A Little Stone Found to be Counterfeit, Title page – List of scriptures

A Little Stone Found to be Counterfeit · Title page – List of scriptures

A LITLE STONE, Pretended to be out of the MOUNTAIN, Tried, and found to be a Counterfeit. OR AN EXAMINATION & REFƲTATION OF M^r. LOCKYERS LECTURE, Preached at Edinburgh, ANNO 1651. Concerning the MATER of the VISIBLE CHURCH. And afterwards Printed with an APPENDIX for Popular Government of ſingle CONGREGATIONS. Together with an EXAMINATION, in two APPENDICES, Of what is ſaid on theſe ſame purpoſes in a LETTER of ſome in Aberdene, who lately have departed from the Communion and Government of this CHURCH.

By JAMES WOOD, Profeſſor of Theol. in S. Andrews.

EDINBƲRGH, Printed by ANDRO ANDERSON, for George Suintoun, and Robert Broun, and are to be ſold at their Shops, 1654.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, JOHN EARLE of CASSILS▪ LORD KENNEDY▪

My Lord

WHat the wiſe obſerving King uttered long agoe, that of making of Books there is no end, was never more verified in any then it is in the preſent age, wherein, ſcribunt docti indoctique, every ſmatterer and every fancie-full head muſt have the Preſſe travel to bring forth their froathy conceptions: And Preſſes by many are made uſe of as engines to diſcharge revylings, reproaches, and blaſphemies againſt the God of Heaven, his bleſſed Truths, wayes and Ordinances. For my ſelf, I can ſay in truth, it hath not hitherto been my ambition to increaſe wearineſſe of the fleſh by much Reading: And that now I come this way to the worlds view, 'tis not of mine own meer choiſe, but becauſe a neceſſity was laid upon me. The Author with whom I have to do in this enſueing debate, having not only opened his mouth to Preach in the most eminent-place in this Land, but alſo adventured to Write and Print againſt the Orthodox Doctrine touching the conſtitution and Government of the Viſible Church of Chriſt, revileing in ſpeciall the Church in this Land (yet through its ſide alſo ſtricking at all the Orthodox Churches in Europe) as no Church, but a dead carcaſſe having neither matter nor form of a true Church; a neſt of unclean birds, idolatrous, &c. And thereupon charging with a great deal of confidence and big words, all truely Godly to come out of it and to ſeparate from it. It was by ſome Reverend and Godly men thought expedient, that (altho there appear little or nothing in what is ſaid by him, which may brangle the mind of any judicious Reader: Yet becauſe it is a thing uſuall to adverſaries of the Truth, if what they ſay, be it never ſo weak, get not an Anſwer, to brag of it as unanſwerable; And unſettled minds that have not their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evill, are ready to be taken with any thing busked up with gay words, and ſo to be carried about, like weather-Cocks with every wind of Doctrine, as many ſad examples of this time prove,) an Anſwer ſhould be returned to him, leſt truth ſhould ſo much as ſeem to ſuffer prejudice any way. And this taske they were pleaſed to lay upon me. Who albeit I do, and cannot but ingenuouſly acknowledge my ſelf one of the leaſt and weakeſt Servants of Chriſt, and that many others there are in this Church, who might far more worthily acquit themſelves in this ſervice: Yet durſt not withſtand the motion, having ſo clear a Calling, and conſidering withall how I ſtand oblidged, in my ſtation, to maintain the true Religion, in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government, by the mercy of God eſtabliſhed amongſt us, in common with the reſt of the Lords people in the Land, by Solemn Vow and Covenant, and more particularly by the Lords bringing me, who had been in my younger years educated, as to many things, in a contrary way, to the acknowledgment of …he truth, in a very gracious manner, with a ſtrong hand, and in much long-ſuffering patience, whereby he waited to be gracious, that he might be exalted in ſhewing mercy on me.

Haply it will be matter of talking to ſome, that this of mine has been ſo long in coming forth after M^r. Lockier publiſhed his. But it is not unknown to many who have been witneſſes to my diligence, that my Anſwer was in readineſſe within a few Moneths after his Peece came to my hands, and the task was laid upon me. And had come abroad if ſeveral difficulties had not interveened,

Now when it is to be publiſhed, I deſire humbly to preſent it to your Lordſhip firſt, and under your Honourable name to the view of the world. I muſt ſpare to expreſſe all the great cauſes oblidging me ſo to do: Becauſe to expreſſe them would not only be, haply inexpedient; But alſo would be, I know, unſavoury to your ſelf, whom I have alwayes found deſirous to aprove your ſelf in reality of wel doing, but never liking well to hear of other mens euges. Only this much I cannot forbear and muſt begge your Lordſhips leave to ſay. The perſonall obligations which you have laid upon me by a continued tract of undeſerved reſpects, ever ſince the firſt time I was known to your Lordſhip, would require a worthier teſtimony of acknowledgment, then is this mean preſent, or any thing elſe my ſmall ſtore of abilities can afford. But to ſpeak truth, it is not ſo much any perſonall concernment that hath engaged my heart to your Lordſhip, as that which hath endeared you to all who know the truth and you: That grace which God hath vouchſafed upon you to walk in tenderneſſe and cloſeneſſe with himſelf in your privat courſe and with conſtant zeal to improve your publick ſtation wherein ye have ſtood, for promoving the intereſt of Religion and righteouſneſſe and the good of Gods people without byaſſe or wavering in any revolution of times (wherewith many turning upon the axletree of their own ſelf-intereſts, have whirled about) the ſweet fruit whereof, I doubt not but you find in theſe glowmie dayes, and truſt ſhall abide with you to the end, through the mercy of the Lord whoſe gifts and graces are without repentance.

I will not adventure upon ſuch ſevere ſelf-denyedneſſe to ſpeak more of what I have had the happineſſe to be acquainted with, in your Lordſhip. I hope this teſtimony of my ſenſe of the obligation I ly under to honour your Lordſhip ſhal finde favourable acceptance at your hands. I will not preſume (for indeed it were preſumption) to commend my work in it: I pretend to nothing therein, but that, through the Grace of God, I have ingenuouſly and in ſimplicity, tho in much weakneſſe, ſpoken for truth: But the matter it ſelf is precious and of great weight, conſiſting of two great intereſts of Chriſt Jeſus his Viſible Church, which is his Viſible Kingdom on earth. The one touching the qualifications of the perſons that are to be acknowledged members of his Viſible Church, and ſo, in effect, comes to be a Queſtion de ſinibus, of the marches of his Viſible Kingdom: The other touching the matter and way of the externall Viſible Government thereof.

As to the former, my Author has ſo ſtraitned the bounds of Chriſts Viſible Church, that by his ſentence none are to be acknowledged as members thereof, and conſequently to be under the Miniſteriall diſpenſation of the publick Ordinances of Chriſt, the ordinary means of ſaving ſouls, but ſuch as are already and antecedently found to be ſavingly converted, regenerated and ſealed of God for his by the Holy Spirit, if not in the truth of the object (which yet moſt part of his reaſoning and diſcourſe pleads for) yet in the poſitive judgement of very ſpirituall and diſcerning men: And that as ſome others of his way further lay out the matter, upon triall and proof thereof given, by a converſation led without the omiſſion of any known duty, or commiſſion of any known ſin: A publick declaration of their knowledge in the fundamentalls and of other points of Religion neceſſary to lead a life without ſcandall, together with a narration of the experimentall work of their Effectuall Calling unto Repentance and faith: And all Churches that are not conſtituted of only ſuch matter as this, are, to our Author, wrong conſtitute. In the former part of this Examination, my labour is to diſcover the unwarrantablneſſe and contrariety of this Tenent, to the Word of God; And to ſhew that all who being of years does ſeriouſly profeſſe the Chriſtian faith, and ſubjection to be diſciplin'd and governed by the Ordinances of Chriſt, ought to be admitted into the fellowſhip of his Viſible Church, without any neceſſity of puting them to a triall touching their inward ſpirituall eſtate, and judging upon the ſame whether regenerat or not, as to that effect: And are to be dealt with, by Paſtours and privat Chriſtians in their reſpective wayes as theſe that are foreign within, 1 Cor. 5. 12. Upon this point I have inſiſted the more largely, becauſe not ſo fully and of purpoſe handled by others before. And it is, of a truth, of greater importance then many are awarre of. 'Tis far from my thoughts to charge our Independent Brethren with any perverſe deſigne in taking up and following that opinion which I diſpute againſt. Many of them, known to me by their writings, eſpecially theſe worthy Miniſters in New-England, Cotton, Hooker, Shepheard, Norton, &c. I do from my heart reverence as godly and faithfull Servants of Chriſt, and as burning and ſhining lights in the Reformed Church: But I think verily, the ſpecious notion of a pure Viſible Church has duzled their eyes, and led them upon a way which in it ſelf, beſide that it hath no warrand in the Word of God, ſhould it get footing in the world, tends to the ruine & loſs of many ſouls, and to the bringing of the greateſt prejudice to the preſent Cauſe and Churches, that any thing ever yet did ſince the firſt Reformation from Popery: And I am perſwaded that, albeit the intention of thoſe holy and reverend men abettors of it, be honeſt and from ſimplicity of heart; Yet Satan is under-board (let no man offend at this I ſay, Peters example teacheth us, that Satan may abuſe good mens zeal and intentions for Chriſt to wicked ends, contrair to his Cauſe) Satan, I ſay, is under-board driving that wicked deſigne. For if that be the the rule and modell of conſtituting the Viſible Church, which they give us, are not all the Reformed Churches by this means condemned of wrong conſtitution, & razed out of the account of true Viſible Churches, as not being conformed, nor ever having been ſet up according to that modell? And what could more gratifie the Roman Antichriſt and his followers then to yeeld this? Again, is there not hereby a ground laid to Queſtion all Adminiſtration of Ordinances that has been in them, and to juſtifie the wilde fancy of Seekers, denying that there is, or hath been for many ages any Church or Ordinances in the world? Moreover when as none of the Reformed Churches at this day are thus conſtitute, if that modell ſhould have place, muſt not either all of them be diſſolved and caſt down to the ground, that new ones may be reared up of ſome few precious ones picked out of their ruines, or to the effect they may conſiſt only of perſons regenerated and ſealed by the Spirit, all other perſons who, albeit they profeſſe the truth, ſubject themſelves to Ordinances, yet come not up ſo far as to obtain a poſitive ſentence, that they are regenerat, upon ſuch foreign, evidences, as theſe men require, muſt be all caſt out and baniſhed the Church, put amongſt thoſe that are foreign, without, 1 Cor. 5. 12, left deſtitute of the cuſtody of ſpiritual Diſcipline, Paſtorall inſtruction, inſpection, and authority: And ſo expoſed to be a prey to Satan and his Emiſſaries, Jeſuits, Hereticks and erroneous ſpirits whatſoever, to be led away unto what ſoever pernicious ſoul-deſtroying errours, or to turn black Atheiſts? That this is no needleſſe fear, but a reall conſequent of this way, is too too clear, by the ſad examples of many in theſe times, who living without the pale of true Viſible Churches and not ſubject to the ſhepheards ſtaffe and vigilancy, are run out into ſo many wilde errours in Religion as never age of the Chriſtian Church ſaw the like. Touching the other head, the Author in his Appendix pleadeth for two things. 1. That the power and exerciſe of Church Government, ſhould be in the hands of the whole body, or community of Profeſſours as well as of the Officers appointed by Chriſt in the Church. A Tenent not heard of in the Chriſtian Church, untill Morellius in France, Anabaptiſts, and Browniſts fancied it, and, as contrary to the Word of God (which to Miniſters and other Officers appointed by Chriſt in his Church as contradiſtinguiſhed from common Profeſſours, attributeth the name of Rulers, injoyns the work of Ruling, and preſcribes the rules of right governing, but never to the people) ſo cannot but unavoidably draw after it much confuſion and frequent ſchiſms in the Church of God, whereof experience affordeth plenty of examples. 2. That this power of Government ſhould be ſolely, intirely, …nd Independently in a ſingle Congregation. A Tenent that beſides the contrariety thereof to the Word of God and the very light of nature, carrieth with it a multitude of groſs abſurdities and inconveniencies. By this means let a particular Congregation of 30. or 20. or fewer, 10. or 7. perſons (for of ſo few may a Church, as our Brethren ſay, be compleatly conſtitute) run into never ſo groſſe an errour, as to Excommunicate a perſon unjuſtly, to hold and maintain Hereſie in Doctrine, to ſet up idolatrous worſhip, there is no Eccleſiaſtick authoritative remedy left under Heaven to rectifie it: All Church-communion amongſt the Churches of Chriſt is taken away: The unity of Chriſts ſheep-fold, the Viſible Church upon earth is diſſolved, and Chriſt ſhould have as many viſible bodies as there are particular Congregations: A Miniſter could not perform any Miniſteriall act out of his own Congregation: Not Preach but as a privat gifted Brother: Not Adminiſter the Sacraments out of his own Congregation, nor give the Sacrament to a member of another Congregation (as M^r. Hooker ingenuouſly acknowledges, Surv. Part. 2.) admiſſion and ejection of members ſhould only be into, and from a particular Congregation: A child ſhould be Baptized into a particular Congregation only, and not into the Univerſall Church: And one Excommunicated, caſt out only of a particular Congregation, becauſe the power extends no further: Way is made to let in all errours and hereſies, and as many Religions as there are particular Congregations, and none can hinder it in an Eccleſiaſtick way, and many more abſurdities ſhould follow, as Learned and Godly men have judiciouſly obſerved. Contrair to thoſe Aſſertions, is my ſecond Part imployed for vindication of the true way of Government which Chriſt has instituted in his Word, and in great mercy ſet up in this Church, to wit, by his Miniſters and Officers, not Lording over the people of God in a Papall or Prelaticall way (as this Author either miſtakes or calumniats) but Miniſterially under Chriſt the only Lord of his Church, Ruling them according to the Rule of his Word, in a way of rationall obedience: And that in a way of communion and aſſociation of Churches, and ſubordination of leſſer aſſociations unto greater and larger, as the Lord grants by his providence conveniency. On this I have not inſiſted ſo largly as the matter it ſelf might afforded occaſion of diſcourſe. Becauſe it has been by learned and reverend men already ſo fully debated, the proofs of the truth ſo clearly made out, and all contrary Objections ſo abundantly diſcuſſed and ſatisfied, that I had little or nothing to adde: Yet I truſt I have through the Lords help, in ſome meaſure, diſcovered the inſufficiency and invalidity of what is brought by this Author, who, I wonder much ſhould have adventured to preſent the world with ſuch a diſcourſe upon the mater after ſo learned labours of others, as are extant upon the ſame.

I have alſo in two Appendices taken into conſideration what is ſaid upon theſe ſame points by ſome in Aberdene lately turned aſide from the truth, in a Letter of theirs directed to ſome Godly men in the South, May 1652. The reaſons moving me hereto were 1. Becauſe of their correſpondence with M^r. Lockiers Peece, and it ſeemeth they have been in a manner his proſelytes. Then having ſome time had more particular and intimat acquaintance with ſome of them, it would be to me mater of much rejoicing in the Lord, if I could be inſtrumentall to diſcover to them the we kneſſe of the grounds whereupon they have fallen from their ſtedfaſtneſſe, that ſo, if poſſible, which I wiſh from my heart, they might be moved to remember whence they have fallen, to repent and to do their firſt works: And finally t… what ever ſhould be the effect as to them, the irrelevancy … the cauſes of their departure, being laid open, others might ſee no cauſe why any ſhould be ſhaken with their fall. And bleſſed be God there are not yet many in this Land, that have followed them in this. What may be afterward, the Lord who ſees the thoughts of mens hearts afar off knoweth. Times indeed are ſifting: And the ignorance of many, the baſe earthly time ſerving minds of others, unadviſed principles in ſome, who, may be ſees not yet the far end of their conſequences, may prove an advantage to ſeducements & produce more defection from the profeſſion of the truth, if temptations continue, then as yet we have ſeen. But let temptations and trialls be what they will, the Cauſe of Chriſt, even that part of it which I ſtand for here, the order & Government of this Church, which he has appointed in his Word, and thereby made known to this Church, ſhal ſtand firm. It has been a cup of trembling to all that have hitherto laid ſiege againſt it, and a burdenſome ſtone to all that have at any time burdened themſelves w…h it, to cut them in pieces: & it will yet prove ſo to all who will adventure to do the like. And turn their back upon it who will, Chriſt will not want his witneſſes to bear witneſs unto it; Even if need be, by not loving their lives unto the death. And O but that man might count himſelf highly favoured of God, whom he ſhould honour with that dignity! as that eminent ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt Mr. Welſch ſpoke in relation to himſelf of ſuffering for ſome branches of the ſame cauſe, w…ged in his time. But having detained your Lordſhip too …, I preſent this teſtimony, I have given to it according to my weak meaſure, to you, commending it not only to your favourable acceptance but alſo to your judicious cenſure, and your ſelf unto the Grace of God who has called you unto the u…ained love of the truth, and is able to preſerve you therein …lameable unto the end. I am

Your Lordſ… moſt humble Servant in the Lord, James Wood.

AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.

ALbeit it hath pleaſed Mr. Lockier to prefixe unto his Book two Epiſtles of his own, and a third of three of his friends, containing many ſharp invectives againſt this Church, and ſtrange Commentaries upon the Lords diſpenſations toward us, as ſtriking againſt our Church conſtitution and Government: Yet I ſhall not detain the Reader with ſcanning of the ſame, being confident that upon the clearing and vindicating of the truth in the following Treatiſe, theſe diſcourſes will be found by the Godly and Judicious to be not only bitter againſt Brethren in affliction (proving them to be Phyſitians of no value) but injurious to God and his Truth, in aſcribing our calamities to our adhering thereto, and judging of the truth of our Religion by the Lords outward diſpenſations toward us.

An Index of the Sections.

PART. I. Concerning the Mater of the Viſible Kirk.

SECT. I. MR. Lockier his Analyſis and explication of the Text, Act. 15. 3. for laying a ground to his Doctrine concerning the Mater of the Viſible Kirk, conſidered. p. 1.

SECT. II. His Doctrine pondered and the ſtate of the controverſie between us and the Independent Brethren touching the neceſſary qualification of Members of the Viſible Kirk cleared. p. 16.

SECT. III. His firſt Claſſe of Arguments from Act. 9. 26. and 2. 47. and Heb. 3. 5, 6. brought as directly holding forth his Doctrine, Anſwered. p. 31.

SECT. IV. The Authors Texts which he calls hints and ſhadows of his Doctrine. p. 40.

SECT. V. Examination of the proof of his Doctrine by induction. p. 56,

SECT. VI. Examinatiō of his proofs brought under the name of reaſon. p. 83

SECT. VII. A ſhort modeſt reply to the bitter uſe he maketh of his Doctrine. p. 102.

SECT. VIII. The Objections he maketh to himſelf and his Anſwers thereto, conſidered. p. 107.

SECT. IX. Some Arguments confirming our Doctrine and everting the adverſe opinion about the neceſſary qualification of Members of the Viſible Kirk. p. 127.

APPEND. Wherein is Examined ſo muc… foreign that Letter, written by theſe of Aberdene, who lately have ſep…ted from this Kirk upon the Independent grounds, as relateth to the p…ſent Queſtion touching the neceſſary qualification of Members of the Viſible Kirk. p. 168.

PART. II. Concerning Kirk Government.

SECT. I. MR. Lockier his firſt Aſſertion. That the Elderſhip within a particular Congregation is not in moſt weighty things to exert power without the conſent and approbation of the Kirk whereof they are, conſidered. p. 194.

SECT. II. Examination of his 1, 2, 3, 4. Argument. p. 203.

SECT. III. His 5, Argument diſcuſſed. p. 226.

SECT. IV. His Argument from common teſtimony conſidered and Anſwered. p. 251.

SECT. V. His Anſwers to ſome Objections made againſt his Aſſertion from ſome Paſſages of Scripture, examined. p. 255.

SECT. VI. His Anſwers to ſome other Objections made by way of reaſon, examined. p. 263.

SECT. VII. His ſecond Aſſertion touching Presbyteries of many particular Congregations combined, and the true ſtate of the controverſie touching this mater betweeen Presbyterians and Independents laid forth. p. 283.

SECT. VIII. His firſt ground againſt a Presbytery having authoritative juridicall power over more Congregations, that it is without foundation in the Word, examined. p. 288.

SECT. IX. Examination of his 2. medium, that what power of ruling an Elderſhip hath, it hath it in the ſame extent with its Paſtorall power. p. 311.

SECT. X. Examination of his 3. medium, that it deſtroyes the end for which Kirk power is. p. 317.

SECT. XI. Examination of his 4. medium, that a particular Congregation is compleat and ſufficient in it ſelf without an aſſociate Presbytery over more Congregations. p. 325.

SECT. XII. A reply to his Anſwers to ſome Objections wherein ſeparation from, not only the Kirk of Scotland, but all the Proteſtant Presbyterian Kirks, as Idolatrous, is driven at. p. 340.

APPEND. Wherein is Examined what is ſaid in the forementioned Letter of the new Independents of Aberdene, for the Independent Congregationall, and againſt the Presbyteriall way of Kirk-Government. p. 360.

AN INDEX Of the places of SCRIPTURE Vindicated or Explained.

p. 1EXAMINATION OF M^r. LOCKYERS LECTURE on ACTS 15. Verſ. 3. Concerning the MATTER of the VISIBLE CHURCH.