A Public Disputation of Sundry Days, Title page – To the reader
A PUBLICK DISPUTATION SUNDRY DAYES At Killingworth in Warwick-ſhire, betwixt JOHN BRYAN, Doctor in Divinity (Miniſter at Coventry) and JOHN ONLEY, Paſtor of a Church at Lawford.
Upon this Queſtion, Whether the Pariſhes of this Nation generally be true Churches.
Wherin are Nine Arguments alleged in proof of the Affirmative of the Queſtion, with the Anſwer of 1. 0. thereunto, together with Doctor B. Reply.
Alſo an Addition of ten Arguments more in further proof of the Queſtion, with an Anſwer adjoyned in diſproof thereof.
Try all things, hold faſt that which is good. 1 Theſ. 5. 21.
Publiſhed by both their conſents, as appears by the enſuing Epiſtles.
LONDON, Printed for W. Larnar and are to be Sold at the Black-Mores-Head at Fleet-Bridge. 1655.
The Epiſtle to the Reader.
SInce the everlaſting God, of the inflnit riches of his grace, hath been pleaſed to diſcover what Babylon is;
The Hearts, Pens, Tongues of many have been exerciſed, in diſcovering what they conceived Sion to be.
Amongſt which Doctor Bryan hath been one who hath indeavoured in ſeveral Lectures to prove, that the Parochial Aſſemblies are true Churches, her Miniſtry true Miniſters, and that none may publickly Preach, but ſuch as are Miniſters in Office; all which being contrary, to truth in my apprehenſion, I thought my ſelf bound in conſcience (eſpecially many giving out, that it we had any thing to ſay for our ſelves, why did we not ſpeak) both to vindicate what I apprehended to be truth (that was there cry'd down as error) as alſo to teſtifie againſt that which was falſe, (that was there Preached up as truth.)
And in the cloſe of the ſecond days diſputation, it was deſired by the Doctor, that I would ſtate ſome queſtions, and appoint a Day onelyonly to diſpute, and accordingly I did, and ſtated two, viz.
1. Whether the Pariſhes of this Nation generally be true Churches?
2. Whether every Brother (though no Elder) that hath received abilities from God, whereby he is in abled to Preach, may publickly Preach, which was conſented to, I being Reſpondent in the firſt, and Opponent in the ſecond; which Day being come, Nine Arguments were brought by the Doctor in vindication of the affirmative of the firſt queſtion, which when half our time was ſpent in debate of the two firſt, I moved for the reſt of the time to oppoſe in the ſecond, which was granted, onelyonly with a motion for the reading of the other ſeven to the Congregation, to which I conſented, onelyonly deſiring a Copy of the Arguments undiſputed of, to return an anſwer to be likewiſe publickly read the next meeting Day, which was granted, according to which I drew up a Reply, and read it to the Congregation (that very ſame that is here Printed, not once thinking that ever it ſhould appear in Print) immediatly after the reading of which, a Gentleman then preſent deſired it might be Printed, and deſired me to motion it to the Doctor, which I did; to which he replyed, if he might reply he was willing, but he had twelve Arguments more in proof of the queſtion, to which I replyed, I was contented, he ſhould reply to my anſwer to the Nine firſt without my Rejoynder, provided, I might anſwer to the Twelve laſt without his Reply, onelyonly till they were Printed, and then each ſhould be at liberty to write what he pleaſed; which was conſented to, which when I had finiſhed my Anſwer to the Ten laſt, and the Doctor his Reply to my anſwer to the Nine firſt, we joyned them together, to be Printed in one volumn, ſo that this work is publiſhed by both our conſents; and this is the occaſion of this Treatiſe, thus unwontedly comming forth, which I thought neceſſary to inform thee of.
Now that the Pariſhes of this Nation are falſe Churches, and that they never had a Goſpel Conſtitution, that her Miniſtry is a falſe Miniſtry, and that they are not that Mountain that ſhall be eſtabliſhed on the top of all Mountains, to which the deſire of all Nations ſhall come, I beg not thy conſent to concur with my judgement therein; but whether the Nineteen Arguments be ſufficient to prove it, or the Anſwers thereto to overthrow it, I humbly refer to the judicious to Judge.
JOHN ONLEY.