much as in them lyes the very company of such as they count Presbyterians and rarely if ever come at our assemblies And in New-England it self it is well knowne that they doe not only cast those out of their Churches that differ from them in opinion but also expose them to banishment and to greatest misery and think all they do to be their duty and publish it to the world for the imitation of all other their Churches and Congregations and I am most assured had they the authority in their own hands here in England they would be as severe towards the Presbyterians as ever the Prelates were against the Puritans And I am induced so to believe both from their words and writings for what can be more bitterly uttered against them then that they daily speak upon the least occasion if any but preach or write the least thing in opposition to their opinions professing that all such Preachers ought to be hanged and had they the power in their hands they would trusse them up as many can testifie and witnesse and in their writings how prodigiously daily they abuse with all manner of calumnies and reproaches and with all reviling speeches the Presbyterians all that have patience to reade their blasphemous Pamphlets can tell so that whiles in them they pleade for a tolleration of all Religions they will not tollerate the Presbyterians to defend their own by which they sufficiently declare what favour they would shew them if they were in their hands on whom they look as the profest enemies of Christs kingdome Now I say if neither the example of Gods dear Saints and Servants nor the Word of God can move us to our duty nor the example of the Papists and Hereticks of all ages then at least let us follow the example of our Brethren both in New-England and Old-England for they as all men know remove all from them that differ from them in their Church-way and seperate themselves from us and gather congregations by by themselves Independent refusing to communicate with us as an unholy people and not suffering or permitting us to communicate amongst them in the Ordinances either of baptisme or the Lords Supper but upon their own tearmes and account us all as unclean things and to be separated from which I affirme should move all solid Christians and such as truly and unfeinedly desire that God may be glorified and his truth every where set up to oppose all their errors and novelties in religion under what pretenses soever they be brought in and under whatsoever seeming holinesse they be set forth and so much the more care is to be had and diligence used both by the Magistrates Ministers and all the reall godly of the land by how much they know the craft and subtilty of those that seduce them for there was never yet any Sect whatsoever that came to any rise perfection or name in the Church of which the first venters and contrivers had not some seeming shew of godlinesse and holinesse of life and that more then ordinary to which they usually added the bravery of language and fine alluring speeches and cunning craftinesse as they were many of them men of singular elocution and deep subtilty as the Prophets and Apostles through the whole Scripture signifie And Paul in the 16 chap. of his Epistle to the Romans speaking of those that made divisions contrary to the doctrine that he had taught them hath this expression Verse 18. For they that are such saith he serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Here we see the false Teachers of his time made use of good words faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple And in Gal. 4.14 the Apostle there exhorting them saith Henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive In this place the Apostle gives all Christians a charge to take heed of all erroneous doctrines and withall sets down the manners and ordinary carriage of all seducers that they might be the more carefull to shunne them for such saith he use in the deceiving of you the flight of men and cunning craftinesse This has ever been the method of all false teachers as Saint Peter also in his 2 Epistle chap. 2. vers 1 2 3. c. witnesseth for speaking of the false teachers of those times he lived in and of those in future ages that should bring in damnable doctrines even denying the Lord that bought them and bringing upon themselves swift distruction he foretels also that many should follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth should be evilly spoken of And then also he sets down the manner and customes of those seducers and amongst other things he saith of them that through covetousnesse and with their faire words they should make merchandize of the people So that we may see all false teachers clothe their craft with their rhetorick and fained words for otherwise they would prevaile but little Now by how much more the Christians in this our age have to deale with a generation of cunning and crafty Juglers who seeme to equallize if not to transcend all others in holinesse and godlinesse in their outward cariage at least it concerneth every one I say more diligently to take heed of them and of all their new-wayes their new born truths and their New-lights for God himselfe by his holy Prophets and blessed Apostles has commanded us not to decline from those wayes we have learned of him and those truths that he hath taught us in his holy Word Neither to the right hand nor to the left Dut. 4.5 Iosh 1. Prov. 4. Nay if an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise then God hath taught us by Christ and his Apostles we are to account him accursed Gal. 1. And in the expresse words above specified we are prohibited to be carried about with every wind of doctrine So that all those that vent those new-truths and set up those new-lights which are all indeed new-lights of doctrins be they never so seemingly holy are all cunning deceivers fighters against God And all those Christian Magistrates for ought I know that tollerate such and all those orthodox Ministers that connive at them and are so meal-mouthed as they dare not preach against them and forwarne the people of them neglect their duty and are not faithfull Watchmen over their flocks committed to their charge and are blameworthy for it And all those people that being so often taught by God himself in the holy Scriptures to take heed of all such as come to them in sheeps clothing and with their fained holinesse with their fair speeches to deceive them and make merchandize of them and yet will not take heed of these novelties doe as much as in
and have undergone great persecution for Religigion as they publish to the world in their writings If it be tolerable therefore and praise-worthy in the Independents to oppose the Truth notwithstanding they have been sufferers will any rationall man count it an intolerable thing in me to oppose the errors and novelties of the Independents which they would impose upon the people of God as his lawes when they are but their own inventions and as things necessary to salvation And will any reasonable creature call this a persecution in any if in his own person to the uttermost of his abilities he labours to defend the truth and convince error and exhort all those that fear God to do the same because he hath been a sufferer I conceive upon deliberation he will have a more charitable opinion of such an one And if this be a crime in such as have suffered for Religion to resist Error the Independents are guilty of the same as deeply as any other for they also should remember they have bin sufferers yet they maintain their Novelties for truths and exhort all their followers to do the same and to oppose all gain-sayers which they do to the uttermost of their power in words and deeds and count this their honour and a great virtue yea valour and yet blame it in me and in all the Presbyterians and I know no reason why I or any Presbyterian should not be as valiant for truth as others should be for the upholding of their errours and Innovations especialiy when they fly so high in their Expressions as to make them the onely way to heaven and that whosoever is not in that their way they are in the broad street to perdition and exclaim against all such as oppose their opinions as persecutors of the wayes of God for this is their usuall dialect yea their ordinary language and custome to call all writing and preaching against the Errors and Heresies of the time Persecution in all the faithfull Ministers and people which duty notwithstanding they are bound unto by Christ and all the holy Prophets and Apostles who are by them commanded to lift up their voyces like a Trumpet to oppose and rebuke all gainesayers and to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints And this is the language of that Author that writ the Arainment of Persecution and he that writ that malicious Pamphlet against M. Prynne who calls him and all the Presbyterians Persecutors whose wicked and vaine Cavils by which he laboureth to prove the necessity of a tolleration of all Religions are these following His words are these Six impossibilities which do necessarily accompany Persecution for cause of conscience 1. It is impossible that the Gospell should come to be preached unto all Nations if men may be questioned for matters of conscience 2. It is impossible that such as know but in part should grow in knowledge or from one measure and degree of Faith unto another 3. It is impossible that in a rationall way there should be a firme secure peace throughout the World nay not in a Province City or Towne so long as men may make a point of conscience to compell one another to their opinions 4. It is impossible to prescribe such a way for suppressing new and different opinions whatsoever which to any State or Church may seem Hereticall but there will still be left a gap a possibility of fighting against God even when such State or Church think they fight for him most of all 5. It is impossible that either the weak Believers mis-believers or unbelievers can be wonne by our godly conversation as is required 1 Pet. 2.12 and 3.1 2. and 1 Cor. 7.12.16 so long as we will not suffer them to live amongst us 6. It is impossble for a man to hold fast the truth or be fully perswaded in his owne heart of what he does of what Religion he makes choise of unlesse after he hath searched the Scriptures and tryed the spirits whether they be of God or no it be lawfull for him to reject that which shall appear to him as evill and adhere to that which seems good in his own judgement and apprehension These are the formall words of the Author that writ that Pamphlet by which he endeavours to maintaine that hellish opinion The tolleration of all Religions To the which I shall briefly answer after I have set down some testimonies out of holy Scripture concerning Persecution Yet before I go any further I desire all men by the way to take notice that whiles I labour to shew the vanity and invalidity of this Cavillers assertions I animate no man to persecute the truth For I know that persecution of the true Religion is the greatest sin in the world one only excepted and therefore that all men should ever be carefull to offend in this kinde lest they bring speedy distruction upon themselves by it but they must also be as diligent to take heed lest whiles they would shew a vice they neglect not their duty and decline a vertue which is to oppose all errors and falsehood in Religion for that is as great a sin on the other side But now I will produce some testimonies out of holy Scripture and reasons from thence to shew that to be questioned for matters of conscience or persecution as they call it for cause of conscience imposes not an impossibility as they would infer that the Gospel by this meanes should be preached unto all Nations nor hinders not the growth of grace in Christians nor the measure and degrees of faith in them which is the first and second of these Propositions and the which to speak the truth are the main and chiefest of all the Independents Arguments by which they labour to evince the necessity of a tolleration of all Religions that prodigious Tenent lest forsooth otherwise the course of the Gospel and the increase of grace in the Saints should be hindred if men should as they pretend be persecuted for cause of conscience which is no better then whiles they seeme to dispute to blaspheme and to give Christ and the Spirit of God the lye who teach the contrary and to fight against the holy Scripture and truth it self as will by and by appear First therefore I shall desire that Christs own words may be heard and then what the holy Apostles have spoken concerning these points Christ in Matth. 10.17 18 19 c. speaking to his Disciples saith Beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councels and will scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought to the Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles but when ye are delivered take no thought how and what ye shall speake c. For the Brother shall betray the Brother to death and the Father the Sonne and the Children shall rise up against their Parents and shall cause them to dye and yee shall be
banished they come to the knowledge of the truth and errour and so to shun the one and love the other And now I come to the sixth and last It is impossible for a man saith he to hold fast truth or be fully perswaded in his own heart of what he does or what Religion he makes choice of unlesse after he hath searched the Scriptures and tryed the Spirits whether they be of God or no it be lawfull for him to reject that which shall appear to him as evill and adhear to that which seemes good in his own judgement In a word by this mans Divinity without there be a tolleration of all Religions and that it be left arbitrary for every man to take and choose what Religion he pleaseth it is impossible to hold fast the truth for this is his meaning now if this be good doctrine then the devill is a good teacher for this came from hell but because this his Position hath the greatest appearance of reason of all the rest with the simple people who much conside in the strength of it it will not be amisse to say something to it although with any rationall men if it be well considered and weighed it can never infer a necessity of a tolleration of all Religions an opinion so hetrogeniall to the holy Scripture and so contrary to piety for the Word of God which must be the rule of our faith in diverse places declares Gods dislike of all strange opinions and doctrines commanding all ministers and people to cleave unto the Law and to the Testimony Esa 8. And that they should teach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 And that they should take heed of fables c. vers 4. That is of mens inventions And that they should hold fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse that they should withdraw themselves from such 1 Tim. 6.3.5 And that they should hold fast the faithfull Word as they have been taught Tit. 1.9 And that they should rebuke men sharply that they may be sound in the faith not giving heed to Jewish fables and the Commandements of men that turn from the truth ver 13.14 And that they should not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 And that whosoever teacheth a contrary doctrine tending to seduction should be put to death Deut. 13. All this the holy Scripture teacheth in numberlesse places Now then when Christians know the good will and pleasure of God and are likewise taught out of the Word of God as Deut. 6. and Deut. 11. And in divers other places that it is their duty that they should bring up their children and families in the nurture and fear of the Lord and instruct them in the knowledge of his Commandements that is that they should educate them according to the Will of God and in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures as Timothies grand-mother and mother did him from his child-hood I say when all Christian Parents bring up their children and indoctrinate their families after this rule and manner they may hold fast the truth very well and be fully perswaded of it in their own hearts although they never so much as hear of any Heresie or of any strange opinion For as our Saviour saith Matth. 22. Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures c. So that the knowledge of the Scripture it self is able to keep all men from error as teaching the way the truth and the life c. And as all wilfull ignorance of the Scripture is both sinfull and blame-worthy amongst all good men so there is a learned nescience which is as commendable as the other is vituperable and that is when men desire not to be wise above that which is written for so they are commanded so that the understanding of that which is written in the Book of God and to know God to be the only true God and him who he hath sent Jesus Christ which is life eternall Iohn 17. This is the only knowledge necessary to salvation and all this a man may learn and attaine to without a tolleration of all Religions which they call liberty of conscience which is a most irreligious opinion and no way beseeming a Christian for as Saint Paul saith Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from evill 2 Tim. 2.19 Now tolleration of all Religions is such an evill as there cannot be a greater and more displeasing to God for it is a very fighting against God And for that liberty of conscience the Scripture speaketh of it is no other then that all Christians are now freed from the yoak of all legall Ceremonies and traditions and inventions of men and from the curse and rigour of the Law but from that liberty to infer a tolleration of all Religions is most impious and absurd and it is as wicked to conclude that we are not tyed to the obedience of the Law both Morall and Evangelicall for this is against all the tenure of the holy Scriptures and against all sound reason as will by by appear And therefore all Christian parents ought to instruct their children and housholds in the Law and Gospell as they will answer it before God at his dreadfull Tribunall And if their children will not by kindness be induced and brought to that that is good they are to be forced to it by the Rod and correction for Solomon so instructeth all Parents in diverse places of the Proverbs And it was the sinne of old Ely in 1 Sam. 2. that he did not chastize his children and severely punish them for their wickednesse and force them to obey the commands of God and this was the cause of the Lords displeasure against him that he cast off his Family from being Priests and removed the place of his worship from Shilo to teach all Christians to take heed by his example saying I will honour them that honour me and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed of So that to see sinne and errors in children and to connive at them and not to punish them for it is to despise God And therefore they ought to force them to obedience unto that religion God hath appointed and if they will yet persevere and continue to be rebellious against God and their Parents they are to be cut off by the Law of God Conscience here must be forced the Will of God must be obeyed there is no dispensation given to transgression or to commit evill though good might come of it and that Will and good pleasure of God we have set downe clearly and evidently in the holy Scriptures Psal 19. The knowledge of which is enjoyned to all Christians as necessary to salvation But for all vaine opinions and new Doctrines and traditions and inventions of men under the name of New-lights if a
vers 18. he saith That the sound of the Gospell went into all the earth and their words meaning of the Apostles unto the end of the world And in the 15. chapter and vers 18 19. he affirmeth That Christ so wrought by him as he made the Gentiles obedient by word deed through mighty signes wonders by the prower of the Spirit of God so that from Jerusalem and round about all Illericum he had fully Preached the Gospell and that he had so strived to Preach the Gospel not where Christ was named least he should build upon another mans foundation And in his 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians vers 8. He teacheth That from them the Word of the Lord sounded not onely in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place saith he your faith to God-ward is spread abroad so that we need not to speak any thing Here we see whol Cities and Countries were converted and became Christians And in the Acts of the Apostles there is frequent mention of whole Cities and Countries converted by the miracles and Preaching of the Apostles who the people thought of and looked upon as gods come down from heaven so that all Asia in a short time was converted by the Apostles Ministery for the people seeing the Apostles raise the dead and cure all diseases and that by their very shaddows and by touching but the garments and handcarchiefs or any thing that came from the sick and observing that they were by and by restored unto their former health and beholding their godly life and holy conversation and hearing them preach nothing but those things that tended to make them eternally happy they came in in mighty multitudes through Cities and whole Countries to beleeve the Gospell and were made Christians dayly so that by some one of their miracles they converted more then could meet well in any one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship and to edification and there was still dayly increase upon increase of Christians through both Cities and Countries as both the Scriptures and all the Ecclesiasticall histories relate so that all reason dictates unto any intelligible man that in a short time there must of necessity in every City and through the severall Countries be many Congregations and Assemblies and many Presbytors ordained over them for the ruling and governing and dayly instructing of them and for the building of them all up in the holy faith for all these the Scripture speakes of were such as were really converted or at least made profession of the saith as Simon Magus and were therefore admitted into the bosome of the Church and into the fellowship of the Saints And all good reason will teach men that the Apostles and those Primative Ministers had a more excellent faculty of converting men then our Independent Pastors teachers by whose Ministry yet I never heard of any that were converted for their Congregations al of them consist of such as were converted to their hands but if a few of them without miracles have been so powerfull through City and Country to gather so many congregations and severall Churches here in London and through all the Cities and Towns where they have been preaching their Novelties shall we be so blockish and stupid to think that all the Apostles together and so many other famous Ministers as were for many years alwayes resident in Jerusalem they could all convert no more Christians then could meet in one place or congregation and that at Ephesus and in the other Cities and Countries where the Scripture relateth that there was such infinite multitudes dayly converted and additions of new beleevers upon new beleevers added to the Church that they might ever meet in one Congregation and in one Assembly to communicate in all the Ordinances no reason will perswade this to any man that hath not promised to himself to beleeve nothing but what he seeth with his own eyes But that I may again return to the Church in Jerusalem the pattern of all Churches for government I affirm that in that great and mighty city there were more beleevers than could meet in any one or a few places to communicate in all acts of worship and that there were many Congregations of Christians there in the Apostles times and many years after And besides the many reasons I have in the foregoing Treatise specified for a further demonstration of the truth of that Assertion I shall here adde a few more And amongst other that out of Paul in the first of the Galathians which I onely touched in the foregoing Tractate where he signifieth to the Galathians that he received not the Gospell from the Apostles but from Jesus Christ himself that they might the more cheerfully imbrace it and give credit unto it For saith he I preached the Gospell in Arabia to the heathens before I saw the Apostles and had continued my Ministery three years before I went up to Ierusalem to them Indeed after three years saith he I went up to Ierusalem to see Peter and aboade with him fifteen dayes but other of the Apostles saw I none save Iames the Lords brother not that they were absent and therefore I received not the Gospell from them but from Christ himself In the which words we have not onely a singular Argument to confirm the Preaching and writing of the Apostle Paul to be the Word of God against the Papists but we have also an excellent reason against the new opinion of the Independents to prove many congregations in the Church of Ierusalem for Paul was a diligent frequenter of the Synagogues and Assemblies of the Jews and Christians wheresoever he came as it is often specified in the Scripture where he Preached the Word and Gospell unto the people and it is also cleer and evident by the same Scripture as in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistle of Saint Iames and many other places that Synagogue and Church were Sunonymaes and are often taken one for another as Bishops and Presbyter are for the ordinary Ministers and Preachers of the Word Now by the very light of reason all men that have not resined their understanding will gather That if there had been but one meeting place or one congregation of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem that Paul remaining there fifteen dayes in all that times he would have frequented the Assembly of Believers at lest if he had not preached unto them who was so diligent both in hearing and in preaching in al other places were he came and if there had then been but one meeting-place in Jerusalem and but one congregation without doubt the Apostles would daily have been at their imployments which were to pray with the people and preach unto them for they never were idle nor deserted not their charge Now when they were alwayes imployed in their severall ministeries it is manifest that there were severall assemblies or congregations of Believers in Jerusalem that hindred the
Apostles from visiting one another for if there had been but one congregation then of necessity Paul and the other Apostles should have met there in so long a space and therefore it stands with all reason that there were many congregations of Believers in Jerusalem if we had no testimonies of holy Scripture for to prove it For if any credit may be given to the Historians that write of these times there were above three of four hundred Synagogues in Jerusalem I speak within compasse and common understanding dictates that there were some hundreds of assembling places where there was so many hundred thousand people and such multitudes of Teachers And in those Synagogues the people met together to hear the Law and Prophets both read and interpreted unto them and the Synagogues both in Jerusalem and through all Judea and Palestine were the places of the morall worship as the Temple was the principall place of the cerimoniall service And as here in London Pauls was the place where after the Jewish or rather Heathenish fashion and manner they had their ceremoniall imployments which consisted in outward performances as crouchings and cringings capings and kneeings pipeing and tooting in Popes Surplices and their four square Cow-turds and crotchets windings and turnings Altars Crosses and Crucifixes and a thousand other such trumperies the acting of all which made the judicious Christian-beholders think themselves rather in the school of Numa Pompilius or in the Colledge of the old Roman Priests then conversant in the Church of God so the other Churches through the City were the places where the Morrall worship was chiefely exercised as the reading preaching and hearing of the Word chatechising exhortation admonition prayers thanksgiving c. So after the same manner it was in Jerusalem The Temple was the principle place of the Ceremoniall Worship and the Synagogues were the places of the Morrall Service where Moses and the Prophets were read and interpreted unto them every Sabbath day And it followeth of necessity that there must needs be a very great number of Synagogues in Jerusalem where there were many hundred thousand people and such multitudes of Rabbies and Doctors and such a number of Priests Levites Scribes Pharisees and Lawyers all Interpreters of the Law and such as sat in Moses his chair who our Saviour commanded the people to hear Now as in the dayes of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth after their Latine Service and their Idolatrous Masses were cast out of all the Churches and the reformed Religion was set up in the severall Congregation in place of that fals Worship and all the people repaired still and more willingly and more abundantly unto their severall Parish Churches and Chappels to hear the Word Preached and as the meetings and meeting-places were still continued whereas they onely heard Masses before which they understood not now they heard the Gospell purely preached unto them in lieu of that and the people came more abundantly unto those assemblies Even so whereas before the comming of John the Baptist and of our blessed Saviour they had the Law Psalms and Prophets read and Interpreted unto them in all their Synagogues after the Gospell began to be published to the Law and the Prophets the glad tidings of Peace was Preached by Christ and his Apostles and the other Primative Christian Mininisters and by many of the Priests that imbraced the faith and that in all their Synagogues every Sabboth day especially where the people upon all occasions in great multitudes met together for it is said That the Kingdome of heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force Now to any man that will not resolve to shut his eyes and refuse to see the Sun-shine of the truth it may appear that all the Synagogues in Jerusalem as in all other Cities after the Christian Religion was so generally imbraced and the Jews were turned Christians were the places where they still continued to meet in to hear the Gospell as formerly they had done to hear the Law and there is many testimonies out of holy Scripture to prove this Assertion neither can we in charity think that they being made Christians were lesse zealous to hear the Gospell then they were to hear the Law yea their diligence in that good work is often mentioned in the holy Scripture to their praise and honour as that they met dayly in the Temple and in every house to hear the Word and to partake in all the Ordinances And it is well known that Paul into what City soever he came was as diligent in preaching as the people in hearing Now when he remained in Jerusalem fifteen dayes he would not be idle and it is to be beleeved that the other Apostles were as diligent in their severall Ministries as Paul was as I said before so that their much imployment without doubt was the onely cause that hindred the Apostles from comming unto him and retarded Paul from saluting of them for we may not conceive that so famous an Apostle as Paul was could lye hid in Jerusalem or be unknown so long from the other Apostles neither in charity may we think that there was any love wanting either in Paul towards them or in the Apostles towards Paul but we most impute their not visiting of each other to the multiplicity of their imployments that so hindered them that they could not finde convenient time each to see other So that by this I have now said it is evident to any rationall man that there were more Christians and beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then either could or did meet together in one place for all Acts of worship for they met every Sabbath day together in their Synagogues to hear Moses and the Prophets read and Interpreted as the Scripture affirmeth yea from house to house dayly and therefore we may easily gather that as many Synagogues and meeting places as there were in Jerusalem to say nothing of the Temple so many Churches and Congregations of beleevers there were in Jerusalem for Synagogue and Church are all one in Gods dialect and they that were Jews before the preaching of the Gospell were now made Christians and beleevers Neither had the Christians and beleeving Iews any cause to separate themselves from the congregations for there was nothing in their Synagogues to scruple them without the law of Moses should offend them and that the Scripture testifies they were very zealous of and many of them that were converted perswaded the Gentiles after their conversion and illumination to joyn the Ceremoniall Law to the Gospell which although it was not permitted unto them yet for a time it was connived at and tollerated in the weak Jews yea in the tenth of the Hebrews the Christians are blamed for forsaking of the assembling of themselves together and it was counted a fault in them and therefore it may without any error be concluded that there were as many if not more Assemblies and Synagogues of beleevers
was no place left for a Moderator amongst them and that All art of perswasion would be thought but a flattery or cowardize and hearing and seeing also how slight opinions they had of indifferent men and how they onely made use of a moderation for the strengthning of their party I then gave my self really to discover the frauds and juglings of many of their Ministers and all to see that if by this means when their falcaies were once discovered the truth might more oriently appear which would the better make way for a Moderator if any thing may undeceive a poor deluded multitude And so well acquainted I was with the language of many of them as I easily discerned that if they could but once make a party strong enough they would then give lawes to all men and for the strengthning of their faction in the meane time they pleade for a tolleration of all Religions an opinion though pleasing to the flesh yet so diabolicall as I wonder any Christian truly fearing God should so much as open his mouth in defence of it or that any Christian truly fearing God can with patience heare such Beasts plead for a tolleration it being a thing so abominated by God himself and so odious to all the holy Prophets and Apostles And yet notwithstanding this is the doctrine of all the Independents for the strengthning of their party and they abuse Scripture for this purpose and use many impious and vaine cavils for this very end to some of the which I have answered in my former Book and the chiefest of those that I ever yet saw are in a railing Pamphlet set forth against M. William Prynne Esq called The falsehood of M. William Prynnes truth triumphing in the antiquity of Popish Princes and Parliaments In the which Treatise amongst many things against all authority and power of Parliaments which I leave to the consideration of the great Councell of the kingdome whom it most nighly concernes he greatly pleads for a toleration of all Religions and to that end sets downe six Impossibilities as he tearms them which do necessarily accompany persecution for cause of conscience for all opposition of error is persecution with these men though they oppose truth it selfe for the maintenance of their novelties the which his impossibilities I shall set down forthwith in order and answer them severally after I have made my just defence against such of their calumnies as are worthy the taking notice of as for some of their scurrilous reproaches all men that are honest and know my conversation can testifie the contrary and therefore I slight such things as savouring of nothing but rancour and venome which they accused me of before they had seen my book But whereas they calumniate me as the greatest Incendiary of the Kingdome they most shamefully abuse me and I have been freed from that reproach by both Houses of Parliament who adjudged all my sufferings unjust as against the law and liberty of the Subject And if it were a thing that could be any way usefull unto me I could prove by the testimony of many of the brave Gentlemen in the Kings Army who in great assemblies did acknowledge when I was a prisoner amongst them that I had great injury done me Yea the Papists themselves have often averred it that never any Subject suffered more unjustly then I did in that I was cast in prison and fined for maintaining the Prerogative Royall of the King against the Pope and for defending of that Religion which was established by the Lawes of the Land and further added that had any Catholick writ as well in defence of their Religion as I did for the maintenance of the Protestant Profession he should have been so farre from suffering for it as they would not only greatly have honoured him but also highly have rewarded him for his endeavour and this that I now write I am able to prove by a cloud of witnesses and my unjust suffering in their opinion made me finde more favour amongst all the Governours that were Papists which I doe ever acknowledge for a singular curtesie from them then ever I found from Protestant Gaolers And therefore whereas the Independents do accuse me for the greatest Incendiary of the kingdome all men may see they speak as untruly so most malitiously For it is well known till I declared my dissenting opinion from them I was much magnified by most of them though now they have other thoughts of me and accuse me not only to be an Incendiary and that my Book deserveth to be burnt by the hand of the common Hangman but that I am a man crased in my braine But whereas they reproach me that I am an Apostate this all that know me will free me from yea the very Brownists and Anabaptists will be my witnesses besides my former writings which have been set forth to the view of the World for all men know that an Apostate is one that either diserteth his Generall or Captaine and fals to the Enemy or renounceth his Religion and opposeth that way he hath formerly made profession of both which rather agreeth to many of the Independents then to my self as the ensuing discourse I am confident will sufficiently declare And now that I may say something of my education which many at this instant in the City and them men of emunency can witnesse for me that have known me from my childe-hood At sixteen years of age after I had following the customes of youth spent my tender dayes in the pleasures of Hawking and Hunting I was sent by my Christian Kindred to a Village in Essex called Wethersfield under the Ministery of that learned and reverend Preacher Mr. Richard Rogers who writ that divine Book called The seven Treatises by whose means under God I came to the knowledge of the truth and to that learning that God hath given me for he out of his tender love unto me took me into his Family and in a short time by the rare dexterity he had in educating of youth being a brave Scholar and one of the best Latinists of the Kingdome through the blessing of God upon his endeavour made me fit for the University in which space he had an especiall care to season me well in all the principles of the true Protestant Religion And as his whole life was a preaching he so instructed me as before my departure from him I was able to give an account and reason of my hope to any that asked me of my Beliefe And in all his Ministery doctrine and preaching he swarved nothing from the doctrine received in all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas as those in France Germany and the Low-countries saving in the point of the Sabbath and sanctifying of the Lords day of which to his honour be it spoken he was a diligent observer ever teaching and urging upon the people the holy and religious keeping of that day which to say the truth is one of the
as idolatry and errours is a cause of Gods wrath and by that a cause of all troubles so the removing of the cause is the way to settle the peace of Kingdomes And if we reade the History of the Judges and indeed all the Prophets and holy Scriptures we shall finde the not questioning and bringing of the Seducers and false Prophets to condigne punishment was the cause of all their captivities and of all the warres and troubles the Israelites were continually imbroyled with And therefore they that are acquainted with the holy Scriptures may easily see the falsity and impiety of this assertion to say nothing what all Ecclesiasticall Histories and the Stories of all Ages relate of the continuation of peace in all those Nations and Kingdomes as long as men were both questioned and punisht for bringing in of Heresies and teaching of false doctrines and as long as they preserved the truth of Christian doctrine amongst them which no sooner begun to be corrupted and errors set up but immediately upon it Gods wrath was kindled against those Kingdomes and Countries and if we will give credit unto the Word of God and to the Annals of times the suffering and tollerating of errors in religion amongst them was the cause that the Lord was angry with them and removed at last their Candlesticks from them as we may see at this day in the seven Churches of Asia and all the Easterne and Westerne Churches and if we will not shut our eyes we may see also it has been the cause of all these miserable distractions and troubles that now these three Kingdomes are involved in which if they had established the Gospell in its purity and kept out Idolatry and all Heresies wickednesse and Schismes we should not have thus been afflicted on every side at home and abroad for the neglect of our duties in not keeping out of errors in religion hath brought down all these judgements upon us and therefore the tollerating of them all would much more increase our misery and disturbe the peace both of the Cities and countrey and therefore all such as plead for a tolleration of all religions ought to be spued out of the Kingdome as prophane and impious men And this shall suffice to have been spoken of this third assertion which is indeed to make war against God himself and not against us only For the fourth where he saith That it is impossible to prescribe such a way for suppressing new or different opinions whatsoever which to any State or Church may seem hereticall but there will still be left a gap a possibility of fighting against God even when such State on Church think they fight for him most of all This Position also is not only contrary unto the Word of God but indeed overthroweth all authority and by this no justice should be done against any blasphemous Seducers or against any impious offendours in points of Religion or against such as offend against the Lawes of Kingdomes and Nations because for footh by doing of their duty which God requires at Magistrates hands there will still be left a gap and a possibility of fighting against God as if to do good and that which God enjoynes them would leave open a gap and a possibility of fighting against God I have read That we may not do evill that good may come of it I have also read that God can create good out of evill and bring light out of darknesse but I have never read in the Word of God That Christian Magistrates and Rulers should be deterred from doing their duty suppressing of Schismes Errors and Heresies because through the wickednesse of men and the craft and subtilty of Satan there may sometimes troubles immediately arise to any Nation by it All good Magistrates are to do their duty and what God commands and leave the successe to God and to commend themselves and their endeavours to the Lord who hath a recompence of reward in store for them for their well doing and ought not to be deterred from their duties by such poor cavils as these which are both impious and ridiculous And whereas in the fifth assertion he affirmeth That it is impossible that either the weak believers misbelievers or unbelievers can be wonne by our godly conversation as is required 1 Pet. 2.12 and 3.1 2. and 1 Cor. 7.12 16. So long as we will not suffer them to live amongst us What is this but openly to fight against Gods Word and God himselfe Who Deut. 13. and in many other places of Scripture commandeth that Secucers should be put to death and exterminated and cast out from amongst Gods people whose wicked conversation would corrupt others and be so far from winning weak Believers mis-believers or unbelievers as it would make them all worse and worse and utterly vitiate all the places they dwell in as daily experience teacheth us and as the Scripture affirmeth which assert that A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. vers 6. As for the places of Scripture he there citeth as they make nothing for his purpose so they sufficiently shew that he is a meer stranger in Divinity and in the Word of God as I could evidently make appear if I studied not brevity And it might also be made evident that the banishments and persecutions of many of Gods people as well as their presence and co-habitations amongst the wicked have been the cause of many thousand mens conversions who seeing men willingly to relinquish all earthly things and leaving their own countries and nighest relations for their religion made others the more to look into that doctrine and to enquire after that religion that men for the love of would lose all things yea liberty and life it selfe which I say hath been the cause of the conversion of many thousands so that not only the presence but the absence of men is the cause of many others conversion by which the vanity of this assertion is also sufficiently manifest But it seemes strange to me that this wrangler should use this Argument to prove a Tolleration of all Religions when the practise of the Independents is contrary who cast all that are of a different opinion from them out of their Congregations and where they have power in their hands banish them from amongst them and yet here in England they would have all Religions tollerated to do mischiefe when Saint John notwithstanding in his 2 Epistle to the Elect Lady forbids her and in her all Christians to receive false teachers into their houses or so much as to bid them God speed lest they that shall so do partake with them in their evills by which doubtlesse he never gave a tolleration of all Religions but as I said before it is well known that people are converted many times as well by the absence of men as by their presence whether it be for errour or for the Truth for by enquiring after the cause of it and why they were
believe that grollish opinion of Independency For when the Lord divided the whole Earth to the severall families of the same he alwaies reserved a portion for his own children for he is the preserver of all especially of the Believers as it is related Deut. 32. and Acts 17. and 1 Tim. 4. Now as the Families of the Earth multiplied and increased they extended their habitations further and further from countrey to countrey till they had replenished all places according to Gods command and blessing Increase and multiply and as they seated themselves in any new Plantation for their safety and more secure habitation and to free themselves from incursions of any enemies they built themselves Cities and great walled Townes having learned that lesson of Cain the fruits of sin that made man both naked and afraid of every thing and that they might be furnished with all provisions and necessaries they allotted unto every City such a circuit and compasse of ground as out of the which they might have all their necessaries supplied and be accommodated with all things needfull for food and raiment and their bodily preservation which required a large extent of ground and of which they might take at pleasure there being enough and for this very end they stocked the grounds about their severall Cities with cattell and sent out as their families increased their Colonies and Semenaries as Bees use yearly to do their Swarmes and those they seated in the most convenient and fertilest places and fittest for habitation through the countries who manured and tilled the ground and planted Vineyards and built Villages and Towns all the which still were accounted Citizens as Merchants here in London that are Citizens that have houses and habitations in the countrey lose not their former denomination by their countrey habitation no more did the people in those dayes but were alwayes with all the inhabitants within the limits of that countrey reputed Citizens and call'd by the name of such a City because they were governed by the same lawes the City was and were derived from it and were under the command of the chiefe of those families who all lived as Kings at first And therefore into whose hands soever those Cities fell either by succession donation compact mariage or victory those that were the owners or conquerours of them still for the most part continued and preserved the divisions formerly made and kept all those Villages and Townes as far as the jurisdiction of those Cities extended under their command and all by the name of such Cities as at first and all the dwellers and inhabitants within that circumference or circuit were still accounted as part of the City as all Histories do relate both sacred and humane So that they that were Masters of those severall Cities were also Lords of all those Villages which were under the jurisdiction diction of those Cities and as far as the secular power of those severall Cities did extend so far did their Ecclesiasticall And as those severall cities we read of in the holy Scripture under the Kings of Juda and Israel had all their severall civill Presbyters and Elders or a Councell and Senate of Presbyters in them to govern them under their severall Kings so they had their Ecclesiasticall or Synagogicall Presbyters or a Colledge of Elders also whose authority extended over all their severall congregations Synagogues or assemblies as well within the Cities as without through all the Villages and Townes that were within the compasse and circumference of their severall jurisdictions as all imperiall Cities through the christian world were in the Primitive times governed and are at this day in many places And therefore we cannot conceive any other of the severall Presbyters placed in every City by Apostolicall institution as of those of Jerusalem Ephesus Corinth Galatia c. but as of so many corporations for we reade that both in Jerusalem and Ephesus they had both many Presbyters and many congregations under every severall Presbytery and as men in those severall Cities Parishes Townes and Villages were daily converted to the faith so those severall Colledges of Presbyters ordained them more Presbyters by common consent and took them continually under their government which congregations though many as far as their jurisdiction extended were all joyned together under one Presbyterie and made still in every severall Precinct but one church as that of Jerusalem and Ephesus and were all governed and ordered by the joynt consent and common-counsell of their severall Colledges of Presbyters the mistaking of the which kinde of government and the mis-understanding of the Scriptures was the cause of all the confusions in the Christian world and of those sad differences here in England at this day and the only occasion of that vaine opinion of Independency for so I may call it for divers reasons For the tenent of the Independents is this That in the Church of Ierusalem and in that of Ephesus and in all the other Churches spoken of in the New Testament there were no more Believers in each of them then could all meet in one place and in one congregation to partake in all acts of worship and that they were absolute within themselves and from the which there was no appeals which I affirme is a vaine and fond opinion contrary to both Scripture and reason and all antiquity and that it is both against Scripture and reason I have sufficiently as I conceive proved it in the foregoing discourse But for a further confirmation of it I shall here adde some other arguments that may if it be possible undeceive those that have by the falacies and craft of their Teachers been misled and seduced I must confesse it has been a wonder often to me to see that such multitudes of godly people and those that I had thought had been so well grounded in Religion should be so carried about with every winde of new doctrine under pretence of New-lights when they have so often been forewarn'd to take heed of deceivers by Christ and his Apostles and that in such a violent manner and with such exaspirated spirits against their Brethren that cannot assent unto those novelties For if they had ever read the holy Scriptures with understanding or been but a little acquainted with the Ecclesiasticall Histories they could never have been so suddenly deluded For if we but reade the Acts of the Apostles with attention or the Epistles of Paul and all the writings of the New Testament we shall finde in them all that by the powerfull preaching of the Gospel and by the wonderfull working of miracles of the Apostles whole cities and countries were converted unto the faith and that the Gospel was generally imbraced and whole Nations converted and brought to the obedience of the faith by it in a very short time and Saint Paul speaking of the Romans chap. 1 ver 8. saith that their faith was spoken of through the whole world and in chap. 10.
to that end in the Frontispieces of their books set downe Christs words Matth. 10 34.35 36. where our Saviour saith Think not that I came to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword For I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter in law against her Mother in law and a mans foes shall be those of his own household Out of the which words misunderstood they would perswade the people and make them believe that they have good warrant and ground to fight against their Christian Brethren for the maintenance of their own whimsies whereas although they had been Wolves in times past yet being now Christians indeed and really converted and in whom there is a through change wrought in their hearts they would have laid aside their wolvish nature so that the Wolfe and the Lambe would have peaceably dwelt together according to the prediction of the Prophet they then would be loving and kinde Brethren and would not come out to fight against them for that Scripture speaketh only of such as who living and continuing in their naturall state and in an irregenerate and unconverted condition and in whose souls the work of grace was not yet wrought shold hate their very Parents Brethren and Sisters and nearest allies that were truly converted to the faith and believed the Gospell as the seed of the Serpent will alwayes hate the seed of the Woman as Cain did Abel and that in regard of that enmity God hath put between them so that the righteous is an abomination to the wicked and the wicked to the righteous be their relations never so nigh together in respect either of consanguinity or affinity and this all Gods people by their daily experience finde according to Christs prediction That their foes and enemies are they of their own houshold But doe these words of Christ give liberty to those that are Believers and children of the most High the very sonnes and daughters of God to come out and make warre against their Brethren and to fight against them and that for their own inventions and traditions I think not And yet the Independents from this place of holy Scripture not the Novices Yonkers and fresh-water souldiers only but grave men in their great white basket-hilted beards with their swords in their hands come out to fight against their Brethren for their Independency and justifie this their grollery from Christs words which if it be not to abuse the holy Word of God then nothing ever was an abuse of divine authority But they have a singular faculty in making every portion of Scripture serve their purpose as where Christ saith in Luke chap. 13. vers 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate from thence they conclude That the Independent-way is that straight way and that all Presbyterians being out of it are in the broad way that tends to perdition But I will not abuse the patience of the Reader with relating their dotage as they abuse the Scripture to maintain their faction and to speak the truth it is no better for they boast of such a party in the kingdome if their own words may be credited as they now think by the sword to be able to make their own Laws and have been frequently heard say That they had many abettors in the Assembly and in both Houses of Parliament and in many parts through the Kingdome besides in all the Armies and they were all resolved to have the Liberty of their Consciences or else they would make use of their swords which they have already in their hands So that most certain it is that the Religion of too to many of them is a meer faction And now I will take a little liberty to speak something upon my own experience about this businesse for at my return from my last Imprisonment I having declared my different opinion from them in the point of Independency to many of that fraternity and professing that I looked upon many that went that way as upon people truely fearing God and such as were his deer servants who I pittied to see so misled and yet for the way in which they went I ingeniously told them that I saw no ground for it in Gods Word and that I purposed God willing to write something concerning that subject and that I doubted not to prove the Presbyterian way of Government to be Gods Ordinance and not Independency notwithstanding some of the Independents reported about the City that I was of their judgement and agreed with them in their opinion which was not fairely done of them but all this was acted to strengthen their own party But for such of them as really beleeved that I intended to write something slighted it and made a meer push at it exceedingly vilifying and under valuing what I could either say or doe against their Tenent depending it seemes on their Champions strength in the Assembly who they magnified for such great Schollers as if nothing could bee set forth or written by mee that they would not speedily confute and gloried as if the field were already wonne and all the Presbyterians vanquished and by such expressions as these the party grew dayly more powerfull and into that numerosity it now is But in fine some of their worthies who had a more honourable opinion of me profest unto such as were ordinarily accustomed to slight me for I had very good information of their underhand dealings that if I did write against them they were fully perswaded that it would be more prejudiciall to their cause than any thing writ before and they pleased to speak something in the praise of my schollership that howsoever two or three Doctors in the town made nothing of me yet they knew very well that if I undertook and businesse I would mannage it with more learning than they that traduced me were able to judge of and for their praises I was beholding to them but they sayd the onely course would be for them to take me off from that imployment and put me upon some other subject or at least to perswade me to stand Neuter All which was neither Christianly nor candidly done of them For if they had indeed had a desire that the truth should come to light and if they had any reall opinion as they pretended either of my integrity in my religion or of that learning God had given me they would have came to me rather and have importuned me to write something of that Subject that they might see what reasons I had to convince them or to perswade them to have better thoughts of the Presbytry for hitherto they had not received satisfaction from any that had formerly writ about it But none of all this but on the contrary some of them very churlishly and loftily demanded of me what calling I had to meddle in Divinity and to put my self upon that imployment Which I
as a generation of men not worthy to give guts unto a Bear But I say when men are called to the warre by the State and prest to that service they can then appear with joy before all men and look death it self in the face with courage whether in the field or in cold blood in the hands of their enemies when they suffer as evill doers for they can then comfort themselves with their calling knowing that they were imployed by the State and it is their duty to obey and that as they were borne under obedience with cheerfulnesse and alacrity they can dye And therefore all such as the Independents that go about to disparage the Parliament and the great Councell of the Kingdome for pressing of men for the publick service do things derogatory to their authority and all such as are prest and able to fight and do either run away from their Colours or wilfully or rebelliously detract their obedience ought to be hanged And as it is lawfull in the Magistrate to presse men to fight for their countrey so it is law full likewise for them to fight for their religion and to presse men for that purpose and he that will not fight for his religion if he be a Magistrate certainly he has little religion in him and he that is a private man that will not suffer for his religion if he be called to it nor fight for it both voluntarily and when by authority he is put upon it but flye from either of the imployments of doing or suffering and will not come out to helpe the Lord against the mighty he deserveth not only the bitter curse against Merosh Judg. 5. but to be hanged What doe the Brethren the Independents now hold it a thing unlawfull to fight for religion for so they professe to their friends when not long since they so animated others to it It seems they are very changeable in all their oopinions I believe they have found out some new-light of direction how to runne away againe as they did before if the times change But yet such as have learned how to performe their duty and have read the holy Scriptures and amongst many other places the two and twentieth of Ioshua for one have been taught that when the Israelites on the other side of Jordan had set up an Altar though it was not with a minde and intent to alter religion yet if they had not given a satisfactory answer for their so doing to Ioshua and the Elders of Israel their Brethren they would speedily have made warre upon them for it as any State for ought I know or any christian Nation by their example may doe against what enemy soever they be whether forein or domesticall that shall attempt to alter the true religion and Christs government established in his Church which is his kingdome and bring in an Idolatricall one or an Independent one or any other that tendeth to the destruction of that that God himself hath appointed his people to serve him with and all such as shall refuse to fight for their religion if they have no bodily hindrances or some just impediment when the magistrate calleth or presseth them to it ought to be accounted as the enemies of religion and rebels against both God and their countrey And all such as shall endeavour either clandestinly or openly to speak words tending to deterre men from going out to helpe the Lord against the Mighty or refuse being Christians to fight for the Gospel except by their bodily infirmities they be hindred from the duty I know no reason but they ought to be hanged as a company of Rebels against both God and men and as such as are unworthy the name of Christians that will not fight for the honour of the King of Saints and King of Kings and for his royalty and dignity that has redeemed them from the slavery not only of Satan but of Antichrist For we have read that Michael the Captaine and Commander of his Church and kingdome and his Angels makes warre against the Dragon and his Angels which is not to be understood only in a spirituall sense but in an ordinary way and litterally also for Christ has his souldiers that besides their weapons of the right hand their prayers tears and humiliations have also their weapons and armes of the left hand as their swords and all warlike instruments to fight for the honour dignity and soveraignty of their King and anointed Christ who at his departure from his Disciples bad them sell their coats and buy each of them a sword by which he invested them with authority as well to fight if occasion required for the honour of their King and Master and for their own safety and although he condemned in Peter the temerarious and rash use of his sword and bad him put it up for that time yet the left the use of it to him and to the other Apostles upon their just occasions And who knowes not that there is a time for warre and a time for peace and God himself professeth that he is the Generall of the Armies of his people and the Lord of their Hosts and he taught his servants hands in times past to war and their fingers to fight as they with thanks acknowledged And he is the same God now to his people that ever he was and will be nigh unto them and a present help to all those that fight his battels And what I pray are so properly his batrels as those that are made against Antichrist and his complices by what names or titles so ever they be called whether they be the Kings or Emperours of the Earth or any other Malignants that have given their power to the Beast and make warre against the Lambe Neither shall I ever be of an other minde but that it is the greatest honour any Christian can be called unto to fight for his countrey and for the Gospel against what enemy of either soever he be And as I shall live and dye by Gods assistance in this opinion so I shall likewise ever believe that all such as will neither fight for their countrey nor religion but deter and disswade others from it are enemies of both and so ought to be esteemed whatsoever pretences of seeming love they make to their countrey and religion and that such as will not fight for the protestant religion deserve not the favour of protection from those States and countries they live in whose preservation or ruine is all to them so they may enjoy their owne ends and become masters of those they causelesly hate and unchristianly and uncharitably think evill of and whose distruction they not only daily wish and pray for but as much as in them lyes bid defiance to and proclaime open warre against them and use or rather abuse the holy Scriptures for the maintenance of their authority in their contending and fighting against their christian Brethren the Presbyterians for their independency and