctrine of the Apostles and cleave unto the written Word and will never beleeve contrary to that though I should undergoe the greatest misery or be exposed to the greatest want by it that any man ever saw for I know that all these momentary trials and afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that shall be revealed And for this very point of the Presbytery in that sense I take
Presbyters or in common councell with them those actions I say were done and acted by men which were Apostles but not as they were Apostles exclusively so as they might not act them under another notion neither will our brethren affirme it for if the Apostles did preach take the trust of the goods of the Church ordaine Officers as Apostles exclusively and in an extraordinary way and as by a priviledge peculiar to themselves it would follow from thence that none may doe any of those things but Apostles which the Brethren will not assent unto as for some instances In that ordination of Deacons in the sixth of the Acts the Apostles there acted partly as Apostles and partly as Presbyters for in constituting an Office in the Church which was not before they acted their Apostolicall authority but in ordaining men to that office which the Church had chosen they did act as Presbyters and there is no doubt but the Brethren will yeeld to this for if they will not grant that the Apostles did herein act partly as Apostles partly as Presbyters they must then accord that they acted either onely as Presbyters or onely as Apostles If onely as Presbyters thence it will follow that all Presbyters have power not onely to ordaine men but to erect a new office in the Church If onely as Apostles then hence is no warrant for Presbyters so much as to ordaine men into any office nor for so much as to meet together to consult about acts of government either in a Presbyterian or in a Synodicall way and by this meanes all Church government would speedily be overthrowne Neither is it a difficult thing in our Brethren or any other man to distinguish betweene these two for looke by what infallible rule they make some thing in the practise of the Apostles to bee not onely a patterne and president for imitation but even a proofe of institution yet decline other things practised by the same Apostles as things not onely by institution not commanded to us but not permitted to bee imitated by us By the same rule they may infallibly distinguish betweene what they acted as Apostles and what they acted as Presbyters and as ordinary Counsellors Iudges and Governours and withall they may infer and conclude that what they acted as Presbyters and by joynt and common consent it was to give a patterne and president to all Presbyters and Synods in all succeeding ages and as the taking in of the consent of the Church in the choice of Deacons Act. 6. was to give a patterne for the sufferage and voice of the people in all Churches to the end of the world in chosing of their Deacons so for another instance as there were many Congregations in the Church of Ierusalem and divers Assemblies and all these congregations made but one Church and the Apostles and Presbyters who were Officers governed that joyntly and by a common Councell as our Brethren acknowledge Here likewise they left a patterne and president to all ages for severall Congregations and Assemblies in a Citie or vicinity to unite into one Church and for the Officers and Presbyters of these Congregations to governe that Church joyntly in a Colledge and Presbytery And for a third instance as the Apostles and Presbyters meet together in a Synodicall way and the Apostles in that Assembly acted not by an Apostolicall and infallible spirit no more then the Presbyters did as when they were writing of Scripture but stating the Question and debating it from Scripture in an ordinary way as it is at large discussed in Acts 15. which wee never reade they did when they writ the Scripture and having by disputing arguing and searching the Scripture found what was the good and acceptable will of God thereupon they determined the question saying it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us as the Assembly now of Divines or any other for ought I know upon like assurance of Scripture warrant may doe In this action also and their so doing the Apostles and Presbyters left an example and president to all the Presbyters in all succeeding ages what they should doe upon the like occasions for the deciding of controversies and differences of opinions in Religion viz. To congregate and meet together in some one place to state the questions and to debate from Scripture and to follow the written Word as their rule in all things and whatsoever they doe to doe it by joynt consent and the the Common-councell of them all or by the most voices but in all these their proceedings they must ever cleave to the rule of the Word of God or warrantable authority and evidence of reason deduced from thence as then the Apostles and Presbyters did yea the very name of the Presbyters in Jerusalem signifieth the Iudges Counsellors Magistrates and Rulers of that Church who had the Keyes committed unto them as well as the Apostles and by their place were more peculiarly overseers of that Church as they were tyed unto it then the Apostles as the Presbyters of Ephesus were in that Church and were assigned in their severall places to execute their office and to looke to their particular charges in the government so that whether the Apostles were present or absent the Presbyters had the government laid upon their shoulders and if the Apostles themselves had taught contrary to this Constitution or an Angel from Heaven Gal. 1. I am confident the Presbyters would not have obeyed them nor have relinquished their authority neither ought they but would still have kept that rule power and authority which God had put in their hands so that for my owne particular I looke upon the Apostles in all these severall actions and in all those acts of government joyned and met together with the Presbyters as I looke upon Counsellors and Iudges in the great Councell of both Kingdoms where all the Iudges have equall power and authority in decisive voting and doe verily beleeve that the Presbyters sitting at any time in councel with any one or more of the Apostles did act as authoritatively as the Apostles themselves and I am ever able to prove it and make it good against any man that the Presbyters might as well conclude It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us as well as the Apostles and may say we have written and concluded as well as the Apostles As any two or three of the Parliament whether of the Lords or Commons may as well say wee have made such an Ordinance as any twenty of them or the whole Councell and that without disparagement or impeaching the dignity of any when they joyned with them in that worke and assented to it and in this very notion I looke upon the Presbyters in Ierusalem joyned with the Apostles and consider them as in my contemplations I looke upon the Lords and Commons now sitting in the great Councell as the grand civill Presbytery of the Kingdome where all binding Ordinances are to bee
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 disputeth not onely against all sound Divinity but against all reason whiles hee would make all the people to have equall suffrage and voices or votes with the Elders in that Councell and therefore Master Knollys shall never be my Master who had hee known any thing concerning governments either in Church or State or had hee ever read any thing concerning Councels in either hee would never have so argued For Councels in all governments consist of peculiar and select men who for their Gravity Wisedome Learning and their inveterate experience are made choyce of and set apart for that purpose and to whom the rule and government of the Kingdomes and Countries wherein they live is committed so that the ordinary people are not to intrude or intermeddle in those affaires whose place it is only to obey and to yeeld subjection to their Ordinances and they that would goe about or indeavour to change this order appointed by God himselfe would speedily bring confusion upon themselves and others and as it is and ever has beene in the matters and affaires of the State and in the Kingdomes of this world so it is in the Kingdome of Jesus Christ which is his Church all things are to be managed with order and decency and by such men only as upon whose shoulders God hath laid that government and into whose hands he hath committed the Keyes those ensignes of authority now when Christ the King of his Church hath given the Keyes to his Apostles and to the Presbyters only and to be continued in their hands to the end of the world they only are to manage the affaires government of the Church to the consummation of all things whose calling and place it is to rule and govern them as who have the care of the churches who are the prime men in authority in them for the ruling and governing of them and the people are onely to obey them and their Ordinances in the Lord and are not to intermeddle in the government of the Church or have their voices or votes in matters of government as hath beene often proved And therefore Master Knollys in saying 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 and had their voices there is altogether mistaken in his commentary exposition for he by Brethren understanding that the whole Church the whole multitude of Believert men women and children then in Jerusalem for so his words doe import were present in that Councell speakes hee knows not what for it is most certaine by the holy Scripture that the tenth part of the Believers that were in Ierusalem could not have met together in any one place and therefore all the many ten thousands that were there could not possibly have come together in one Synod or Councell and besides the impossibility of it all men know that the Members of Synods and such as have their voices there are Presbyters and Ministers of the Gospel only and such as are sent Commissioners and delegated out of the severall Presbyteries to those Councels for the right ordering and well managing of the government in them and this is their calling and for the other people as the secular Magistrates Masters of Families Wives Children and Servants they are every one of them to continue in that calling and statiou God had placed them in 1 Cor. 7. and all under authority are therein to abide and every one of them to follow their particular negotiations and affaires yeelding obedience in their severall places to those that are over them and women especially by a statute Law from heaven 1 Cor. 14. are injoyned silence in all the Churches and are commanded if they have any doubts to aske their Husbands at home and to be subject and obedient unto them they are not to vote it in Synods neither were women ever that I have read or heard of before such Teachers as Master Knollys and his Fraternity appeared in the world permitted to have their voices in the Churches and Synods which when it is an apparent transgression of the Law of God I am confident that the Apostles and Presbyters then assembled in the Councell of Ierusalem would not have suffered any women to have brake the Lawes of God before their faces and therefore I may with good authority out of Gods Word conclude that there was not a woman in that Synod for the Scripture saith the Synod consisted of brethren and not sisters who had never the Keyes committed to them or any voice there as Mr Knollys vainly asserâ—eth and therefore for women they were not there so that there was not the whole multitude how many soever the Doctor can make them when the sisters are exempted there being none but brethren Besides it was against another statute law from heaven made by the Apostle Paul in the 14. of the Romans ver 1. that weak brethren should be admitted to doubtfull disputations who saith For those that are weak in the Faith receive but not unto doubtfull disputations or ambiguity of disputes for they being not well setled and grounded in Religion would have either been more imbittered against one another or filled more full of scruples then resolved as dayly experience teacheth all men who see what a confusion such paultry fellows as Master Knollys is have already brought inâ—o the world by admitting their weak brethren to their doubtfull disputations and vain janglings uâ—on all occasions Neither will I ever beleeve for my part that the Apostles â—ould be transgressors of their own Laws and teach one thing and practice the contrary now when Saint Paul had made that law that the weak brethren should not be admitted to doubtfull disputations shall we think that the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem would have admitted the whole multitude of all the beleevers amongst the which there were so many weak brethren into the Synoâ— to those disputes and so have violated this law and statute from heaven especially can any rationall man believe this when they were not at that time so well acquainted with their Christian liberty For this would have tended to nothing but a confusion of all things would have put the people in an uâ—rore as is evident from very good reason for if many years after the preaching of the Gospell and the free grace of God and the teaching of them their Christian liberty they remained still so zealous for the observation of the ceremoniall law of Moses as we may read in the 21. chapter of the Acts that they out of a distempered zeal would have destroyed Paul and onely because they heard that hâ— taught the Gentiles not to observe the law of Moses how would all those weak brethren have been inraged against all the Apostles
plagues for the tolerating of all Religions would be a just provoking of the Lord our God to anger now as it was then And we have sad experience already what the tolerating of the idolatry of the Masse that Dagon of Ginger-bread hath brought upon us for God will not be mocked if God be God and the Christian Religion of the reformed Churches and which we finde in the holy Scriptures and which was confirmed by so many signes and wonders and miracles be the true religion then let that and that onely be sâ—t up amongst Christians and no other tolerated for if they be they will speedily bring the plagues of God upon the Kingdome and confusion upon us all as we may well perceive by the suffering of them but a few yeers what good effects they will produce for toleration of all Religions cannot be pleasing unto God no more in our times than it was amongst his ancient people the Jewes and in the Primitive Churches and therefore all those that plead for a toleration of all Religions are no friends of Christ nor Lovers of Religion pretend what they will for neither Abraham Jsaac nor Iacob nor any of the Prophets nor holy men of God would suffer it neither would the Apostles ever endureit but in all their writings they give especiall charg to all the people to take heed of all the false Teachers of their time and forewarne them to take heed of them in all succeeding ages ever describing them by their crafty dealings that they should come in sheeps cloathing and in all seeming holinesse and fained simplicity and therefore that they are the more to be avoyded And Paul writing to the Galatians in the fifth Chapter wisht and desired that the false Teachers were cut off so farre were the holy Apostles from tolerating all Religions as in all their Epistles they inveigh against them and that continually as false Apostles and Deceivers and command all Christians to receive no other Religion but that which they had taught them Gal. 1. and bids the people come out of Babylon and tels them there is no fellowship with light and darkenesse and surely if all the Prophets and Apostles â—id command all the people of God to come out of Babylon they never gave leave to any Christians to set up Babylon amongst them and to tolerate the confusion and mingling together of all Religions for this would be a thing not onely against the Scripture and revealed will of God but against all solid reason and sound judgement Nay wee see that Christ himselfe in writing to the seven Churches in Asia and in them to all Christians in the world hee blames the Angel of the Church of Pergamus and that of Thyatira in the second chapter in these words To the Angel in the Church of Pergamus write these things saith hee that hath the sharpe sword with two edges I know thy workes and where thou dwellest even where Satans seate is and thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those dayes wherein Antipas my faithfull Martyr was slaine among you where Satan dwelleth but I have a few things against thee because thou hast them there that hold the doctrine of Bâ—alam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit Fornication so hast thou them also that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate repent or else I come unto thee quickly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth And unto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write these things saith the Sonne of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feete like fine brasse I know thy workes and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy workes and the last to be more than the first notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezabel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants to commit Fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto Jdols c. and in the 3. chap. ver 14. Vnto the Angel of the Church of Laodicea write these things saith the Amen the faithfull and true Witnesseâ—c the beginning of the creation of God I know thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot J would thou wert cold or hot so then because thou art luke-warme and neither cold nor hot J will spue thee out of my mouth c. Out of the which places it is sufficiently manifest that it is â— thing highly displeasing unto God that his people should give a tolerátion of any Religion but that hee hath established and those that labour for a toleration of all Religions must needs be luke-warme neither hot nor cold which is an evill the Lord is so much displeased with as he tels them that hee will spue them out of his mouth and surely there is nothing that favours more of licentiousnesse and carelesnesse in Religion and want of zeale to Gods glory in any men then when they would bring in a toleration of all Religions And many of them can report that there is no Religion in Holland where there is a toleration of all Religions though it is well knowne that there are men in that Countrey of the native Dutch people that are as zealous for the true Religion as any of them and are as much desirous that tolerations of all religions amongst them were not there permitted as they now wish a toleration of all Religions were suffered here amongst us for they find by experience that it is an occasion of all prophanesse and if they should have there the like occasions of civill combustions as wee have through Gods displeasure for our sinnes and ingratitude towards him here in England I am afraid they would find the toleration of all those religions amongst them would prove an intolerable thing to them if not the cause of the ruine of their whole Countrey The Lord divert his judgements from them and grant that they may never taste of the miseries that wee now are acquainted with but for tolerating of Popery and Arminianisme and the prelaticall faction and without doubt if the suffering but of these three has so displeased God the tolerating of all would give him a just cause of his more hot indignation But now to answer to their Objections in order the Heathens say the Independents suffered Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Patriarchs and the people of Israel where ever they came to exercise their owne religion and tolerated all religions amongst them For answer let them take notice that no thanke is due to the Heathens for it as we may see in Genesis the 12. chap. and the 20. chap. and chap. 26. but onely the glory of that is to bee ascribed to God who restrained them when they intended evill against them for hee appeared to some of them in visions and commanded them not
to touch his anoynted people and forbad them to doe his Prophets any harme and by the speciall blessings that hee rained downe upon his people and by his miraculous preserving of them in fiery furnaces and in Lyons dens from the fury of Savage-beasts delivering them so often out of the hands of all their enemies he struck such a terror into the heathen nations that they durst not oppresse his people so that the singular providence of God who watcheth over them alwayes for good was their shield and Buckler so that what they did in tolerating them and their Religion was not of their good nature but it was Gods speciall favour towards his own peculiar people and for the maintenance of his owne cause and that Religion which they had learned from him and therefore those heathenish examples are not for Christians imitation to tolerate all Religions who are bound to obey Gods commandements and to follow the example of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the holy Prophets and Apostles who all of them have condemned the toleration of all Religions amongst his people and have denounced Gods judgements against them for so doing Againe wee must consider the principles of the heathen Philosophers and the practice of all wicked godlesse Politicians in all ages for the Philosophers though they were sufficiently convinced by their naturall reason that there was a God and that this God was the Author of all good and the punisher of all evill and therefore that he ought to be feared and served of all nations and people yet because they by that naturall light of understanding which was but darkenesse in them could not comprehend what that infinite Majesty and divine being and God-head was and were not in themselves able to set downe a description of him nor how to conceive of that invisible Deity nor what worship would be most pleasing unto him which they could never doe without God himselfe had revealed himselfe unto them as hee did to his owne people they served him after some traditions they had received from their Fathers and left all nations cities and families to serve God as they thought best and according to their owne vaine imaginations and for the Atheisticall Politicians of all ages all Religions are one to them who never regard any one more than another and therefore tolerate all for their owne base ends and thinke it best for the enriching of all their countries as the experience of all ages and histor es can sufficiently witnesse and many of them doe not refraine to say that Religion was onely brought into the world out of policy and to keepe people in awe so that God of his infinite goodnesse having the ordering of all mens hearts in his hands did so dispose of all things that by their owne principles they should give toleration of all Religions in their severall countries and jurisdictions so that his people being scattered here and there through other nations by their sinnes yet found this favour that they also for the most part enjoyed the liberty of their Religion though they met sometimes with most hot persecutions but all this is ever to be ascribed to God alone as I said before and to his overswaying providence and guidance who ever preserved those that trust in him and served him according to his revealed will though it be in Babylon it selfe and therefore it is not to be attributed to the good nature of the Heathen neither would that toleration now be tolerable in Christians who have learned Christ otherwise than to set up any Religion but that which he the King and Prophet of his Church hath taught them But now I will briesly answer to what they pretend out of Scripture and runne through the severall Objections drawne from thence And first to begin with that of Ioshua 21. where hee faith choose you this day whom you will serve c. In these words by their favour there is no toleration of many Religions for he was to follow the Law of God and not to decline from it either to the right hand or to the left Ioshua 1. and by that Law hee was forbid to suffer or tolerate any Religion but that which Moses had taught them and therefore those words were a meere scrutiny and to find out those that were idolaters to punish them as any wise governour may at any time make use of the like Querie to find out men not well affected to Religion or to their Countrey that by this meanes they may be brought to condigne punishment As if now any Officer or Commander under the Parliament should say to a company of men that hee was jealous of being desirous to discover them and find them out choose you this day who you will serve whether the King or the Parliament but for my selfe and my house wee will serve the Parliament would not any by and by gather that hee spake this onely to find out Malignants to punish them Even so Joshua a wise and religious governour did the same not that hee ever intended to give them a toleration of all religions for that had beene against the Law of God and against their owne example for in the 22. of Ioshua we reade that because the people had built but an Altar on the other side of Iordan they intended forthwith to make warre upon them a president to teach Christians that they may fight for their religion and they had gone out to battell against them and had destroyed them had they not given a satisfactory answer that they had no intent to bring in any innovation in Religion and therefoâ—e this is but a poore cavill Now for that they pretend out of Gamaliâ—ls speech Acts 5. verse 38 39. where hee saith Refraine from these men speaking of the Apostles and let them alone for if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happily ye be found fighters against God Ergo all Religions are to be tolerated This Objection doth sufficiently shew that our brethren the Independents that thus argue may well be made fellowes of Gotham Colledge as knowing not as yet their Primer in politicks nor their Catechisme in divinity For who knowes not that it is as easie with God who is of infinite wisedome out of mens foolishnesse to procure safety for his owne people as it was for him out of Achitophels wisdome to bring destruction upon himselfe and to turne his wisdome into foolishnesse for that which Gamaliel spake was neither as a wise man nor as a Christian for he would never be thought a wise man that hearing of any commotion in the Kingdome and had the power in his hands to suppresse it should say if it be of men it will come to naught but if it be of God if we shal oppose it we shall be found fighters against God and therefore let us let them alone would not all the world
offenders whether they be delinquents in doctrine or manners And although Christians by the Gospel are freed from the ceremoniall Law yet wee are not freed from the substance of it for he that said to the Israelites be ye holy as I am holy saith also to all Christians be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1. so that although the ceremony be abolished yet the substance remaineth still in force and although the rigor of the judiciall law be taken away and Christians are not tyed to that manner of administration of justice yet the equity of that law doth still continue and righteous judgements is every where amongst all Christians to be executed and satisfaction to be made to all such as have been unjustly damnified and although we are freed from the curse malediction and coaction of the morall law yet we are not freed from the obedience of it so that whatsoever was commanded in it to the Israelites or forbidden them the same is both commanded and forbidden to all Christians to the ends of the world and whatsoever was death by the law of God and nature then for ought I know ought to be punished with death now amongst Christians as blasphemors wizards witches idolaters and all such as despise Moses law under the mouth of two or three witnesses if they be people within the pale of the Church and make profession of the Christian Religion for Christians have nothing to do with those that are without to judge them except they offend against the civill and municipall laws of the Country and against the laws of nations and nature when they live amongst them for Christ came not to change the morall law but to ratifie it in all things And although the Sabbath be changed in respect of the day yet for the holinesse of the first day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and which is in place of it I am confident it ought most carefully to be observed and that the whole day ought in all sanctity and holinesse to be kept and besides the fourth Commandment for the sanctification of a seventh day we have the example of the Primitive Christians and blessed Apostles who alwayes had their meetings on the first day of the week and spent the whole day in the duties of piety and charity for in the 20 of the Acts we read that on the first day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread that was for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and for the exercising of all holy duties and that Paul preached there untill midnight and that when Eutichus was fallen downe with sleepe Paul restored him to life againe to all their comforts so that here we have one president that the whole Lords day wasspent by all those Christians in the workes of piety and charity Againe in the first of the Revelations Saint John saith that hee was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is the first day of the weeke called by Saint Iohn the Lords day and there the Angel preached unto him that day and commanded Saint Iohn to take so much of his Sermon by writing as God in his wisedome thought fit to reveale unto his Church and hee that shall diligently reade what is there written will gather that the whole day was taken up by Saint Iohn and spent in hearing and writing and meditating of what hee had heard for without doubt Saint Iohn made it his whole dayes worke to be spiritually imployed and as the holy Communion is called the Lords Supper and all the time of that action is holily to be imployed as being ordained by Christ himselfe to that end even so the Lords day being a day dedicated unro Christ and ordained by him for holy duties and for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and prayer the whole day ought both privately and publikely to bee taken up in the imployments and workes of piety and charity as hearing reading meditating prayer repetition of Sermons in their Families and catechizing and instructing their children and servants singing of Psalmes in visiting the sicke and them that are in prison relieving the poore and necessitated c. These examples of the Primitive Christians are for our imitation for so Saint Paul in the third of the Philippians in the 17. verse saith Brethren bee followers together of mee and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an example for our conversation is in Heaven And in the 4. chapter verse 8. hee saith Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any prayse thinke on these things Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seene in me doe and the God of peace shall bee with you By the which testimonies to omit many more we are tyed to follow the examples of the Apostles and to imitate them in all that is holy and good and of good report now it is prayse worthy and of good report to spend the whole Lords day in holy imployments and wee have the Apostles examples and the Primitive Christians for so doing and therefore wee ought to spend the whole Lords day in the workes of piety and charity and by this the sanctifying of the Christian Sabbath which is every seventh day is ratified the prophanation of the which in the reformed Churches and in many places through these three Kingdomes has beene one of the causes of all those heavie judgements the whole Christian world now groanes under and so much more would the Lord bee provoked by the toleration of all Religions amongst us which would give just occasion of violating of all the Commandements of God and of disobedience both to God and man for it is most sure that the Morall Law is not altered in any thing for substance and that God that by it injoyned but one Religion to the Israelites and commanded them to keepe that pure and undefiled and to punish all Idolaters Blasphemers and Seducers hath injoyned the same to all Christians and hath not suffered or permitted them to tolerate all Religions or any sects or heresies which by the Apostle in the fifth of the Galatians are called the workes of the devill who declareth there also that they that do them shall not enter into the Kingdom of God So that those that would bring in a toleration of all Religions have a desire to send men to the devill which is one of the greatest impieties and wickednesses that can bee perpetrated by the sonnes of men Truly if God had such a care for the preserving of the very natural life of man that charissimum animal as hee made a Law that it should be death in any to tolerate or suffer any beast to goe at liberty and range abroad if
and cryed out against it as an intolerable violating of Gods Law and asserted that it was enough to provoke the Lord to anger against the whole Land and write bookes and divine Tragedies upon Sabbath-breakers and Profaners of the Lords day and those that permitted the profanation of it which with the godly of those times was reputed their immortall honour how unsufferable a thing therefore is it I say now in these very men to pleade for a toleration of all Religions that could not then tolerate sports on the Lords day by which not onely the fourth commandement would be brake but all the commandements of both of the first and second Table without doubt they have a great deale to answer for before God for by the doctrine wee have learned from our Law giver and King the Lord Jesus Christ who is not changeable though they be they that breake the least ef Gods commandements and teach men so to doe whatsoever they esteeme of themselves that they set up Christ upon his Throne and whatsoever opinion men have of them they are the least in the Kingdome of Heaven and have much to answer for before his Tribunall for these their wicked dealings and truly it exceedingly saddeth my heart when I think of them how fearefully they are fallen and what a scandall and blemish they are to their holy profession that thus Chamelion like change their forme upon every occasion But how much more is it intolerable then in those men that have the name of Rabbies amongst those of the congregationall way and that would make the world beleeve they are the onely Saints for those to make themselves merry when the godly and faithfull Ministers of the Gospell out of sorrow and griefe of soul spread before the Lord the blasphemies of the times as good Hezekiah did the blasphemies of Rahshekah that it may move the people to mourning and sackcloth and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God for the diverâ—ing of his Judgements that do for these their blasphemous tenents hang over the land I say how intolerable a thing is it in such men to make a sport at it and as Solomon speaks of the wicked in his time whom he calls fools to make a mock at sin Yet such there are as Cretensis by name amongst the rest is one of them who makes himselfe merry at these blasphemies and writes books in justification of those wicked and ungodly men and calls their damnable practices the infirmities of the Saints accouÌ„ting of them as Saints and holy men whereas the good and zealous Prophet Ieremiah ch 9. cryeth out at the beholding the abominations of his times far inferio to those of our dayes saying Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of teares that I might weep day and night for the slain of the Daughters of my people Oh that I had in the wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men And they bend their tongue like their bow for lyes but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth and they know not me saith the Lord. Here we see the posture of the holy Prophet we find him armed and clad with mourning to behold the profanation of the truth and we have here also his great complaint that at that time there were not any valian for it upon the earth If now this glorious Prophet were in the world and amongst us here in England and should behold those damnable blasphemies that are every where venâ—ed by the sons of Belial in these times should see how few upon the earth are valiant for the truth yea how they labour for a toleration of all Religions how would his spirit be moved how would his soul be perplexed within him to see it and what fountains of tears would he pou e out to the Lord quenching of the fire of his wrath and indignation against them but how much more would it perplex and trouble hâ—s soul to see any that should write yea publish books wherein they do not onely make themselves merry at those blaspnemies and count them the infirmities of the Saints but proclame them Saints that perpetâ—ate all these wickednesses and write most scurrilous â—ailing and vilifying books and Pamphlets against his holy servants that are valiant for the truth counting them speaking disgracefully and contemptibly of them but thimbles full of dust without all controversie it would sad his soul to the very death and so indeed it should trouble the souls of those that are truly godly to behold such lawlesse wickednesse not only to go unpunished but to find favor and applause even of those that are Masters of the Assemblies Truly howsoever out of the infinite patience of God these men are yet suffered yet I am most confident he that wil come wil come and not tarry to reveng his own quarrel the quarrel of his servants that are valiant for the Truth And I wil take the liberty to say thus much to St Cretensis that reverend learned and ever to be honoured Master Thomas Edwards who he so much vilipendeth and slighteth calling him a thimble full of dust will walk like a noble lyon when he like a Curr or Bandogg shall go bawling by him and withall I would advise him to take heed of that thimble For two or three fillips more of it upon his great noddle may so stagger him as he may happily never recover again and for ought I know or can discerne God may make halfe a thimble full of that dust to put out his eyes and the eyes of half the Independents and Sectaries in England For most assured I am that all such as in the name of the Lord as he doth come out against such notorious enemies of God and his Truth as Cretensis and his associates are will be able to confound them all and by the power of his might be ever strong enough to deal with the whole Army of them and with all those grolls and â—ynnies that take their part and appeare in their wicked cause I will therefore rather advise Cretensis not gyant like to fight any longer against the Truth but to humble himselfe for what he hath already done under the mighty hand of God whom he with his complices abetters have so highly provoked to wrath and anger against this poor tottering Kingdome It is not Cretensis with all his foul language shall ever be able to bespatter the immaculate reputation of learned and godly Master Edwards who hath in Gods cause ever shewed himselfe valiant for the truth and stood in the gap against the errors of the times and hath lift up his voice like a trumpet which will be for his immortall praises when too too many of his brethren which will not be for their honour were silent We finde it Matthew 13. ver 24 25. When the man had
dayes at her first comming to the Crown when there was a mighty Popish faction in the Court and through the whole Realm as all men know and when there was as great an indeavour for the bringing in of a toleration of that Religion as now there is for the setting up a Pantheon of all manner of Sects And such reasons there were then given for the establishing of the Catholique Religion as they called it as I beleeve if they should all be rehearsed there is few of those that now plead for a toleration of all can give the like but better I am most confident they cannon give For if multitudes of a contrary opinion armed with strength power also and they all furnished with malice and resolution to put them upon the imployment of their strength had been able to create danger to the Kingdome if the liberty of their consciences should have been denyed unto them then there was nothing wanting to terrifie a State to condescend to grant a toleration but all this could not then prevail nor all the art of perswasion they then used as that men of a contrary judgement were rather to be won with sweetnesse and lenity and loving perswasions and arguments and reasons then by any coercive way which often brought danger unto Kingdoms many arguments more with great worldly wisdom were then produced which with many that were reall Protestants and then in â—ouncel seemed of some weight but at that time there was a brave Nobleman present and a man of great understanding and as they usually call such a great Statesman but yet such an one as was never taken notice of to be any great zealot for Religion on either side Yet he demanding of the Councell that was then in debate about this businesse the greatest part of which seemed to make profession of the Protestant Religion and something incline to yeeld unto a toleration whether or no they thought the Protestant Religion was the true Religion and that way of serving God that he had appointed and the most of them replyed that they from their hearts and souls beleeved that it was Gods Religion and that which was taught in the holy Scriptures Then said this Nobleman my Lords set up and establish that Religion only and no other do you your duty and labour to authorize it and your life for mine God will help you to maintain his own honour and cause against what power and policy soever shall come against you for he can infatuate their counsell and enervate their strength and blast all their attempts in a moment who is all-sufficient and against whom no counsell nor understanding can prevail for he sitteth in Heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth for as there is no Lord or Master that can indure any servant that shall comply with his enemies give equall honour and service to his adversary that he doth to himself or connive at any so doing so God will never like of your service when you worship him if ye serve the devill also which you must do if you set up any other Religion or any other Religion or any other way of Church Government in the Kingdome then that you beleeve in your hearts God himselfe hath appointed for as two Religions so contrary one to another are incompitible with the glory and honour of God who hath said No man can serve two Masters so they will be destructive to the safety of the Kingdome And therefore my Lords saith he as we have but one God so I beseech your honours let us have but one Religion in the Kingdome and one kinde of Church Government amongst us and that ratified and established by authority for if their be a liberty left for every man or every faction to do what they please we shall speedily bring down the judgements of God upon the Kingdome and a confusion upon us all And many reasons more he gave to this purpose by which he so prevailed with the Councell that they agreed to give no toleration for Popery or allow of any faction in Religion but resolved with all speed to establish the Protestant Religion And truly the same argument may now be used for the establishing of one Religion and one kinde of Govrnment And as Elijah said to Baals Priests and to the people If God be God then follow him c. So if this way of worshipping God that is held forth in the Protestant Churches and hath for some generations been taught in the Church of England be that way then it will be for the honour and glory of God and the safety of the Kingdome that that onely be established which will bring peace to Church and State and take away all occasions of offence and jarrs amongst brethren For the examples of Poland Transsylvania and Holland they are no presidents to other Nations their politique proceedings are no examples for other Christian Countries and Kingdoms to follow for Christians are to live by the rule of GODS Word and Christ's their Kings laws and to follow the examples of his own people onely in their wel-doing and not in their failings and therefore we are to follow the example of Abraham Joshua Elias and the other Patriarchs Prophets and holy Apostles who never tolerated all Religions Yea we are commanded in Romans 12. Not to conform our selves to this world but that we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what iâ— the good and the acceptable and perfect will of God This Will of God therefore must be the rule and square that we must ever set before our eyes and hearts in matters of our God and in points of Religion and worship and not the example ot Poland and Transsilvania Now let us heare what is the good will and pleasure of Christ our Law-giver concerning this point of toleration who challengeth and that of all due and right to be our Master saying Matth. 23. 8. Be not yee called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and againe verse 10. neither be ye called Masters saith he for one is your Master even Christ this reiterating of the same prohibition and challenge to be our Master shewes that wee are not to make either men or Angels or whole Kingdomes or Countries our Masters but onely Christ we must alwayes therefore in matters of Religion have recourse unto his good word and will and heare his voice and therefore let us heare what the will of Christ is concerning this busines of Toleration who in in the 8. of Mark 15. speaking there unto his Disciples and in them to all Christians for the Independent Masters hold that the Disciples represented the whole Christian Church he charged them saying take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leven of Herod here wee find a treble caveat a Charge and a Take-heed and a Beware as if the Lord had said I cannot use too many words to make them take heed