The Utter Routing of the Whole Army of All the Independents and Sectaries, Pages 1-101 (2 of 3)
2ly, it follows that there was an Uniformity of government in all the Apoſtolicall and Primitive churches: Wch wholy overthroweth the tenent of many of the Independents who hold the contrary; ſo that one church had not one manner of government, and another church another manner of government peculiar unto it ſelfe, and diſtinct from the other; but they were all governed alike by their ſeverall Presbyteryes, and had equall authority and power within their ſeverall precincts, as the church at Ieruſalem, Epheſus, Corinth, in all which there were many congregations, and yet all of them made but each of them a particular church within their reſpective juriſdictions, and were all to be governed by the joynt conſent of there ſeverall Presbytries.
And laſtly, that this order of government was to be perpetuated to the end of the world, which when Saint Diotrephes laboured to violate in aſſuming it to himſelfe and his congregation, both hee and all theſe that follow his ſteps, deſerve ſeverely to be puniſhed for it, as prevaricators againſt both precept and example of all well ordered churches and Chriſtians. And this ſhall ſuffice to have replyed by way of anſwer to what Mr Knollys had to ſay for proofe that Saint Iohn knew not of any Court or Common-councell of Presbyters, either claſſicall or ſynodicall, to appeal unto in his time.
And now I come to make good thoſe appeals I made mention of page 10. which Mr Knollys thinketh a thing impoſſible for me to do; to wit, That every particular man, as well as any aſſembly or congregation, may have their appeal to the Presbytery of their Precinct, Hundred or Diviſion under whoſe juriſdiction they were; and if they finde themſelves wronged there, then they have appeales to ſome other higher Presbytery or Councell of Divines for reliefe and juſtice.
Theſe appeales Maſter Knollys ſaith I cannot make good to be according to the Scripture of truth, although the having recourſe by appeales, from Inferiors to Superiors and from one Court to another, is ſo evident by the very light of nature, and approved of by the practice of all Nations and Churches in all ages, and is alſo ſo apparent by the holy Scriptures both of the old and new teſtament, as there is ſcarce any truth more obvious to all underſtanding men; yet Maſter Knollys peremptorily aſſerteth, that they cannot be made good out of the Scriptures of truth; ſo that it is manifeſt, to all men, that be there any truth never ſo perſpicuous, he is reſolved to beleeve nothing but what he conceiveth to be according to the Scripture of truth.
Therefore for the gratifying of Maſter Knollys, and all ſuch as with candour and ingenuity and without any prejudice ſhall reade the inſuing lines, I ſhall in this place adde ſomething more fully and diſtinctly to that which I ſpake in the foregoing page for the proofe of thoſe appeales I mentioned page 10. and ſufficiently evince, they are warranted by the Word of truth: and for that purpoſe, I ſhall firſt produce the authority of holy Scriptures and bring forth ſome Preſidents out of the unerring word for the confirmation of the ſame; and then I ſhall alſo ratifie the uſe of appeales by reaſons and from the practice of all ages in all Nations. And all this I ſhall the more willingly do in this place, although it is done againe and againe in this treatiſe; and onelyonly becauſe Maſter Knollys affirmeth that I cannot make good that appeales be according to the Scripture of truth. And for proofe ofthis, I will begin with that of our Saviour Matth. 13 verſ. 15. Wherefore (ſaith he) if thy brother ſhall treſpaſſe againſt thee, go and tell him of his fault betweene thee and him alone, &c. But if he heare thee not, appeale higher to two or three more: And if he ſhall neglect to heare them, appeale yet higher, tell it then unto the Church, that is to the Court of Presbyters in that precinct. So that from this place it is evident, that appeales are warranted by the Word of truth; for truth it ſelf, hath taught us the Doctrine of appeals. And for Preſidents of appeales there are many in the New-Teſtament, to ſay nothing of the Old. To begin with that in the 5. of the Acts which we finde recorded after Chriſt's aſcenſion in the queſtioning of Ananias and Saphira, whereas by conjoynt argrement it was appointed and ordered amongſt them, that all things ſhould be common, and that ſelling their poſſeſſions, they ſhould bring the price of them and lay it alſo at the Apoſtles feet; which very expreſſion ſignifieth and denoteth what great authority and power the Apoſtles and Presbyters in the Church of Jeruſalem were then in, and ſufficiently declares that there was a Court there, as all the carriage of that buſineſſe doth abundantly prove. I ſay therefore, when they had made ſuch an order by common conſent, and when it was found out that Ananias and Saphira his wife had not dealt faithfully in that buſineſſe, nor according to publike agreement, but had conſented together to deceive their brethren, and by that had ſcandalized the Goſpel, the Church or people for the redreſſing of this abuſe, take not the matter into their owne hands, nor challenge not any power unto themſelves for the puniſhing of Ananias and Saphira, as well knowing their place then, and that the government did not belong unto them, but to the Elders and Rulers over them; they appeale therefore unto the Apoſtles and make their complaint unto them, and exhibit their Articles againſt Ananias and Saphira, as both guilty of the ſame crime, whereupon they were convented before the Apoſtles as Delinquents; Peter then being there preſident and chiefe judge, and finding them guilty▪ ſentenced them both, from God himſelfe, and puniſhed them for their ſinne with death; by which we may take notice not onelyonly of an appeale, but that there was a ſtanding Court of Presbyters in Jeruſalem and that they had in it plenary power from Chriſt for the tryall and puniſhing of all offenders and of caſting them out of the Church, if Scandalous, as well as the Church of Corinth; and it ſtands with all reaſon; for Jeruſalem was the mother Church, and therefore was inferior to none of the Daughter-Churches and to this Court of Presbyters were all appeales ever to be made by the people of that precinct; as this one inſtance doth ſufficiently declare. And that other preſident in the 6. of the Acts where we have a ſecond appeale upon an other publike ſcandall, which was the neglect of their widdowes in the daily Miniſtration where they applyed themſelves unto the Apoſtles; for the particular congregations aſſumed not the authority into their hands of redreſſing the abuſe, nor challenged not any right to the government, but appealed unto the Apoſtles for remedy, who ordered that whole buſineſſe by joynt conſent, to which all the people willingly ſubmitted themſelves as it is at large to be ſeene in the ſixt Chapter of the Acts. The third appeale we finde Acts the ninth, where Paul aſſaying to joyne himſelf to the Diſciples, and they being afraid of him, and doubting whether he were a beleever, Saint Paul forth with appeals from them to the Apoſtles, who he knew had the authority in their hands, and making knowne his cauſe unto them, they forthwith admitted him into Church-fellow-ſhip with them without the conſent of the people, who indeed had nothing to do, either in the admitting of members of caſting of them out; and therefore they allowed of the appeale of Saint Paul, to teach all men whether to fly, to wit the to Presbytery, if they be injured by the people or debard from any Church-priviledge by them, for they only are the ſtewards of the Church and have the Keys of the kingdom of heaven to open and ſhut the doores to whom they ſhall thinke fit, or unworthy; and this is the place of the Presbyters, and not of the people: for they are injoyned to obey their guids and to ſubmit themſelves in the Lord to what they order and appoint according to the Word of God. Here we have three preſidents of appeales in the mother-church of Ieruſalem to the Presbytery upon any abuſe, ſo that by the mouth of their witneſſes out of the word of truth this truth of appeales is ſufficiently confirmed; And that the Presbytery at Ieruſalem had plenary power over the very Apoſtles and could call them at any time to an accompt, is manifeſt from the eleventh of the Acts where Peter was convented & queſtionedbefore them and was forced to give an accompt of his going in to the Gentiles and Preaching unto them, which he willingly y…elded unto, knowing it was their place to queſtion any; yea the Presbytery in every Church could ſend the very Apoſtles & Miniſters to Preach in any place or city or upon any Meſſage, as we ſee they ſent Peter and Iohn to Samaria, and the Church of Antioch ſent Paul and Barnabas with other Miniſters to the Presbytery of Ieruſalem, as is evident Acts the 14. and Acts 15. and therefore all theſe examples ſufficiently prove that all the people of every Church made their appeales to their ſeverall Presbyteries, if there aroſe any controverſies and abuſes among themſelves: and if there aroſe any difference between Church, and Church, or betweene Presbytery and Presbyterie about any points of Doctrine or Religion, then they made their appeales for the determining of thoſe controverſies to Councells and Synods, as we may ſee it Acts the 15. and this is one of Gods Ordinances as the Independents themſelves doe acknowledge. So that for the Doctrine of appeales it is ſo cleare that all the learned and judicious cannot doubt of it; and I am moſt aſſured that thoſe that ſhall but with due deliberation ſeriouſly examine the Scriptures above quoted and thoſe that follow in this diſcourſe, for the confirmation of the ſame truth, will wonder that any man that pretends to learning as Maſter Knollys doth, ſhould ever dare ſay, that appeales cannot be made good to be according to the Scripture of truth, whereas there is almoſt no truth in the holy Scripture more cleare and evident than this of appeales.
Yea this method of dealing and manner of handling of buſineſſes of publike offences and ſcandals, and for the redreſſing of them, is ratified by the very light and Law of nature, as we may reade in all the governments under the very Heathens, and Paul made uſe of it, by appealing from inferiour Courts to Caeſars tribunall. And I ſhall never be brought by all the arte and wit of man to beleeve, that Chriſt hath left his Church under the New Teſtament in a worſe condition then it was under the old, where we know they had appeales from one Court to another. Nay if Chriſtians now, had not the liberty of appeales in matters of conſcience and Religion, they ſhould be inferior to the Pagan nations; and ſurely Chriſt hath not left his Church which is his Kingdom, in a worſe condition then either the Iewiſh or Ethnicke Kingdomes were, and therefore by all reaſon beſides the Teſtimony of Chriſt Matth. the 13. and beſides the Preſidents I produced out of the Word of God to confirme appeales, the lawfulneſſe of appeales is ſufficiently eſtabliſhed and ratified. So that I hope that which I have now briefly ſet downe, may ſatisfie any rationall man. But before I go on to prove that the people or Church have not power to judge their Miniſters, which is the laſt thing I undertake to make good. I muſt ſay ſomething by way of anſwer to a vaine and frivolous cavill of Maſter Knollys, which is this. If the Doctor can prove theſe appeales, (ſaith he) I aske him whether that higher Presbytery or Councell of Divines, be not as Independent as the brethren and their Churches againſt whom the Doctor hath written: and if ſo, then ſuch a high Presbytery or Councell of Divines, is not Gods Ordinance by the Doctors own confeſſion and affirmation. The very reading of this fond cavill had been enough for the confutation of it to any ſolid man: and truly had not I to deale with ſuch a trifling creature as he is in ſerious buſineſſe, who compts every word he ſcribleth an oracle, I would have paſſed by it with ſilence, as being nothing to the queſtion between us, and as little to his purpoſe as all his other wrangling is, except it be to declare to all men, that he knoweth not his owne principles nor no good learning. But for anſwer, all ſuch as know any thing in the controverſie betweene us and the Independents, know that it is my opinion and ſettled beleefe, that all Churches and Councels are to depend upon the Word of God, and to be ruled and ordered in all their proceedings and Governments according to the direction of the ſame: an Angel from Heaven is not be heard that ſpeaks not according to the written Word Gal. 1. and this Word hath directed us to the law and to the teſtimony, Iſay 8. and proclamed all men that ſpeak not according to that, to be in darkneſſe; and therefore according to this my opinion, no Church or Councell in the world is Independent; and therfore all ſuch Churches and Councels as have not either precept or example for their proceedings in the ordering and governing of them, out of the Word of God, but follow their own vaine and idle phantaſies and affect Independency, in my opinion they in ſo ordering their Churches do not according to Gods Ordinances. Now when the Independent Governments are ſuch, they are their own inventions; and that government only of the Presbyters, is Gods Ordinance, as having both precept and Preſidents for it in Gods Word, upon which they depend; and this is my opinion, and not that which Maſter Knollys would grolliſhly put upon me; and this ſhall ſuffice for anſwer to that peece of non-ſenſe of his. And now I come to the laſt branch of his anſwer, and that which I undertooke to make Good and prove, viz. that the people and congregation in any Church have not power to judge their Miniſters, which Maſter Knollys affirmeth they have, and for inſtance produceth the Church of Corinth and that of Coloſſe, underſtanding by Church the people, who he ſaith had power over the members, miſerably miſtaking himſelf and abuſing the ignorant and ſimple ſoules by it, as will by and by appeare to thoſe that can diſcerne things that differ or are but a little acquainted in matters of government, either Eccleſiaſticall or civill. For if men do once but rightly underſtand what a Church is according to the diſcription of a Church as it is laid down in the New-Teſtament, and conſider withall of the parts and members of that Church which by Saint Paul is compared to the body of a man: they will eaſily perceive, that the governors and rulers are compared unto the head and all the noble parts of the body, as to the eyes, eares hands &c. which are to guide and governe all the other members in the body, and that all the other members under them are to be ordered and ruled by the head and other more noble parts, and are to follow their direction; ſo that it is in the Church of God, as it is in the body of man, ſome are to rule, and others to be ruled in it and whoſe place it is ever to obey: For none of the members of the body leave their ſtations, unleſſe they by violence be cut off, as all rationall creatures do very well know. For the head is ever the head, the eye is ever the eye, the eare is ever the eare, and the hand is ever the hand, &c. For Saint Paul ſaith 1 Cor. 12. verſ. 27. Now yee are the body of Chriſt, and members in particular. And God hath ſet ſome in the Church, firſt Apoſtles, ſecondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps in Government, diverſities of tongues; are all Apoſtles? are all Prophets? are all Teachers? &c intimating that the Apoſtles, and Prophets and Teachers, and helps in Government in the Church, every of them keepes their ſtations, to wit, they that are once Apoſtles, Teachers or Governors, doe continue in the Church in their ſeverall places, ever ſo to be, and never loſe their places, but alwayes to the day of their death, remaine and continue ſtill to be Apoſtles, Prophets, Teachers and Rulers, according to that in the fourth of the Epheſians verſ. 11. Where Saint Paul ſaith▪ He gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts and ſome Paſtors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, and for the worke of the Miniſtry and the edifying of the body of Chriſt, till we come all into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the ſonne of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt. We finde not in all the holy Scripture that any of thoſe true Miniſters were at any time degraded, or loſt any thing either of their Titles or of their authority, but as God had put the rule and Government of the Church into their hands, and had given them the power of the Keyes, and made them Stewards in the Church which is his body, ſo they were ever to be the head, eyes, eares and hands for the governing and well ordering of the Church. We finde likewiſe that in every ſeverall Church of the New-Teſtament there was a Presbytery ordayned, as Acts the 14. &c. and that the Presbyters had the Government of thoſe ſeverall Churches put into their hands, that the people and members of thoſe Churches were commanded to obey their Presbyters as their guides whom God had ſet over them, Heb. 13. as Maſter Knollys and all the learnedſt of the Independents do acknowledge. We finde likewiſe by the practiſe of the Church of Jeruſalem the Preſident of all other Churches, that the people there for the redreſſing of any abuſe amongſt themſelves, aſſumed not the power into their own hands, but applied themſelves and made their addreſſes and appeales to the Presbytery, and that they ordered every thing according as they thought good, and that the people willingly ſubmitted themſelves to the order. We finde further that for all acts of government, as queſtioning any offendo…s for the cenſuring and puniſhing of them, for ordination of Officers, and excommunication, it was done either by the ſole power and authority of the Apoſtles, or by the Presbyteries of the Church and thoſe that were in office, and not by the multitude, as is manifeſt by that in the 2. of the Cor. chap. 2. ver. 6. a place ſo much abuſed by the Independents; ſufficient (ſaith the Apoſtle) to ſuch a man is the cenſure which was inflicted of many. So that it was not inflicted by all the people, but by ſuch only in whoſe hands the power lay, which was the Presbytery, and therfore the Apoſtle ſaith by many or of many. And truly if we would but duly reade the Epiſtles of Saint Paul to Timothy and Titus which were writ to them, and in them to all the Miniſters of the New-teſtament in all ages to come, and obſerve the rules ſet downe in them, which are to continue to the ende of the World, we ſhall finde that for all Acts of government and for the well ordering of the Church, it is only committed into the hands of the Miniſters and presbyters of the ſeverall Churches through all Nations, and that to them only belonged the managing of the Goverment, as the rulers and Stewards of the ſame▪ and that all power and authority of Government peculiarly belonged unto them, and that the people had nothing to do with it but to obey. Again if we look but into the ſeven Churches of Aſia, Revel. 2. & 2. We ſhall finde that all the Epiſtles Chriſt writes unto them are directed to the Angels and Miniſters of thoſe ſeverall Churches, as upon whom the Government of thoſe Churches lay, and who had both the praiſe of well doing and blame of any evill either committed or tolerated by them; for ſeeing they were appointed by Chriſt himſelfe to be the Stewards and Guides of thoſe Churches and to be the Governours of the ſame, all the blame of the malverſation of any of the members in them, is imputed unto them, as if they themſelves had been the cauſe of it, as not uſing their Authority for the redreſſing of thoſe abuſes. So that it is apparently evident through the whole New Teſtament, That the Miniſters and Presbyters, and they onelyonly, in every Church had the rule of the people committed unto them, as the head, eyes, ears, and hands, the more noble members; and that the people as the other members under them, were to yeeld obedience unto them in the Lord. And we find that in the holy Scripture, every man is to look unto that Office that is committed unto him, and that every one is to keep himſelfe in that Station God hath placed him in, as we may ſee it at large, Rom. 12. ver. 6. Having gifts differing according to the grace given unto us, ſaith Saint Paul, whether prophecy, let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith, or miniſtry, let us waite on our miniſtry &c. He that ruleth, with diligence &c. Here we finde that every man according to his place and office, he is injoyned to wait upon it and not to deſert it; they that are appointed to rule, they are ever to rule; and the others that are under them, are ever to obey; every Member is to keep his ſtation in this myſticall body; the Magiſtrates and Parents and Maſters whether eccleſiaſticall or civill, are to continue in their ſeverall places and to keep their ranks as long as they are in thoſe places; and all thoſe that are under them, whether Subjects, children, or ſervants, they are likewiſe to keepe their places, and to obey all thoſe that are over them in the Lord; and that is their place; for ſo the holy Scripture everywhere teacheth us, and eſpecially in the 7. of the 1 of the Corinth. ver. 19, 20, 21, 22. Circumciſion (ſaith the Apoſtle) is nothing, and uncircumciſion is nothing, but the keeping of the commandements of God; That is, the yeelding of obedience to the commandments of God, and the obeying of thoſe God hath ſet over us, and the honouring of thoſe that are in authority and doing the will of God in every thing to our power, is that that commends any men unto God, eſpecially the honouring of God himſelfe and the reverencing of our godly Miniſters and painfull Paſtors, according to that of Saint Paul 1 Theſſ. 5. 12. Know them which are over you in the Lord, and eſteem them very highly in love for their works ſake: For God hath made them Paſtors, and all the people their flock; them fathers, and the people children begotten by their Miniſtry; them builders, and the people the ſtones layd by them in the building; them Stewards, and the people Domeſtiques under them and their conduct: So that every one in the Church of God is to continue in that Station God hath placed them in, untill they by their gifts and graces and eminent abilities be removed to a higher calling, or elſe for their miſdemeanours are caſt out; and therefore Saint Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 7. ver. 20. Let every man abide in the ſame calling wherein he was called; and as if it had not bin ſufficient to have once ſpecified his mind in this buſineſſe, in the 24 verſe, he reiterateth this precept ſaying, Brethren, let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God. So that for the Miniſters and Presbyters of the Church, or for the Magiſtrates of the Common-wealth, or for Maſters or Parents of Families, for either of them, I ſay, to leave their calling in their particular places of ruling: and for either the flocks under the Paſtors, or ſubjects under the Magiſtrates, or ſervants and children in the ſeverall Families under their Parents and Maſters, to offer to take the Government into their own hands, or to joyne themſelves in Commiſſion with them, and to take the rule in either Church, State, or Families upon them, is to leave their callings, and ſo to tranſgreſſe againſt the commandements of God who, hath injoyned the Magiſtrates, Miniſters and Paſtors both in Church and State to command, and all the people under them to obey, and in their ſo doing they each of them abide in the ſame calling and ſtation wherein they are called: otherwiſe, they will be found tranſgreſſours of the Laws of God and Violaters of that Order God hath appoynted in Church and State, and bring confuſion in both; Now, God is the God of Order, and hath injoyned all men to keep his commandements, and the commandement given to the Magiſtrates, is to rule; and the commandement given to the people in every Church is to obey their guides and yeeld double honour unto them; the honour of reverence and ſubjection, and the honour of maintenance; they are ever bound to obey them in the Lord: And this is the Order God appointed in all the Primitive Churches, That the Presbyters only ſhould rule in them, and that the people ſhould obey and not intermeddle in the government; for that is not to keep themſelves in their ſeverall Stations, and to abide in the ſame calling wherein they were called.
And to ſpeake the truth, the ignorance of this doctrine and the pride of too too many hath bin the onelyonly cauſe of all thoſe confuſions that now the Church and State are imbroyled with; for if every man had learned but this leſſon, To keep himſelfe in the ſame calling wherein he was called, he would know that the Magiſtrates place whether civill or ecclerſiaſticall, is to command, and that the ſubjects and peoples place under them in their ſeverall aboads and habitations, is to obey.
They would underſtand likewiſe, that in every kingdome, commonwelth, corporation, or in any Province and Country or church, that howſoever buſineſſe of publike concernment belongs unto the whole body in each of thoſe governments, yet the managing of them and ruling and ordering of them reſpectively, belongeth and pertaineth onelyonly to thoſe in authority, as in a kingdome or Republique, howſoever the embaſladours of other nations are ſent into ſuch a Kingdome and Common-wealth about buſineſſe that may concern the whole Countrie, yet none but the King and his Councell or the State have the ordering and managing of the buſineſſe, and the people and ſubjects under them intermeddle not in thoſe high affairs, for they are Arcana Regni and appertain not unto them. And ſo it is in every Corporation, howſoever the Letters or Mandates from either King, Parliament or State, are directed unto the ſeverall Counties, Hundreds or Corporations or Cities, yet the Lieutenants, Governors, Sherifes, Mayors, Aldermen and Common-councells in each of them are to mannage the buſineſſe and to put in execution what they are commanded and injoyned by either Letters or Mandates, and the people under them ſeverally are to yeeld obedience to what they order and command according to the ſeverall exigences of the times, as daily experience teacheth all men; ſo that the directing of their Letters to the ſeverall Counties or Hundreds or Corporations in generall, doth not inveſt all the people with power or joyne them in commiſſion with the Magiſtrates of thoſe reſpective places, but leaveth the tranſacting of all things to thoſe onelyonly in thoſe ſeverall juriſdictions that are in authority and armed with power, which the people are not. Yea this truth is ſo well known and perceived by all ſuch as will not wilfully blinde themſelves, as it cannot be denyed; hourly experience furniſhing men with Preſidents of it.
For if any Delinquents be found out, they are not hailed before the people, but before ſuch as are in authority; there is not an ordinary Hew and Cry that is ſent to any Pariſh, but it is carryed to the Conſtable or his Deputy and to ſuch in that Town or Village as are in place or authority, ſo that the people trouble not themſelves with it; yea they will ordinarily ſay it concerneth them not, it is not their place to intermeddle in the buſineſſe of State, that they affirme belonges to thoſe that are in authority. And as it is in the affaires ſecular and in the State, ſo it is in the affaires of the Church, thoſe in authority in the Church are to mannage the affaires and buſineſſes of the Church and not the people: for God had appointed in all Churches in the New Teſtament (which were but ſo many Corporations) a ſtanding Presbytery, and Order of Miniſters and Rulers in each of them, in whoſe hands the government of them all, within their ſeverall Precincts and Juriſdictions lay, the which Government they were ever to mannage and order by common conſent and joynt agreement, with which the people had nothing to do, and with the which they ought not intermeddle; for that had been to confound that Order God had eſtabliſhed in each Church; and this all well-inſtructed Chriſtians knew; and therefore in the Apoſtles times, not any that I ever read of oppoſed that Government before Diotrephes, who is blamed for this his temerity by St. John, to teach all men not to do the like left they fall into the ſame condemnation; ſo that they knew very well that howſoever all the Epiſtles of Sant Paul and the other Apoſtles were directed to the ſeverall Churches of their times, yet the managing of the affairs of thoſe Churches belonged only unto the Presbyters Stewards and Angels of thoſe reſpective Churches, as we may ſee in thoſe ſeven Churches of Aſia, where the Letters and the Epiſtles are directed to the Angels and Miniſters of thoſe Churches as thoſe that had the Government of them in their hands, and not to the people: And ſo it was in the Church of Corinth, a place that the Independents ſo much abuſe.
Howſoever Pauls Epiſtles were directed to the whole Church, yet the officers only and Presbyters of that Church had the managing of the whole buſineſſe concerning the inceſtuous perſon, both for the caſting of him out and the taking of him in againe, upon his repentance, as is evident from the 2 Epiſtle and the ſecond chapter where the Apoſtle ſaith ſufficient to ſuch a man is the puniſhment inflicted of many. So that all the people did not cenſure him, or inflict that puniſhment upon him; but many, to wit the Presbyters and thoſe in authority in that Church. And this agreeable to all reaſon: and therefore Maſter Knollys is mightily miſtaken in his Commentary expoſition of this place and that of the Epiſtle to the Coloſſians, in ſaying that as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein. 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and as the Church of Coloſſe had power to admoniſh Archippus. Coloſſ. 4. 17. ſo the Church whereof Diotrephes was a member, might as warrantably admoniſh him. Theſe are his words, in which there is a double yea a treble fallacy: for firſt he taketh the word Church in another ſenſe then the Scripture ſpeaketh of it; which in all the Epiſtles of the holy Apoſtles for the moſt part, is taken collectively for a combination of many congregations under one Presbyterie within ſuch a precinct, and he onelyonly underſtandeth it for a particular congregation and aſſembly, and by this he deceiveth the reader. 2ly By Church he underſtandeth the people, the Presbyters excluded, and ſaith that they had power to judge their Miniſters, whereas indeed though in all thoſe churches there was a power, yet it lay ſoely in the Presbyters hands, and they only were inveſted with it, and the people were ever to ſtand to their orders, ſo long as they commanded in the Lord; and the place of the people was to obey; and therefore all that he ſaith about this buſineſſe is a meere non ſequitur…unc; and this is the third error that inſueth from groundleſſe principles; for this is not a good conſequence, Paul writing unto the Church of Coloſſe hath theſe words, ſay unto Archippus that he take heed to his Miniſtry, and writing unto the Church of Corinth the 1. and 5. ſaith verſ. 5. Deliver ſuch a man unto Satan for the deſtruction of the fleſh &c. Ergo the people have the power in their hands over all the members of thoſe Churches both Miniſters and people. This I aſſert doth not follow in all good reaſon; No more then it will follow that if any Embaſſador ſhould be directed to the kingdome of England now, or if any Meſſage ſhould be ſent unto any corporation of the Kingdome commanding ſuch ſervice from it to the State, that the people in this Kingdom, or the people in thoſe corporations ſhould intermedle in the affaires of publike concernment, but all ſound underſtanding men will ſay, It belongeth to the great and grave Councell of the Kingdom to mannage publike affaires, and to the Major and Aldermèn, and the Common-councell of each Corporation to tranſact and order the publicke buſineſſe, and affaires, and for this only reaſon, becauſe they are the men in thoſe ſeverall places that God and the people have inveſted with authority over them and it only belongeth unto them to order all affaires of publicke concernment, who God and the people have called and appointed to this end and purpoſe. And ſo it was in all the primitive and Apoſtolicall Churches, the Epiſtles were writ to the churches, but directed to the Angels and Miniſters in them, as whoſe place it was to watch over them for their good and who only had the power of the Keyes, to bind and looſe, to caſt out and take in, according to Divine authority. Yea all the world knowes, that God never gave the Keyes to the people in any Church, but to the Miniſters, therefore the authority of order and juriſdiction only belongeth to the Miniſters and presbyters in every Church: now when Maſter Knollys by Church underſtandeth a particular congregation or aſſembly and the people in it and not the Presbyteries in every Church; he is much miſtaken in his Commentary expoſition and abuſeth not only himſelf but all thoſe poore deluded people that follow him.
Yea, he deſtroyeth his own principles and thoſe of the congregationall way, for both he himſelfe and I. S. do acknowledge, That the Government lay in the Presbyters hands in every church. Maſter Knollys his words to this purpoſe I have often ci…ed before and I. S. his words are theſe page 11. in aſſerting that the Perſbyters did rule the Church at Ieruſalem, and ordinarily other Churches, whom do you hit? (ſaith he in his anſwer to me) Sure not the Independents, as you call them, we grant it is their part to rule; thus he: but of theſe words in their due place.
In the meane time, we may take notice, that they acknowledge that the government of thoſe ſeverall Churches lay in the Presbyters hands, who only had the ordering of the affaires of thoſe Churches as the Stewards over them, and whoſe place it was, to receive any accuſations, and examine matters of ſcandall and to proceede againſt offenders by cenſ…res and puniſhments upon evidence and proofe made againſt them, as the Epiſtles of Paul to Timothy and Titus do ſufficiently evince. And therefore it is not only againſt the Word of God, but their own principles, to inveſt the people with power and authority over their Miniſters and their fellow members, as to cenſure them, or▪ to exerciſe any Act of Government over them. Neither doth Saint Paul in writing unto the Coloſſians and bidding them ſay to Archippus, that he take heede to his miniſtry, and in writing unto the Corinthians that they ſhould caſt out the inceſtuous perſon, inveſte the people in either of thoſe Churches with power and authority over either Presbyters or their fellow members. For the power of reproofe and cenſure with authority belongs primarily and principally to the Paſtors and Presbyters, in every Church, as the Epiſtles of Paul to Timothy and Titus ſhew, in the which all Miniſters are taught their duty in their ſeverall places, who to admoniſh, and how, who to ordaine, and who to caſt out, and how to exerciſe all other Acts of government, as thoſe of ordination, excommunication and cenſure &c. and all Miniſters are to performe their offices judicially, & authoritatively, not by way of charity which any Chriſtian upon juſt occaſion obſerving all the vitall circumſtances, of a well ordered reproofe and action, as of time place and perſons may do; for there is a very great difference between the admonition of the Miniſters and that of the people which lyeth in this, that the Miniſters doe what they doe in the Church as Officers and Magiſtrates and men in place and power; and the people do it by way of charity and love and only out of Chriſtian duty, and not with any authority they have over the people; and if their brethren will not heare them, they can goe no farther then to take one or two more with them, and if they will not heare them, then to refer it unto the Church, to tell and informe their ſeverall Presbyteri…s of it, the people are confined within theſe limets only, and are not to exceede and go out of theſe bounds. Whereas the Pr…ſbyters and Miniſters by their place have the power in their hands, to order them and cenſure them, which the people have not. Neither with any good reaſon will it follow, if any private Chriſtian may admoniſh a Miniſter failing in his duty, that he hath power and authority over him, for this one Member and Brother hath not over another, as having nothing to do with another mans ſervant, as Saint Paul ſufficiently declareth in the fourteenth chapter of his Epiſtle to the Romans; and although all Chriſtians are commanded, Coloſſ. the 3. and in divers other places, to admoniſh one another, yet this proves not that they have rule, power and authority over them, becauſe the Scripture witneſſeth the contrary. But the Miniſters and Preachers of the Word, they are to rebuke, to exhort, and admoniſh, and cenſure, as Embaſſadours, Stewards, and Governours appointed by God himſelfe over them for this very purpoſe and end, not onelyonly to beſeech and intreate them, but if they be refractory and diſorderly to puniſh and cenſure them, and that by their place as they are officers and as they have received the Keyes, whereas other Chriſtians do their duty onelyonly out of love as Brethren and not as Magiſtrates; So that what the people do, either in admoniſhing or exhorting it is out of charity; or what they do in chooſing of officers, or caſting out of offenders out of the Church, it is either by denomination of them, or in approving and aſſenting unto what the Presbytery doth; as the Saints ſhall judge the earth ſo that it is not in the peoples power to hinder the caſting out of any offender, if he be proved ſcandalous; or of receiving any into the Church or into any office of the ſame, if they be thought fit and worthy of it for their gifts and graces; for they have no power to do any of theſe things, for theſe are all actions of ſuch as are in authority and have the power of ordering things in their hands, which I affirme was never given to the people.
And therefore thoſe places quoted by Mr Knollys, to prove the authority of the people over either their Miniſters or Fellow-members, are not for his purpoſe, as b…ing miſapplyed and abuſed, as they are daily by the Independent Brethren; So that to all rationall and underſtanding men from this reproofe of Diotrephes given by S. Iohn and this his cenſuring of him, For uſurping ſole authority to himſelfe and prating malicious words againſt Saint Iohn and the Presbyters of that Church he writeth to: Theſe two concluſions do neceſſarily follow.
The firſt; That all ſuch as affect an abſolute juriſdiction in every particular congregation within it ſelfe Independent, without any reference or relation to a Councell or Colledge of Presbyters, and do speak malicious wordes againſt their Fellow-miniſters and Preſbyters, and do caſt out whom they pleaſe, and bring in whom they will at pleaſure upon their own termes, and do rule after an arbitrary way all ſuch violate the Ordinance of God and oppoſe that Government that he hath eſtabliſhed in all churches by his bleſſed word, and are guilty of the ſame crime that Diotrephes was, and if they repent not will be ſeverely puniſhed for it: but all the Brethren of the Congregationall way are ſuch.
The ſecond is this: That all ſuch Miniſters and Congregations as give the authority and power of ruling and ordering the affaires of the Church into the hands of the people, either wholly excluding the Miniſters, or joyning the people with them in the Government of the Church, they thus leaving their ſtation and calling wherein they were called, are prevaricators and offenders againſt divine inſtitution: For God hath given the keyes, the power of order and juriſdiction to the Miniſters and Presbyters only, and injoyned the people to obey them: But ſuch are all the Miniſters and Aſſemblies of the congregationall way, as leaving their ſtation and calling wherein they were called: Ergo, they are all prevaricators and offenders againſt divine inſtitution.
And thus much I thought fit by way of anſwer, to reply unto all that Mr Knollys had to ſay, againſt my argument drawn from Diotrephes, and in defence of their congregationall practices▪ There yet remaines one whibling cavill more in this his anſwer, that I may not paſſe by leſt he ſhould glory I could not anſwer it; I will therefore ſay ſomething to that and conclude this point and then go on to all his other fond anſwers to ſuch arguments as he thought himſelfe beſt able to incounter with. His words are theſe in the concluſion of his Babble.
If (ſaith he) nothing of publike concernment ought to be done and tranſacted without the joynt & mutual agreement, and common conſent of the Presbytery, John the Presbyter would not have tranſgreſſed ſo farr, as to take upon himſelfe this authority over Diotrephes, to tell the Church of his faults, and to ſay he would remember him and ſharply reprove him, and teach him to prate againſt the Presbytery with malicious words, which belonged to the Court and Common-councell of Presbyters.
Thus Mr Knollys rather chatters than diſputes, in making ſuch an inference from his own conceit. And therefore for Anſwer let Mr Knollys know, that there was no tranſgreſſion in Saint Iohn againſt the Presbyters in taking ſuch authority upon himſelfe: for S. John was an Apoſtle, and an univerſall Paſtor, tyed to no one place or flock, but had the ſame power and authority that Paul and all the other Apoſtles had over all the Churches, the care of which lay primarily and principally upon them, who were immediately inſpired by God, and in all their preachings and writings followed the dictates of his holy Spirit, who ſpake in and by them; ſo that whatſoever they taught or writ was to be the rule of all mens thoughts, words, actions, and governments, and it was their place to give Laws unto all Churches and Miniſters in them, what they ſhould do in the ordering and governing of the ſame; and therefore S. John had no leſſe authority and power over this Church, wherein Diotrephes was an Elder, and in and over all other Churches, then S. Paul and all the other Apoſtles had in all Churches: Now if S. Paul, could give a Law unto the Church of Corinth, For the caſting out of the Inceſtuous perſon, and for the carrying of themſelves with Order and Decency, in their Aſſemblies and ſharply reproove offenders in that Church, and if all the other Apoſtles did the like, and took ſuch Authority upon them over all the members of thoſe ſeverall Churches; and that without any tranſgreſſion of any divine inſtitution, but with the very good liking and allowance of God himſelfe, who writ the Commandements of the Lord to all the Churches, then I ſay, Saint Iohn tranſgreſſed not at all in uſing his authority and power given him of God over Diotrephes, in telling the Church of his faults, and ſaying He would remember him, and ſharply reprove him; for this he might well do by his ſole Authority, without any offence, as he was an Apoſtle, for what he did, he did by immediate Revelation and had a warrant for it from Chriſt himſelfe, who ſent his ſpirit to lead him into all truth.
And therefore it is a ridiculous if not an impious thing in Maſter Knollys, to draw ſuch an inference from a phantaſie of his own brain, in that he makes no difference between Saint Iohn and another ordinary Presbyter and Miniſter, and would make that an offence which was none, and infer that Saint Iohn took more upon him than he ought. Beſides it had been no tranſgreſſion in any other Presbyter, if he had writ ſo to any Presbytery, under which he had been a fellow Presbyter, to inform them of any miſcarriage in either Paſtor or member of that Church wherein he was an Elder, and if he had ſaid, If I come I will remember his deeds, &c. For in his ſo ſpeaking, he would aſſume no more authority to himſelfe, then became a Presbyter to take upon him, as both to witneſſe to a truth, and to give in evidence of what he knew of ſuch a man to his fellow judges, and then to leave it to the judgement of the Presbytery and Common Councell of Elders, which Saint Iohn did, whoſe place it was to cenſure ſuch an offender, and in his ſo doing he ſhould no way impeach the power and authority of the Court or Common▪councell of Presbyters, but rather ratifie and confirme it as all learned men will gather; For by ſuch words, he declareth that there is a ſtanding Court or Councell there, where offenders are both to be queſtioned and cenſured; for ſuch an expreſſion, If I come I will remember his deeds, ſufficiently declareth, that there was power in their hands, and manifeſteth, that he was a judge there among the reſt, who with others had the hearing of all cauſes there, and that all buſineſſes of publike concernment ought to be done and tranſacted by the mutuall and joynt accord and agreement of the Presbytery, and not to be managed by any one ſingly by himſelf, or by the people whom God had never given the Keyes unto, nor the power of rule and Government: This I affirme will neceſſarily enſue and follow, and not that which Mr Knollys vainly intimateth. And I am confident that any judicious Chriſtian upon due deliberation will ſay the ſame, and will conclude, That Saint Iohn in his ſo writing was no offender, though all things of publike concernment in the Church were ever to be tranſacted by the joynt agreement and common conſent of the Presbytery. So that all men that are judicious may plainly behold the futility in both the anſwers and cavills of this man, and well perceive that he was never cut out for a diſputant, or ever fitted for Government in church or State; who if he might have his own minde would bring in a confuſion in both, and violate all order divine and humane, and make the head the foot, and the foot the head.
And truly if a man would but conſider the manner of Government in their ſeven new Churches or rather ſeventy (for every ten or twelve of them prove a Church) he ſhould find in them all, ſo much diſorder and diſcrepancy amongſt them, and yet every one of them pretending Divine authority for its particular government, as he would adviſedly conclude, That God was never the author of them, for God is a God of order and not of confuſion: for never ſince the world began was there ſuch practice… in any Chriſtian Churches, as are to be found in theirs: And to ſpeake the truth, they are a meere mockery of all government: for every one of thoſe ſeverall Churches be they never ſo ſlender and ſmall, aſſumes an abſolute ſoveranity unto themſelves Independent, from all other Churches and Presbytries, from the which there is no appeale, be one never ſo much wronged. And they are as ſo many free States, and republicks, every one of them ruling within themſelves as abſolute Magiſtracies. And therefore upon all occaſions, if any difference ariſe betweene member and member in thoſe Churches, or betweene Church and Church as often they do, as other Countries and Commonweales ſend their Embaſſadours to each other upon any difference, or about ſtates affayres; and as the Houſe of Commons ſends to the Houſe of Lords, and the Houſe of Lords to the Houſe of Commons by their Meſſengers; and as all buſineſſes are to be done in the Name of the States, and in the name of either Lords or Commons; ſo thoſe little ſucking congregations and churches; though they conſiſt but of 10. or twenty a peece & although never an one of them knowes any more what belongs to government then the horſe Maſter Knollys preaches on when he goeth into the Countrey yet they ſend their Officers in the name of the Church to any other of their Churches, upon any difference, or about any of their Grolleyes, with as great State and Grander, as if they were very abſolute principalities, and they uſe by the report of thoſe that have ſeene the manner of their carriage in their imployment in imitation of greatneſſe, the ſame garbe and geſtures that Embaſſadours, or thoſe that carry a Meſſage from the Houſe of Commons, to the Houſe of Lords, uſually do; making their honours and conges, and they are ſuch bunglers at the work as thoſe that have ſeene them ſay, it is one of the ridiculoſeſt ſpectacles that ever was beheld; for they make a thouſand Jackinaps tricks and act their ſeverall parts with ſuch affectation of State, that experienced men and ſuch as well know what belonges to the entertainment of Embaſſadors, affirme, that they never beheld any thing ſo fanaticall. It is reported that Iohn Lilburne my Scholler is Maſter of the Ceremonies amongſt them, and teaches them their poſtures of Court-ſhip.
If ever there were any people in the world that trampled all government both Divine and Humaine under their poluted feete, or ever made a ſcorne of authority I may truly ſay the Independents are the …en, and yet they applaud themſelves in all their actions and ſticke not to ſay, by theſe their doings, they ſet up the Lord Chriſt upon his throne in his Kingdome, and in their houſes, and compt all thoſe that differ from them of their congregationall way, as enemies of the Lord Ieſus, and of his kingdome; and eſteeme of them as of a company of Infidels; and yet they have neither precept nor preſident for their ſo doing, but St. Diotrephes in all the holy Word of God, which conſtituted a Presbytery in every Church and committed the government of all the congregations under each Presbytery into the hands of a Common-councel and Colledge of Elders, as that Church Saint Iohn write unto can witneſſe, which was governed by the conjoynt conſent of them all, in which Saint Iohn was a Presbyter, and therefore writ, If he came he would remember Diotrephes deeds: which abundantly declareth that Saint Iohn acknowledged a Court, a ſettled government in every church, whether the members might have recourſe for redreſſe of any abuſe or ſcandalls and therefore took no more upon him then belonged unto his place: and this ſhall ſuffice to have anſwer'd to Maſter Knollys his laſt whibbling cavill, and to have ſpake of this point of controverſie between us in this place.
I ſhall anſwer methodically to all his other evaſions in their due places which the reader ſhall finde as they are ſcattered through the booke, for he is very immethodicall in all his pamphlet, where I will ſet downe Maſter Knollys his owne words.
But in the meane time it is ſufficiently confirmed out of the Word God and out of all the Scriptures above quoted, that all the churches we reade of in the New-Teſtament, were ſo many corporations in Chriſts kingdome, which were to be governed by a Common-councell of Presbyteries. And ſo for many yeeres after the Apoſtles times they were Governed Communi conſilio presbyterorum, as our brethren the Independents do confeſſe and prove by antiquity and humane authority; which weapon I wonder they will contend with, in deciding of Gods matters, which are only out of his holy Word to be proved, which is to be the rule of our faith.
But it ſeemes Saint Ambroſe his authority pleaſeth them well, though if we looke into it, it makes much againſt them. He lived as the author that cites him, ſaith, within the fourth Century. His words are theſe upon the 1. of Timothy. Synagoga & poſtea eccleſia ſeniores habuit, quorum ſine conſilio nihil agebatur in Eccleſia. Quod qua negligentia obſoleverit neſcio, niſi doctorum deſidia aut magis ſuperbia, dum ſoli volunt aliquid videri. Take with it his own interpretation. The Iewes Synagogue (ſaith he) and afterwards the Chriſtian church, had Elders, without whoſe counſell nothing was done in the church, which, by what neglect it grew out of uſe, I knew not, unleſſe it were perhaps the ſloth or rather pride of the teachers, whileſt alone they would ſeeme to be ſome body. However it is acknowledged by their owne teſtimony, that in the Apoſtles time and many yeares after the Apoſtles, nothing was done in the church without the Councell of the Presbyters.
So that it is evident the Primitive churches were governed by the joynt and common councell of the Presbytery, and the people had nothing to do with it. We may adde here unto Saint Ambroſe, Saint Ieromes teſtimony, who in his Commentaries upon the firſt chapter of the Epiſtle of Paul to Titus, largely declaring himſelfe (as in many other places) concerning the occaſion of the change of that government eſtabliſhed by the Apoſtles, ſaith, Idem eſt ergo Preſbyter qui & Epiſcopus & antequam, diaboli inſtino…u, ſtudia in religione fi…r…nt, & diceretur in populis, ego ſum Pauli, ego Apollo, ego autem Cephe, communt Preſbyterorum conſilio Eccleſiae gubernabantur, &c. In the which words he acknowledgeth by the firſt inſtitution, all Churches were governed by the common councell of the Preſbyters, and not by the advice of the people. Yea the very Canons of the Pope in the firſt part, and the 95. diſtinction, giving the reaſon why the Preſbyterian Government came to be changed, and the Hierarchiall was put in the place; affirmeth, that it was through faction, and for the avoyding of further Schiſmes and rents in the Church and cities, uſing the very words before quoted out of Saint Ierome, and confeſſeth that before that time, the Churches were governed Commum conſilio Preſbyterorum, not by the people or any one Prelate, but by the Presbytery and their councell. And if humaine authority were needfull in this buſineſſe, I might make a volume with their very expreſſions, to prove the novelty of the Hierarchicall government, and that of the peoples juriſdiction aſſuming the Authority of governing into their hands, and the Antiquity of the Presbytery, and that by the enemies own confeſſion. Bet I am reſolved to cleave only unto the Word, and ſound reaſon deduced from thence, for the deciding of this controverſie, being ſorry that there was ſo much as occaſion of naming humane authority in a point of Divinity.
As for the Presbyterian government, in the ſenſe that I underſtand it, there is nothing more cleere to me in all the holy Scripture, Yea the very word and name of a Presbytery ſignifieth a Magiſtracy, or Ariſtocracy, or Signory, or Court; that is, a Company, or Senate, or Councell of grave wiſe, and underſtanding men, inveſted with authority and power of ruling, ordering, and commanding, and in whoſe hands the government is put. And as the word is taken in the civill polity and Government, ſo in the Eccleſiaſticall; By a Presbytery we underſtand, a Religious, Grave, Solid, Learned, and wiſe councell of Divines and Miniſters, or men of inveterate experience; and ſuch as know how to Rule and Govern thoſe that are under their command, with wiſdome and moderation, and according to the Word of God; and the which men likewiſe are inveſted with Authority and Power for to exerciſe a juriſdiction over others, and are hereunto called by ſuch as are able to judge and diſcerne of the ſufficiency of their gifts and abilities for this worke, which the ordinary and common people cannot do. And as in the civill State, the Presbyters and Elders of the people, were thoſe that had the rule over them for the common good of them all and for their bodily preſervation; So the Presbyters and Elders in the Church are thoſe that have the rule and government over the Churches for the ſpirituall good of their ſouls. And as Kings and Rulers are by a Metaphoricall and borrowed ſpeech called Paſtors and Sheepherds of the people, and are ſaid to feed the flocks committed to their charge, by which word is underſtoode the exerciſe of all lawfull and moderate authority agreeable to the Law of God over them; ſo the Presbyters and Miniſters are called the Paſtors and Sheepherds, yea, and Stewards over the flocks committed to their charges, and they are commanded to feed them; by which metaphor they are inveſted with the authority and power both of preaching and ruling, and have the Government over thoſe flocks put into their hands, which they muſt alwayes exerciſe according to Gods Word; they muſt feed them and rule them in the Lord, and not after their own wills and pleaſures, they may not have dominion over our faith, as Paul ſaith in the 2. of the Corinthians; chap. 1. verſe 24. But that they ſhould be helpers of our joy; that is, they may not uſurpe an abſolute Soveraignty or power over the conſciences of the people, as if the ſpirituall ſtate and welfare of their flocks depended on them, which is onelyonly grounded upon their faith in Jeſus Chriſt; but as they are the Stewards of God, and Miniſters and ſervants of the Church, ſo they ſhould comfort them and rejoyce their hearts in the Lord, and eſtabliſh them in the faith; and uſe all the care and diligence that is poſſible, like good Shepheards, to preſerve the flockes committed to their charge, that they ſtraggle and ſtray not from Chriſts fold, and run not into the by-wayes and thickets of ſinne and errour, and be corrupted with noyſome food, and falſe Doctrine: And if they have any among them that are unruly, that they bring and reduce them into order: or if they have any ſicke, feeble, poor or weak, that they cure, releeve, comfort, and reſtore ſuch: and if they have any that are infected or ſcabby, that they remove ſuch from the ſound, till they be recovered: or if they have any broken or wounded, that they heal and recover them with all lenity and humanity; and that they ſhould by common▪councell govern and order their flocks, and take ſpeciall care that the particular Paſtors and Miniſters of the ſeverall Congregations and Aſſemblies under their Presbytery and charge, aſſume not any ſole and ſoveraign Authority to themſelves over the flock, to do any thing of publike concernment, without the joynt conſent of that Preſbytery or spirituall Corporation, under whoſe commands they are. And it ſtands with all reaſon, that a Common councell, of godly, grave, learned, and experienced miniſters, ſhould ever be more able to manage and order a government, then two or three unexperienced men, or two or three hundred young people, of which moſt Congregations conſiſt, in whom the ſap of youth is not yet dryed up; or if many of them ſhould be of riper years, yet they know little what belongs to government, and therefore they can never be ſo well able to govern, as men both of known learning, ancient experience, and honeſty, and approved judgement and integrity, as a whole Colledge or an Aſſembly of learned Preſbyters commonly are; who by God himſelf have the diſpenſation of the Word and the ordering and ruling of the Church committed unto them, and who in the Preaching of the Word, and the adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and in all ordinary acts of worſhip, and in governing and ruling the flocks committed to their ſeverall charges, are the ſucceſſors of the holy Apoſtles.
But by the way, an objection is here to be anſwered unto, made by ſome of the Independents after this manner.
The Elders and Presbyters of the Apoſtles times, ſay they, by the impoſition of their hands, gave the gift of tongues and propheſie, Acts 19. 1, 2, 3, 4 5. and the 8. 18 and 1 Tim. 4. 14. and healed the ſick Iames 5. 14, 15. according to our Saviours promiſe Mark. 16. 18. Let, ſay they, the Presbyters of our time, let them impoſe their hands upon the ſick and heale them, let them by impoſing hands upon their diſciples inable them on a ſudden to ſpeake with ſtrange tongues, and foretell things to come; and then we will acknowledge them for a true Presbytery, then will they be a right aſſembly of Elders, and the Apoſtles ſucceſſors; but, if they cannot give to others, nor yet have for themſelves in ſtore, any of the true Apoſtles, any of the right Preſbyters gifts and characters, we may not, we dare not acknowledge them as ſuch.
Theſe are their formall words in print. Before I come to my anſwer, I deſire there may be ſpeciall notice taken of this Objection, and ſuch like; for, for ought that I know, if any man will argue afthis manner, all Chriſtian religion may be called in queſtion, and no man will have any Creed or Belief, except he may make his own Articles, as Thomas did, who ſaid, Vnleſſe I put my hands into his ſide and my fingers into the print of the nailes, I will not believe. And as the Iews ſaid unto our bleſſed Saviour, Thou that ſavedſt others, now ſave thy ſelf, come down from the Croſſe and then we will believe in thee, do this miracle and then thou wilt perſwade us. Here we ſee, they would make their own Articles, or elſe they would have no Creed. The Jewes had learned this method of diſputing from the Devill, who at his meeting of our Saviour Chriſt, and at his firſt aſſault, thus diſputed, If thou be the Sonne of God, ſaith he, and wouldeſt have the world ſo believe, and me too, on thee, then command theſe ſtones to be made bread, do this miracle firſt; but thou canſt not do it, Ergo. So in like manner theſe men argue, except, ſay they, the Presbyters by the impoſition of their hands upon their Diſciples, can inable them on a ſudden to speake with ſtrange tongues, to foretell things to come, and heal the ſicke, &c. we will not acknowledge them to be true Elders: but let them do all theſe things by the impoſition of their hands, and then wee will acknowledge them for a true Presbytery. See the vanity of theſe men, and the inſtability of their faith, by their own confeſſion; miracles will make them believe any thing, if we may credit their own words, though never ſo contrary to their judgement and to the faith once delivered to the Saints. It is well known to the Learned, that the Apoſtles and thoſe Primitive chriſtians had extraordinary and wonderfull gifts, that raviſht the world then into admiration; and it is confeſt alſo by all underſtanding Chriſtians, that thoſe wonder-working miracles were but temporary, as the miraculous feeding of the people with Manna in the Wilderneſſe, where they were fellow-commoners with the Angels, and continued but till they came into the Land that flowed with Milk and Honey. So thoſe miracles of the Primitive chriſtians continued but for a time, till the Goſpell and the truth of the Chriſtian faith and doctrine was confirmed and eſtabliſhed, which being once done, and the holy Scriptures which were to be the rule of faith to the end of the world being left to poſterity, and to which we are tyed and commanded not to be wiſe above that which is written, 1 Cor. 4. 6. and forbid in Gal. 1. 8, 9. to believe otherwiſe then we have been taught, though the Apoſtles or an Angell from heaven ſhould teach otherwiſe; after, I ſay, the Doctrine of the Chriſtian Faith and Religion was confirmed, the ordinary working of Miracles ceaſed. And it is ſaid of Antichriſt in 2 Theſſ. chap. 2. That he ſhall come with ſtrong deluſions and lying wonders, and with all deceiveableneſs in them that periſh, becauſe they received not the love of the truth, that they might be ſaved. So that I cannot ſufficiently wonder, to ſee the dealing of theſe men, who in theſe dayes expect and look for miracles to confirme their faith, when notwithſtanding we are forwarned to take heed of all falſe deluſions, and commanded to the contrary. Shew us ſome miracles, ſay they, and then we will believe you are true Preſbyters. So dealt the Jewes with Chriſt, What ſigne ſheweſt thou that wee may beleeve in thee? But when Chriſt had ſhewed them ſigne upon ſigne, and miracle upon miracle, were they ever the more convinced? Did thoſe miracles create beliefe in them? No ſurely, but rather hardned them and made them blaſpheme. When he caſt out Devils, they ſay he did it by the Prince of Devils. So without doubt, if the Presbyters had thoſe gifts of miracles, that they could gratifie theſe men with daily prodigies and workes of wonder, they would then ſay, they came with lying wonders, and with the working of Satan, and they would make the world abhor them the more. There is an old ſaying, that hee muſt riſe early and never goe to bed, that will pleaſe all men: and truly it would be not onelyonly difficult, but an impoſſible thing, for any State or great Councell, were it never ſo wiſe, to pleaſe all the people under them. God himſelfe, nor Moſes, nor Aaron his ſervants, could pleaſe the Iſraelites though they ſaw never ſuch wonders continually before their eyes, to confirme their authority; yea they told Moſes and Aaron to their faces, that they tooke too much upon them. And afterwards they caſt off Gods own government & God himſelfe, as the Lord complains to Samuel, in 1 Samuel, and would ſet up a governement after the modell of their owne braine, as it is at large ſet downe in that Booke. And not long after they changed the manner of Gods worſhip, in Ieroboams time, and taught the feare of God, as the Lord complaineth, Iſay 29. after the precepts of men, and rejected Gods commandements, as Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 15. and Marke 7. So that what they thought beſt in their owne eyes, that was ever beſt pleaſing unto them. They would not content themſelves with the Written Word, though they were never ſo often by Moſes, and all the reſt of the Prophets, commanded to cleave unto it, ſaying, to the Law and to the Teſtimony, Iſay 8. Even ſo it is now in theſe dayes, they content not themſelves with that Ordinance that is ſet downe in the Written Word, but ſay, Come ſhew us ſome miracles, and then wee will beleeve you are a right Presbyterie. Our Saviour ſpeaking to the Jewes concerning Saint Iohn the Baptiſt and Himſelfe, Iohn, ſaith hee, came neither eating nor drinking, and ye ſay behold hee hath a Devill; the Sonne of Man came both eating and drinking, and ye ſay, hee is a Wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and Sinners. So that whatſoever method or way God uſed to convert them, they cavil'd againſt it, and were never ſatisfied; alwayes reſiſting the Spirit of God, as Stephen told them in Act. 7.
So now, in theſe our times they looke for miracles, and a new way of teaching. But all good Chriſtians are forbid to liſten after, or to give heed to miracles: and are ſent unto Moſes and the Prophets, Luke 16. and are commanded to ſearch the Scripture, John 5. Yea our Saviour himſelfe in the perſon of Abraham, Luke 16. ſaith, That if men will not beleeve Moſes and the Prophets, they will not be perſwaded by miracles: and I am confident, that could the Presbyters doe all thoſe miracles theſe men deſire, they would the more reproach them, and exclaime againſt them, and affirme they wrought by the Devill, as the Jews told our Saviour he did. I muſt confeſſe, I am of a contrary opinion to theſe men, not only in the matter of miracles, but in all external performances; for I am inſtructed in the holy ſcriptures, that the Devill can transforme himſelfe into an Angell of light, and that the Deceivers and falſe Teachers ſhall come forth in ſheeps clothing, and for outward appearance ſhalequalize, if not exceed, the faithfulleſt & trueſt Paſtors and Miniſters of Chriſt; and therefore we are in ſpeciall, commanded to take heed of ſuch: and for my particular, if any men whatſoever of never ſuch ſeeming ſanctity, ſufficient abilities, unblameable life, ſhould come forth and teach any other Doctrine of Faith, Manners, or Government, then that I have been taught in the holy Scripture; and ſhould confirme this their Doctrine with never ſo many miracles, I will ſtill continue ſtedfaſt in the Doctrine of the Apoſtles, and cleave unto the written Word, and will never beleeve contrary to that, though I ſhould undergoe the greateſt miſery, or be expoſed to the greateſt want by it, that any man ever ſaw: for I know that all theſe momentary trials and afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that ſhall be revealed. And for this very point of the Presbytery, in that ſenſe I take it, I am ſo well aſſured that it is Gods Ordinance, as I am of any point in Religion. But as I ſaid before, if men may argue after this way. The Presbyters in the Apoſtles times did miracles, and ſ…ake with ſtrange tongues, and their Schollers and Diſciples did the ſame; doe you likewiſe, and then we will acknowledge you to be true Preſbyters, otherwiſe wee will not. Thus the Jewes might have argued againſt all their Prophets, as againſt Iſaiah, Ieremy, Ezekiel, &c. Moſes and Elias faſted forty dayes and forty nights, and did many miracles, do you ſo, and then we will beleeve you are true Prophets, and ſent to us of God, otherwiſe we will not beleeve you to be true Prophets. Yea all the wicked and ungodly men of theſe times may argue thus alſo: God gave unto his Church Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Prophets, &c. and they ſpake all ſtrange tongues and divers languages, and did many miracles; but you and your Congregations, have neither Apoſtles, Prophets, nor Evangeliſts, nor ye have not the gifts of Tongues, nor yee can do no Miracle: Ergo, you are not the true Church. The Primitive Chriſtians and the ſervants of God in thoſe times, had the gifts of Tongues and Propheſie, and the holy Ghoſt came down upon them, and they ſpake by direction from God his infallible truth and Goſpell, whoſe ſpeeches were not tyed to time, and to one ſpeaker, but many ſpake one after another by Interpreters, as it is at large ſet down in the 1. of the Corinthians, chap. 14. verſ. 27. 28, 29, 30. &c. So that they ſpake infallible truth by direction from God: But you have none in your Congregations ſo miraculouſly inſpired with ſundry languages, and divers tongues, nor ye do not ſpeake infallible truths by direction from God; nor you cannot cure diſeaſes nor do miracles: Ergò, your religion is not the ſame Religion; nor your Congregations the true Church: ſhew us theſe miracles and then we will beleeve you to be the true Church, otherwiſe we may not, we dare not acknowledge you to be the true Church.
Again they may argue thus: The Apostles and Primitive Pastors, and Teachers preached freely, and laboured with their own hands, and were helpfull to the neceſſities of others, and were not burthenſome and exacting from others, and spake ex tempore, by direction from God: but your Ministers in your Congregations do not preach freely, nor labour not with their own hands, nor are not helpfull to to others neceſſities, but are rather burdenſome and exacting from others; nor they do no miracles, nor speake not immediately by inspiration, and ex tempore; but by Study and out of their Bookes, and are confined to time, and ſpeake not in ſtrange tongues and languages, one after another by Interpreters. Ergò, Your Miniſters are not Gods Ministers, nor your Congregations the true Church, nor your people true Chriſtians; for you want all thoſe things that the Primitive Chriſtians and the Primitive Churches had.
There is a Pamphlet lately come out, and highly eſteemed and priſed amongſt many, full of ſuch conſequences as theſe, which if they hold good againſt the Presbyters, they may alſo for ought I know, be of equall validity to overthrow, not onelyonly all Chriſtian Congregations, but indeed all Chriſtian Religion. But briefly to anſwer.
We look upon the Apoſtles and Primitive Presbyters, as men miraculouſly and extraordinarily gifted, and as wonder-working men for the confirmation of the truth of the Goſpell to all ſucceeding ages; and we conſider in them and in the Chriſtians of thoſe times, ſomething extraordinary and temporary, as their working of miracles, and ſpeaking of ſtrange tongues, and gifts of healing, &c. And thoſe we conceive were to continue no longer in the church, then for the confirmation of the truth of the Goſpel; Chriſt himſelfe proclaiming thoſe bleſſed, that believe without ſeeing of miracles, ſpeaking unto Thomas, Iohn 20. 29. Becauſe thou haſt ſeen me, ſaith he, thou believeſt, bleſſed are they that have not ſeen, and have believed. So that miracles now are not ordinary, and we are tied to the written Word. But we conſider likewiſe in the Apoſtles and Primitive Presbyters, that that was permanent and to continue in all Miniſters and Presbyters in ſucceeding ages to the end of the world, and that was the power of order and preaching, and the power of juriſdiction, that is of ruling (which is not denied by the moſt learned of the Independents themſelves) and this I have proved by the Word of God, to be tranſacted over to all Chriſtian Churches, whoſe Presbyters have that power given unto them; neither will the Learned Brethren deny it, whatſoever the ignorant may do. Yea, the very name of a Presbytery (as I ſaid before) if we look through the whole Scripture, ſignifieth a Magiſtracy, or Signiory, or Corporation inveſted with authority of governing and ruling; and ſuch a counſell and company of men, as upon whom the government under Chriſt is laid, and to be extended ſo far, as their juriſdiction extendeth, and as far as by common conſent it may make for the good and edification of the church, and for the ſafety of the ſame. And ſuch was the government of all thoſe churches of the New Teſtament, which were as ſo many Committees, their limits and bounds prefixed them, as at this dayall Committees through the Kingdom have in their ſeverall Hundreds, Rapes, Wapentakes, and Cities, to whom the ordering and government of thoſe places that are under them, are committed; ſo that all that is done or tranſacted, muſt be done by the joynt conſent, and councell of the whole Committee, not any particular man or any two of them ſeverally conſidered by themſelvs, can make an order; but that order onelyonly is binding which is made by the joynt conſent and common agreement of them all, or the greateſt part of them aſſembled together. Even ſo all thoſe particular Congregations that are within the compaſſe and juriſdiction of the ſeverall Preſbyteries, are to be ordered and governed by the common and joynt councell of the ſeverall Preſbyters, or the greater part of them. For this was the order the Apoſtles eſtabliſhed, appointing in every City a Presbytery; and when they had ſo ordered the Churches, they ſet them all to their ſeverall imployments, the Preſbyters to command, and all the people and particular Aſſemblies and Congregations under them, to obey; neither is it ever found in the holy Scriptures, that the people were joyned with the Presbyters in their Commiſſion. So that they that oppoſe this government, reſiſt Gods Ordinance. And if we looke into all the Epiſtles writ by the Apoſtles to the ſeverall Churches, we ſhall finde in them, That they enjoyne all the ſeverall Congregations to yeeld obedience to their Paſtors and Rulers over them, and ſignifie unto them that they owe unto them double honour, eſpecially ſuch as labour in the Word and Doctrine; that is, they muſt yeeld unto them, not onelyonly due reverence and ſubjection, and obedience to their councell and juſt commands in the Lord; but that they ſhould alſo afford them the honour of maintenance, and take order there be a ſufficient and competent, yea, an honourable allowance for their ſupport; and that as they miniſter to them spirituall food for their ſoules, they ſhould likewiſe miniſter unto them all things neceſſary for the maintenance of them and their Families, that they may comfortably and without ſolicitous care, follow their holy imployments and wait upon their ſeverall Miniſteries. So that the place and imployment of the Presbyters, is to teach and rule the people; and this is their proper worke, and peculiarly belongs unto them; and the imployment and place of the ſeverall congregations under them, is to hear and obey: and therefore if the ſeverall congregations do aſſume unto themſelves the power of ruling, they take more upon them then by God is allowed them: and the Presbyters in yeilding unto it, reject their own right, and deveſt themſelves of that authority that God hath put into their hands; and by ſo doing in time may not onelyonly bring confuſion into the Church, but to all thoſe Countries where ſuch uſurpations are tolerated. I cannot but ſpeake my conſcience in this point: And truly, very reaſon dictates unto a man, that they only ſhould have the authority of commanding and ruling over the Churches, to whom the power of the Keyes is given. Now it is given only to the Miniſters and Presbyters, as we ſee it in Iohn 20. 21. and Matth. 18. 15, 16, 17, 18. Where our Saviour Chriſt eſtabliſhed a ſtanding government, to be continued to the end of the World, the violating and the overthrowing of the which, was the cauſe of all thoſe confuſions, both in doctrine and manners that is now come upon the world; and was the cauſe, not only of the riſe, but the growth of Antichriſt. And the reducing of it again into the Church, and the re▪ſtabliſhing of it, will be the confuſion of that Man of Sin, and of all the Antichriſtian-brood, and be a meanes of eſtabliſhing truth and peace through the Chriſtian world. But it will not be amiſſe a little to conſider that place in Matth. 18. If thy Brother, ſaith Chriſt ſhall treſpaſſe againſt thee, go and tell him of it between thee and him alone: if he ſhall heare thee, thou ſhalt gaine thy brother; but if he will not heare thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes, every word may be eſtabliſhed. And if he ſhall neglect to heare them; then tell it unto the Church: but if he neglect to heare the Church, let him be to thee as a Heathen man and a Publican. Verily, verily I ſay unto you, whatſoever ye ſhall binde on earth, ſhall be bound in heaven, and whatſoever ye ſhall looſe on earth, ſhall be looſed in heaven. In theſe words our Saviour Chriſt has reſpect unto the order and cuſtome of judicature in thoſe times in cenſuring mens manners and doctrines, which among the Jewes was ordered and adminiſtred by an aſſembly and counſell of learned, experienced, and judicious men, and by a Presbytery, Conſiſtory, or Colledge of able men for government, choſe and ſelected out of the people for this very purpoſe, by ſuch as could judge and diſcerne of their abilities: the which aſſembly and company, is by Chriſt himſelf called a Church, becauſe it did repreſent the Church, and in this place Chriſt did eſtabliſh the like to be continued in the Chriſtian church to the end of the world, making his Apoſtles this repreſentative body, and their ſucceſſors all the godly and holy Miniſters and Presbyters, and gives unto them the ſame power and Authority, to judge and determine of all things belonging unto faith and manners that was obſerved in the Jewiſh church, in all Eccleſiaſticall Diſcipline. For otherwiſe, the Chriſtian church ſhould be inferior to that of the Jews, if they had not the ſame Priviledges for the cenſuring of manners and Doctrines, and the ſame power of juriſdiction and ruling that they had. Now all power of juriſdiction among the Jews, was exerciſed not by the promiſcuous multitude, or by the whole congregation, nor by any particular man, nor by two or three (as the place above ſpecifies) but by an Aſſembly, Senate, Councell, or Presbytery, of underſtanding men aſſigned to that purpoſe, which our Saviour himſelf calleth a Church; & this government eſtabliſhed in the Chriſtian church, are the ſeverall Presbyteries, where all things are tranſacted by common and joynt conſent: and this was the practiſe of the Apoſtles at Ieruſalem, who did all buſineſſe of publike concernment, by common and joynt conſent, as is manifeſt, in the firſt chap. of the Acts, in chuſing of an Apoſtle in Iudas his place, and in the 5. chap. in cenſuring Annanias and Saphira and in the 6. chap. in chuſing Deacons, and in the 15. chapter in determining the queſtion there in hand, all in a Presbyterian way and by common conſent.