edifyingly and lastingly be effected that when all our undermining scorning and opposing enemies do hear and see these things they may be much cast down in their own eyes perceiving that this work hath been wrought of our God in whose arms of mercy and truth we leave you and the Cause we manage Manchester Jan. 11. 1658. Signed in the Name and by the appointment of the Class by John Harrison Moderator THE EPISTLE To the READER IT is no new thing that such workes as have been most eminently conducing to the glory of God and the Churches greatest wellfare have met with strong oppositions When the Adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the Children of the captivity builded the Temple unto the Lord God of Israel they set themselves diverse waies to hinder and obstruct the worke When Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up and that the breaches began to be stopped then they were very wroth and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it When Jesus Christ the eternall Son of God the brightness of his Fathers glory and express Image of his Person appeared in the world cloathed with our nature though he came about a worke of greatest consequence that ever was yet his enimies withstood and opposed his Kingdome Of this the Psalmist prophesied before it came to pass Psal 2. 1 2. Why did the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the people take counsell together against the Lord and against his annointed saying Let us breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us And this the Church saw fulfilled who in their Prayer unto God applied unto the times wherein they lived what he by the mouth of his Servant David had foretold so long before saying For of a truth against thy holy Childe Jesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done It would be here too long to go through the Books of the N. T. and tell what persecutions were raised against the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour for executing that Commission which he had given them when he commanded them to go teach all Nations or to go through the story of the Church and speak of the diverse kindes of tortures and torments which thousands of all rankes endured in the times of the ten Primitive persecutions under the Heathen Emperours to tell of the Martyrdome of Ignatius Polycarpus Justin Martyr Irenaeus Cyprian and many others glorious lights and worthy Confessors of the truth for no other reason but because they studied to advance Christs Gospell We will instance something in latter times When the Romish Synagogue having most abominably apostatiz'd both in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Governement Luther and other faithfull Servants of Christ did earnestly bend themselves to endeavour a reformation in Religion the Antichristian world was mad with fury To come yet a little nearer home When Religion was reformed in Scotland in Doctrine and Worship the Church of Christ there had many conflicts and the worke was long obstructed before the Governement and Discipline of Christ could be fully established amongst them as it is in fresh remembrance what troubles they passed through more lately in their contending against Episcopacy and the Ceremonies which had been introduced amongst them to the great prejudice of their Ancient Church governement and Discipline But here it may not be forgotten how when the Parliament of famous memory that was convened eighteen yeares agoe having taken into their pious consideration the condition of our own Church at home and judging that a further reformation in matters of Religion then had been made in the daies of Queen Elizabeth was necessary and setting upon that work as also the vindication of the liberties of this English Nation were forced to take up Armes for their own defence against that Partie that could not brooke the Reformation which they intended And to what an height that opposition grew in after time and with what difficulties they conflicted for many years together because they would not give up that cause they had undertaken to defend is so well known to even such as may be but strangers in our Israel that we may spare the pains of a full recitall But yet nothing of all this is to be wondered at Satan must needs be like himselfe and stir the more when he sees his Kingdome begin to shake And corruption will rage when it is crossed God also hath a wise hand in these oppositions not only thereby the more inflaming the zeal and brightning up other graces in his faithfull servants trying and exercising their faith and patience the purging and purifying and making them white but also getting himself the greater glory when his worke is carried on notwithstanding the greatest opposition of his and his Churches enemies And here we cannot but with all thankfullness to Almighty God take notice of this hand that was most eminently lifted up in the worke of Reformation begun by that late forementioned Parliament as there is cause why also we should to the honour and glory of his great Name and the praise of that Parliament unto the generations that may come hereafter acknowledg their unwearied pains courage and constancy in that worke Much was done yea very much by that illustrious and worthy Parliament By them the foundation of reformation was laid in the solemne League and Covenant which they not only took themselves but ordained should be solemnely taken in all places throughout the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales And for the better and more orderly taking thereof appointed and injoyned certain directions to be strictly followed And in pursuance of this League and Covenant engageing every one that tooke it in their severall places to indeavour the refomation of Religion in England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and governement according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the nearest conjunction and uniformity of Religion Confession of Faith forme of Church Government Directory for worship and Catechizing After consultation had with the Reverend Pious and Learned Assembly of Divines called together to that purpose they judged it necessary that the Book of Common Prayer should be abolished and the Directory for the publick worship of God and in their Ordinance mentioned should be established and observed in all the Churches within this Land as appears by their Ordinance of January the 3. 1644. for that purpose By them Prelacy that is Church Government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deanes Deanes and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall
it self and yet judged it not necessary might have fears least moderate Episcopacy once admitted might be a step to introduce that kind of Episcopacy or Prelacy that had been expresly covenanted against and upon that account might judge they were obliged by their Covenant to foresee so far as they could such an occasion and to shun it Others again might be much divided amongst themselves if they got over the former Blocks touching the Rules according unto which Episcopacy should be moderated some apprehending the Bonds layd upon it to be too straight and others againe thinking them to be too loose And these Divisions were like to be amongst persons of all Ranks Nobles Knights Citizens Commons of all sorts both of the Gentry Ministry and others Whereupon there were great danger to grow many Debates in the Parliament when that should assemble in the City and throughout the Land Contests of Ministers one a-against another in the Pulpits and at the Presses and amongst private Christians in their private Conferences as it hath been heretofore about the Ceremonies and Episcopacy to the further rending and distracting of our already rent and torne Church and which at this time would be the more dangerous when as the posture of Affairs doth cry aloud upon the wisest Physitians both by their Skill and Power to interpose for the healing of Breaches in England Scotland and Ireland that through our Divisions we be not made a Prey to the common Enemies of our Religion and therefore have no need that such a dangerous bone of Contention should be cast in amongst us as moderate Episcopacy might be like to prove to the sadning of the hearts of Friends and gratifying onely of those that would rejoyce in our ruine 4. It is not also to be sleighted that by admitting of moderate Episcopacy great offence might be taken by the best reformed Churches abroad They have taken notice that in the solemn Covenant that was entred into by these Nations there was not onely an Engagement to endeavour the extirpation of Popery and Prelacy that is Church-government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy according to which the Parliaments that have been have constantly declared that no Indulgency should be granted to Popery and Prelacy and this out of a conscientious respect as we have hinted before in our answer to your first Paper unto this solemn engagement as we judged But there was also a promise to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches These things have been published to the World and are known abroad and however other matters contained in the Covenant that are of a civil Concernment may be judged of they being in their own nature variable and not of the like necessity in themselves with matters of Religion and the things of God and to be endeavoured after onely in a subordinate way unto Gods matters and never to be pursued in the manifest destructiveness of the interest of Religion that should be looked upon by all as the greatest and chiefest interest yet they are not likely to imagine that moderate Episcopacy that is not by them admitted but disowned can be of that necessity for us in these Lands for which they do not judge there was any rule given in Gods word requiring the setting of it up at the first as that after all the learned Debates touching Church-government for severall years together that have been in the reverend Assembly of Divines that sate by Ordinance of Parliament at Westminster and after their humble advice to the Parliament touching the Presbyterian Government as that Government they conceived was most agreeable to the word of God as it is evident it is most according to the example of the best reformed Churches and after the Parliament engaged also in that solemn Covenant had as they may conceive in pursuance thereof made so great a progress in the setting up of this Presbyterian Government that they passed by Ordinance the form of Church-government Anno 1648 after advice had with the Assembly of Divines as that Church-government which was to be used in the Church of England and Ireland it should be admitted of to the setting up a partition Wall betwixt us and them instead of coming neerer to them so far as we may do according to Gods word according to the solemn Engagement They cannot hereupon but be greatly grieved when they shall see their hopes so far disappointed as they may hereupon be brought to fear least if moderate Episcopacy be entertained as the Church-Government of these Lands after a while that very Prelacy in the height of it that in the time of our Affliction was vomited up by these Nations as loathsome may be swallowed down again Now we leave it to wise men to judge whether especially at such a time as this when Popish Enemies are banding themselves together against us and it is of so great advantage for our own preservation and the preservation of the true Religion that the Protestant Party throughout Christendome should endeavour after Union it be prudential to minister such occasion of grief and jealousie concerning us to our best Friends abroad as to admit of that which would be so much to their dissatisfaction as it would be occasion of endless strife and debate amongst our selves at home as hath been said before to say nothing of the hatefulness of it unto Scotland that yet we hope is lookt upon by England and Ireland as a neer Sister and Neighbour Church 5. Lastly We offer it to the consideration of all judicious and prudent persons whether there be not more probability of union amongst all sound Orthodox godly moderate Spirited men by means of some other expedients and upon some sober ground then upon the admission of moderate Episcopacy As touching such that are for it in their Judgments that are sober and godly and against Episcopacy in the height of it they might be accommodated in the Presbyterian way with far more safety and far less occasion of Offence as we gather from the Associations of the Ministers of severall Counties that are printed and particularly from that of Essex wherein they profess that many of them think according to Scripture and the way of divers reformed Churches there should be some adjoyned to the Minister in Government called ruling Elders yet that divers also of them are dissatisfied as touching such Elders but all of them also conceive it meet and a Ministers wisdome to see with more Eyes then his own and have the best help he can both to acquaint him with the conversation of his people and to assist him in matters of Concernment that cannot so safely and conveniently be done by him self alone Therefore they also agree as they shall see it fea
we believe any indifferent Reader will discern are distinct things as the Parliament also in passing them distinguished them and therefore you should not have dealt so disingeniously with us as to have accounted the discourse impertinent which was necessary for your information if you were ignorant If you knowing these Orders and Ordinances would yet have this discourse impertinent notwithstanding your jerking us for calling our selves the first Classis within the Province of Lancaster which terms we told you we gave not to our selves till the Parliament had first given them us we leave it to the Reader what to judge of it Ninthly Here is also another strange assertion when you say it was no question of yours whether our Government be established by the Law of the Land when as in your first paper in the words thereof recited even now you told us of our making Laws and Edicts and publishing them contrary to the Laws in force and questioning whether we had not run our selves into a praemunire Doubtless if our Government be established by Ordinance of Parliament and that Ordinance awarrant us for whatever was published by us in the paper and yet that be asserted by you to be contrary to the Laws in force it must needs be a question of yours whether our Government be established by the Law of the Land as it is that which afterward you go about to prove that it wants the establishment of Authority and so however you dare not tell the Justices of the Peace that have acted on other Ordinances of Parliament that yet are also null and void if that we have acted on be that they are not thereby sufficiently secured against the danger of a praemunire yet you dare tell us of this once and again and yet also it be no question of yours whether our Church-Government be established by the Law of the Land but how contradictory these things are one unto another we leave it to be judged of As touching our starting more doubts then as you say we can assoyl we shall have leisure hereafter to examine in the place where you have a mind to encounter us and now shall follow you in the way you have chosen to go in And so we come unto the next The Gentlemens Paper Sect. II. To that mistake you charge us withall in the Preface of our Paper concerning the Title of yours we answer We finde in the close of that your â—aper these words This presentation is approved by this Provincial Assembly Tho. Johnson Moderator Edw. Gee Scribe So it is approved by the Provincial Assembly under that title of a presentation as we call it in all the Copies we have seen But this as you say might be the mistake of your Scribe and not to be insisted on It is of greater weight and moment you say to take notice of what we publish as our sense and apprehension of it viz. The matter contained in your Paper Not resting in the judgement or determination of any general Council contrary thereto If any such should be much less to one of your Provincial Assemblies c. And here you tell us of a publique and authoritative Judgement that is in Councils concerning matters of Doctrine and Discipline though tied to the rule of Gods Word in such proceedings as Judges to the Law to which we ought to be subject And how far is that viz. They have the power of expounding and explaining the difficult places of Scripture as the Judges have of the exposition of the Law And in this sense we ought to subject to the sense and determination of a general Council And therefore you say Questionless if in the time of S. Augustine who was no conâ—emner of Synods and Councils any in this sense had declared That they would not have submitted their apprehensions to their Judgement he would have cried out against them as well as against the Donatists O Impudentem Vocem And you hope when we have weighed the matter better we will not in this sense see any reason to refuse to submit either our sense and apprehension of your Paper or what we may publish as our own private judgements in other matters about Religion to the judgement of a generall Council supposing it might be had God forbid but we should submit neither need we for this to weigh the matter better for in this sense we have done and yet shall submit to any shall come hereafter Neither had you any reason so to judge your selves or induce others to that perswasion of us that we should in this sense refuse to submit our Judgements to the Judgement of any general Council Our words are plain We publish this our sense and apprehension of it as far as it is plain to us Which words you omitting deale not fairely with us and which words carry another sense with them For so far as the matter conteined in your Paper is plain to us we close and joyn with you Being as we explain our selves afterwards so fully warranted thereto by the Word of God and constant practise of the Catholique Church that therein so far as it is made thus plain unto us we shall not submit our Apprehensions to the Judgement of a general Council But by this Aposiopesis of yours you would make the World believe we refuse to submit our Judgements to the Judgement of a general Council not onely touching matters of faith and such Articles of Religion which are plainly warranted by Gods Word and constant practice of the Catholique Church But also touching matters which are not so plainly set forth in the word of God Touching which last we prosess our willing submission to the Judgement of a general Council and are glad to hear you of the same minde though we fear as we shall hear you declaring anon you will hardly grant that to a general Council which you seem to grant to your Provincial In which we dissent from you as we have said The Animadversions of the Class upon it FIrst We perceive you are resolved to stick to what you have once said though it be only the taking advantage of some litteral mistake and which in our answer we had told you was none of ours when you called our paper by the title of a presentation but imputed it to the Scribe speaking indefinitely which might be yours as well as ours though in your printed Copy you will have us to say what we did not that it was the mistake of our Scribe and however you say now that in all the Copies which you have seen which implies many you find in the close of that our paper these words this presentation is approved by this Provincial Assembly Thomas Johnson Moderator Edward Gee Scribe Yet we believe that if you be put upon the proof it will be hard for you to produce one Copy that was given forth by the Class and written by our Scribe where you find our paper approved by the Provincial
Assembly under the title of a presentation but of a representation only as we said in our answer But as in the Preface to these papers that you printed you insinuate that we are men of low and cheap abilities and in this paper do afterwards jeer and scoff at us as persons destitute of all learning as if you would monopolize as all power and jurisdiction so all learning and make the same proper to your selves and your own party though we hope we have so much as to fathom the depth of that which you would make some shew of so here we have cause to fear you had a mind to represent us and which is worse the Provincial Assembly too and those reverend and learned brethren the Moderator and Scribe of it also to be such poor illiterate persons as did not well know how how to write good English Secondly In your representing what we said touching submitting to Synods and Councils you do it but by the halfes and so deal unfaithfully never so much as mentioning what we had in our answer in the first place declared viz. that our faith was not to be resolved into the determination of any company of men on earth whatsoever or to be built on the judgement of Synods and Councills c. for which we gave our reasons And further we there said that when you had said in your first paper that as touching what you therein declare as your sense and apprehensions of ours that we published you did not rest in the judgement and determination of any general Concil contrary thereunto if your meaning therein was the same with what we had declared ours to be you had not us differing from you After we came to declare in what respects they were to be reverenced viz. as they were the ordinances of God and in respect of their authoritative judgement and that in that respect they were to be submitted to in which respect we said we submitted our apprehensions in the case propounded to the judgement of the Provincial Assembly But to make this more plain we proceeded to distinguish betwixt a private and publick judgement in matters of Religion allowing the private to our selves and others who we said were all of us to see with our own eyes and judge concerning what is to be believed in matters of this nature Again we distinguished the publick and authoritative judgement into a concional which belonged we said to every Minister to whom the key of Doctrine was committed by himself singly and juridical which we said belonged to Synods and Councils who having the key of Discipline committed to them were to enquire into try examine censure and judge of matters of Doctrine and Discipline authoritatively though tyed to the Word in such proceedings and likewise to censure offenders and then we applyed this to our purpose and said that it was in this sense that we submitted our apprehensions in the paper we published to the judgement of the Provincial Assembly and for which we urged our grounds all which will be clear to the Reader upon the perusal of the second Section of our answer But you only mention this last branch and say we tell you of an authoritative judgement of Synods and Councills and how we hoped when you had weigbed the matter better you would not in this respect see cause to submit what you may publish as your own private judgements about matters of Religion to the judgement of a general Council suppose it might be had But seeing towards the close of this Section you profess you are glad to hear us of the same mind with you touching this submission to Synods and Councills you should not thus maimedly have represented out opinion considering how vastly different ours and yours is in this matter as will appear from what hath been declared to be ours and what you declare to be yours in this Section and which we shall manifest anon to the Reader Thirdly You seem here to abhorre the refusal to submit what you have published or may publish as your own private judgement in matters of Religion to the judgement of a general Council that hath been or any that may be hereafter and do complain that we should either our selves judge or induce others to the perswasion of you that you should refuse to submit your judgement in the sense declared But here we must mind you that the sense we declared was that there was to be a submission to them in regard of their juridical authority not that faith was to be built on their judgement And in this latter you will be found to submit too much as if they should determine against you we fear in the former you would be found to submit too little We shall give the Reader our Reasons for both that we may not seem to wrong you in fastening upon you without ground what perhaps as we have expressed the matter you may be ready to disclaim For the first You do in this very Section profess as touching matters which are not so plainly set forth in the word of God your willing submission to the judgement of a general Council and hereafter in the sixth Section of this Paper you say where there is a doubt or difficulty the Church may expound the Scripture although you grant what we said soil that it is tyed to the rule of Gods words in such proceedings as Judges to the Law though we do not see it is lawfull for any private persons to examine whether in case of such a doubt or difficulty the Church hath given the right sense of Scripture but must notwithstanding any grounds they may have from that Text which the Church may expound or other Texts of Scripture to the contrary submit their faith and belief in the case to the Churches determination For you there add and say we are bâ—und up by that speaking of the Churches exposition as you say we are to those cases in the Law which are the judgement and exposition of the Judges upon the dark places of the same the Churches exposition and practice as you there further say is our rule in such cases and the best rule too and when there is a difference about interpretation of Scripture it is to give way to private interpretation and dominari fidei to lord it over the faith of others to utter any other sense of Scripture which you there call the uttering of mens own fancies then hath been delivered by our Forefathers as you do more fully declare your selves in that place From all which it follows that however in this Section you say in matters of faith and such articles as are plainly warranted by Gods word and constant practice of the Catholique Church you refuse to submit your judgement to the judgement of a general Council yet in matters of Religion that are not so plainly set forth you do and to the Churches exposition where there is a doubt and difficulty which is your rule
submission to Synods and Councils is any sounder then as we understood you to have meant those words and which we doubt not but he will discern from what hath been said concerning it in the Animadversion going before 5. But by this explication of your selves you have created to us a further scruple for it aâ—peats to us from thence seeing you joyn the word of God and constant practice of the Catholique Church together as that which must make those matters of faith and articles of Religion so plain to you that you thereupon will refuse to submit such matters so made plain and your apprehensions concerning them to a generall Council that except the plainest matters of faith and articles of Religion from Gods word be also made plain to have been the constant practice rather judgment as we think you should have expressed it of the Catholique Church they are not so plain to you as not to submit your apprehensions concerning them to a generall Council and so the word of God alone even in the matters of faith and articles of Religion that are therein most plainly contained shall not be a sufficient foundation to bottom your faith upon except it be also evident what was the constant and universall practice rather judgment of the Church in those points and so your faith even in the plainest articles of Religion must be resolved into the constant practice or rather declared judgment of the universal Church and which makes it a meer humane not a divine faith But touching this as the rule in any cases of matters of Religion we shall have further occasion to speak in our animadversions on the sixth Section of this paper 6. As touching our selves we have declared that we did not submit to Synods and Councils so as to build our faith on their dictates or resolve it into their determinations and in this we would be understood touching all matters of faith whatsoever not only those that are most plainly contained in Gods word but also such as about which there may be some doubt and difficulty although we reverence Synods as an Ordinance of God and in way of means judg it more likely in doubtfull cases that what is Gods mind should be boulted forth to our satisfaction by the learned debates of learned judicious and godly Divines in such Assemblies then by the discussion of one Bishop or some few Ministers But as touching the juridicall power of Synods we profess our selves to be ready to submit to their judgment and did so submit our Paper wholly to the judgment of our Provinciall which was a Synod actually in being and to whom we knowing our selves to be accountable and judging we ought so to be thought it not meet to publish the Paper that was read in our severall Congregations except it had first been approved of by them Now how farre we do in this declaration of our judgements touching our submission to Synods and Councils concur with what here you declare to be yours we leave it to your selves and the Reader to judg of but we are sure there is herein a great distance betwixt your declared judgment and ours though you shall not finde afterwards that we do hardly grant that to a generall Council rightly constituted and regularly called which we either in truth or any shew do grant to our Provinciall The Gentlemens Paper Sect. III. Having done with our Preface you come to the matter and as we said so we finde we much dissent not onely in the third and last concerning the Heresie and Schism of those who Erre so grossely whether in Doctrinals or points of discipline You give us the reason wherefore you did not so expresly mention them their sin and punishment as the grossely ignorant and scandalous Which is because they are very inconsiderable in comparison of the other and in sundry of your Congregations if not in most not any at all that you know of But if you will seriously consider the number of those that have rent themselves from a true constituted Church and of those who have severed themselves from those Bishops unto whom they had sworn Canonical obedience and therefore in the Judgement of that Learned and Rever end Bishop Vsher and others cannot possibly be excused from being Schismaticall we say if you consider this you will finde a considerable number even within the verge of your own Association What we said touching the way of Catechising for Information of the ignorant we are glad to hear you so heartily wish for a more generall practise thereof in your Churches at home at you say it is practised abroad It was enjoyned and practised in the Church of England before your separation And if you by your pretended Reformation have destroyed that practise the fault lies at your own doors You understand us aright in this That we hold it not fitting that Persons grossely ignotant should be admitted so the Sacrament of the Lords Supper But your conclusion thence is not good viz. That we cannot therefore in reason deny that there ought to be an Examination and tryall of all Persons de novo before they be admitted c Especially by your Eldership To whom you say the power of judgement and examination is committed and not to any one Minister before whom all must come for re-examination whatsoever their tryall and examination heretofore hath been Those Persons who have anciently been Catechized and have been a long time Commoners at the Lords Table and witnessed a good confession for parts and piety must these again yeild themselves to the examination of an Eldership before they can be admitted Pardon us if herein we pronounce a dissent from you Concerning the scandalous and wicked in their lives you say we fully come up to you and are glad there is an agreement in judgement betwixt us thus farre viz. That the Churches lawfull Pastors have power to Excommunicate such upon which you say you cannot see how we in reason can finde fault with your proceedings in such a way against such Persons though your ruling Elders which in our judgement aâ—e but meer lay-men do joyn in the Government with you Ther 's another non sequitur a conclusion as bad as the former and the reason of that conclusion as weak as the rest Because High-Commissioners Chancellors and Commissaries in the time of Episcopacy to which Government we submitted that were as much Lay-men as your ruling Elders had so great a share as to suspend Ministers c. and so farre as to decree the sentence of Excommunication against them and others as there was occasion for it For when you can prove that these Chancellors Commissaries c. did not officiate by deputation from and under a lawfull Pastor but in equall right with him and jure divino as your ruling Elders do Then your Comparison of them and your ruling Elders may hold good till then it is weak and frivolous Now whereas you desire to
times and so their interpretations of Scriptures often more difficult to be understood then the Scriptures that they interpret this also is very considerable that it will be out of the compass and reach of the most persons of ordinary rank to procure all the writings of the Fathers and Councils that are yet extant as we do not beleeve that any of you are so well stored as that you have such a Library wherein all the Fathers or most of them might be consulted which yet were necessary to be procured if their unanimous consent must be the rule for interpretation of Scripture when there is a doubt or difficulty And if some persons might be found of that ability as to procure the Works of all the Fathers yet it is not easie to imagin how even the Learned though Divines much less the simple and ignorant could ever be able to reade over all their Works compare all the Fathers together and their interpretations that so they might when there was a doubt or difficulty gather what was the unanimous consent of the Fathers touching the interpretation of a Text the sense whereof we questioned And hereupon it will follow that what you propound as the rule yea and the best rule too for interpreting of Scripture is so farre from being such that it is a very unfit and unmeet rule being such as few or none if any at all are able in all cases or the most to make use of But by this time we doubt not notwithstanding your great confidence touching the sureness of your rule that it is manifest from the reasons we have given unto which we might add many more if there were need that your rule for the interpretation of the Scriptures participates not of the nature of what is to be a rule and therefore however the exposition of the Church Fathers and Councils is not to be despised yet it is not to be made a rule but that the onely sure rule for the interpreting of the Scriptures is the Scripture it self But because you alledge something for your assertion we shall now in the last place examine it of what nature and strength it is And â— You quote the late King in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although his assertion is more limited then yours as from the words you cite is clear and manifest And as touching that which his words are alledged for we must say that such a Church Government as is not found instituted in Scripture in regard of the substantials of it is therefore contrary to the commands of Scripture because not found instituted there and this we affirm touching that Episcopall Government that you plead for that superiority of a Bishop above a Presbyter in regard of order and jurisdiction being a meer device of man without and against Scripturall warrant as it was that that was unknown to the primitive Church in the more ancient and purer times and of which afterward 2. But you further add and say that except your rule for interpreting of Scripture be admitted of we shall seem to abound in our own sense and to utter our own fancies or desires to be believed on our bare word and so to give way to private interpretation whereas we should deliver that sense which hath been aforetime given by our forefathers and forerunners in the Christian faith unto which we say that whether it be the interpretation that we ourselves shall give of Scripture or it be the interpretation of others however Fathers or Councils and forerunners in the Christian faith yet if it be an interpretation inferred or brought to the Scripture and not found in the Scripture the uttering of that interpretation is the uttering our own or other mens fancies and so is that private interpretation of Scripture which the Apostle Peter 2d Epist ch 1. ver 20. condemns and to whose words there you do here point it being the Holy Ghost the author of Scripture whose interpretation is that publike interpretation that the whole Church and every member thereof is to give heed to and is that which is opposed to the private interpretation mentioned as the Apostle shews ver 21. in the words following But seeing you do here urge the very popish argument and that text which they quote touching the rule they make for interpretation of Scripture in direct opposition to our Protestant Divines it is hence very clear that your opinion touching the rule of interpreting of the Scriptures and judg of controversies in matters of Religion which you make to be the Churches exposition and consent of Fathers and Councils is the very same with theirs and wherein you approve not your selves to be either sound Protestants or to own the Doctrine of the Church of England against the Papists in this particular 3. Yet you go on and urge another argument for when there is a difference about interpretation of Scripture not to admit for a rule the exposition of the Church consent of Fathers and Councils you say that is dominari fidei to Lord it over the faith of others but we say as we have shewed before that to impose a necessity of admitting the interpretation given by the Church Fathers Councils when it is not evident from the Text so expounded either the words of it scope or other circumstances of it the things going before or following after or from some other Texts with which it is compared this is certainly dominari fidei to Lord it over the faith of Gods people and which Paul though so great an Apostle and immediately and infallibly inspired would not presume to do 2 Cor. 1. â—4 The Church having onely a Ministery committed to her which is onely to propound that sense of Scripture which the Scripture it self gives and no more 4. But thus say you the best and ablest defenders of our Protestant Religion defended it against the Papists though out of the word of God too giving the sense which the Fathers unanimously in the Primitive Church and Councils gave But this is not the question whether our Divines defended the Protestant Religion against the Papists not onely out of the Word of God but from the testimonie also of Fathers and Councils but whether they did ever make the unanimous consent of the Fathers and Councils the judg of controversies or rule for interpreting of Scripture He that shall hold the affirmative here doth plainly shew he is a stranger to the writings of the best and ablest defenders of the Protestant Religion We shall readily grant that our Divines do ex super abundanti defend the truth against the Papists from the testimony of Fathers and Councils but did never assert that the defence of it from the Scriptures alone was not sufficient as they would never have quarrelled with the Papists touching the judg of controversies and the rule for interpretation of Scripture if they would have been contented to have stood to its determination It s true Mr. Philpot that glorious
appoints fofeitures in case of prophanation of the Lords day by Carriers c. that travel on the Lords day or by Butchers that sell or kill victuass on that day By all which you may plainly see if you will not shut your eyes that it is not against Law that a man may come to be punished twice for one offence Nay what hath been heretofore more ordinary then the High-Commissioners imprisoning fining and excommunicating for one and the same offence But yet you will have the latter Acts and Ordinances against drunkenness swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. enjoyning punishment by the Civil Magistrate onely though they do not speak one word that tends to the repealing of the Ordinance for Church Government to have utterly taken off all power of Excommunication But this we must not so easily grant and yet we shall not be unready as there may be occasion to complain to the civil Magistrate of any lawless persons that are justly censurable with the censure of Excommunication the conjunction of the Civil and Ecclesiasticall Sword being sharper and longer then either of them alone The Gentlemens Paper Sect. VIII And you further proceed to make answer to our severall ensuing Quaeries but how fully and satisfactorily all may judge that have perused what hath formerly been said touching the civil sanction of your Government Our first Quaerie is Why Government in singulari Your answer is Because it is the onely Government that is established in this Church by Civill Authority This Answer hath been confuted before we shall say no more here to that But we are unsatisfied what you mean by this Church whether you mean this Church at Manehester where your Classis is or you mean the Church of England If you mean this Church of Manchester of your association it is establisht not so much by Ordinance of Lords and Commons in Parliament as by later Acts grauting the free exercise of Religion in Doctrine and Worship to all Churches and Congregations in their own way to all and all alike but such as are particularly cautioned against And so you in your Presbytery in your Church at Manchester are protected because you have possessed your selves of that Church But then others in other Churches and Congregations to wit Prestwich Burie Middleton and the like may say of their way of worship it is the onely Government which is establisht in this Church But if your meaning be of the Church of England and so we conceive by the subsequent words viz. That there is no other Government but yours owned as the Church Government throughout the whole Nation You are certainly mistaken and dare not maintain it that his Highness or his Council owns Presbytery and none but that Government But leaving the Civill Sanction you come to the divine right of Presbytery and prove it to be the onely Government in singulari because it is that onely Government which Christ hath prescribed in his word and what Christ hath thus prescribed must needs be de jure one and the same in every Church And Calvins judgement you say in this particular is so manifest by his works to the whole world that it needs no proof We have told you before of the form and order of Church Government appointed by the Council of Nice by Patriarch Arch-Bishop Bishop c. How this Government which we suppose you will not say is Presbyterian is in Calvins judgement not differing from that which Christ hath prescribed in his word And in his first Section of this Chapter he tells us of Bishops not one word of Elders chosen out of the people who should rule in the Church but Bishops that did all viz. make and publish Canons a note certainly of rule and jurisdiction in the Church in which saith he they so ordered all things after the rule of Gods word that a man may see they had in a manner nothing differing from the word of God And this form of Government did represent a certain Image of divine Institution Can Calvin say more for your Presbytery nay can he say so much then how manifest is his judgement for the jus divinum of your Presbytery that it is that Government in particular which Christ hath prescribed in his word Thus have we taken off your Calvin and Beza as above your modern Doctors for Fathers you have none and now you descend to the Assembly of Divines The jus divinum by London Ministers the provincial Synod at London Rutherford Gyllaspie to prove your divine right of Presbytery modern Authors of yesterday with whom you paint your Margent in abundance and may serve your turn amongst the ignorant and vulgar sort who measure all by tale and not by weight when others that know what and who many of them are will conclude you draw very near the dregs As for such as are lawless persons and who those be whether drunkards swearers unclean persons prophaners of the Sabbath such as will not subject themselves to the present Government c. all together or a part conjunctim seu divisim whether you will they are onely punishable by the Civil Magistrate you cannot exclude them the Church by any of your censures as we have said before The Animadversions of the Class upon it 1. WE did indeed proceed to make answer to your several Queries and desire the Reader to peruse the Queries you propounded to us in your first Paper and the answer we gave unto them and then to judge how satisfactorily we did it after he had fully weighed our answer and what you have said to take off the establishing of our Government by the civil Sanction But whereas your first Query was why Government in singulari and our answer given thereunto was because it is the only Government that is established in this Church by civil Authority you say this answer hath been confuted before but how strongly we shall leave it to the Reader for to judge But it seems this answer hath raised another scruple in your mindes for you are unsatisfied what we mean by this Church although in our answer we had sufficiently explained it it being that Church wherein the Prelatical Government formerly had been set up and wherein that being put down the Presbyterian was set up in its stead as the only Government that was owned as the Church Government for the whole Nation as we had told you and which words did sufficiently declare that by this Church we meant the Church of England This you confess is that which you conceive to be our meaning yet you quarrell at the word that so upon supposal that the Church of Manchester of our Association and where our Classis meets might thereby be understood you might take the liberty to tell us that our Church Government is not so much established by the Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in Parliament as by later Acts granting as you say the free exercise of Religion in doctrine and worship to
Congregation that may be convenient for the neighboring families to meet at that shal be appointed for such a day as may be judged meetest by the severall Ministers 2. That notice shall be taken of all persons that forsake the publick Assemblies of the Saints and constantly turn their backs of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 3. That like notice shall be taken of all scandalous persons 4. That they shall be privately admonished according to the order prescribed by Christ Mat. 18. once or twice to see if they will reforme and that the Minister when he catechizeth the several families shall exhort such persons in them as he finds to be of competent knowledge and are blamelesse in life that they present themselves to the Eldership that they may be admitted to the Lords Supper 5. That if they will neither hearken to private admonition nor the admonition of the Eldership their names shall be published openly in the severall Congregations and they warned before all to reforme 6. That if after all this they shall continue obstinate they shall be cast out and excommunicated These things this Classe thought fit to give publick notice of being very sensible that for the want of the vigorous exercise of Church discipline ignorance Atheism and licentiousnesse growes upon us to the great dishonour of God scandall of Religion hazzard and undoing of many precious souls and the laying a blot on our severall Congregations and therefore they are now resolved seeing themselves necessitated to this severity of discipline for the freeing themselves from the great guilt of neglect of their own duty that otherwise they shal be under to make use of that power that Christ hath committed to them for edification and not for destruction although it would be their far greater joy that there might not be occasion of using sharpnesse and therefore they doe earnestly in the bowels of Jesus Christ beseech all those that are ignorant that they would apply themselves diligently to the use of all publick and private means for their information submitting themselves with all readinesse to be instructed and to consider that without knowledge the minde cannot be good and they do also in the name of Jesus Christ exhort and warn all such as live scandalously and in the practice of open sins that they breake off their iniquities by repentance and turn unto God speedily with their whole heart that they neither incur the censure of being cast out of the Church here nor by continuing in their sinfull course be kept from ever entering into the kingdome of Heaven hereafter And as touching such as turne their backs constantly on the Lords Supper this Classe doth wish them in seriousnes to consider what an account they will be able one day to give unto Jesus Christ for their living in the dayly neglect of an ordinance that is so exceeding necessary for their own comfort and growth in grace and that they would lay aside all prejudice or whatever it is that hinders and submit themselves unto wholesom order for their own good as this Classe hath been ready on their part to expresse all tendernesse toward the weak and a willingnesse to condescend to the meanest for the removing all occasions of stumbling so far as lies in their power And yet considering the fearfull danger that all such do lay themselves open unto that shall eat and drink the Body and Blood of the Lord unworthily they do warn whosoever comes to the Lords Table to take special care so often as they come to examin themselves lest they eat and drink their own damnation But because the exercise of Church discipline must begin at private persons and that if they neglect their duty of watching over and admonishing one another and bringing complaints to the Eldership as there is occasion little or nothing can be done for the thorow reformation of the several Congregations this Classe doth therefore warne all and every of the Members belonging unto them to consider the great guilt they will lye under if they through their neglect obstruct so necessary a work and doth exhort that therefore they would in all faithfulnesse laying aside all partiality slavishnesse and self-respects addresse themselves to the discharge of their duty that if any walk disorderly and will not be reclaimed by private admonition they making complaint thereof to the Eldership course may be taken for excommunicating of the obstinate and thereby purging out the old leaven to the glory of God the delivering their own souls from that guilt they will otherwise lye under the preserving the Ordinances from prophanation and the rest of the lump from being leavened the stopping of the mouths of such as seek occasion against us and finally the everlasting welfare and salvation of the souls of those that go astray By the Provincial Assembly at Preston Octob 6. 1657. RICHARD HEYRICKE Moderator pro tempore This representation is approved by the Pro vincial Assembly THOMAS JOHNSON Moderator EDWARD GEE Scribe The Gentlemens first Paper To the Eldership of the severall Congregations belonging to the Association of the first Classe at Manchester within the Province of Lancaster These Give us leave to salute you in your own Terms WE have seene and seriously weighed that paper draught Intituled A presentation of the first Classe at Manchester dated the 8. of Sept. 1657. confirmed by the Provinciall Assembly at Preston Octob. 6. and published at Manchester Church the 22. of Nov. in the aforesaid yeare and do publish this our sense and Apprehension of it as far as is plain to us not resting in the Judgement and determination of any Generall Councill contrary thereunto if any such should be much less to one of your Provincial Assemblies Though you seem to submit to your Provincial what you will hardly grant to a General Council In which we dissent from you Though in other things we shall joyn as first 1. We joyn with you in a deep sence of the severall grosse sins and errors of the times desiring earnestly to mourn first for our own next for the sins of others of our Christian Brethren and fellow members of that Church whereof Christ is the Head We are grieved together with you for the Scandalous and offensive lives of such as live in drunkenesse uncleanesse swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. 2. We are also sensible with you that there are sundry persons grossely ignorant in the main points of Christian Religion 3. You with us again we hope are sensible and grieved though you do not at all mention them for the grosse errours in judgement and the damnable Doctrine of many who have rent themselves into as many severall heresies as they have into Sects and Schismes Thus far we agree nay more touching the way of informing the ignorant and reforming the wicked and erroneous we shall not much dissent 1. And first for the information and instruction of the ignorant by way of Catechizing before they be admitted
are cast upon us and the Church of God The Arguments you here urge are two we shall speak unto them both and in their order 1. And here we shall speak in the first place unto the charge of Schisme that you would fasten upon us reserving unto another place our Answer unto the charge of Perjury where you do it more plainly and expresly though here you might intend to insinuate it But as touching that of Schisme you plainely declare That such Ministers and of this sort you say there are many amongst us though if we should put you to prove this you would never be able to make it out as return not to that canonical Obedience as you call it which they were sworn to as you say lye under the blot of Schisme But in your next Paper you charge us with this more then once and call it a Rent indeed a Schisme in the highest We shall not examine that which you here seem to take for granted sc that all Ministers that were ordained by Bishops did swear Canonicall Obedience to them which we are sure is very untrue concerning many as how far those that did take any such Oathes were bound to obey is not to our purpose now to discuss But as to that blot of Schisme you would bring us and the Ministers of these Nations under who return not to that Obedience they sometimes yielded to their severall Diocesans we must speak the more fully because the Charge is foul 1. But we shall in the first place speak something of the nature of Schisme The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Schisme signifies a Rent or Division So it is used 1 Cor. 12. 25. That there be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Schisme in the body In Js. 7. 43. its sayd There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a schisme or division among the people because of Christ And John 9. 16. Therefore some of the Pharisees said this man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day Others said how can a man that is a sinner do such Miracles And there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a division or schism among them So John 10. 19. And so we read Acts 4. 4. That the multitude was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the Apostles This acceptation of the word is general and may comprehend under its Latitude any kind of Dissention And hereupon Divines though restraining it to Dissentions or Divisions about matters of Religion speak of a good Schisme that is justifiable which is the dissolution of a bad Union and that is but a conspiracy against God as was that Union that was amongst the Jews before they heard the Doctrine of Christ of which John 10. 19. By this kind of Schisme afterwards the whole World was rent and of which Christ speaks Matth. 20. 35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his Father c. And hereupon Gerhardus in answer to Bellarmines charge of Schism upon the Protestants saith Denique concedimus nos esse sano sensu schismaticos quia scilicet ab Ecclesia Romana ejus capite Pontifice Romano secessionem fecimus nequaquam vero ab unitate Ecclessiae ejus capite Christo Jesu nos separavimus At beatum schisma per quod Christo verae catholicae Ecclesiae uniti sumus This Schisme is that which is commanded Come out of her my people Revel 18. 4. And of this Schisme Ambrose speaks Siqua est Ecclesia quae fidem respuit deserenda est 1. e. If there be any Church that refuseth the faith it is to be forsaken But as when we speak of Schisme it is usually taken in the worse part so it is the bad and sinfull Shisme that is here spoken of But thus also it is sometimes taken generally for any division in the Church that is unwarrantable and so it comprehends also Heresie And so the words Heresie and Schisme are sometimes used in the same sense 1 Cor. 11. 19. For there must needs be Heresies or Schismes or Sects that those that are approved may be made manifest among them Although strictly Heresie be opposed unto Faith and Schisme unto Charity And this leads us to shew what Schisme is taken strictly and properly which in brief may be thus described Schisme is a dissolution or breach of that union that ought to be amongst Christians consenting together in the same Faith And because this breach of Union doth chiefly appear in denying or refusing Communion with the Church in the use of Gods publick Ordinances therefore that kind of separation is by a kind of singular appropriation truly and rightly called Schisme Thus much for the opening the nature of Schisme Now because you here charge us with it we must needs tell you the charge is great For Schisme truly and properly so called and as it is taken in the worser part is a very hurtfull dangerous and pernicious evil The Apostle warned to take heed of it and condemned it in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1. V. 10. 11 12 13. It is a work of the flesh and therefore the Apostle proves the Corinthians to be carnall because of the divisions that were among them 1 Cor. 3. 3 4. It is a great offence against Christs being a rending of the Unity of his mystical Body It is a wrong unto the Church whose peace is thereby disturbed and to the Members of the Church their edification being thereby hindred And to conclude Schisme opens the door unto Heresie into which it doth oftentimes degenerate and so makes way to separation from Christ And therefore you here charging us to lye under the blot of Schisme untill Episcopacy be againe admitted of and there be a returning to that Obedience that formerly hath been given to the Bishops should have produced some Arguments for the making out your Charge But here you are wholly silent and think it sufficient to insinuate this so high a Charge without giving any reasons to convince us of our guiltinesses As if we must presently without reason judge our selves because you accuse us 2. Yet because some may be ready to take the matter upon trust and except we purge our selves from this Crime by saying something for our selves conclude we are guilty because you say so we shall therefore in the second place offer to the Reader these following considerations that we may thereby clear our selves from this foul aspersion 1. That though Episcopacy be never restored and neither we nor any other Ministers in this Land return to that Canonicall Obedience that hath formerly been yielded yet still both we and they may continue in Communion with the same Church of England that we held Communion with during the continuance of Episcopacy and with which we also do hold communion in all the Ordinances of Gods Worship Word Sacraments and Prayer This in the beginning of this Paper you do not deny for you there speak of us as
Comment thereon for the better helping us to understand what was Gods will revealed there touching Church Government and Discipline but denied them to be our sure guid and further asserted the Word of God alone to be the onely rule to judge by in this or any other controversies in matters of Religion and which are the words we used in that part of our Answer to which you here reply as it is a received rule amongst Protestant Divines that the onely sure rule or guid for the interpreting of Scripture is not Fathers Councils or the practice of the Church and wherein we must further oppose you anon giving you our reasons for that also but the Scripture it self that is the onely infallible comment or sure guide or as we spake interpreter And now we leave it to the Reader to judge how true it was said by you that we seemed to submit to our Provinciall what we will hardly grant to a Generall Council But you hitherto having no otherwise then thus opposed what we had intimated to you was to be the onely rule and sole judge of controversies in matters of Religion sc the Word of God alone we shall now proceed to give you our Reasons according to what we promised for this assertion And however this pains to some may seem needless considering how full our Divines are in this point in their writings against the Papists yet we judge it necessary to say something though it be but what hath been said before that so we may neither seem to sleight any means we are obliged to use to reduce you from your errour nor neglect the souls of those that are committed to our charge in not laying before them some grounds for the better establishing them in the present truth Our Reasons then for making the Scriptures the only rule of faith and life and sole supreme judge of all controversies in matters of Religion are briefly these Argument 1. Because it is the Scripture onely or Word of God contained there that begets divine faith and full assurance in matters of Religion so as to remove all doubts and scruples and hence it is that faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10. 17. i. e. from the sense of Scripture truely perceived and rightly understood Timothy is also said to have gained the assurance of what he had learned from the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. neither is there any other firm foundation whereon we can build but the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2. 20. and therefore it is the Scripture onely that is the sole judge of controversies removing all doubts and scruples and so determining the matters in difference touching Religion in whose sentence onely we can rest and to whose determination we must stand Argument 2. If the Scriptures must be refused as the sole and supreme judge and determiner of controversies in matters of Religion then it is because they are either imperfect and so not reaching to all cases and matters in controversie or else because they are obscure and so not sufficiently plain for the resolving of all doubts whereupon there is a necessity supposed of appeal to some other judge But the Scriptures are not imperfect for the Law and Scripture of the Old Testament is said to be perfect Psal 19. 7. And therefore there was nothing wanting in it that was necessary for the instruction of the people of God under the Old Testament in matters of Religion that concerned them to know integrum or that which is perfect being that according to the description of the Philosopher Cui nihil deest extra quod nihil eorum quae sunt ejus accipi potest i. e. that to which nothing is wanting and without which nothing of those things that belong unto it can be taken And hence it is that God did so strictly prohibit his people of old that they should not either adde any thing to or detract any thing from his Law Deut. 4. 2. and therefore much more are the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament perfect neither is there any case in matters of Religion needfull to be resolved but the determination thereof is to be found there especially considering all Scripture is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. And as the Scriptures are not to be accused of imperfection so neither of obscurity The word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths Psal 119. 105. and hereupon our only sure guid as a torch or lanthorne in the night that so we may be guided in the way we should walk and thereby be cautioned against errours on all hands The Apostle Peter also speaking of the Scripture calls it a more sure word of propheâ—sie whereunto we should do well to take heed as to a light shineing in a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. and therefore the Scripture is sufficiently plain for the resolving of all doubts and determining of all controversies in Religion Although if in some things the Scripture be obscure yet this is no sufficient reason for the refusal of it as the sole determiner of controversies perspicuity not being of the essence and nature of a rule but certainty and authority the Laws of men being often obscure as Lawyers know and yet not thereupon ceasing to be a rule Argument 3. God is the author of Scripture all Scripture being given by inspiration from him 2 Tim. 3. 16. received by immediate divine revelation 2 Pet. 1. 21. and is the word of Christ Col. 3. 16. and therefore is the testimony and sentence of God himself the supreme Judge and therefore is to be acknowledged by all to be the only sure guid and determiner of all controversies in Religion Argument 4. Nothing is to be believed in matters of Religion and to be received as from God or to be taught in the Church but what is confirmed by the testimony of Scripture whence it was that in the old time the people were sent to the Law and to the Testimonies Isa 8. 20. Paul taught nothing but what was to be found in the Prophets and Moses Act. 26. 22. and hence it was also that the Bereans were commended for trying by the touchstone of the Scriptures what they heard from Paul Act. 17. 11. And therefore the Scriptures are the only rule and supreme Judge of all controversies in Religion Argument 5. The people of God are commanded that they turn not aside either to the right hand or to the left from that path that is chalked forth in the Scriptures for them to walk in Deut. 5. 32. and Chap. 17. 20. Josh 1. 7. and therefore the Scripture is the only sure rule in matters of Religion to which we must exactly keep and from which we must not in the least thing turn aside Many more reasons might be
all Churches Congregations in their own way to all and all alike though you might have observed that the way of Prelacy was ever in the number of those wayes particularly cautioned against and that those of the Presbyterian way have that prerogative above all those of other wayes to whom any indulgence is granted that their way of Government is owned and established by the Parliament as the Government of the Nation which is not to be said for any of the other And therefore neither the Church at Manchester nor our Classical Presbytery meeting there are protected meerly upon the account of possession of that place as you imagine but because being awarranted thereunto by Authority of Parliament they set up that Government which the Parliament appointed and established as the Government of the Nation and who also in their approval of the division of this County into nine Classical Presbyteryes appointed Prestwich wherein the Government was set up and exercised for along while although since Mr. Allen's return thither the Eldership of that Congregation could do little to be within the bounds of this Classical Association and Middleton and Burie in the latter of which Congregations the Presbyterian Government according to Ordinance of Parliament was also set up though the present Minister joyn not in it are appointed to be within the bounds of the second Class And so these Congregations that you would suggest have a liberty for some way of worship and different Government from the Presbyterian granted unto them and exercised by them though they are not any of them under any character of indulgence granted to others other wayes are all of them under the power of the Provincial Assembly of this County and one of them under the power of this and two of them under the power of the neighbour Classical Association And hereupon we are certain we are not mistaken when we say that there is no other Government but the Presbyterian that was owned by the Parliament they establishing this Government only as the Government of the Nation and which we do not see but is also acknowledged by the humble Advice assented unto by his Late Highness as we have said before 2. But now you say leaving the civil Sanction we come to the divine right of Pres ytery and prove it to be the only Government in singulari because it is that only Government which Christ hath preser bed in his Word But here we have cause to complain you do us manifest wrong in that you would represent us either absurdly proving idem per idem or that Presbytery is of divine right because it is so or to argue very weakly in saying it is of divine right because it is prescribed by Christ in his Word and so leave the matter without any further proof nothing whereof at all is any where to be found in our answer only we find the same in that chimerical fancy which you had first conceivd your selves and then were pleased to impute unto us Then you adde and what Christ hath thus prescribed must needs be de jure one and the same in every Church which words did not here follow whereby you render what we had plainly expressed not intelligible to what purpose it was uttered But because we desire the matter might be judged of neither according to your representation of it or what we say of it we shall give the Reader a full account of all that was here expressed by us and which he will find upon the perusal of our answer whereby he will perceive that we were not at all reasoning as you represent us but only declaring our judgement and that in plain expressions without any ambiguity Our words speaking of the Presbyterian Government were these And as it is that which we judge to be most agreeable to the will of God so also we conceive that whatever is of Christs prescribing in any other different Government whether Episeopal or Congregational is to be found here as we do apprehend the redundancies of them both to be taken away in this and the defects of them both to be bere supplied and however there may be differences amongst godly ment concerning Church Government which it is in particular that Christ hath prescribed in his Word yet we judg that the Government which Christ hath prescribed in his Word is but one as all those must say so too that not being Erastians do bold that one Church Government or other is of divine right The Reader will hereby perceive that we did without any manner of reasoning at all only declare our judgements but you represent us as arguing and that absurdly and then you mangle our words breaking them off from what they had immediate and necessary dependance on and reference to for having thus farre declared our selves we came to answer to what you had urged in your first Paper out of Calvin saying Scimusenim unicuique Ecclesiae c. to which we said the circumstantials of Government of which we told you we did believe if you had quoted the place where Calvin used those words it would appear he speakes being variable and so but the accidentals of Government may not be one and the same in all Churches And then we added the words you in part mention but if Christ have prescribed a Government in his Word for the substantials of it it must be de jure one and the same in every Church And then further said and that the Presbyterian Government is that in particular which is there prescribed in Calvin ' s judgement is so manifest by his workes to the whole Christian world that it needs no proof Whereby it is very manifest to any ordinary understanding that the expressions we here use and which you mention have reference to what you had cited out of Calvin in your first Paper shewing that however he might say that every Church might have their different formes of Government in regard of the circumstantials of it yet seeing the Government prescribed by Christ in his Word for the substantials of it is but one and in Calvin's judgement the Presbyterian Government is that Government when Calvin saith Scimus enim unieuique Ecclesiae c. he was to be understood to speak concerning the circumstantials of Government only and not of the substantials thereof Hence also it is clear that we were not here neither arguing for the divine right of Presbytery but only declaring and proving how Calvin was to be understood in the expressions you quoted But as we have said you mangle our words and break them off from what immediately went before whereby from your representation it is not conceivable to what they referred but then you joyning them to other words going before to which they had no reference represent them to have been used by us to have patched up such a poor argument for the Jus divinum of the Presbyterian Government as before hath been declared but whether