The Utter Routing of the Whole Army of All the Independents and Sectaries

TO My dear friend D ^r Bastwick, on the Frontispeice of his Book Intituled, The Utter Routing of all the Independent Army &c.

TO My worthy and learned friend Doctor Bastwick, on his book entitled, The Utter Routing of all the Independent Army, &c.

ON The approved & transcendent worth of my dear and faithful friend Dr Bastwick,

TO The Victorious Worthy M ^r John Bastwick, D ^r in Physic, and Captain in the Presbyterian Army, upon His industrious and learned Book entitled The Utter Routing of all the Independent Army, &c.

THE ERRATA.

To the Ingenuous READER.

W HEN it was but noised abroad, after my return from my last imprisonment, that I was writing against Independency, it would exceed belief if. I should relate the indignation of all that party, and their several expressions of the same against me, so that at that time there were no less nor fewer ignominious calumnies cast upon me, nor more variety of virulent censures given out against me, then were uttered by them all to my disparagement, upon the late coming forth, but of the Title and Frontispiece of the ensuing Discourse, many of them affirming, that I was a vain glorious wicked fellow, that I was mad, that I was a base rogue, and that I deserved hanging, and that I would never be quiet till I were hanged, with innumerable other unchristian expression of like nature. So that it seems, it is a greater piaculum by far now to write against the Independents and Sectaries then scandalum magnatum was a few years since.

Truly at that time, I could scarce pass by any of them (as I cannot at this day) without some contumely or other, all which I bear with patience. And amongst others, I could never meet my Brother Burton, but he would always after his salutation, in a deriding and scornful manner, ask me, when my Book came forth, telling me that he expected some Monster.

It seems, he thought I was bringing forth such a prodigious brat as he not long after laid at my door, which though it were a Monster indeed borne with teeth and nails, and did nothing but scratch and bite me, yet coming from his loins my Brother and quondam Fellow-sufferer, I gave it entertainment, and for the love I bear to him, I have ever since danled it upon the knee of my election: Now as soon as I had satisfied his expectation, and sent him my Book so long looked for, he very liberally expressed his thanks for it, and his opinion concerning both it and myself, and that with many opprobrious words; amidst others he asserted, I was crazed in my brain, and that I had need of some hellebore, and spake of me as an Apostate and a Persecutor, who before he new my differing opinion from him, both prayed for me, and immoderately praised me, such is the uncertainty of all that is under the Sun, there being no stability in any creature; and withal, he triumphed that he would give me a speedy answer, making nothing of what I had written (as it is usual with all the Independents to vilipend and slight whatsoever the Presbyterians either speak or write) and meeting with another Independent not many days after, he told me that there were twenty pens at work against me, and that I should have my hands full. And howsoever it was some months before I heard from any of them in print, yet all that interim they whetted their tongues against me like so many Razors, Swords and Arrows to wound me in my reputation; yea, there was scarce a weapon in all the arsenall of calumny that they used not against me.

Now after some months one Hanserdo Knollys coming to me, told me he had writ a moderate Answer unto my Book, complaing that the Presses were all shut against them (though the whole Kingdom know, and their daily scriblings in print can witness the contrary; whereupon, to take away (if it were possible) all occasion of their calumnious tongues, I writ unto Reverend and Learned Master Cranford, entreating him that he would for the stopping of all their mouths license his Book, which he willingly, to pleasure me condescended unto, giving his reason withal in writing under his own hand why he made such a transgression, the which Master Knollys concealed, wherein he dealt not candidly, for it gave great occasion to the Sectaries to traduce Master Cranford not a little. And after this was printed, came forth another Pamphlet by one I. S. called Flagellum Flagolli, or Doctor Bastwicks quarters beaten up, which was the cause of the Title and Inscription of this Book; and I being not many weeks after at Westminster, some asking me there why I had not yet replied unto them, I answered not in a triumphing manner (as my brother Burton relateth) but merrily, yet in respectful terms, that I understood my Brother Burtons Book was coming forth against me, and when once that appeared I would answer them altogether. This is all as I remember was spake by me.

Now they having their Emissaries and Lisners in all corners, it seems some of them over-heard that which was spoken by me, which they related to my Brother Burton in other language then I uttered it, the which provoked him a fresh (as he saith, page 1.) in ar • nam descendere, and to take both my books in hand, and so una fidelia duos parietes; and although he was dissuaded from fowling his fingers with my Post-script (as he confesseth) yet being (as he saith) bound by a double engagement, the one for the cause, the other for his person, he hasted at length as fast as before he was slow to give me an answer to them both; and howsoever I had not so much as named him in either of my Books, but only sent him them (he having desired it) yet he being not capable of the good counsel that was given him by his friend, fouled not only his fingers with me, but the whole man, soul and body, picking a groundless quarrel with me, telling me though I named him not, that I had vellicated him, and plucked him by the very beard; and as the Prelate of Canterbury said once, that when I writ against the Pope I meant him; so my Brother Burton imagined I meant him, because in my Post-script, pag. 44. I had these words, that not only the Novices, Younkers, and Fresh-water soldiers, but grave men in their great white-basket-hilted Beards with their swords in their hands came out to fight against their brethren for their Independency, &c. which merry expression of mine, though I spake in the number of multitude, he applying unto himself, affirms, that I meant him, as if there had been none amongst the Independent in white-basket-hilted▪beards but himself, which moved him to great choler and indignation against me, and so enraged him, that he showeth nothing but passion through his whole Book (as will easily appear to everyone that readeth it) in the which he tells me that the Wise man saith, Prov. 20. ver. 29. & 16. 31. the beauty of old men is their gray head, yea a crown of Glory being found in the way of Righteousness, which I shall ever assent unto; but if a gray head be found in the way of error, Schism and Unrighteousness; then that place is not for his purpose. Now I shall refer these two Questions or Queries to the judgment of all solid Christians.

First, Whether or no my Brother Burton be found in the way of Righteousness?

Secondly, Whether Independency be the way of Righteousness?

And to begin with the first; in the second page of his Book he promiseth me, that I shall not find with him so much as a white staff to lift up against me, and yet in the seventh pag. he comes out against me with Phocions black Hatchet, which is his Pole-axe, with which he falls upon me soul and body, cleaving both my head and heart, sparing no part of me; and in the same second page he promiseth me that he will answer me in the words of truth and soberness, and in the spirit of meekness and love.

These are his words; who would not think, that should hear him speak, but that he herad the sweet voice of Jacob? yet if he look but into his Book, before he cometh half way to the conclusion, he will soon see the rough hands of Esau, and well perceive that he answers me in the words of error and passion; and in the spirit of bitterness, insolency, and hatred, and that he hath learned that Lesson well Calumniare audacter, aliquid haerebit, calumniate boldly, something will stick, which he hath done with as much acrimony, as I think any man ever did against a Brother, and quondam Fellow-sufferer, all which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hard and harsh terms; I can no less then spread before the Lord, the Righteous judge ever remembering Regium est male audire cum been feceris. Now whether or no my Brother Burton in breaking thus his promise with me in all respects, and dealing so unrighteously and injuriously with me, though he come out in his beautiful Gray Head, be found in the way of Righteousness, and be one of those men Solomon speaketh of, I refer it to the judgment of the Learned.

But before I pass on to my second Query, I shall take liberty to make use of some of Reverend and Learned Master Calamies words for the more corroborating the judgment of the Reader concerning this first question: He in his just and necessary Apology against my Brother Burtons unjuct invective concerning Truth shut out of doors, page 2. hath this expression concerning my brother Burton. His words (saith he) are swords and spears, rather then words. He fights with his heels, rather then with his head, and kicks rather then argues, and whips rather then answers. Scarce any man since Montagues Appeal hath written with more bitterness. I may say of him as Dr Rivet doth of Bishop Montague, Non potest vir ill sine convitiis quenquam a quo dissentit vel in levissimis nominare, Rivet. Apol. this man cannot so much as mention any one from whom he differs in opinion, though it be but in the slightest matters, without reproach. And as Plato said to Diogenes, when he trode upon the pride of Plato, thou treadest upon my pride with a greater pride: So (saith Master Calamy) doth Mr Burton tread upon me, and whatsoever is blame-worthy in me, with a pride more then episcopal; and surely if to be railed upon and reviled be sufficient to bring a man into discredit, then I must be esteemed as the dung, off▪scouring, and filth of the world, &c.

Thus that learned man truly spake of my brother Burton, whose faculty chiefly lies in abusing most men that differ from him, though but in the least things.

But what Mr Calamy says of him, may also truly be said of Cretensis and all those of that fraternity, whose words are swords and spears, who all fight rather with their heels, then with their heads, and kick rather then argue, and whip rather then answer. Whether therefore such men as my brother Burton and his complices, though they come to us in gray heads, be found in the way of righteousness, when their dealings are so palpably unjust, and their opinions so schismatical, heretical and erroneous, I leave it to the judgment of all such as know what the way of righteousness is.

And now I come to my second query: viz. Whether the way of Independency be the way of righteousness?

My brother Burton writing in the name of all the Independents, pretends unto the people, and would make the world believe, that they are all Dependent upon God's Word for all their proceedings, and affirms moreover in the fifth page, that all their new gathered Churches and several Congregations are all Dependent one upon another, both which assertions of his are most false, as will evidently appear to all those that know their practices and will vouchsafe but to read the ensuing discourse, where they shall find, that they have neither precept nor president for their way of Independency in all God's holy Word, and that there is not so much as one example in all the sacred Scriptures for any of their new practices▪ wherein they differ from us; and which is more that they all of them withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousness: How then can the way of Independency be the way of righteousness, when it is a deviation from that way, as by their practices will be evidenced; therefore for the confirmation of what I have now said, I will briefly examine some of their proceedings, and first whereas my brother Burton affirmeth that all their Churches are Dependent one upon another.

This I say is most false. For all their proceedings in their several congregations are carried on in an arbitrary way; whatsoever they publish in their writings and pretend to the people (as all the learned and those that are acquainted with their method well know); So that it lies in any one of their Churches breasts, and is at their pleasure, whether they will so much as confer or consult with each other; and if they do at any time vouchsafe one another that courtesy, yet it is still voluntary whether they will give each other an account of either their censures or proceedings (for they all pretend as absolute a sovereignty and jurisdiction within themselves severally as any free-states or common-wealths) & have no authority one over another, neither can they appeal for any relief if wronged, one to or from another: And if any Member in any one of those Churches, or any one of those Churches divided amongst themselves, or upon some eminent received wrong should fondly complain to another neighbor Church, that Church hath no power to relieve them no more then one private man can relieve another if he should be appealed to by another; And if that Church should desire an account of the other Churches proceedings, that Church may refuse it, if it please them. But if to gratify their desire, that Church should vouchsafe to condescend so far unto the other Church, as to give them a reason of their proceedings; all this is but gratis, and out of their good nature; they have still no power to call that Church in question that hath done the wrong, if that Church stands upon its points and privileges, and saith that they have nothing to do with them. And what then is to be done in this case? Then forsooth, they will withdraw communion from that Church, which, say they, is the highest censure any one Church can proceed to against another Church. Is not this, I pray, fine Dependency? What more unrighteous dealing can be found in the world then this of the Independents, to profess themselves Independents, and yet to pretend a Dependency? And when that comes to the trial, they have no more real Dependency one upon another, then we have with them? Yea, what a great unrighteousness is this to pretend a Dependency one upon another and a communion amongst their new gathered Churches, when it is well known there is no more union and communion, nor true friendship amongst them then was between Herod and Pilate, they refusing the right hand of fellowship each to other in many of them? Yea they are deadly enemies one to another, as can sufficiently be proved (although they all agree together to persecute the Presbyterians, as Herod and Pilate did well accord to persecute Christ); For I myself have heard the Independents protest against the Brownists, Anabaptists, Antinomians, and Seekers, and many other of the new fraternities, proclaiming them all Sectaries: And on the other side, I have heard those several societies rail against all the Independents, especially those Homothumadon dissenting brethren in the reverend Assembly, saying, that they had a better and a more charitable esteem of any of the Presbyterian Ministers then of them, and they do unanimously accuse all the Ministers of New -England of as great tyranny as the Prelates: And it is well known, that many of the Independent congregations here amongst us have their different laws and customs, everyone of them dissenting more or less from each other in their several new gathered Churches; yea they are ignorant of each others practices: For my Brother Burton and I. S. know not that the women in some of their congregations have their voices there; and yet it can be proved, that they also have Peters keys at their girdles as well as any of their Presbyters: And therefore their new Churches are not Dependent one upon another, as my brother Burton asserteth Page the fifth, when as they all of them exercise an absolute sovereignty amongst themselves Independent: What unrighteousness then is this in my brother Burton and in all the Independents to affirm that in all their Churches there is a Dependent Independency, or an Independent Dependency, which is but a contradictory bull at best, at the baiting whereof a man, if he regarded not misspending his time, might make far better sport, then he did some years since, in baiting the Popes Bull.

The truth is, as their Religion is but a mere Babel, so all their language is confounded, and they are divided in their opinions, principles and practices, they being all really Independent: And therefore whether the way of Independency be the way of righteousness, where they are so unrighteous in all their proceedings, and when they say one thing and do and practice another, and when they withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousness, as all the Independent Predicants do, I refer it to the wisdom and judgment of the godly and conscientious Reader. But the unrighteousness of their way will yet more perspicuously appear if we but look into some other of their practices, which I shall by and by instance, the very consideration of the which (the better to stir up thy attention) makes me boldly to conclude of them all, That whatsoever they pretend and whatsoever shows of seeming holiness they hold out to the world, they are unsound, root and branch; and neither the godly party, nor the praying people, nor the only Saints, but the most pharisaical brood that ever yet appeared in the world, and more injurious to Christ the King of his Church and to his royalty, and to all his holy, faithful Ministers and Servants, then ever the Pope or any of the Prelatical party were, and more malicious and treacherous to the Saints, and truly godly and precious ones, and more opposers of all Reformation, then ever the Cavaliers were; and many of them greater enemies to Church and State, and the welfare of both, then either Strafford or the Prelate of Canterbury.

And as for the Independent government, as it is most certain it hath neither precept nor president for it in all God's holy Word, so it is far more tyrannical and lordly then that of the Pope or Prelates tending to nothing but an Anarchy and confusion in Church and State: And therefore that they with all their trumperies and desperate practices, with all their unrighteous dealing, ought to be abhorred and abominated, whatsoever seeming sanctimony they make show of, by all such as truly fear God and wish the peace of Zion and the good of the State and Kingdoms in which they live.

Now they that have a desire to see this charge made good against them, shall find it with the whole impeachment fully proved and made evident in the following discourse.

But in the interim it will not be amiss to produce some few instances more of their practices for the proving of their Independency not to be the way of righteousness.

If a man but look upon their superlative pride, especially the conceit they all of them have of their own holiness and sanctity we shall find that it exceeds that of the very Scribes and Pharisees, for all the Independents and Sectaries style themselves the holy people, the godly party, the praying people, the generation of the just, the Saints; yea esteeming the very retrimentitious part of them (to speak in their own dialect) Saints, calling their most blasphemous opinions and practices, the infirmities of the Saints, in the mean time excluding the most godly Presbyterians from those titles, calling them the Antichristian brood, the enemies of Jesus Christ and his Kingdom, the sons of Belial, and what not? all which dealing with their brethren is not the way of righteousness: yea in their very prayers to God, they like the Pharisees boast of their own knowledge, slighting and vilifying all their Presbyterian brethren, disdaining so much as to pray for them; yea in their public Assemblies, and in their public prayers they have been heard contemptuously to speak of those in authority asserting that they were not worthy of the prayers of the Saints, and it is well known that many of them will neither publicly nor privately join with their Presbyterian brethren in any duty of piety accounting them all as an Antichristian and unsanctified generation of men, and all this out of a strong and confident persuasion of their own holiness & out of an uncharitable opinion of their brethren's impurity, then the which strain of pride, the very Pharisees never exercised a greater; all which practices of theirs sufficiently declare, that the way of Independency is not the way of righteousness: for greater unrighteousness there cannot be then this, as will by and by appear.

But I will now come to some instances.

Not long since at a great entertainment and festivity on the Lord's day, when they were all met together, one of the Homothumadon brethren, a great man amongst them, beginning the duty of the day, in his Prayer before his Sermon, speaking unto God by way of complaint against the Presbyterians, said unto Him with many tears, Lord, they (meaning the Presbyterians) hate us because we know more of thee then they do; but we beseech thee Lord give us still to know more of thee, and let them hate us more, if they will.

But before I come to speak of this their prayer, and of some other passages of their other good prayers, I shall take the liberty here to say something of the difference between these men's practices, and the old Puritans of ENGLAND; and so much the rather I do it, because they would persuade the world that there is little difference between them and the old Puritans; yea one of their Itinerary Predicants not long since preaching in a public Assembly, affirmed that there was no other difference between the Independents at this day and the old Puritans of ENGLAND but that the Independents were over-grown Puritans; which I conceive, he meant in this sense, that the Independents outstripped them in all duties of piety and charity, and in all comely, seemly, orderly, and temperate walking in an unblameable conversation before God and men: This, I say, I conceive to be his meaning by the word overgrown: for I would not willingly put a worse interpretation upon his expression, and understand by overgrown, that he meant they were become monstrous (Which notwithstanding too too many of them are); therefore if his words be taken in the better sense, by overgrown he understands that the Independents have attained unto a higher degree of perfection then ever the old Puritans had attained unto, and that they now walk more closely in the way of righteousness then ever they did.

I will first therefore set down some of the practices of the old Puritans, with the paths and ways of righteousness they walked in, omitting many things for brevity sake though worthy of eternal memory and our everlasting imitation.

For the old Puritants of ENGLAND, as those that have read their writings and knew their practices and were familiarly acquainted with them, they can testify of them, that they were an humble, self-denying people, ever groaning under that burden of the remnant of sin, crying out with the Apostle Paul Rom. 7. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? they never dreamed of a perfect holiness, nor never thought themselves more holy then others; or presumed to call themselves Saints; and if that title had at any time been given unto any of them by such as truly honored them for their singular graces, you should ever hear them complain of their imperfections, and with the Apostle, Phil. 3. ver. 8, 9. counting all things loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, esteeming all their righteousness but dung, that they might win Christ and be found in him not having their own righteousness, &c.

Now they that are acquainted with the Independents doctrine, words, and practices, hear them talk of nothing but of their own sanctity, and of their perfection, saying God can see no sin in them; and although some of them do not profess so much in words, yet in deeds they allow of that doctrine, proclaiming themselves to be the only Saints, the holy people, and the godly party, the generation of the just, and separate from their brethren as impure creatures: Therefore the Independents do not walk in that old way of righteousness the old Puritans of ENGLAND walked in, who made no separation in the worst times from the public Assemblies, or ever refused to pray with their Christian brethren; and therefore in this point they have not outstripped them nor overgrown them; from which I boldly conclude, that herein that Predicant did abuse the world, in saying that there is no difference between the Independents and the old Puritants of ENGLAND; For the old Puritans were humble, self denying men, and the Independents are pharisaical boasters of their own holiness and sanctity; and therefore in this, their way is not the way of righteousness, but a great aberration from it.

Again, the old Puritans of England, though never so learned, and never so sufficiently furnished with all accomplished abilities of divine knowledge, which many of them by their indefatigable pains, study, and industry, and by their prayers unto God night and day, and by their continual waiting upon the Ordinances, and God's blessing upon all their endeavors, had attained unto, so that they were taken notice of by all men, both in the Universities and amongst all the learned, to be incomparable men, many of the which I could name, yet not any one of them ever preached either in public or private without great study and prayer, yea and without a special call; and they always with Saint Paul, exercised their Ministry in fear and much trembling, 1 Cor. 2. ver. 3. saying with him, 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things? Those holy and godly Puritans, though transcendently learned, yet were always conversant in all holy duties, especially in preaching and prayer with fear and trembling, thinking themselves never sufficiently enough provided for, for those duties. And truly Saint Paul's example is worthy always to be looked upon, who though he were immediately inspired by God himself and had always the assistance of his spirit, and ten thousand times more learning then all the Independents put together, yet he preached always with fear and trembling, and cried out who is sufficient for these things?

Now if we compare the Independents and their Predicants with the old Puritans of England, we shall find the old Puritans always and in all things imitating the example of holy Paul and the other Apostles in their Ministry, which they had a command to follow, Phil. 3. ver. 17. who intruded not themselves rashly upon the Ministry, as the false Apostles and Seducers usually did, and as all the Independents and Sectaries daily do; they cried out who is sufficient for these things? and how can any preach except he be sent? Rom. 10. saying No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as Aaron, Hebr. 2. 4. Those old Puritans were all men of Saint Paul's spirit, they durst do nothing without a call, nothing without great study, nothing without their parchments and books, imitating Saint Paul in this, who would always have his parchments with him (that is his books) bring me my parchments, saith he; they preached not without fear and trembling; this was the continual practice of the old Puritans, they could never be seen in a Pulpit before they had some days prepared themselves by prayer and study; and yet after all this, they would then cry out, Who is sufficient for these things? Whereas all the Independents and Sectaries assert, that every man may preach, and every man of them is sufficient, and many also hold that women may preach; yea and to manifest that they are all sufficient for these things, and for the dispensing of the great mysteries of Heaven, which the very Angels desired to pry into, they run through Town and Country, and wheresoever they come get up into the Pulpits and preach with such impudency, impiety and blasphemy, as it is not lawful to name, their very doctrines being so destructive to all piety, goodness, and good manners, and Ruffian▪like they go in their hair and apparel, and so insolent and proud they are, that one would rather take them for Luciferians then Saints; and such unbeseeming expressions they have in their prayers to God, as would terrify a truly conscientious and godly man to hear them, as not long since one of them in London publicly speaking unto God in his prayer, said, Right Honorable Lord God, which kind of expressions as they are blasphemous, so ridiculous exposing Religion and the sacred Ordinances of God to ludibry and derision. But yet this is the daily practice of the Sectaries through the Kingdom, far different from that of the old Puritans of England, and therefore in this point of fear and reverence, and of an holy awe of God's divine Majesty and a reverend adoring of the ministry and mystery of the Gospel, the way of the Independent s is not that either of the holy Apostles or of the old Puritans, there being as vast a difference between them, as between light and darkness; and therefore the way of Independency in this particular also is not the way of righteousness, but the way of rebellion and impudency.

Again, the old Puritans of England had all of them a reverend opinion of all in authority, and did ever believe that there was no power but of God, and that all powers were ordained of God, Rom. 13. and they believed that every soul ought to be subject to the higher power, and that whosoever resisted the power resisted the Ordinance of God, and for that their Rebellion they should receive to themselves damnation, and they ever believed that every soul ought to be subject unto authority, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake; this was the Doctrine of the old Puritans of England; and their practice in yielding continual obedience to them, and praying for them is known to all men; yea, they did acknowledge, that as all power was given unto Jesus Christ in Heaven and Earth, Matth. 28. Psal. 2. so they did believe that all power in Church and State was derived from him, as the head of all Principalitie and power, who had said, Prov. 8. 15. 16. By me Kings reign, and Princes decree justice; by me Princes rule and Nobles, yea, all the Judges of the earth, &c. this doctrine the old Puritans of England had learned and taught and were obedient unto, as having precept upon precept for it, as from the words above quoted out of the thirteenth of the Romans, so out of 1. Pet. chap. 2. verse 13, 14. who said submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King as supreme, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil Doers, and for the praise of them that do well; for so is the w • ll of God, that with well doing, yet may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. The old Puritans of England had fully learned this Lesson of obedience to all authority, both civil and Ecclesiastical, being commanded to obey them that have the rule over them, and to submit themselves unto them, as who watched over their souls, as those that were to give account, &c. Hebr. 13. 17. and this doctrine they did inculcate incessantly unto the people; and for the government Ecclesi • sticall the old Puritans of England did believe it was that Presbyterian Government that is now contended for by all the Presbyterians, as is to be seen at large in the learned Works of that ever to be honored Master Cartwright in his disputations against Bishop Whitgift, who for his zeal to that government was called the Father of all the Puritans. They also did believe that all government, both Ecclesiastical and Civil, was radically, originally, and inherently in God, and Christ, and from them derived to the Kings, Princes, Nobles and Judges of the earth, and to all the true Ministers of the Gospel in his Church, who all have their authorities immediately from God, and by whom alone according to the Holy Scripture they rule and command; they never durst be so blasphemous as to rob God of his honor and glory, and the Kings, Nobles, and Judges of the earth, and the Ministers of the Gospel of their several powers, saying, that Kings and Nobles, and the Rulers of the earth, and Ministers in Christ's Church and Kingdom were the creatures of the people, and that the people were the sovereign Lord, both of Kings, Nobles, Parliaments, and Ministers, and that the authority which they exercised was inherently in the people, and that they might give it and deposit it into whose hands they pleased, and where they lusted, and call any of their Rulers and Governors to an account, and appoint them their times and seasons when they should meet, and tell them what they should do, and displace them at pleasure as they shall think fit; all these Lessons of Blasphemy the old Puritans of England were ignorant of, which learned nescience of theirs is commendable: They had been better taught from all the Holy Prophets, and blessed Apostles, who both by precept and example have instructed the people of God in all ages to yield obedience to those that were Governors over them, as we may read through all the Holy Scripture of the Old Testament, where we find what reverence even Father Abraham, the Father of the faithful, shown unto all Kings, under whose government he lived in the time of his Peregrination, and where we read also what reverence Joseph yielded unto Pharaoh, and how Jacob his Father demeaned himself with all the Patriarchs to Pharaoh, and those that were over them in authority, and how Jeremiah behaved himself to the King in his time, and how the three Children and Daniel carried themselves to the very Kings of Babylon, though heathen Princes, never speaking unto them, nor coming before them but with all reverence, deprecating all evil from them upon all occasions, & praying for their welfare; yea, Christ's example ought to be for our imitation, who opened not his mouth; the same we find in all the Apostles, whensoever they were brought before authority, with what sweetness of language they carried themselves towards them, and what reverent expressions they used to all in authority, though never so wicked, when they were brought before them; yea, if they had failed but in the least expression, how soon they would recall themselves; for when Ananias commanded them that stood by Paul to smite him on the mouth, Act. 23. and he in passion beholding his injustice, said, God shall smite thee thou painted wall, when it was replied unto him, revilest thou God's High Priest? Paul stands not upon the justification of his words, but meekly answers, I wist not brethren that it was the High Priest; for it is written (saith he) Exod. 22. 27. thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of the people; Paul had learned his Lesson well, and soon recollected himself, acknowledging his error that he had deviated from the rule which is there recorded for all men's imitation in after times to the end of the world, to square their lives and obedience by; they are not by that to speak evil of the Ruler of the people, whether he be Ecclesiastical or civil; and if they may not speak evil, then they may not resist their authority, and unihilate their power, which is the extremity of evil and rebellion; yea, all men are forbid so much as in their Bed-chamber to curse or think evil of those in authority; how much more are those then blame▪worthy, that not only think evil, but speak evil; yea, write and publish evil against Kings, Nobles, and Judges of all sorts, both civil and Ecclesiastical, and divest them all of their authority, speaking evil of Dignities, and assuming the Sovereignty of them all to themselves, & that from God him • else, calling themselves the sovereign Lord's of them all, giving them Laws to rule by, and denying them their due reverence in the face of the Kingdom, as lately some of the Independents and Sectari • s have done, both to the House of Lord's and Commons? Surely such men's damnation sleeps not, whatsoever they pretend, and how highly soever they carry themselves, and by whom soever in these their evil doings they are supported, backed, and seconded: For Saint Peter in his second Epistle, that knew very well the mind of God concerning such men, in the second chapter saith this of all the wicked, verse 9, 10▪ 11, 12. &c. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly them that walk after the flesh, and despise Dominion and Government, whom he calls presumptuous, self-willed, that are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities, which the very Angels (saith he) though they were greater in power and might, would not do against the Devil being in authority, though it were usurped; but those as natural brute beasts made to be taken, and destroyed, speak evil of things they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. Here is a fearful Doome pronounced against all such people as spake evil of Dignities; and Saint Jude likewise in his Epistle seconds Saint Peter, verse 8▪ 9, 10, &c. calling such men as despise authority, and speak evil of Dignities, filthy Dreamers; and compares them to brute beasts, and unto Cain, and unto Balaam, and unto Corah, Dathan and Abiram, pronouncing woe unto them all, and proclaiming them spots and deformities in all companies and societies, calling them moreover clouds without water, creatures empty of all goodness, trees whose fruit withereth, yea, without fruit, twice dead, here in this world in their sins and trespasses, and eternally in the world to come, and as if he could never have spake enough of such men as despise Dominion, and speak evil of Dignities, he calls them raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever, against whom he saith, the Lord will execute judgment for all their ungodly deeds, and for all their hard speeches, styling them Murmurers, complayners, whose mouths speak great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage, desiring all men to remember the words of the Holy Apostles, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, who fore-told the people of God, that there should be such Mockers in the last times, who should walk after their ungodly lusts, and that they might the better take notice of them and know who these men both Christ and the Apostles spake of, he saith they were such as should separate themselves, sensual, not having the spirit; he describes them to be an unsanctified race of men, whatsoever seeming holiness they make a show of, and such as ought to be avoided and shunned of all such as desire to please God and avoid that condemnation that was denounced against all such as despised dignities and resisted authority; and even as the Lord by his servants commanded the people to separate from the company of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, and to go from their tents lest they were involved in the same miseries and calamities that were coming upon them for their rebellion against Moses: so ought all the people that indeed do truly fear God decline the companies and societies of all such as now oppose authority and make themselves the sovereign Lord's of the Kings and Rulers and Judges that God hath appointed over them: for surely a greater unrighteousness cannot be perpetrated against God, then thus superciliously to trample upon authority, and to despise those that are over them, which is the daily practice of the Independents and Sectaries; all which unrighteousness the old Puritans of England were not guilty of having been better taught; and therefore in this part of duty the Independents are different from the old Puritans of England, who walked not in this way of unrighteousness; and therefore the Sactaries have not outstripped them in this point of obedience to authority, but they are indeed overgrown, and are become monstrous in their rebellious practices: Yea, so far they are from reverencing those in authority, as they are grown to that height of pride and unrighteousness, as many of them will not so much as pray for the very Parliament or the Assembly either privately or publicly, as can sufficiently be proved by such as are acquainted with them and their practices: for not long since in a great Assembly and Congregation of Independents; one of their Predicants being in prayer, after he had put up many petitions and requests in behalf of their fraternity, thus expressed himself, speaking unto God, Now Lord (saith he) we should come to pray for the Parliament and Assembly, but they are not worthy the prayers of the Saints; and so with disdain he passed them by as unworthy of their prayers, then the which what could be spake more wickedly and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England, who in all their prayers and supplications private and public, ever with tears prayed for all in authority; I affirm that this practice of the Independents is not only one of the highest strains of all unrighteousness, and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England, but contrary to all the practice of all the Saints that ever yet lived in the world, and contrary to all the commands of God both in the Old and New Testament. For we have read how earnestly Moses prayed for the rebellious Israelites, wishing himself rather to be blotted out of the book of life then that the Lord should destroy them; and so did Paul wish for his Countrymen the Jews: Samuel also when the people desired him to pray for them, 1 Sam. 12. v. 23. God forbid (saith he) that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you &c. So that the holy Prophet makes it a sin in either Ministers or people not to pray for their brethren, and especially those in authority: for this was the practice of all the Prophets; the Lord told a heathen King that Abraham his servant should pray for him; yea father Abraham prayed for the very Sodomites, and the Kingdoms in which they dwelt, Gen. 18. And the people of Israel when they were in captivity in Babylon, had a command from God himself to pray for the welfare of very Babylon and the Princes of the same; and we have read what supplications Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah put up in behalf of those heathen Princes under which they lived, as well as for their own Countrymen. And Saint Paul gives it in charge to all Ministers and people, 1 Tim. 2. to pray for all men, ver. 1, 2. I exhort (saith he) that first of all supplications, prayers, and intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: For Kings, and all that are in authority, that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. So that here there is not only an exhortation to all Christians in general, but in special to Ministers to pray for all men: but primarily for those in authority; and reasons & grounds are also given by the Apostle of encouragement to this duty: viz. because that it is a good and acceptable thing in the sight of God, tending also for the peace, quiet, and tranquility of them all; and which is more, to all godliness, which is the glory of all peace; and therefore that they ought to pray for those in authority.

And this exhortation of the Apostle, all the old Puritans of England did ever most diligently observe and follow, praying for them that were in authority night and day; whereas the Sectaries were never in private heard pray for either King, or Parliament, or the Scots, or Assembly. How wicked a thing therefore is it in the Independents and Sectaries, and what a part of unrighteousness is it in them, daily to omit this duty, who will neither pray with their brethren nor for them, but separate from all their societies as from a people unholy? yea how impious and rebellious a thing is it in them, against both God and all authority, to say, and that in a disdainful manner, even in their public meeting places and congregations, that neither the Parliament nor Assembly are worthy their prayers? yea it is well known and can be proved, that they pray against them and the King himself, and that not only privately, but in their congregations publicly.

Surely if either the Parliament, or Assembly, or the Presbyterians were as bad as the Kings of Babylon, or the persecuting Jews, yet they ought to be prayed for; For we have a command to pray for all men, yea for our enemies, and those that persecute us and revile us; and we have Christ's example for it, who said, Father forgive them, they know not what they do, speaking of those that persecuted him, which Saint Stephen imitating, said, Lord lay not this sin to their charge; supplicating likewise for his enemies. And so Saint Paul prayed for all those that forsook him when he appeared before Nero.

Now when the Independents and Sectaries transgress thus against precept upon precept, and against the example of all the holy Prophets, and Christ himself, and his blessed Apostles and Martyrs, and daily by these their practices fight against God himself, and are in everything so unlike the old Puritans of England, it is manifest that they have not outgrown them in this point of duty, and that the way of Independency is not the way of righteousness, but the way of error and open rebellion against God; so that those glorious titles they assume unto themselves, of being the only holy and praying people, and the Saints, and but the old Puritans of England overgrown, do not belong unto the Independents and Sectaries when they are so like the devil in all their practices: For it is sufficiently known & can be abundantly proved, that many of the Independents & Sectaries will neither pray with the Presbyterians nor for them, no nor for King and Parliament, nor for the Assembly, nor for the Scots; yea if need be, it can be proved, that they have prayed, and that publicly, against them all: yea their daily Pamphlets witness what good affection they have towards them all, whose chief employment it is (except it be now and then by the way of slattery when they coaks the Parliament a little to gain their favor, that by their party in the house they may do the more mischief against the Presbyterians); I say, except it be at such a nick of time, the whole employment of all the Sectaries generally is abominably to abuse them and to rail and revile both the House of LORD'S and COMMONS and the Assembly, and the Scots, and the City, and for the King they cannot hear of his very name with patience; I can say thus much of them, and men also of good rank and reputation, that I never have heard more reviling speeches in my life against any men then they have uttered in my hearing, and in the audience of many, and that at the Parliament door; affirming openly, that they were more tyrannical then either Strafford or the Prelate, and greater persecutors then those of the High Commission Court, and this was the general language of all the Sectaries through the Kingdom, within this twelve Moneths, indeed since the recruiting of the House and since by that means they have strengthened their party, and they have of late shown less favor to the Presbytery and the City, they have not been altogether publicly so boisterous in their expressions, yet notwithstanding privately amongst themselves they can speak daggers both against many worthy Members in the House of Commons, and against many of the Lord's, and against the City, and against the Scots, and especially against the Assembly; all the which they traduce at pleasure, with most of the proceedings of the House of Commons, if at least they do not humor them to their desires and designs; yea many of their printed Pamphlets can witness for me that I wrong them not, and amongst others those that were writ by John Lilburne, who is but the mouth of the rest, who dares speak out what the other Sectaries dare but mutter, and therefore he is adored and exceedingly animated and countenanced by them all, and superlatively cried up as the only man of courage and animosity amongst all those of that fraternity, and he makes all the Lord's but Prerogative and King creatures, and the very House of Commons but the creature of the people, who may call them to an account when they please, and therefore (for all their flattery in their Petition) it highly concerns the Great Council and the whole kingdom, timely to look into their proceedings, & their clandestine machinations, lest that in recruting of the Parliament they do so strengthen their faction, that in fine they destroy not only the Parliament it self, but the whole Kindome, and make themselves sovereign Lord's indeed (as they pretend they are) over both the King and Parliament, and all the people, and so become really our Lord's and Masters, so that whereas formerly this nation was called the Popes and Prelates Asses, we may now justly be called and termed the Independents Mules, a monstrous brood indeed; for it is sufficiently known, and can be proved, and that by good witness that it is their maxim, that the Saints only ought to rule the world, and to have the sword in their hand, and they prove this their Doctrine out of the 149. Psame, where the Prophet saith, v. 5, 6, 7. &c. Let the Saints be jeyfull in glory, let them sing abroad upon their beds; let the high praises of God be in their mouth: and a two edged sword in their hand to execute vengeanee upon the Heathen, and punishments upon the people, to bind their Kings with chains, and their Nobles with fetters of Iron, to execute upon them the judgment written; this honor have all his Saints; praise ye the Lord.

Upon this place of Holy Scripture they ground their opinion, that the Saints only ought to rule the Earth; now they account none Saints but themselves, and all the Presbyterians enemies of Jesus Christ; yea, they have been heard say when they are amongst themselves, where they may speak freely, that they see no reason why the Saints may not compel any nation by the sword to come under obedience to Christ's Kingdom. So that howsoever they challenge liberty of conscience now, saying that conscience is a tender thing, and that it ought not be forced; yet if they but once get the day, they will give no toleration I believe to any Presbyterians; yea, I am most assured, had but the Parliament voted for Independency as they did for the Presbyterie, they would have found Scripture enough then by which they would have proved that the Christian Magistrate might have forced any to come under obedience to Christ's yoke, and then the example of Nehemiah would have been exceedingly urged by them all, who seeking a through Reformation, would not suffer so much as the language of Ashdod to be spoke within his jurisdiction, but constrained them all to embrace the true Religion, and swear by God, that is to set up God's true worship; this example of Nehemiah I am confident would have been urged, and that eagerly by them all, who at their first coming over from their pretended banishment (I mean the Homothumadon Brethren, and those of New-England) as long as they had any hopes of setting up their Independency were very frequently heard speak of a through Reformation, and always commend noble Nehemiah for his zeal that he would not suffer any false worship in Jerusalem; but since they perceive their hopes are frustrate, now they labor for a toleration of all Religions, which both God, noble Nehemiah, and Joshua, & all the Holy Prophets, Christ and his blessed Apostles continually were displeased with, and denounced judgments against; all which holy Laws now they desire may be dispensed with to gratify them with a full toleration of all religions, or at least with an indulgence for their new-fangled Independency, which by all their endeavors they make way apace for: and howsoever it was thought a thing worthy of death in Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury, that they but labored to alter the Laws of the Land, and the Religion that was established by public authority, and for the which they both suffered, the very Sectaries and Independents themselves being the principal Agents to bring them both to their end, who by their tumultuous and disorderly running up daily to Westminster, were never satisfied in craving justice at the Parliament against them, saying, that as resolution was the life of action, so execution was the life of the Law and justice, and would never be contented and appeased till they had obtained their desires against them, and only for this very cause as they pretended, that they endeavored to alter the Laws of the Land, and the Religion established by public authority; and many of our Fugitives were as eager in that business as any of the rest, some of them standing upon the Scaffold to see the execution of them, and rejoicing at the justice done upon them; and yet behold the very same men, are all of them guilty of the very same crime that they died for; yea, of a far greater; for the Prelate and the Earl of Strafford were adjudged for but endeavoring to alter the Religion and Laws established in the Kingdom; but all the Sectaries and Independents they have really altered Religion, and have set up many new Religions, and that without any authority; yea, they have altered both Law and Gospel, rejecting all the Holy Scriptures, and making nothing of the glorious Word of God, as can be proved, and they have not only established by their sole authority divers Religions amongst us that were never known before, but they proclaim all the Presbyterians enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the sons of Belial, and esteem of them as so many Infidels in no wise to be communicated with in holy things. And for the fundamental Laws of the Land, they not only speak against them as a yoke of tyranny and bondage unsupportable to be borne, but they write whole books against them, desiring they may be altered, notwithstanding all men enjoy their lives and estates by them; yea, they write not only in general against all the laws of the land, but against the very Ordinances of Parliament, daily publishing Pamphlets against all their proceedings, and especially they have taken great pains to dismount the Ordinance of Tythes established both by Law and a particular Ordinance of Parliament, they would fain starve the Presbyterians, preaching and practicing hourly against the Covenant, and many known Ordinances: for whereas it was by Ordinances enjoined that none should preach publicly, but such as were authorised, and thought fit for the soundness of their Doctrine, and for the sufficiency of their parts and abilities; and that nothing should be printed but by authority; notwithstanding these Ordinances, the Sectaries and Independents both preach & print whatsoever they please to the seducing of the people, and for the perverting and corrupting of religion, and disturbance both of Church and State; and whereas by an Ordinance of Parliament, the manner of government consisting of the three States, King, Peers and Commons, hath been again and again confirmed, & established with the sitting of the Reverend Assembly of Divines, and the ratifying of the Directory, and for the establishing of the Presbyterian government, nevertheless they write against them all, especially the King, Peers, and Assembly, making nothing of them; no nor of the • ouse of Commons it self, if at any time they displease them, but they dash them all a pieces, subverting the whole government at once, proclaiming the people the sovereign Lord's of them all; and some of them have been so temerarious, as they have abused the whole Parliament to their faces; first the King, then the House of Commons, and then the House of Lord's, slighting their authority and power, affirming that they could not so much as commit any freeborne subject to prison which every Justice of peace or Constable may do; yea, it is well known that in insolency they have exceeded all Delinquents that ever appeared before the great Council of the Kingdom; so that it may be spake to the honor both of Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury, that they both of them behaved themselves with far greater modesty and reverence towards both Houses then many of the Sectaries have done, for they ever yielded due honor and reverenciall respect unto them all, both with bowed knees, and graceful and seeming language; which those paltry Fellowes out of an insulting impudency denied them, despising Dignities and Dominions; and these creatures have had their complices to applaud them in these their Rebelliouspractises, yea some of them have been so bold as to petition the Parliament in their behalf, though they could not be ignorant how unchristianly, unreverently, and undutifully they behaved themselves before them, which was the greatest affront that was ever offered to any Parliament, and the greatest breach of the privilege of Parliament that hath been known in any nation; and yet all these things have been perpetrated by the Independents and Sectaries, all which graceless proceedings the old Puritans of England abhorred, as the way of unrighteousness. This also can be proved that many of their Independent itinerary preachers run from place to place, preaching against the Nobility and Gentry, against the City, and against the Reverend Assembly, against the Directory, against Tythes, against the Presbytery; yea against all that is called authority, and against all our gallant, renowned, and valiant presbyterian soldiers, saying in their Sermons, come out ye old base drunken whoremasterly rogues, show what you have done for the safety of the Kingdom, ascribing all the glory of those noble victories to their own party. Truly if I should make but a repetition of the very contents of their prayers, Sermons and diabolical practices, and set down but the very heads of them, it would fill a mighty volume, by all which it would evidently appear that they are greater Delinquents against the Religion and Laws established by public authority, then ever Strafford and the Prelate were, and greater Malignants to the State then ever the Cavaliers were, yea, greater enemies to all Reformation in Religion then ever appeared in the world before they were hatched, and which is not the least thing of admiration and wonder in all these creatures, they are fledge in wickedness as soon as they are disclosed. Truly, these their practices manifest unto the whole world that they are not the only Saints, nor the old Puritans of England over-grown; for it is notorious that all of them abhorred all these their ungodly proceedings, and therefore the way of Independency is not the way of righteousness, but the open way of sin, heresy, and apparent Rebellion.

But I will yet in a few things more compare the old Puritans of England, and the Sectaries and Independents together, before I come to speak of the prayer of that Homothumadon brother, I first made mention of. It is well known, that the old Puritans of England were all of them very zealous for the sanctifying of the Lord's day, and their whole employments on that day sufficiently declared to all those that were familiarly acquainted with them, that they were heavenly minded men, and such as were truly mortified, and dead unto the world, who denied unto themselves usually those ordinary necessaries on that day, that at other times they would more freely partake in; they dressed but little meat on that day, no more then very necessity called for, not out of any penuriousnesse, but for this end, that their servants might be eased from all toiling works, that they might the better attend upon the duties of the day; and they were especially careful, that both they and their children, with the strangers that were within their gates, should sanctify that day; they left none of them to ramble whether they pleased, they had well learned that Lesson, that they and their men-servants and maid-servants, with the stranger within their walls should keep holy the Sabbath day, and did both by themselves and with their families take order, that no duty of the day should be omitted, the whole day being taken up either in prayer or meditation, or reading of the holy Scriptures, or hearing the Word, or repeating of Sermons, or singing of Psalms, or instructing and catechizing their Families, or in the works of charity, or visiting the sick, or in holy conference, or in reading godly books, or in performing of some duty or other that might bring glory to God, and honor to their holy profession, and their houses were generally so well ordered, and all things carried in such comeliness and decency, as he that had been brought up in profane company, and had accidentally lighted into own of their houses, would as much have wondered to see the excellent carriage of all things there, as the Queen of Sheba did to behold the ordering of Solomon's house. I may truly speak this to their immortal praise, that I never saw in their Families the least disorder on those days; nor never saw a Feast on that day, though at other times they were very free in their entertainments, and much given to Hospitalitie, and nigardly in nothing, and commonly they caused their Table-clothe to be spread on the Saturday before they went to bed, and they were careful that all that were well in the Family should go to Church with them, and they had a singular care that all their servants might have no hindrances or impediments by any worldly employments that might in the least disturb them or dictract them from the duties of the day; all these things I can witness with thousands more besides myself, were the practices of the old Puritans of England, and this was the way of Righteousness that they walked in, for the sanctifying of the Lord's day.

Now if the practice of the Independents and Sectaries about this business and point of obedience be looked into, there will be found a vast difference between them and the old Puritans of England; for it is well known that they ordinarily make all their greatest entertainments on that day, as that I spake of before for instance, (and many more that I could mention) where the whole Church was feasted to no small distraction to their poor and godly servants, that were taken up with more attendance that day, then Martha was on an ordinary day in entertaining of Christ himself, which not withstanding he then blamed in very godly and believing Martha, who had learned to give Christ an honorable confession of her faith concerning her belief in him; and doubtless if Martha were then blamed by Christ, and had from him a reproof for her too much care about many things in entertaining himself; I beleevee the Independents and Sectaries will receive but little thanks at his hand for profaning his own day, and causing others to do the same, and for their thus breaking and violating his holy Laws, and hindering of his servants by their needless entertainments, from the duties of piety and holiness that he requires at their hands on those days, and he will say to them at the last judgment, as for these their disorderly walkings, so for their new and needless traditions, who required these things at your hands? nay, did I not forbid these things will the Lord say? Truly it is most notorious that the Sectaries and Independents are very loose in the sanctifying of the Lord's day; and although many of them before they fell into the way of Independency were very conscionable observers of that day, and were greatly displeased with the King for granting but a toleration for sports on that day, and could then say, that very sin alone had been enough to bring down the judgments of God upon the whole Land, yet since they turned Sectaries, they can now not only feast and riot on that day, but if need be work on the same in their ordinary employments, as can be proved, and many of them that were then great zealots for the performances of all duties of holiness that day with all their Families, now regard not that day no more then another, nay, they let their servants and children go whether they please, leaving them all to the liberty (as they speak) of their own consciences, and it is ordinarily observed, that all the Independents and Sectaries in the Army, and through the whole Kingdom will frequently journey on that day, and for the Homothumadon Predicants, they are trundled about on the Lord's day in their Coaches with four Horses, needlessly disquieting both men and beasts that they have a command to give rest unto. A Tumbrel or a Dung-cart were fitter for these proud and profane Fellowes to be carried about in; and if they will not leave these their licentious courses, and surcease thus to profane the Lord's day, I see no reason but that the Magistrate should take some order with them, and punish them for profaning it, it being not only against the Laws of God, but contrary unto the Laws of the Land. It may be that is one of the Laws that the Sectaries would have abrogated and made null; for most certain it is their practices are both contrary to that Law, and the known Law of God, and the practice of all the old Puritans of England, and therefore the way of Independency in this point also is not the way of Righteousness, but of profaneness and licentiousness, neither are they overgrown Puritans in this.

But seeing I have upon this occasion, began to compare the old Puritans of England with the Independents and Sectaries, who their Predicants assert are but the old Puritans over-grown, that is, Christians in all respects, transcending them in all duties of piety and godliness, and in all offices of Love and Charity towards others, and in the whole frame of their lives and conversations, and for their uprightness and honesty in their dealings, and for their sincerity in all their actions, and for their moderation in the temperate use of all the creatures, and for their humble walking towards others. I shall briefly here set down the practices of the old Puritans concerning some of these particulars, and parallel them with the proceedings of the Independents and Sectaries of our times.

It is sufficiently known, that the old Puritans of England ever loved and honored all the Orthodox, faithful, painful, and diligent Preachers of the Word of God through the Land, whether Conformists or non-Conformists, and they never thought they could yield them reverence enough, and were willing at any time to the uttermost of their abilities to relieve and supply them with all necessary accommodations, for the support of themselves, and their Families, and they were so far from taking from them anything, or hindering them of their dues, either in respect of honor, or maintenance; that they would run and ride in their behalf for the maintaining of their reputations and livelyhoods, and if at any time they had been oppressed by the power and tyranny of the Prelates in any Court, or by any wicked enemies of the Church, they had the assistance, and ever the good word of the old Puritans, and their prayers, and their purses to support them, and sustain both them and their Families; they were never known to desert them, or to give them an ill word; and this was the carriage of the old Puritans of England towards their godly and painful Ministers of all sorts, and they never favored any heretical, and schismatical Teachers, and this was that way of Righteousness they walked in.

Now if we look upon the practices of the Independents and Sectaries they are chiefest enemies of all the painful and godly Ministers through the Kingdom, and the only friends of all Seducers, schismatical and heretical Preachers, so that it is well known, they do not only reproach, and abuse them in words, calling them Baals Priests, the limbs of Antichrist, and the Devils Ministers, and a thousand such ignominious names, but so persecute them in word and deeds that they cannot safely dwell by them where there is any number of the Sectaries; yea, there is scarce a Committee through the Kingdom where they have not persecuted their most faithful Ministers, yea it is their chief design to take away their Tythes from them, and to deprive them of their Livings, by which they should support themselves, and their poor Families, and they have made the lives of many of them so irksome unto them, and so wearied them with their calumnies and carriage towards them, that though they highly honored them before they turned Sectaries, yet after that, they became their mortal enemies, and for no other reason but that they continued still to preach those orthodox doctrines they had formerly taught, & inveighed against the dangerous and blasphemous opinions that were now preached up everywhere by the Seducers of these times, & for this cause alone, and for no other ground they have wearied many of them out of their very lives, and forced others to leave their places of their habitations; many presidents of this kind I could produce, but one I cannot but instance, and that is of one Master Beton of Rye, in Sussex, a most painful, orthodox, and laborious Preacher, and a man of no small fame, as well for his godly life, and diligence in his Ministry, as for his singular knowledge in Hebrew, and all the orientall tongues, and yet this man every way so unblameable and accomplished, did the Sectaries joining with all the Malignants of that place, drive from his habitation there. The full story of that particular business would make a pretty large book, which would sad the hearts of all such as are truly godly, to hear that any that pretend unto Christian Religion should practice so contrary unto all Christian principles and the practice of the old Puritans of ENGLAND; and yet what those Sectaries of Rye with their complices have done against that godly and learned Minister, is generally practiced by all the other Sectaries and Independents through the Kingdom, as can sufficiently be proved, who generally implacably hate those that they have formerly loved, and have still a cause to honor; as who next under God have been a means of their conversion, if ever they were really converted: So that in these their proceedings, they are not the old Puritans of ENGLAND overgrown, which walked in the way of righteousness in honoring their faithful Ministers according to God's command, 1 Thess. 5. and Heb. 13. Which way the Independents do not walk in, but in the contrary way of malice and hatred towards them, as all their practices proclaim: Therefore inthis respect also the way of Independency is not the way of Righteousness.

And as for their charity and practice of love, and their integrity and sincere dealing towards their brethren, the old Puritans of ENGLAND were famous for their re • dinesse to pleasure them in anything, who would at any time ride, • un, or go, to do any neighbor that dwelt peaceably by them a good turn, yea though they differed something from them in judgment; whereas it can be proved that the Independents will take great and dangerous journeys to do any of their Presbyterian brethren m •• chi • fe, to defame and traduce them, and to hinder their preferment; yea and they will do it to such also as they seem to be very loving, and show an outward kindness to: And yet at that very infrant of time they most faune upon them, they will fearfully betray them; yea it is well known, that some of the Independents have betrayed their own fathers, their masters, their most familiar friends and acquaintance after they have turned from the Tresbyterian way to that faction, especially they use exceedingly to hate such as they professed greatly to love, if they have found them rigid, as they speak, or immovable in their Religion, and would not connive at their Independent ways.

I could say much upon my own experience, how many of the Sectaries seemed not a little to honor me, and spake as well of me as of any man living, before they saw they could not prevail with me to be of their mind, nor to favor them in their erroneous opinions; but as soon as they perceived that I was immovable in my resolution, their love turned into implacable hatred, as it is well known. And I am confident there might be thousands of presidents produced of the like nature, many of which I know; yea I may truly say this, that I have not known any Presbyterian now living that was formerly familiarly acquainted with any that afterward turned Sectary or Independent (notwithstanding whatsoever courtesies they had formerly received from them) that have not either betrayed him or done him some ill office afterward, or at least would never do him the least kindness, though he were in need, or show him any favor; So that in this point of love and charity, they walk not in the way of the old Puritans, who were kind to all men and sincere towards those they had familiarly conversed with, it never being known that they betrayed any of them or did them any ill offices; and therefore in this point also, the way of Independency is not the way of righteousness nor the way of the old Puritans of ENGLAND, but the way of treachery, unthankfulness and unrighteousness.

But to instance the practices and ways of the old Puritans in a few things more, and then to compare them with the ways of the Independents and Sectaries.

The old Puritans of ENGLAND, as all can witness that knew them, were all of them generally men no way addicted to the pleasures of the world, and in their apparel and outward garb commonly they were ever out of fashion: It was, to my knowledge, counted a great sin amongst them, to exceed in apparel, or to be fashionably clad, or to go with long hair, or Rufsian▪like, or to be seen in gorgeous attire; You should rarely or seldom behold any gold or silver lace on any of their apparel, except they had been of noble Parentage, or of some very great and rich Families, or in some eminent place of authority, and that was always very sparing; and for cuffs at their hands, not one of a thousand of the old Puritans were ever seen in any; and if they at any time upon any festivity, or at any solemn entertainment, or upon such like occasion appeared in any, they were commonly such little sucking ones as a man could scarce discern them.

Now if you look upon all the Independents generally through Town and Country, though they were never born to any estates, nor were of any repute, till that out of the ruins of the Kingdom by their Sectarisme and indirect dealings they have attained to some wealth; You shall find them the only gallants of the world, so that one that should meet them would take them for Roarers and Ruffians rather then Saints; Yea you shall find them with cuffs, and those great ones, at their very heels, and with more silver and gold upon their clothes, and at their heels (for those upstarts must now be in their silver spurs) then many great and honorable personages have in their purses; so that those that behold them, if they knew them not, would take them to be the Gentry and Peers of the Kingdom rather then a company of obscure fellows, in so much that some taking notice of the great change in this Kingdom said not long since, that Gentlemen and Noblemen were become beggars, and beggars were become Lord's and Gentlemen.

Truly the like pride in apparel was never seen amongst such as made profession of Religion before these our times; Whereas the old Puritans of ENGLAND, both men and women, were all modestly cladd and attired, and went very plain, and thought it rather a scandal to Religion to be attired or cladd in the least manner after the fashion of the Court, then for an honor to their profession; and I have known them blame those that abhorred all pride as much as any men did, and only for that they went handsomely cladd and apparrelled, although it were only for the gracing of their profession, as they then told them, for the which they were at that time sufferers.

So that if those people were now alive, those old Puritans, and should see our Sectaries and Independents who predicate themselves to be the only Saints, those good old Puritans would lift up their hands with admiration, and say, as one of New England said not long since seeing a brother of his coming over thither very gallant whom he had known live in a meaner condition, that in beholding him he thought he saw one of the seven wonders of the world, and professed that he believed they would ere long grow mad with pride in Old ENGLAND, saying moreover that in his time (he having then been but ten years in New England) he that should have been seen go in those fashions the Sectaries and Independents usually and daily now go in, would have been thought to have had little Religion in him, and he exceedingly marvelled at the liberty all those of the Congregational way now take, saying, that he much suspected their sincerity that now made that a virtue and counted that an honor to Religion which the old Puritans of England deemed a dishonor to God, and a disgrace and dishonor to their holy profession. So that in this point also, the practices and way of the Sectaries is not the way of the old Puritans of England and the way of righteousness, it being the way of vanity and the world, and contrary unto the command of the Apostle Saint Paul Rom. 12. ver. 2, 3, 4.

Again whereas the old Puritans of ENGLAND had their fare, diet, and household▪stuff, how rich in estate soever they were, according to their several degrees, were it a Yeoman or but an ordinary Gentleman, or a Knight, they ever observed their rank; whatsoever, I say, or how great soever the estates of each of them were; the Yeoman had his house furnished and fared like a Yeoman and not like a Gentleman; the Gentleman he also fared like a Gentleman, and had his house furnished accordingly, and not like a Knight; the Knight in like manner fared like a Knight, and had his house furnished according to his rank, and not like a Lord; All the old Puritans of ENGLAND everyone of them out of conscience observed and kept their rank, and lived and fared according to that degree and order God had placed them in this world, and used their superfluity for the clothing of the naked, and feeding of the necessitated, and relieving of the poor, many of the which rich Yeomen, Gentlemen, and Knights I could name, some of the which to my knowledge laid by yearly out of their estates and revenues some two hundred pounds, some three hundred, yea some five hundred pounds all their life time, which they sent to the godly Ministers here and there dispersed through the Kingdom to be distributed amongst the poor and necessitated Christians in those parts, and this was the practice of the old rich Puritans of ENGLAND; yea, many of them maintained a preaching orthodox Minister in some blind corner of the Kingdom at their own charges; others of them always entertained one silenced Minister or other, or took poor necessitated Christians children into their Families and bred them as their own: I can speak much to the praise of God and to many of their immortal honors upon my own experience concerning the charity of the old Puritans of ENGLAND, whoever kept their ranks, whatsoever their wealth and riches were, and would never exceed in household-stuff, in fare, or diet, whatsoever their hospitality was; which notwithstanding was many times very great; and this order and decency they observed out of conscience, and that they might the better relieve the necessities of others; and this was the way the old Puritans of ENGLAND, to my knowledge, walked in, and this was the way of righteousness as approved on and commanded by God himself, and yet the old Puritans of ENGLAND knew their Christian liberty and what right they had to the creature, as well as any Sectary or Independent in our times.

Now if we compare the Independents and Sectaries, in respect of this custom, with the old Puritans of ENGLAND, we shall not find them the old Puritans of ENGLAND overgrown, that is, to exceed them in all these graces of charity, wisdom, moderation, frugality, and orderly walking everyone according to that rank and station God hath placed them in: for the Sectaries have all of them changed this ancient custom and way of righteousness, and are all run, as in their opinions, into the way of error, so in this, into the by▪path of luxury and sensuality: So that the Sectaries generally, although the greatest part of them through the Kingdom as it is well known, are such as are but newly sprung up out of the ruins of the State, and that were never borne to anything, yea many of them, before the troubles of the Kingdom, having scarce bread to put in their mouths; yet now are grown to such a height of pride and luxury and sumptuosity, that you shall find their houses furnished rather like Noblemen and Peers, then ordinary men; and ye shall see more plate in their dwellings, and all things with more bravery and elegancy, then in the palaces of the Grandees of the Earth; and their fare and dietis so delicious, and set out with such curiosity of cookery and all things correspondent to it, in respect of all sorts of wines and delicacies and whatsoever rarities the seasons and time of the year will afford, as they exceed the very Princes of the world, by report of those that have been at their entertainments; so that Dives in all his glory exceeded them not. Yea, it is well known and can be proved, that many of them that were never born to three halfpence a year of inheritance, nor never were worth anything but what they have got in these troublesome times by the ruins and miseries of others, that these very fellows are tasters to all the Noblemen and Peers of the Kingdom: And their very Predicants are grown so dainty that they must be served before the Lord's and mighty rich men in all markets; for they will outbid the greatest of them for the satisfying of their pallates: So that whatsoever rarities, according to the several seasons of the year, whether from sea or land, are stirring, they are ordinarily the men that have the first gusto of them; So that they exceed the daintyest and most delicate Dames and Ladies, by the relation of those that are acquainted with their diets; so that all fine things are tasted and eat in their houses before they are so much as heard of in Noblemen’s Families, whereas the old Puritans of ENGLAND denied themselves all these things, who were usually, according to the proverb, the first that were last served.

This I have heard affirmed by great Gentlemen and travellers, very gallant men, that were sometime very intimate with the Sectaries and Independents, whose familiarity they made use of only to pry into their several humors, and whom the Sectaries had some hope to have gained to their party; and therefore spared not in their entertainments; these very Gentlemen, I say, have asserted unto me, that whatsoever things were thought some ten years since to be rarities in all Princes, Dukes, Marquesses, and Noblemen’s houses, and were rarely to be found in any other places, they met daily with them in every ordinary Independent and Sectaries house upon all occasions; So that they vowed unto me, they thought them the only Helieogabalists in the world, and the greatest Sensualists; and they observed that generally there was more luxurious entertainments now amongst them in these times that called for mourning and fasting, then ever were in the richest Subjects houses in the times of the Kingdoms prosperity; So that if ever there were a generation of men in the world that in their fullness of bread and in their felicity forgot the afflictions of Joseph, they were the Independents and Sectaries who are always feasting, which was one of the principal causes, as they professed unto me, that made them believe they were not the only Saints, their actions being so unsaint-like; which made them also pry farther into their dealings and proceedings, which they found to be altogether contrary unto the royal law of Love: for as they said, all their charity was ever limited within the confines of their own fraternity, and to such only as were either of their party or they had hopes to gain; in all which things they are different from the old Puritans of ENGLAND, who walked in that way of righteousness which teacheth every man a moderation and right use of the creature, and to keep within their bounds, and to extend their charity towards all, especially towards the poor and indigent; and not to spend all upon themselves in luxury and vanity, and that at such times as call for mourning and fasting, and when there are such multitudes of distressed godly families as are drove from house and home and have been made a prey to the spoilers, whom the Sectaries will see lie famishing in the streets, rather then they shall receive the least relief from them, unless they will become of their fraternity, which many of them to my knowledge out of mere necessity were forced to be, or else they could not have had the least relief from them, which is not the way of righteousness, and that way God hath chalked out through his holy Word for all his Saints and Servants to walk in, saying, that they should always have the poor amongst them, and that their charity should be extended to all; and therefore commands all his servants Mat. 5. ver. 48. to be perfect as their heavenly father is perfect, and ver. 44, 45, 46, 47. enjoining them, That they should love their enemies, and bless them that curse them, and do good to them that hate them, and pray for them that despitefully use them and persecute them. And telling all his servants, That by their so doing, they shall show themselves to be children indeed of their heavenly father, who makes his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust; saying, If you love them only that love you, what reward have you? Do not even the Publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more then others? Do not even the Publicans so? And then the Lord set before all his people his own example for their imitation, to teach them to do good unto all; and this was the way of righteousness the old Puritans of ENGLAND walked in, doing good to all; which the Sectaries have quite forsaken: For it can sufficiently be proved, that all their charity is confined to those of their several sects: So that if at any time they have been sent unto and solicited by such as knew how wealthy they were, and able to relieve others, and how ready also and open▪hearted and handed they had formerly been (which was their praise and honor) to the relieving of any that were in necessity, especially if they were godly; those men, I say, having no ability to relieve them, they being themselves poor, yet with special recommendations, as perfectly knowing them to be such as feared God, sent them to such of the Sectaries as they knew were very able, and at that time very free to all those that were necessitated of their own party, yet could not obtain the least relief from them in the behalf of others, though withal they made known unto them, that those they commended unto their charity had formerly relieved many, and were now brought to that great poverty, that they had not bread to put in their own mouths nor their children's bellies, through the cruelty & robbery of their barbarous enemies, and were escaped only with their lives; I say, notwithstanding all the importunity of those that solicited those Sectaries, and notwithstanding the great indigency and present necessity they were all in, they could not extort the least relief from them, it being replied and answered, that they had enough to relieve of their own, telling them, that they should go to those that were of their own party, and to the Collectors in every parish; saying, that they must have a care of such as were in Church fellowship with them; and thus they have shut up all bowels of compassion to all those that are of a different opinion from themselves, especially to all those that are of the Presbyterian way, as can be proved by innumerable witnesses. Yea, they are come to such a height of indignation against the Presbyterians, and so far they are from relieving any of them, as they will wish their ruin, and this is the way the Sectaries now walk in, which is not the way of righteousness nor of the old Puritans of ENGLAND; for the way of righteousness is, that they should love their enemies, and do good to them that hate them.

Now all the Independents say that the Presbyterians hate them, for so in their very prayers they intimate to God himself, that I may now return to that prayer I formerly mentioned made by the Homothumadon Brother at the great Venison Feast on the Lord's day in one of the grand Sectaries houses, where all their Church was entertained: He in his prayer spake unto God in this manner, Lord (saith he) they (meaning the Presbyterians) hate us, because we know more of thee then they do; we beseech thee Lord give us to know yet more of thee, and then let them hate us more if they will, &c. Here we see they complain unto God himself (though falsely) that we hate them; now if they walked in the way of Righteousness that God hath appointed them to walk in, they should do us good and pray for us, and not be so uncharitable as to pray against us, and to requite evil for evil, which is the way they walk in, and which was not the way of the old Puritans of England, who had better learned their Lesson of love and charity. But now to consider this prayer a little, and some other of their expressions, and the high praises that upon all occasions they give of themselves, by all which it will yet the better appear that they are not the old Puritans of England over-grown in goodness, and exceeding them in self-denial, and in all points of piety, godliness, and charity, and in truth and righteousness; for this very prayer of theirs, with their other speeches and practices, proclaim to the world the quite contrary; for I affirm, first that the old Puritans never magnified their own graces: And secondly, that both this prayer and many of their other prayers to God, & praises of themselves, are both untrue, Pharisaical and uncharitable; for the Presbyterians do not hate them, as they falsely accuse them, but it is they that hate the Presbyterians, as all their words and actions, and Pamphlets can testify. The Presbyterians as they are bound, hate all false ways, but they hate not the persons of any, that is the practice of all the Sectaries, as it is well known. But whereas this Homothumadon Brother said, that they knew more of God then the Presbyterians, it is most false; for all the works and writings of the Presbyterians in all the Reformed Churches can prove and witness the contrary, so that the Sectaries are all of them beholding to the learned Works and Writings of the Presbyterians for all that is in any of them worthy the name of knowledge, out of whose learned Books they have stole it; and I undertake it, and shall ever by the grace of God be able to make it good, that in all their preachments they deliver nothing that can deservedly be called truth, but it hath been taught by the Presbyterians before they were borne, and that far better then any of them can teach it; and it is most certain that there is more knowledge in someone of Calvin's Works, as that of his Institutions, then is in all the Independents and Sectaries put together, which very Book alone, with the Holy Scripture had it been diligently read and studied by the people, the Independents and Sectaries, with all their plots and devices could never have gained an hundred Proselytes. Yea, if young Divines would but well read and study learned Mr. Calvin's Works, and but Gwalther Tigurinus his Writings, with Peter Martyrs, and Zanchius, passing by thousands of other most learned and orthodox Divines, I say if they would but diligently read and study these I have now named, the Independents would never be able with all their skill to seduce any one of them. Or did but ordinary Christians nowadays, read but Calvin's Institutions, and but Master Perkins upon Jude, with the Holy Scripture, they would quickly relinquish all their Independent companies, and their new gathered Churches, and would soon perceive that the Sectaries know not more of God, and of Jesus Christ then the Presbyterians do; and if poor deluded souls would but carefully and seriously read the learned Writings of our own country men, as the Works of Reverend Master Richard Rogers, of Master Dod, Master John Rogers of Dedham, Master George Walker, Master Bolton, Master Jackson of Woodstreet, Master Scudder, Master Bal, or any one of a thousand of our godly Divines that have writ before these Sectaries appeared in the world, they would find that for all both Theoricall and Practical Divinity, they knew as much of God, yea far more then any Independents and Sectaries in the world: And yet this is the daily language of the Sectaries, both in their prayers and in their prattle, that any one of their congregational way, knows more then a thousand Presbyterians; yea, they have been often heard say, that every boy and woman in their society can confute any Presbyterian; and upon all occasions they say that they never heard so much of Jesus Christ before these Sectaries appeared, affirming, that free grace was never so richly taught, as it is now by the Independents, when notwithstanding it is most certain that for all saving knowledge whatsoever can be taught or spake concerning the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ, wherein consists life eternal, John 17, it hath been a thousand times better taught, and far more orthodoxly by the Presbyterians then the Sectaries can teach it; and therefore when they say, that never so much of Jesus Christ and of free grace was taught before these times, it is not only injurious to all the Protestant Divines at home and abroad, and exceedingly derogatory to them all; but to all the holy Prophets and blessed Apostles which have taught us as much concerning God and Jesus Christ, as in the wisdom of God himself was thought fit for mortal men to know of God and Christ, whether we speak either of the divine Essence of God, or of the persons of the blessed Trinity, or of the glorious Works, names, titles and attributes of God, or whether we speak of both the natures of Jesus Christ, the divine and human nature, or of the hypostatical union of them both, or of what Christ hath either done or suffered for us, or of his offices, either Kingly, Priestly, or Prophetical, or of whatsoever is necessarily to be known for our salvation: I say and affirm, that whatsoever is requisite for our learning, is abundantly and clearly set down in the Holy Word of God, by the holy Prophets and blessed Apostles, and hath faithfully and orthodoxly been taught and delivered by our holy, godly, painful, and learned Presbyterian Ministers in all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, and in these Churches of England, Scotland and Ireland, and that far better, and more soundly and solidly then ever it was or can be taught by any Sectaries; for it is well known, that our religious Presbyterian Ministers had as much of the assistance of the holy Spirit, as ever any Sectaries had, and far more learning then they are either capable of, or can attain unto; and therefore it is not truly nor humbly spake by the Independents, continually to say they know more of God then they, and to assert that Jesus Christ, and free grace was never so much, and so well taught, as by the Sectaries; and yet these are their daily brags and boasts, and by the which they with-draw multitudes of simple people to their Predicants and Tub-men, and then under pretence of preaching Jesus Christ and free grace, they teach their errors and heresies, and vent all their blasphemous doctrines, and destructive opinions amongst them to the destroying of their poor souls. But should I grant unto these men (which were wickedness in me to do) that they did truly and indeed preach Jesus Christ and free grace, yet to say that they preached them more clearly, more fully, and better then ever they were formerly taught, is not far from blasphemy, and exceedingly injurious and derogatory to the holy Scripture; for all knowledge that we are to take notice of concerning God and Christ, is shut up and contained in the holy Scriptures, out of whose confines we are not to seek for any knowledge concerning either God or Christ; for we have a special command given us by Christ himself, John 5. to search the Scriptures, and we are sent to Moses and the Prophets by Father Abraham, Luke 16. 29. and in the 8. of Isaiah, we are sent to the Law and the testimony, so that they that speak not according to that word, it is because there is no light in them; and Saint Paul in the 1. of the Galat. 8, 9. saith that if an Angel from Heaven should teach us any other doctrine concerning Jesus Christ then that which we have heard, and learned in the holy Scriptures, we should count him accursed; and therefore if the Sectaries and Independents teach but according to the holy Scripture, then all they teach concerning Christ and free grace was taught long before any of the Sectaries were borne, and all they say boastingly vaunting of this their own knowledge and preaching, and of these their new ways, they are not the way of Righteousness, which teaches all men meanly and humbly to think of themselves, and in honor to prefer others before themselves, Rom. 12, ver. 10. and in lowliness of mind, to esteem others better then themselves, Phil. 2. verse 3, 4. and this is the way of Righteousness God hath appointed his people to walk in, and this was the way the old Puritans of England kept in, who never boasted they knew more of God and Jesus Christ then their Christian Brethren, as the Independents and Sectaries daily do, which is the very height of Pharisaical pride in them to assume these Prerogativesunto themselves, and to receive them from others as to be the only Teachers and Preachers of Jesus Christ and free grace, and to be the most illuminated and eminent Saints and servants of Christ, and the most excellent lights, which titles are given lately to the Homothumadon dissenting brethren by one of the Sectaries in a frothy Pamphlet, called Independency no Schism, in a pretended answer to Master John Vicars, who hath writ nothing concerning them but what is Vox populi, and most of it known to all men to be true: Yea, they are grown to that height of pride and impudency that they vent their singular knowledge of divine mysteries above others, as we may see in Saint Dels Epistle to the Reader before his Sermon, (where he speaketh) of the great familiarity he hath with Jesus Christ, and of some rare knowledge that he hath received from him of the mind and bosom of the Father, &c. these are his own words, and he esteems of his Presbyterian brethren as of the off-scouring of the world, saying, that he was counted worthy to be taken into some Fellowship with Christ in his sufferings, and to endure the contradictions of sinners, and oft times to encounter the rage and madness of men, yea and to fight with men after the manner of beasts, altogether brutish and furious. This high esteem S. Del hath of himself, and counts all his Presbyterian brethren, though in all men's judgments that know them he writes against, far more pious and orthodox then himself, but brute beasts. Now because these men talk so much of their singular knowledge before their Presbyterian Brethren, and of that great familiarity they have with Christ, and what transcendent knowledge they have received from the mind and bosom of the Father, it will not be amiss here to recite some passages of that seraphicall Doctors Sermons, he preacheth in the Army. I will take them out of the book called the Vindication of certain Citizens, where page 9. they set down certain points of doctrine that Saint Dell taught in the Army in their hearing, viz.

1. That there are no more of a Church of God in a Kingdom, then there be such as have the Spirit of God in that Kingdom.

2. Neither Old nor New Testament do hold forth a whole nation to be a Church.

3. Whatsoever a State, an Assembly, or Council shall say, ought not to bind the Saints, further then the judgment of those Saints shall lead them.

4. The Saints are those that are now styled Anabaptists, Familists, Antinomians, Independents, Sectaries, and the like.

5. The power is in you the people, keep it, part not with it.

6. The first party that arose against you, namely the profane ones of the Land, are already fallen under you; and now there is another party, Formalists and carnal Gospellers rising up against you; but I am confident they shall all fall under you.

7. They are willing to become subjects, to make the Saints slaves, nay, they are all willing to become slaves themselves, that they may tread upon the necks of the Saints.

These points of sublimated doctrine I find set forth publicly, and published by authority, as delivered by Saint Dell in one of his sermons at the Army, which I had not put in to this my Epistle to the Reader, had I not some days after the publication of them inquired whether Saint Dell had answered to this accusation against him, and understanding that he had replied nothing to it (which he might have done in two hours, if he had been innocent and not guilty) I took it pro confesso, knowing that the Presses are open for all men's just Apologies and defense, especially when I find them open to all wicked and impious Pamphlets, and this as not all that made me believe the charge is true against him, but because I have heard, and that from men of reputation, and worthy of belief, that it is ordinary with him and his complices to preach such doctrines as these are, publicly and privately, and to maintain them wheresoever he comes; all the which I shall ever be able God assisting me to prove he never had nor received from the mind and bosom of God the Father, nor from Jesus Christ, though he boasts much of the Familiarity he hath with Jesus Christ.

If this be the knowledge the Sectaries vaunt so much of, and if these be the things they pretend they have received from the mind and bosom of the Father, I must confess in these their notions they out-strip the knowledge of the Saints of old, and of all the holy Prophets and Apostles, and of the old Puritans of England, who were ignorant of them all, which was a learned ignorance in them, knowing that God the Father taught a far different doctrine to his people, as I shown a little before, and shall more fully declare in the ensuing Discourse. But this I will again and again assert, that neither the old Puritans of England, nor our godly Presbyterians now, are inferior to any of the Sectaries for an holy and conscionable outward walking in all manner of conversation, or in the knowledge of God or of Jesus Christ, or in any kind of knowledge that may truly be called learning or science, whatsoever the Independents and Sectaries may glory and boast of themselves; & I do farther assert that all the godly Presbyters in the church of England do preach Jesus Christ, faith & repentance, and free grace, and that in every Congregation upon all occasions more orthodoxly, solidly, sincerely and learnedly, with all practical divinity, then ever any of the Sectaries did or can do; and therefore they do not know more of God then the Presbyterians do, as that Homothumadon Brother pharisaically and falsely gloried, and all the Sectaries with him vaunt. So that I see no reason why we may not here make use of the Apostle Saint Paul's words concerning this business, who in the second of the Cor. 10. v. 7. 12. 18. Do you look on things after the outward appearance (saith he)? if any man trusts to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. For we do not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise (or understand not) for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. So that it seems by Saint Paul's words, not only in this Epistle but in others, that the false Apostles and Seducers of his time had some high esteem of themselves, and of their own holiness, knowledge and abilities above others, yea above the Apostles themselves, as the Independents and Sectaries of our times have of their great piety and sufficiency above their brethren, as all their words, Pamphlets and Vindications daily witness, in which they slight all that oppose their novelties, and style them vain men, and such as neither know what to say, norhow to hold their peace, vilifying them all as the off-scouring, and things of naught, which practice of theirs when it was blamed in the false Apostles as sinful, it cannot be praise-worthy in the Sectaries now in our times, who walk in that way of unrighteousness those false Teachers then did, and contrary to that rule prescribed by God, which is to prefer others before themselves in honor, which way the old Puritans of England walked in, and not in the way of the false Apostles, and the Sectaries of our times; for they kept the road way, and the royal way of righteousness, esteeming of their brethren better then of themselves. But the world was never without such a sort of men: for Solomon speaks of the like, There is a generation of men (saith he) and how lofty are their eyes, and their eye-lids lifted up? and of such creatures Saint Paul speaks, 2 Cor. 11, ver. 22 which made him compare himself with them after this manner; are they Hebrews? (saith he) so am I; are they Israelites? so am I; are they the seed of Abraham? so am I; are they the Ministers of Christ? I speak (saith he) as a fool, I am more, &c. Thus the holy Apostle laughs at these seducers and vain boasters, and to make them more ashamed, he compares himself with them, not fearing to be counted a Jeerer and scorner of piety and religion, though he made himself merry with them, whom he knew very well for all the shows they made of being the Ministers of righteousness, that they were a company of Impostors, and therefore assimilates and likens them to the Devil; for the which if he had lived in our times he would have been termed a boisterous and froward spirited man, shameless, deserving the name of Cretensis, against whom there would have come out many vindications, telling him that it became not the gravity and wisdom of old age, and an old professor of Religion to charge, and that publicly, his brethren of unworthy double dealing, and unfaithfulness, though they were all guilty of those crimes. And therefore I see no reason why any godly conscientious man should now fear to use the same method with the deceivers and seducers of these our times, that Paul did with those in his days, and to laugh at them; for it would be an abuse of gravity to spend it upon them who continually glory of their parts, knowledge and sanctity, as the seducers did in Paul's time, as by the Apostles expressions through all his Epistles is manifest, seeing it is well known that the Independents and Sectaries of our times in their words and very prayers, and in all their vindications & Pamphlets confess, that they separate from us as an unholy people, & that they know more of God then the Presbyterians, and that all their brethren are the only protious and holy people, and the godly party, the Saints; and for their Ministers and Pastors they account them the only Preachers of Jesus Christ and of free grace, the most illuminated and eminent Saints and servants of Christ, and the most excellent Lights, all which their expressions move me without fear of being counted a jeerer and scorner of piety and religion (which from my soul I reverence and honor in all in whom I truly see and discern those graces) to make use of the Apostles example, and to laugh at their grolleries, and imitate him in comparing the Presbyterians with the Independents and Sectaries, which I am confident I may do without any just offense, and therefore with Saint Paul I say unto all the Sectaries and Independents, whether people or Ministers, do any of them look on things after the outward appearance? if they trust to themselves that they are in Christ, let them also think this again, that as they are in Christ, even so are the Presbyterians Christ's; are they believers? so are the Presbyterians; are they Israelites? the people that wrestle with God day and night by prayers and supplications, and by groans of the spirit, and tears prevail with God? so do the Presbyterians; are they the seed of Abraham? the children of the faithful, and do they walk in Abraham's steps? so are the Presbyterians as well the children of the faithful as they, and walk as carefully, conscientiously, and unblamably in all manner of conversation before God and towards all men; and therefore in nothing inferior to them, if the Sectaries and Independents be really and indeed such as they pretend to be; are the Independent Predicants and Pastors, Ministers of Christ? I may truly say the Presbyterian Ministers are more, as having had the honor of the conversion of them all, the seal of true Ministers, if they were ever truly converted, and of many hundred thousands besides, and they are more orthodox Ministers; yea, such as stood to their Ministry faithfully, and endured the heat and brunt of the day, when all the Ministers of the Sectaries for the most part either ran away, or hid their heads, or most basely temporized, as the whole Kingdom knows. So that whatsoever they can speak of themselves, in respect either of knowledge, graces, or privileges, or in regard of gifts or endowments, the Presbyterians with far greater reason, and with far better right, and without any vain gloriation (giving the praise of all they have unto God) may challenge unto themselves, and may truly ever say, do the Independents and Sectaries hope to be saved? The Presbyterians believe, that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, they also shall be saved, Act. 15. 15. God having put no difference between them and his chosen people the Jews, purifying their hearts by faith, verse 9. So that I say, whatsoever the Independents and Sectaries can vainly glory in, or boast, of the Presbyterians can truly in all humility, and with far better reason speak of themselves, yea and truly apply it unto themselves; so that there is no just ground why all the Sectaries should thus daily brag of their gifts and graces, and of the singularity of their parts, and privileges, and of their familiarity with Jesus Christ, and of their holiness and piety, appropriating all those prerogatives to themselves, and excluding all their Presbyterian brethren from partaking in them, making them all no sharers in them, proclaiming them all the enemies of Jesus Christ, and the sons of Belial. I say and assert, that I can see no reason why they should thus make impropriations of all the privileges and immunities of the true Saints unto themselves, and confine all the graces of God to their own party, and rob all their brethren of all their Christian excellencies, as they in the Army spoil and rob all the Presbyterian soldiers of their due honor and praises in all those glorious victories God had crowned that whole Army with, and ascribing all the glory and honor of them all to themselves, which they call the godly party.

I say, I cansee no good reason of all these their practices; for thus did not the Saints of old, thus did not the old Puritans of England assume to themselves to be the only people of God, preferring themselves before their brethren upon all occasions; they walked all of them in the way of righteousness that God had appointed them to walk in, which was, to give everyone their due, and to love as brethren, Rom. 12, which was not to separate from the Assemblies of their brethren, counting themselves more holy then they, for the which they have neither precept nor allowable president in all God's holy Word; and therefore I may truly conclude of them they are not in this their practice the old Puritans of ENGLAND overgrown, exceeding them in virtue or in the way of righteousness they went in, though they come to us in gray heads, and appear unto us in most glorious gravity and in the beauty of old men. For in all these proceedings that I have now named, and in many more that I could enumerate, they are not in the way of righteousness, and in the paths of the Saints of old, and in the way of the old Puritans of ENGLAND and like them, but they may be truly compared, whatsoever they glory of themselves, to the enemies of the true Saints, I mean the Seducers in all ages, and with the Jesuits and all Popelins, whose actions and examples they better know how to imitate, then the actions and lives of the Saints of old, and the old Puritant of ENGLAND, for they tread rather in the steps of the Jesuits, as the following particulars and practices of all those juglers and impostors will manifest.

For first, as the Jesuits and Papists separate from all our Assemblies counting themselves the only Catholics, and all our Congregations Heretical and all us Heretics. Even so do the Sectaries deal with us, they separate from our Churches as profane societies, esteeming themselves the only Saints, and their new Congregations the only Churches in which Christ is set up as King upon his Throne. And as the Jesuits and Papists magnify themselves and their Masters for the only seraphicall Doctors, and in all their writings boast of their eminent learning, and slight and contemn all the Protestant writers as nothing; so do the Independents and Sectaries highly magnify themselves, and esteem of all the Presbyterians as the off-scouring of the earth, making them, the sillyest creatures of the world in comparison of themselves, as in all their Vindications and forthy Pamphle s daily appeareth; yea, they write against them with more then an episcopal pride; So that in all these their dealings they are l • ke the Jesuits and Papists.

Again, as the Jesuits and Priests amongst the Papists make all the Protestant Ministers with the Presbyterian government odious and hateful to the people, even so do all the Independents and Sectaries incense the people against all our godly Ministers and Presbyters, and the Presbyterian Government, falsely persuading them, that children killed, Exod. 1. ver. 16. 22. that he might weaken the people of God, so the Independents and Sectaries labor to deal with us, for if amongst the Presbyterians any masculine spirits come forth with Christian manly courage to discover the evil of their ways, having piety, wisdom, l • arning, abilities, gifts, and parts wherewith they are able to oppose their errors, these they endeavor to have suppressed and to kill in their good names (which is better then life); and for the accomplishing of this they have their agents besides their scurrilous & reviling pamphlets) to ride from City to Country, and to go from house to and to cast all the males (that knowingly and conscientiously appear of a contrary judgment unto them) into the deep rivers of Calumnies, laying on their backs such loads of falls defamations as may forever drown them in their credits and reputations in the torrents of this troublesome world, and by this their Egyptian policy they suppose in a short time to weaken the Presbyterians, making them by their reproaches unfit for any employment in Church and State, as if they were dead men, by which means they bring in their own party, and so think to increase and strengthen themselves; but those their diabolical practices with all their Agents God will in his due time fully discover and certainly destroy and down them all in the sea of his indignation, they being all contrary unto his holy Word and royal Commands; and therefore although they come to us in their gray heads, yet they are not in the way of righteousness, nor in the way of the old Puritans of ENGLAND.

And t • uly if we look into the whole proceedings of the Independents and Sectaries of our times, we shall find them most agreeable to all the practices both of the Jesuits and Egyptians and the Pharisees of old, those cruel enemies of God and his people and dear servants; for the Pharisees would ever oppose Christ and interrupt him in his Ministry; and their weapons they deal with are all carnal, as those I have now mentioned, and that weapon my brother Burton cometh out against me with, viz, his Phocions hatchet, which I cannot but speak something of before I conclude this my Epistle to the Reader.

In the seventh Page of his book he hath these words.

You bring (saith he) the Scripture for you; Come on brother, let you and me try it by the dint of this Sword. And truly, I shall by the help of my God make no long work of it. You spend about eleven sheets, wherein you have woven sundry long threaden arguments, to measure out your Dependent Presbytery, as holding parallel with the line of Scripture. Now you m • nst pardon me (saith he) if I shall assay, according to an old Proverb, with one stroke of Phocions hatchet, to cut in two the long thread of your Alcibiadian fluent and luxuriant Rhetorications. Thus he.

Here my brother Burton seems to desire that he and I may try out the truth of what I have written by the dint of the sword of the Scripture: and I say as David did in another sense, 1 Sam. 21. 9.) There is none like that; but he immediately forsakes that weapon and betakes himself to Phocions hatchet, and that is his Pole-ax. Truly I exceedingly pity him, who strives to maintain a way that brings him into such a straight that he cannot cut in two the arguments brought against him without a hatchet: whereas the Sword of the holy Scripture is sharp enough to cut in two with one stroke any erroneous arguments: For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper then any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discoverer of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4. 12. But he knowing very well, that with the sword of the spirit (which is the Word of God Gal. 6. 17.) though it be a two-edged sword, &c. that he could never cut in two with that weapon my arguments, the truth and strength of them being drawn out of the Word of God upon which I have grounded all my assertions, which is a sure immovable and impregnable foundation; therefore laying aside the sword of the Scripture, he vapors with an unknown hatchet (a desperate carnal weapon) and to please himself he assays to chop, hack and mangle my arguments, which he is never able to cut in two with all his strength and strokes. Surely none but a bad cause, and an unwarrantable way had need to make use of such a weapon.

Now for the Presbyterians, as their way is warrantable being grounded on the holy Scripture, the good Word of God, the practice of the Apostles, and all the Churches constituted by them; so the weapons of their warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, 2 Cor. 10. 4. And for my part, I am resolved never to use any other but that heavenly weapon (the sharp sword of the spirit) for the hewing and pulling down of all the strong holds of the Independents and Sectaries, and for the dividing and cutting in two all their erroneous opinions, and by the help of my God and through the power of his might and by his assisting grace I shall never doubt, but by the dint of that sword ever be able to try it out with my brother Burton and all those of his fraternity, and to oppose any adversaries of the truth, and to make no long work of it, and always to be sufficiently armed to maintain it and all the ways of God which I have formerly suffered for, and still continue to hold forth and persevere to walk in.

Now before I conclude, I cannot but speak something upon this occasion concerning Phocion whom my brother Burton makes mention of, that I may inform the Reader a little of the truth of that story, and to show that he is mistaken concerning that Proverbiall speech; but how fitly it belongs unto my brother Burton the sequel of the discourse will declare. Now he represents this Phocion to the world as if he had been such another creatures as Hercules was, and that as he had his club by which he did many pretty feals, so he speaks of Phocion as if he had had his hatchet likewise. But Erasmus a man better skilled in all Histories and in the Annals of the times, then my brother Burton or any of his way, who are for the most part strangers and enemies to all good literature, out of Demosthenes setting down the truth of that story, describes Phocion to have been some Sectary in Philosophy, but yet such a trivial and worthless one, that Demosthenes speaking of him, saith, That Phocions Arguments were so far from having any strength or validity in them to persuade any man to embrace his doctrine and opinion, that by the weakness of them and the contradicting of himself and the fond handling of the controversy, he affirmeth, that Phocion was his own executioner, and the only hatchet of his own Arguments, and who opposed, yea overthrew his own principles: Phocion (saith Demosthenes) is his own hatchet to destroy and cut in sunder his own Arguments. The words of Erasmus relating that story are these, In adagiis Erasmi printed Hanoviae M. D. C. XVII. fol. 485. Demosthenes (saith he) Phocionem appellare solet suorum Argumentorum securim. Thus Erasmus expresseth himself touching that business. And this is the true story concerning that matter in Demosthenes, who makes Phocion the hatchet and destroyer of his own Arguments. Now my brother Burton speaks of Phocion, as if indeed he had been armed with such a weapon to encounter his enemies withal, which was nothing so. But the story may truly be verified in my brother Burton, who is indeed like Phocion and is his own executioner and the very hatchet of his own arguments, that really divides the head and heart of all his own and of all the Independents doctrine; so that I may truly say of him, that he hath not only sorely and desperately wounded his own cause, but absolutely murdered and taken away the life of Independency; Yea, whiles with this hatchet he came out against me to cut in two the long thread (as he speaks) of my Alcibiadian fluent and luxuriant Rhetorications, and to wound me soul and body, he hath wounded himself and all his brethren under the fifth ribb; and that when he seemed in love to take them all by their great white basket-hilted beards to kiss them; & that which I now say of him, I am confident that all those that shall vouchsafe to read the ensuing discourse without prejudice, and see what I have answered to him and all those of his society, will say.

It is usual with all the Independents to say of any Presbyterians that write against their wicked practices and novelties, although they do it with most singular reason, wisdom, and moderation, and with all evidence of demonstration, that by their writing against their ways they not only wronged themselves and the Presbyterian cause, and that very much, but that they have been a great occasion of increasing Independents and advancing their party, when notwithstanding it is well known to the judicious and learned that they have given the Sectaries a fatal blow by discovering the vanities and errors of their ways to all men. But what the Independents and Sectaries falsely vaunt in this point, (as they do of their graces and virtues) may truly be said of Master Knollys, I. S. and my brother Burton, that if ever any men have wronged their cause, and advanced their adverse party, they have done it; as I am confident all they will say that shall deliberately read the following discourse; for there they shall see how they not only upon all occasions contradict themselves, and through their ignorance and temerity overthrow their own principles, and are enemies to their own cause; but how they like the Midianites destroy one another with their own swords, and at that time when they think mortally to wound their adversaries and utterly to vanquish them and to obtain the victory.

All that I have more in this place to add, is this, That it concerns all men seriously to look about them: and as they will not be deterred by any art of persuasion when either their lands or estates are questioned from searching into their evidences and the last wills and testaments of their fathers, Parents, and friends that gave them their inheritances, so they ought not by any persuasions of men to be dissuaded now to search the good will and testament of their heavenly father and all the evidences of holy Writ, and to see what all their adversaries can pretend against their right & just title to them. Let them ever make those living Oracles Act. 7. their Counselors, they will advise them for their present good and show them the right way to their eternal & everlasting Patrimony the kingdom of glory. Now that they may be all made more studious and diligent in the scrutiny of those heavenly records when as so many Sectaries and Independents lay false claim to their celestial inheritance and pretend that the Presbyterians have no just title and claim to the way that leads thereto, shall ever be the prayer of him who from his soul wishes that all men may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus: to him be glory both now and forever, 2 Pet. 3. 17.

To all the Homothumadon Jndependents, assembled, and not assembled, with all the Sectaries and Straglers under their several commands, and to all the Burtonians, Valere & sapere.

A Godly conscientious Christian not long since being in company with one of the chiefest of your society, and bewailing unto him the sad condition of the times, in regard of the many dangerous opinions and blasphemous heresies that have within these few years sprung up since your New Lights appeared on our Horizon to the destroying of the souls of many, yea, tending to the ruin of Church and State, and to the bringing down of the judgments of God upon the whole nation, if not timely prevented, he demanded of him, what he thought now was the fittest course to be taken for the hindering of the over-spreading of them, seeing men generally began to leave the public Assemblies, and to decline those ways God hath appointed in his holy Word, (viz. the preaching of the everlasting Gospel by his faithful and orthodox Ministers) for the saving of their souls, and for the right information of their judgments, and the rectifying of their manners; to whom that Gentleman of your party replied, that no other means ought or could lawfully be used but sweating them with Arguments.

Whereupon, I being very desirous of all men's saving healths, but especially of yours, in regard of the particular acquaintance I have formerly had with some of you, and in regard also I have been often accused of great ingratitude towards you all (though I may truly assert▪ that not any one of you, did ever show me the least courtesy under that notion you now show your love to any; for whiles ye were my familiars ye went on in that way I now walk in; and if ye then shown me any humanity, ye ought not now to upbraid me with it; for I am not changed but ye) I say in consideration of these things, and in regard likewise, I find by many symptoms the minds of many of you are exceedingly exulcerated and affected with that malady in morality ye make so loathsome in others, ye being surcharged with superfluity of choler and malice, and not able to contain yourselves, but break forth into distemper of words, and pour it out in unsavory language, so that ye may well be left to a miserere mei: (I pray excuse me that I use your own dialect) in all these regards I say, but chiefly for your souls good, and that all the world may see how grateful a man I am to you for any former courtesies under whatsoever notion you shown them me; I being a Physician, and very well acquainted with all your distempers, and being very willing also to yield my best help for the restoring of any of you to your former sanity and soundness of mind offer myself to be your Physician in ordinary, and to follow the method prescribed by one of your brethren (who it seemsknows the best way of curing your several maladies) & I shall upon all occasions, as I have at this time, sweat you with Arguments, but chiefly a • the times appointed; and because it shall not be said I do it out of a desire of gain and for lucre sake, that I may the better testify my gratitude to you all, I will according to my promise give you my counsel gratis, only you must pay my Apothecary for the Phisick, who shall use you very reasonably. Now I have made good provision of it, because some of your way not many weeks since, being in Westminster-Hall speaking to a Reverend Presbyterian Minister in a vapouring manner, said, that the Independents were exceedingly beholding to me and Reverend Mr. Edwards, affirming, that we bred more Indpendents then any two of the Kingdom besides; and this I believe to be true, not only because I know the honesty of the man, but because I find it printed by one of your brethren, that Bishop Wren was not more mischievous to the Prelacy, then Master Edwards hath been to the Presbytery, and because Master Weld a wonderful learned man writ unto me not long since, wondering who hired me to make so many Independents, (whose worthy Epistles may happily within these few weeks see the light) and in this regard I do persuade myself that those Independents did use such words as these to that Minister in Westminster-Hall.

The same Minister also related unto me moreover that they said that they understood that I was preparing some physic for them, which they doubted not but would be very operative for the breeding and increasing of Independents, and for the strengthening of more, and therefore they said they were resolved as soon as ever it was made ready for use, they would bestow an hundred pounds upon that and Master Edward's Books, for to send through the country for the breeding of Independents, and contented not themselves barely to speak the words, but bound themselves by a solemn protestation, that they would do it; and therefore that I • might farther make them beholding to me, which is also some requital for all your former courtesies, I have provided physic in a very great quantity, and challenge your promise; for I presume that they were but the mouth of their brethren, there being one of your Sagamours in the company at that time, a man that cannot deny what was promised. Now if you be honest men indeed, and men of your word, I expect performance according to your promise; I will see you shall have reasonable penny worths only I must tell you, that I will take order, that the physic be faithfully distributed, and sent through the Kingdom into all parts according to your engagement for the breeding of Independents, that it be not embezeled; I will undertake that it shall carefully be sent to whatsoever places you shall appoint; therefore if ye be Saints indeed as ye pretend, stand to your word; for I have good witness of it, and do not you pretend excuses for the declining of the buying of my physic; for then I will conclude you are but a company of Bragadochoes, neither would I have you as formerly you use, to disparage it, finding fault with it, & my method, & manner of dispensation, saying, that it is nauseous, and that in my rules and directions I am full of tautologies and extravagancies, and that it is poor stuff procuring rather vomiting then sweating, and that their tender stomachs and conscences cannot digest such physic, complaing moreover that it is very dear; I would not have you now pretend any of these things, I say it is not for your honor, seeing you have passed your promise to buy it, and to send it through the country, for the breeding of Independents; for you should have considered all these things before your engagements, which being passed you cannot now with honesty revoke.

But as for the tautologies and often repetitions you so blame in my method, and so much speak of, you of all men ought to excuse them, you yourselves so often using them, having little else in all your writings but tautologies, and vain repetitions; especially you ought not to blame them in me, when those of your party have occasioned them by your frequent objecting the same things from several mouths and pens; for I had to deal with your whole Army, and with three of your Generals at once, who had read without doubt what each other had writ against me, and therefore they picking and choosing through my book what they thought they could best deal with, they might have set upon those parts of my Book that the others had said nothing against, but they making the same cavils that the others had done, they put me upon several answers. But were it so that they had none of them seen what each other had writ, yet they treading in the same steps, and answering after their manner to the several Arguments they opposed, I was severally to reply to all their cavils, that are materially made to the several Arguments, which I have faithfully done; and for my part▪ I thought it no burden, being ever willing, yea resolved is often and as frequently as I find poison laid by any destructive creature, to prescribe an Antitode to it in the same place; and for farther answer to your meager and slender detractions, take notice, that I value not what you or any Adversaries can say concerning my tautologies, if handling the same thing often be thought a tautology with you; for this is my resolution, that wheresoever, and as often as I find an adversary hath a tongue to speak against the truth, or a pen to write against it, were it an hundred times in the same place, or in the same page, I will (God assisting me) answer them upon the place I find them, and that instant, I will never refer the Reader to what I have said before in any other place concerning that point; for I for my part think it a kind of laziness to spare any pains in so weighty businesses and things of so high concernment as these are; yea, I think there is but little zeal in that man that shall hear the truth, either often blasphemed or spake against, that will not as often stand up in defense of it, and contend for it (according to command, Iud. 3.) to his uttermost ability, yea it would be a means to persuade unstable men, that there were some strength in the Arguments of the enemies, or that they are more diligent to sow errors & tares, then I should be diligent to root them out & oppose them, if I should not as often reply as they cavil, and object; & therefore for my particular it never troubles me what any of youcan say to me about my tautologies, which are not vain repetitions to any that love often to hear the same truth well confirmed; for allthis will but witness and declare to all men, that I am a careful man to uphold the truth, and to resist gain-sayers; besides, any man may sooner read a reply many times, then turn to another place, where it was formerly spake of, and answered to; withal, there will in a several answer to the same objection in another place be found some variety, both for argument and language, which many times begets other excellent notions, which more and more confirms men in any truth.

Besides, this hath ever been God's own method, which they that are taught of him, John 6. ought to imitate, often to repeat one and the same Law; as what he taught his people in Exodus, he often reiterates in the same Book, and not in that only, but in Leviticus and Numbers, and repeats the whole Law again in Deuteronomy, and that often, to the end they might remember it, & the same may be saidof all the holy Prophets through the whole Bible, who often reiterate & repeat the same things that the people may not pretend ignorance; and this I say is God's own method, and therefore worthy of our imitation; yea and Christ himself used this method in his preaching, and dictating unto his Apostles by his Holy Spirit, who writ four Evangels of what he hath both done and suffered for us, often repeating the same thing; yea, all the holy Apostles and pen men of holy Writ used the same method, as is to be seen through the Acts, & all their holy Epistles, repeating the same things according to their several occasions, as when either the same errors sprang up in other places, or began to increase where they were so wen, and started up; yea, Paul professeth of himself, Phil. 3. verse 1. that to him it is not grievous, but for them safe, to write the same things. The same method did Saint Peter use, as ye may see in his second Epistle; and therefore it is no error in me often to repeat the same things, and to inculcate and reinforce the same Arguments, especially if it be occasioned by yourselves, that by this means the truth for which I contend may be the more confirmed, and errors may be the more confuted, and overthrown. But withal let me say thus much unto you by the way, that although I am constrained through your vain tautologies often to handle the same truths; yet it is with such variety, and in so diverse a way, manner and style, as it will not be grievous or tedious to all those that shall read it with honest hearts, where they will well perceive that what I have answered more briefly in one place I have more fully handled in another; that (if it be possible) I might give full satisfaction to all docible and ingenuous men that will be satisfied, either with Scripture or reasons.

Now if in this dispute there be any expressions that may displease any of you, you of all men may well excuse them, knowing how great your provocations of me have been; especially, if you consider that all this contention is for the defense of the truth of God, which ye all have sought to corrupt, and adulterate with your traditions; in whose quarrel, and for the maintenance of whose honor it becomes every man to be more zealous, and fuller of animosity then for his own; and therefore if I take liberty to speak more freely in showing the vanity, impiety and wickedness of the Deceivers and Impostors of these times in which we live, it is but to use the same method the holy Prophets and blessed Apostles have used against the false teachers of their times, who have expressed themselves in language equivalent to whatsoever they shall find in any part of my Book. Yea, you yourselves if you but look upon my Brother Burtons Vindication, or upon any of his Pamphlets, or indeed upon any of your own scriblers in maintenance of your own vain errors and novelties, or upon John Goodwin, your famous Cretensis, or the last Vindication that came out against Reverend Master Edwards, you shall find them as full of unsavory expressions, as ever people writ against any men withal, writing also with such elated spirits, and with so course language, as is possible for any men to vent themselves withal, they ordinarily beginning and continuing their Pamphlets with pride, and ending them with cursing, as in that late Vindication appeareth, where the Author page the first, saith, I thought it might not be amiss (speaking of learned Master Edwards) to spend an hour or two upon this vain man. Here we find the height of pride, insolency and disdain, and in the 30. page he hath these words concerning the same man. The Lord rebuke turbulent and violent spirits; here he ends with cursing causelessly, whereas there is no more turbulent and violent spirits now upon the earth then this of that Author, and all those of your fraternity, as all their practices, and noisome, fruitless, and vilipending scriblings can witness, who daily write against their Christian Brethren for their zeal to the truth, with a greater spirit of pride, insolency and elation, and with more contempt and disdain, and that out of self conceitedness then ever the Prelates did, continually slighting, under-valuing and contemning those men they are not worthy for any merit or true learning to be compared with, or named the same day they are mentioned; and therefore if I in God's quarrel and cause be a little more earnest, and use a little more tartness (which I shall ever wave in my own) it may with any good nature easily plead excuse.

But before I conclude my Epistle, I shall desire you all to consider three passages, omitting many; I shall here set before your eyes the one out of Master Knollys his Answer, the other out of I. S. his Flagellum, the third out of my Brother Burtons Vindiciae; that you may take notice of the vanity and futility of these men, and how much they have wronged your cause before you read the ensuing Discourse. Master Knollys thus speaks, upon the Frontispiece of his Book: A moderate Answer unto Doctor Bastwicks Book, wherein the manner how some Churches in this City were gathered, and upon what terms their Members were admitted, that so both the Doctor and the Reader may judge, how near some `Believers who walk together in the Fellow-ship of the Gospel, do come in their practice to these Apostolical rules, which are propounded by the Doctor, as God's method in gathering Churches, and admitting Members. These are Master Knollys his own words, and in the nineteenth and twentieth page he more fully there testifies his good liking of that method for gathering of Churches that I out of the Word of God propounded, and would persuade the world that their Congregations were gathered after that method or manner, or came very nigh unto it; by all which his expressions, and by that their practice he declares, that in his judgment I have writ nothing but what is agreeable to God's Word. I appeal now therefore unto you all, whether this man deserves not condign punishment, that will go about, undertake and endeavor to confute that Book which he in his judgment alloweth of, and according to which he pretendeth he practiseth, andall this for the deluding and misleading of unstable souls, to the trouble both of Church and State. I am most assured, that those that are rational amongst you, and not blinded with passion, will say that Master Knollys is not only an unworthy trifler, but that he goeth contrary unto his own Principles, and ought deservedly to be severely punished for his thus wickedly misspending his precious time and abusing the simple people: For if I have writ nothing concerning the gathering of Churches, but what he in his conscience believeth and practiseth; then how inexcusable is that in this man that will speak against what his own soul dictates unto him to be according to GOD'S holy Word? By all which it is manifest, that he is not only a vain jangler, but hath lost the day, and wronged that your cause, the defense of which, notwithstanding, he entered into the field to vindicate and maintain against all the Presbyterians. And that which I have said of him, may deservedly be spake of I. S. and my brother Burton. For I. S. in the 13. Page of his Flagelli, hath these words, If it were granted (saith he) that many Churches did aggregate and unite in the beginning, yet would not this example be bindingly presidential, &c. and seems there to prove it by arguments; and my brother Burton in the 9. and 10. pages of his Pamphlet assenteth unto I. S. his doctrine, as you may see at large if you look into it, in which you shall find also, that he acknowledgeth there were many congregations of believers in the Church of Jerusalem, and at that time, when according to his own reckoning, there were but three thousand believers in that Church.

His words are these, saying, that though they wanted a convenient place so spacious as wherein to break bread, or to receive the Lord's Supper altogether, so as they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in several private houses to communicate, &c. So that by the learning of all these your great Champions you will in the sequel of this discourse evidently perceive, that they have utterly overthrown your doctrine of Independency and of the Congregational way, and that whiles they all came out to maintain it: For Mr Knollys, as I said even now, he fights against the light of his own understanding, and opposeth that truth which he in his judgment alloweth of. And for I. S. and my brother Burton they have ignorantly murdered your cause: For all the contention hitherto, both in the Synod, between the reverend Presbyters there and the Homothumadon dissenting brethren, and between all the Independents and Presbyterians through the Kingdom, hath been concerning the Church of Jerusalem and the number of believers in that Church, which the dissenting brethren with all the Independents in England hold were never at first and last more then could all meet in one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship; and they assert moreover that that Church ought to be a pattern for all Churches to the end of the world in respect of its government; and do peremptorily affirm, that the example of that Church is bindingly presidentiall to all succeeding ages for imitation, which is the opinion not only of the Homothumadon dissenting brethren but of all the Sectaries that I know, yea the orthodox Presbyterians do all believe, that the Church of Jerusalem the Mother-Church is to be a pattern of Government to all Churches in all succeeding ages to the end of the World.

Now I. S. saith, that the example of the Church of Jerusalem is not bindingly presidential, wickedly comparing it to the confused chaos that indigested moles in the first creatiō, so that he makes the church of Jerusalem an imperfect pattern. So that by his doctrine, it is left arbitrary for any Church or State to set up what kind of Church government they please. Now whether or no this opinion of his be not contrary to all divinity and the judgment of all orthodox Divines, yea to the very tenent of all the Independents, I leave it to the consideration of all those amongst you that can judge of things that differ: So that you may see that this Champion also of yours hath absolutely overthrown your own principles when he came out to maintain and defend your cause.

My brother Burton also hath given a fatal blow to that cause he came out so desperately to maintain: For all the Independents through the world, that ever I heard of, with all the Homothumadon brethren in the Assembly, by all their arguments have hitherto labored to evince, that there were no more believers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in one place or Congregation to communicate in all ordinances, acknowledging, that if it could be proved there were more Assemblies and Congregations of believers in that Church, that then they would yield the cause; and they spake according to reason. For if there were many Congregations of believers in Jerusalem, and all those made up but one Church, and were all under one Presbytery, as they must of necessity be if they made all but one entire Church, then the doctrine of the Congregational way falleth to the ground or vanisheth: for if there were many and several Congregations there that had not an absolute authority and jurisdiction Independent within themselves respectively, but were subordinate and subject to another authority above them, then of necessity that tenent of the Congregational way is but a mere chimera or whimsy of your own heads, as all the learnedst of your tribe do acknowledge.

Now when my brother Burton hath not only granted there were many Congregations of believers in that Church, but by arguments proved it; he hath utterly, I say, lost the field before he entered into the combat, as will yet more perspicuously appear in the following discourse: but by that I have now said, you may see how unhappy you are in all these your Champions and Generals that give as great wounds unto your cause as any adversaries you have in the world now living ever gave.

That which I have now to say in the first place to all your leaders and guides, is, earnestly to entreat them as they look for true comfort in life and death, and as they desire the peace of the Church, and quiet of this distracted State and Kingdom, they would now no longer withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousness, which hitherto they have done; but that they would unfeignedly bewail the errors of their ways; and repent of their seducing and misleading of the poor people; let it be enough that they have so highly provoked God and caused the enemies to blaspheme our Christian Religion.

And in the second place I desire all you that have hitherto been misled and carried about with every wind of their new doctrine, that now you would more seriously prove and examine all things (according to the Apostles rule, 1 Thess. 5. 12.) and hold fast that which is good. Lay not out your time and moneys for that which will profit you nothing, but whiles it is called today, set yourselves seriously upon the work of examining all those new doctrines that have been taught you: set before your eyes the example of the noble Bereans, search the Scriptures whether things be as they have taught you, and if you please diligently to read what I have writ out of a zeal of the glory of God, and out of love to yourselves, and a true desire of your eternal felicity, If any of you that have erred from the truth shall be converted by it, let him know, that he that converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins, James 5. 19. 20.

THE ANTILOQUIE.

S OLOMON the Wisest of men and one beloved of God, gives this counsel to all the sons and daughters of God, and to the universality of all man-kind, saying unto them all, Prov. 23. ver. 23. Buy the truth and sell it not, also wisdom, instruction and understanding. He counsels them all to prize truth with wisdom, instruction and understanding above all things, as the only means of making men happy, not in this life alone, but eternally: for so Solomon that wise man asserteth Prov. 3. ver. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. saying, Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof then fine gold. She is more precious then rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness: and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is everyone that retaineth her. If all the Orators of the World had been gathered together 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they could not with so illustrious a brevity have set forth the excellency of wisdom and understanding, nor with more glorious encomiums and ellogies have decipher'd the amability of them for the making of them specious and lovely, and for the inviting of all men to the ready and willing embracing of them: for if either life, profit, pleasure, honor, or any delectable content, or anything indeed desirable in the world can invite any creature to be enamored with any object of love, all that can be said in way of the praise thereof is contained in this description of wisdom and understanding delivered by Solomon. And yet truth hath the preeminency before them all, the first place for dignity being given & assigned unto her, and by a special command from God himself who spake by his servant Solomon, all men are enjoined to buy the truth, and that upon any terms, and not to bartell it away, or sell it, or to part with it, though it might be with never so much worldly emolument unto them. Buy the truth, saith God, & sell it not, keep it forever: For by the truth thou shalt perfectly attain unto liberty, which is the life of life, yea which is better then life, liberty being that the whole world contends for, every man not only desiring it, but fighting for it.

Now the truth will make every man free, so saith Christ, John 8. ver. 32. The truth shall make you free from all error, and from the fear of Hell and Death, and from the very terror of both: And lest any man should seriously doubt what truth is, as Pilate scornfully did, Christ himself hath taught us John 17. v. 17. saying, Thy Word is Truth, and that Truth that sanctifieth his people: For everything is sanctified by the the Word and Prayer, 1 Tim. 4. v. 5. This precious good Word of God, and the faith once delivered unto the Saints, Jude 3. contained in it, is that that all men are exhorted earnestly to contend for: And therefore more especially in these our times everyone ought vigorously to stand up and contend for it, yea upon any terms or at any rate to buy it, when it is become such a rarity as it is scarce to be met with, being almost lost in the thickets, meanders, and labyrinths of so many errors; so that the faith once delivered unto the Saints is very rarely to be found amongst the sons of men through the involutions and entanglements of writhing and restless spirits, whose whole work and design it is (as by their daily practices it doth appear) either wholly to eclipse or darken it, or totally to take it away, that by this means Truth and Light being once removed, the deceivers and impostors may the better put off their corrupt and putrid wares and commodities, and the poor deluded people may the more facilly and readily be deluded, cheated, and consened, and those that are wayfaring men for the want of its direction may wander in the by-paths of darkness to their own eternal perdition. And the verity is, too too many, by their needless, vain, and unnecessary janglings about the truth and the way have lost them both and are now turned Seekers to the dishonor of God and their eternal shame and misery too, if they speedily repent not. For God in the 30. of Deut. ver. 11. saith there: This commandment which I command thee this day, is not hidden from thee, neither is it far of; it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it and do it. Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it and do it: But the Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it. See (saith the Lord) I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.

Now if in the days of Moses the truth was so near unto them that the Lord says there unto his people, that he had set it before their eyes, yea that it was in their hearts; so that they had then no need to run from land to sea, and from sea to land to find it: how much more obvious is it now, may every rational man conclude when it is so gloriously set forth, and that through the whole Scripture of the New Testament? And how inexcusable will all such be found that complain the truth is not yet clear unto them? So that it may be an astonishment to all men to hear any that have read the holy Word of God say that they are yet in the dark & the truth doth not appear unto them: And yet such men there are who declare unto the world and profess it, that they are expectants and seekers: and many have often said unto me when I have been in familiar discourse with them, That as yet the truth was not made out unto them concerning the Presbyterian way, and therefore they could neither communicate with our Assemblies nor yet join with those of the new gathered churches. Now that all those who have wandered and strayed from the old way, and those that are at a loss and seek it, may find it and the truth, which they have a command from God to buy and purchase, and that they may all clearly perceive that they are in the by-path of error that are still Skeptics and doubting about the way: I shall at this time endeavor to be their guide, nothing doubting but by the grace of God and his special assistance if they will bring docible hearts and willing minds to follow the thread of his Word, and be directed by that unerring line of the same, they may speedily be led and come into the right way, and find the truth and with it peace and comfort to their own souls in life and death.

I will first therefore dissipate and scatter those mists that have been cast before their eyes, by which the truth hath been clouded, and remove all those stumbling blocks that have been put before them, and then I doubt not (howsoever it be thought a difficult work, yea an unpossible thing) but to make the truth evidently appear unto them, and bring them into the right way from which some have wandered and strayed and others yet doubt of; And I hope so to clear up the light of the truth, that the way of it shall not only be plain to them, but to every man and woman that have not lost the eye-sight of their reason or have not sacrificed themselves to error and vanity. And therefore that the truth concerning the Presbyterian way may the more elucidately appear to every intelligible man, I will here briefly state the question which is fully handled in the following discourse, and show What hath been the principal cause of putting so many out of the way, and keeping and deterring others from it, and withal I will set down the ground and rise of the Independent tenent, & show upon what as a foundation they lay the whole Fabric of this their new Babel; which I hope to make evident to be nothing but a mere chimera and fancy in their own brain, and that there is not the least warrant for it in the whole book of God. And all that I now say, I am confident 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to discover to all those whom the god of this world hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the clear sunshine of the Gospel of Truth.

Those that call themselves by the name of Independents and have separated themselves from our Congregations and Assemblies, counting us such Saints as Job would not set with the dogs of his flock, calling us the sons of Belial, proclaiming us to be the enemies the Lord Jesus Christ and his Kingdom (for this is their language concerning us all) those I say pretend that they have both the Word of God and the example of the Primitive Churches, especially that of Jerusalem for the maintenance of their Independency and for these their unbrotherly proceedings, whose opinion and doctrine is this:

That the Church of Jerusalem that Mother Church consisted of of no more believers at any time then did ordinarily meet altogether in one place and Congregation to partake in all acts of worship; and they teach withal, that this Church consisting of no more, had an absolute sovereignty within it self Independent without reference to any other Church, and from the which there might be no appeal for the redress of any conceived wrong; and they moreover affirm that the constitution of this conceited form of government, is the true Gospel form of Church government, and is forever to be a pattern to all Churches in all succeeding ages to do the same and to exercise the same authority within themselves severally that they imagine this Church did, though they consist but of twenty or thirty Members apiece, yea fewer.

This is the opinion of all the Independents, saving my Brother Burton, who in this differeth from all his brethren, believing, yea acknowledging that there were many Assemblies of Believers in the Church at Jerusalem, by which he hath overthrown their opinion, whiles notwithstanding he labors with all his might to maintain it, as will appear in its due place; whereas all the other Independents, (as I said before) confidently assert, that there were no more Believers in that Church, at first and last, then could all meet in one Congregation to communicate in all the Ordinances.

Now the Presbyterians on the other side, and that upon very good grounds, as will in the sequel of this discourse appear, hold and believe that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem, and that all those several Congregations made but one Church within its pracincts, and were all under one Presbyterie; and that the government of this Church consisting of many Congregations combined together under the government of a College of Presbyters is a pattern of government to all Churches in succeeding ages to the • nd of the world. And this I thought fit to speak concerning the first question or controversy between the Presbyterians and the Independents.

The second is concerning the gathering of Churches and admitting of Members into Church fellow-ship & communion, which the Independents hold and teach must be upon these conditions.

First that they that are to be admitted, and before they can be received into the Church, they must walk sometime with them. In New-England they make some walk seven years before they can be received, and this is their first condition.

Secondly, before their admission, they must make everyone of them a particular and public confession of their faith.

Thirdly, they must bring in the evidences of their conversion, declaring the time when, the place where, and the occasion how they were converted.

Fourthly, they must all and everyone of them enter into a particular explicit Covenant.

Fifthly, they must come in and be admitted by the consent of the whole Church, Nemine contradicente; so that the refusing of any of these hinders their admission, and the gathering of Churches after so fashion (as the French men use to speak when they learn English) is the only way as they all affirm of setting up Christ as King upon his Throne, and this is the opinion and doctrine of all the Independents concerning the gathering of Churches, pretending withal that they have the Church of Jerusalem for this their pattern and plat-form, which is nothing else but to abuse the Scripture, as will afterwards appear.

The Presbyterians on the contrary side hold and believe, that for the gathering of Churches, and for the making of any Members of any Church, and for the admitting of them into Church Followship and Communion, no other conditions are to be propounded to them by the Ministers for their reception into the society of the Church, or to be required at any people's hands, but those that Christ the King of his Church (whose voice is only in Church matters to be listened unto and heard) hath propounded, viz. Repentance, Faith and Baptism. And this is the belief and opinion of the Presbyterians concerning the admission of Members, and gathering of Churches, affirming that the Independents have neither Precept nor President for all their new conditions in the whole Book of God, and therefore that they ought to be rejected as their own inventions, and as the vain and wicked traditions of their own brain, as will clearly in the following discourse be evidenced to all men. And this is briefly the state of the question and difference between us.

Now before I set down the ground, and seeming warrant they pretend for this their fond opinion of Independency, by which they have brought trouble and confusion upon this whole Church and Kingdom; I think it fit I say before the handling of the whole business to say something concerning the sorts of Independents I have to deal with, and against the which all my following Arguments do militate; and I find two sorts of Independents; the first are those which for distinction sake I call Homothumadons; the other Burtonians. Now the Homothumadon Independents, that at this day swarm through the whole Kingdom (if their own brags may be believed) are the universality of all the Sectaries, who generally hold that, There were no more believers in the Church of Jerusalem, and in all other the primitive Churches within their respective Precincts, then could all ordinarily meet in one Congregation to partake in all Acts of worship; and from thence out of this their imaginary opinion they form all their several Churches, calling their Assemblies the Churches of the Congregational way, and to this their opinion they stick and cleave immoveably. The Burtonian Independents, of which my Brother Burton is the Corypheus, and Antesignanus, and from whom they have received their doctrine, they hold and believe that there were many Congregations and Assemblies of believers in the Church of Jerusalem, but deny that those several Congregations were Churches properly so called.

This I say is the opinion of my Brother Burton, and his disciples.

So that my first Brigade of Arguments and Forces that I have drawn out of Saint John the Baptists, Christ's and his blessed Apostles and seventy Disciples quarters, and that before Christ's death, with all those I have taken out of the strong garrison of Jerusalem after Christ's ascension, and have brought into the field to dispute this controversy and question they militate against the whole Army of the Homothumadon Sectaries, that under the command of Hanserdo Knollys and I. S. their Generalls indeavored to maintain and keep this ground: viz. That there were no more Believers in the Church of Jerusalem at first and last, then could and did ordinarily all meet together in one place or Congregation to partake in all acts of worship.

The other companies that I have taken out of the Apostles quarters after Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension militate against all the Burtonian Independents, in the head of which Army he himself comes out into the field as their General maintaining, that those several Assemblies in the Church of Jerusalem were not Churches properly so called: And he Goliath -like appears armed with his sword and Phocions hatchet which is his pol-ax, bidding defiance to the whole host of Presbyterians, presuming to make good this ground against them all: viz. That those several Assemblies of Believers in the Church at Jerusalem were not Churches properly so called, challenging me by name, saying Page 7. Come on Brother, let you and I try it out by the dint of this swo • d: adding moreover these words, and truly I shall by the help of my Godmake no long work of it. I shall (saith he) assay with one stroke of Phocions Hatchet, to cut in two, the long thread of your Alcibiadian fluent and luxuriant Rhetorications. Thus valiant old Harry triumphs before the victory, and even conjures it out. And in this dispute between my Forces and all the Independent Army after a few skirmishes, they shall see not only a private Duel fought between General Burton and myself, but the fall of that their Champion with their total rout, and see their whole Army to fly and leave the field, and that most cowardly, though they were three to one; howsoever their scattered Forces now and then make some false alarums, and speak big words, what reserves they yet have, and what great things they will do, and how they will rally again and come upon me, and break through and through to the total routing of all my Forces. They that are acquainted with the feats of Arms, and expert soldiers in this Militia, will well perceive that it is but self confidence in them all, and that all their swelling words will tend to their own dishonor. I have three Generals to encounter with in the Independent Army, two under the name of all the Homothumadons, Hanserdo Knollys, and I. S. and Henry Burton in the name of all those of his party, besides some whibling reserves.

Now as I have shown you the controversy between the two parties, and the cause of this dispute, and set down the occasion of bringing all these Armies into the field with the words of their challenge, and declared also the two sorts of enemies I have to deal with; I will according to my promise, ad aram veritatis, briefly lay down the title by which they all pretend a right to Independency, and show the ground and foundation of the congregational way, for the which they do all of them now as pro aris & focis dimicare against their Christian Brethren, whom they ordinary style Presbytyrants. But by the way I must say thus much, that before there was any breaking out to open Hostility all things in the beginning were carried in an amicable and lovely way, and the controversy was disputed con and pro in a legal manner, everyone bringing in their evidences for their way and cause, and that in for • • onscienti • before Judges of the spiritual Law, where all the Advocates for the Independent cause were fully heard speak and plead for themselves, and for their party, whatsoever they now pretend to the contrary, and they had all of them liberty granted unto them freely to bring in their witnesses, which were fully likewise heard. Now they had but one witness to speak of that made for their cause, and he being found doubtful in his expressions, and the truth also of his testimony being fully examined it was abundantly made appear by the Advocates of the contrary party, that should his Affidavit be allowed of as clear in every particular and punctilio of it, as they would have it, yet it would not be a sufficient witness to prove any just title they had to their Independency, nay though they had many such; whereupon the Court could neither in justice or equity admit of that witness his testimony; and all those that have any understanding in causes of this nature, when they shall hear the debate fully on both sides, will I am most confident conclude, that should the Judges have allowed of their witnesses testimony, and so have granted the Independents their cause, that they had been unrighteous Judges, and there had been then just cause of appeal to some higher Court and Tribunal; but the Judges in conscience having given sentence according to Law and justice against the Independent party, and they notwithstanding still challenging a right and title to Independency, although I say it was made apparently evident to all men, that they could not justly challenge or claim any right thereunto by the Charter of the great King of his Church, they still persisting in their obstinacy and groundless challenge, and being resolved that they would be either soli aut nulli, would admit of no fair accommodation, as can sufficiently be proved by a cloud of witness, brake out into open Hostility, and war against their brethren, (and all this contrary unto Covenant and Agreement, as is briefly set down in the Schismatic sifted, set forth by Mr. John Vicar • ) and let fly their arrows and quils at us, and with the poison and venom of them wounded and slew not a few, invading our Frontiers and Territories, beating up our quarters, plundering and spoiling of us of our best and fattest sheep and lambs, making ever and anon false alarums upon us, and upon every occasion sending us challenges to the terrifying of many, in so much as they forced some to run into the rivers and Jordans round about stark naked over head and ears, like mad men, and that in the midst of winter, to the killing and murthering of certain of them; yea, they began to rob us of our wives, of our children, and of our servants, and indeed of our very substance: so that the Presbyterians were constrained in their own defense to come out to meet them for the preserving of themselves, and their souls and bodies, both which would be destroyed, and that speedily, if these Rovers might go on without control and resistance, and yet in all this combat the Presbyterians hitherto have used no other weapon but the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. But before I come to the main battle, I shall here set down the ground and warrant, by which they challenge a title and right to Independency, and withal I will set down the manner of their pleading before they came to Hostility, with the names of some of their chief Advocates and Patrons, who lived sometimes in the Low-countries amongst the Country Courtiers there, where they became excellent Proficients in their art, and where they learned this Lesson perfectly well, viz. how to spread their bread with the Independents butter, which is the chiefest part of their skill and learning, which made their tongues in all their pleadings run very glib; and these being all very well feed, pleaded their cause in manner and form, as followeth. The Court being set, the chief Judge or Prolocutor, after the hearing of the debate and cause desired the Advocates for farther satisfaction, and for farrher proof of the soundness of their plea, to bring in their witnesses and evidences, with their reasons out of the holy Scripture the great Charter of heaven, by which they would prove their title and right to the Church of Jerusalem, and by which they labored to evince, there were no more Believers in that Church then could all meet in any one place or congregation, to partake in all the Ordinances, and that this Church consisting of no more then one Congregation was independent, promising, and that faithfully withal the other Judges, that if they could by sufficient evidence, witnesses and testimonies out of the holy Word of God, the Charter of the great King, make it appear, that the controversy then should speedily be decided between them, and that they would yield the Cause, then the which nothing could be spake more honestly.

Wherupon first Thomas Goodwin a sturdy Advocate produces for witness the first v. of the 2. chapter of the Acts in these words, when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all (saith he) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with one accord in one place, Ergo, saith he▪ the Church of Jerusalem consisted of no more Believers then could all meet in one place. Thus did he plead and evidence.

Now before I come to tell how the other Advocates argued their cause, I will set down the Greek words in Roman characters, that the most unlearned may read them, and I will afterwards give the true and genuine interpretation, and sense of them, and show how both these Advocates, and all the Independents and Sectaries are mistaken in that witness and testimony which indeed is the only evidence they build their whole new Babel upon, and show withal how they with violence force that witness to speak otherwise then he meaneth, and that the words taken according to the original, and according to all solid reason bring in no such evidence, nor carry no such sense or meaning as they put upon them; for the words in the original make not so much as mention of a place, howsoever it crept in, in our Translation. All this by God's assistance I undertake to make good, and to evince this also, that they lay that foundation of their new Fabric only in the air or chimera of their own brain. But for the words in Roman characters, they are Homothumadon epi to auto. And now I will relate how Philip Nye a very busy Advocate pleaded the cause of Independency, and what his testimony was, who being desired by the Prolocutor to bring in his witness out of the holy word of God, for the proving of their assertion, he flies to the same place of Scripture, saying, they were all with one accord 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ergo, saith he, there were no more Believers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in one place. Then after him comes in Jeremiah Burroughs, a stout Advocate, who being demanded to bring in his witnesses for the making of Affidavit to what they had pleaded, he also betakes himself to the same text of Scripture, and with a great outice saith, and they were all 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ergo, there were no more Believers in the Church of Jerusalem then could all meet in one place. Then comes in Sydrack Simpson, a brave burly and well spread Advocate, who being by the Prolocutor requested to bring in his witness produces the very same text of Scripture alleged before, crying out pleno ore & pingui ore voice, that they were altogether 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ergo, there were no more Believers in Jerusalem then could all meet in one place and congregation. I will not mention the other Advocates, for they were all at their Homothumadon, and had nothing else to the purpose. And thus did these brave Pleaders all and everyone of them argue their cause, giving in their reason also into the Court for the corroborating of their witness, saying, that the Holy Ghost had from first to last as on purpose shown this, as if his scope had been before, to prevent and preclude all reasonings to the contrary. Thus they: This place of Scripture with this their reason to speak the truth, is all the ground, and warrant for substance, that all those restless spirited Rabbies have for this great war and contention between us, and for the proving of their doctrine of Independency, and that their tenent of the congregational way, by which they have brought this distraction and confusion into the whole Church and State, to the seducing and misleading of many thousand poor souls, to the utter ruining of many of them, and for the setting of the three Kingdoms on fire, which with all their tears, if ever the Lord should give them repentance not to be repented of they could never quench: and for the better deceiving of the people they have so accustomed their mouths to Homothumadon epi to auto, that very Sagomour Will that has no more Greek in him then a Horse, upon every occasion comes out with his Homothumadon epi to auto, and all of them in this great and weighty business which concerns not only the peace of the Land, but is of everlasting concernment to us all, they continually triffle and abuse the holy Scripture, dealing with us as Cats usually do one with another, who when they have spent all their strength with fighting, and when they can neither scratch nor bite any longer, then they spit one at another, and make ugly faces; even so do these men with us, when they have tormented themselves, & spent their Forces in wrangling, having never an Argument left to maintain their groundless, wicked and dividing opinion, then they stand staring on us, & as a last refuge come out with their homothumadon epi to auto and thus spit a little Greek in our faces which the deluded people not understanding, believe that it is an absolute conquest gotten on the Independents side.

Now in regard the whole strength of their cause, ye • , of their whole Army lies here and depends upon this Fort, I mean these words of the heavenly Charter, I will take the more pains for finding out of the true meaning of them, that so I may the better discover unto the world the wickedness and vanity (for it is no better) of all these Homothumadon imposters; and so much the more willing I am to make some stay in explayning the mind and true sense of the same, because they are as it were the Key and inlet for the opening, and the better making way for the understanding of the whole Dispute; so that every man that is but of ordinary capacity, by the very light of his natural reason may from the unfolding of them be sufficiently able to discern the jugglings of these ungodly men.

But first I shall give you in the answer of those reverend Judges sitting in the Court, I mean the reverend Assembly, where this cause was fully heard and debated, where the Homothumadons had liberty fully to speak for themselves, & to bring in whatsoever made for their cause, howsoever they have falsely given out to the contrary

Now for answer to their reason above mentioned, the Reverend Assembly replied, that they inclined to believe that the Holy Ghost intended rather to show the early accomplishment of the promise, Ier. 32. 39. of giving one heart, and one way by his so frequent mentioning Homothumadon & epi to auto as adjuncts of the first Christian Church meetings; then (as our brethren suggest) to prevent and preclude all reasonings against this assertion of theirs, viz. that the believers in Jerusalem were no more then could meet in one place: and there is most excellent reason for this reply & answer of the reverend & learned Assembly to their wicked cavil, for so I may truly cal it, for it is nothing else but to abuse the Holy Scripture, and for no other end but to deceive the people, that they may the better make merchandise of them, which is one of the horridest impieties in the world, which all the homothumadon Ministers and Predicants, and Itinerary Preacers are most deeply guilty of, who make a prey of the people where ever they come, and most abominably cheat them, especially the silly women.

Now if we do duly examine the words of the Text and consider them in their native sense and true meaning, it will most manifestly appear that the Answer of the learned and reverend Assembly was grounded upon most excellent and solid reason, which all the slight of all the Homothumadons and their cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive simple souls, will be made more oriently appear in all its colors.

First therefore I will set down the Text it self in its original language, and then give the true interpretation of it in our tongue, Acts the second v. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Translation is this, When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord upon that, viz. occasion or design: For this is as much as the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do signify, being taken both adjectively and relatively in that place, and therefore under reformation be it spoken, it is not rightly translated in our bibles; for unless we do consider the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with reference to some substantive or something going before, there can no sense be made of them, nor no man mortal can tell the meaning of them, no more then any man can divine or judge what one that cometh abruptly into his company and having interchanged no discourse with him doth mean and understand, if he should barely say upon this or upon that. Now all the contestation is about these words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 we all agree it signifieth with one accord. Now the Independents by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 understand in one place, which epì to auto never signified in the world: for if we will stand upon the words, they have a far other meaning then the Homothumadon brethren give of them, as will by and by appear: for as for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 taking it not as a preposition in the Greek tongue, as all the learned in that language know, it often signifies time, and of this I could produce many examples; as if one speaking or writing Greek should say, such a thing happened in my time, or in my days, he would express it by epì and say 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , tempore meo, or mea aetate, it was done in my time: So that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may with far better ground and by far far greater reason be interpreted for time in that text then for place, in regard there was no mention made of place before, but of time; for it is in terminis said, When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all together with one accord 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : viz. at that instant of time or upon that very day; this interpretation I say doth far better come up to the sense and meaning of that text then the other in one place: for both 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in that text are relatively and adjectively taken (as I said before) having reference to something going before; for otherwise they cannot possibly be understood So that there being mention of time before, they are to be interpreted rather of time then place: but that is not the true meaning of the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in that text; for the true interpretation therefore of them, we must have recourse to other places of holy Scripture, and primarily to that portion of Scripture from whence these words are taken, and that is out of the Septuagint's translation upon the second Psalm ver. 2. which Saint Luke follows, which in the Greek runs thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is rendered by the latin interpreters thus astiterunt reges terrae & principes convenerunt in unum adversus dominum & adversum Christum ejus. In our bibles the words are thus translated: The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed. So that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in that place must necessarily be taken for an evil design, purpose, counsel, machination, or resolution: and indeed if we duly consider the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 wheresoever we meet with them they do for the most part signify some design, purpose or resolution, whether it be taken in a good sense or a bad; as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Psalm is taken for a conspiracy and an evil design of the Kings and Rulers; but in the second chapter of the Acts ver. 1. it is taken for a good design in the Disciples; for when the day of Pentecost was fully come saith the Scripture, they were with one accord 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : viz. upon this occasion they were met together with this design, purpose and resolution to consecrate the day to God's service and to celebrate the feast to his name; and this is the true and genuine meaning of the place: viz. that the disciples were all met together upon the day of Pentecost upon this design with full purpose and with an unanimous consent and resolution to keep that day and celebrate the feast unto the glory of God: and this was a good design and purpose in them which is signified by the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which are not to be understood in one place as the Independents would have it and as it is translated: and that it may yet be more evident that by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is signified a design, and not in one place, very reason and common understanding will make it out and clear to every man if we will compare Scripture with Scripture, and in the first place duly consider the words in the 2 Psa. where it is said, that the Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Rulers took counsel together 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; which words there do not imply a convention or meeting together of the persons of all the Kings and Princes in the world in any one place; for that they never did nor could do, there being an impossibility of it both in respect of time and place: no place being able to contain them all, so that I say by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there, is only signified a wicked design and purpose, or a deliberate counsel and resolution agreed upon and consented unto in all their wicked and rebellious hearts to shake off the sweet yoke of Christ and of casting away from themselves those bands of love, and of breaking those cords of his affection towards them.

For whereas God the father had appointed Christ to be King over the Nations to govern them by the Scepter of his Spirit and by the Rod of his Word, they all conspired with one accord to resist his spiritual government over their souls, and would not have him to rule over them; And therefore the holy Ghost expresses this their conspiracy, wicked design and evil purpose by the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which intimate as much as if the spirit of God had said this was the design resolution and the determinate counsel of all those wicked Kings and Rulers to reject the government of Christ over them, not meaning or understanding there by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that they in all their persons ever either came together or could meet in any one place. So that by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there, is meant a design only and not a meeting of all the persons of all Rulers and Kings in one place. The same expression we find Acts 4. ver. 26, 27. where it is said, That Herod, Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which expression is borrowed out of the second Psalm, the which words there likewise cannot with any reason be understood, That Herod and Pontius Pilate with all the Gentiles and the people of Israel did all meet in any one place: for all understanding forbids men so to argue or conceive or believe; for they well know that there was no place could have contained them all together, no not the thousand part of them: besides they were all in their several Countries and aboads, and it is well known that before this time Herod and Pilate were not so loving one to another as to come together: but it is related they were altogether 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to signify that wheresoever they dwelt or in what coasts or regions soever their habitations were, they all agreed upon one and the same wicked design to be enemies of Christ, & in this wicked resolution they were epi to auto that is, they all well accorded and assented together to put the Lord of life to death and to cast of his government: So that by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 we are to understand a mental meeting together, and not a topicall local and bodily meeting or convening of all those Kings in any one place, by which in all their consultations they were resolved to carry on their wicked design and unlawful business, and in that regard they were said to be gathered together 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in unum, though they did it in several places; and this is the true meaning of epi to auto there; as when any men do carry on a good design, though they be in dive • s and several places, they may be said to be gathered together 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as now with us the Lord's and Commons and divers Committees in both Houses, assemble themselves daily epi to auto, and are but one Parliament, though they meet in two several rooms, and more; and so a thousand Congregations and Assemblies may be said to meet Homothumadon epi to auto every Lord's day, though they be in never so many distinct places, in regard of their common design to serve God on that day: So that all reason to any intelligible man from that I have said will clearly evince, that by epi to auto is meant nothing else, but that the Apostles were met together with one accord upon the occasion of the feast of Pentecost with this deliberate design, and for this very end and purpose to celebrate that feast unto the Lord which was the work of that day; the Jews also through all Indaea and from the regions round about being come up to Jerusalem to that f • ast to worship God in it▪ and to offer up that service that was due unto his Name, and the which were taken up in the Temple and in their several Synagogues and meeting places in the same employment the Apostles were; of all the which I affirm it may be as really and truly said that they all met Homothumadon epi to auto, as of the hundred and twenty Names: And yet no rational man would from thence conclude that all the people did or could meet in one place: No more can any understanding creature or well grounded solid Christian gather, that because it is said the hundred and twenty names were all Homothumadon with one accord epi to auto, that therefore there should be no more believers in Jerusalem then did or could all meet in any one place or congregation to partake in all Ordinances. as the Independents all gather from the words. I assert that such a kind of arguing in any man would argue that he had little brains in his head; and therefore I shall be ever able by God's assistance to maintain against all the Sectaries and Homothumadon Independents that by epi to auto is to be understood either some design, whether it be taken in a good sense or a bad, which the holy Scripture apparently holds out unto us; or if otherwise, that epi to auto in the verse of the second chapter of the Acts is rather to be understood of the time of their meeting, then of the place: All this I say I undertake by God's gracious assistance to make good against all the Independents and Sectaries, and to prove withal that they do all of them most wickedly for the deluding of the people, to gather and conclude from epi to auto that there were no more believers then or at any time after, in the Church of Jerusalem, then could all meet in any one place or Congregation: for indeed to make such a conclusion as this from epi to auto is not only to fight against all the light of sound reason, but to give the holy Ghost the lie and to resist the spirit of God, and to withhold the truth from the people in unrighteousness: All which I shall by and by God willing briefly make appear.

But before I come to that, should I for disputation sake grant unto the brethren that by epi to auto in that text were meant in one place, as they would have it; because we cannot conceive if there be a meeting or convening of the persons of any people together, but it must be in a place or at a place as we usually speak: would it therefore follow that because any one place or room will hold a hundred and twenty names, for they say there were then no more in that company, to partake in all acts of worship, that it will hold hundreds of thousands, or that all the believers in Jerusalem did then meet there, or that there were no more believers then in that Church then could meet in one Congregation, or that forever after there were no more Christians in Jerusalem then did ordinarily meet in one Congregation? I am most assured that there is not any intelligible Independent but upon due deliberation would say, that he that should so conclude speaks against the very light of all understanding that dictates the contrary: and therefore he would not make that inference the Homothumadon brethren make: viz. that there were neither then in Jerusalem nor at any time after, more believers in that Church then could all meet in any one Congregation to partake in all acts of worship.

But now to show the vanity and wickedness of these men and that it may appear they in this may be rightly called Homothumadons, in that they do with one accord and with one unanimous consent conspire together to trouble and disquiet the whole Church of God, and to disturb the peace of the three Kingdoms, and are resolved to persist epì to autô in that their wicked design and that with one accord; I shall here lay down some reasons, which all that will vouchsafe to read the ensuing discourse, shall see more fully set down afterwards.

I say therefore they extremely show their vanity and wicked purpose in this that they all conclude from epì to auto, there were no more believers at that time nor ever after in Jerusalem then could all meet in any one place or Congregation. For it is most certain that the believers that were in Jerusalem at that time were innumerable, and those inhabitants; for the Scripture is clear in this point: for to say nothing of those that cried Hosanna and cut down branches at Christ's coming into Jerusalem which all made profession of him with the little children that cried Hosanna also to the highest, whose Parents were all inhabitants in Jerusalem, and without doubt had taught all their children their lesson which they thought they might better show publicly then themselves: The Scripture in the third of Matthew and in the first of Mark and in the third of Luke saith in express terms, That all Jerusalem, (which being taken Synecdochically must needs signify an innumerable company of all sorts of men) came out to the Baptism of John and were all baptized by him in Jordan confessing their sins, and all these were inhabitants: And in the fourth of John it is expressed there, that Christ made more Disciples then John, and that his Disciples baptized more, so that necessarily there were infinites of believers then in Jerusalem, yea it is expressed in the twelfth of John ver. 19. that the world went after Christ, that is, believed in him; therefore there was a numberless company of believers in Jerusalem and all inhabitants there, and all these were good Christians and true believers, though I. S. most impiously affirmeth the contrary, and pag. 8. 9. of his Pamphlet asserteth, That they were not Christians, to whom my brother Burton in the 16 page of his brief answer assenteth.

Now that they were all good Christians and true believers that were baptized by John and Christ's Disciples, all good Christians are bound to believe it, if any credit be to be given unto Christ's words whose testimony I conceive is rather to be credited in this controversy then that of I. S. and my brother Burton; for his witness is infallible who knew not only their outward conversation but their very hearts also, and therefore could give a true testimony of them; and yet he concludes of all those that were baptized by the Baptist, that they were all very good Christians and true believers. Our Savior's words are these, Luke 7. ver. 29, 30. And all the people, mark I pray his expression, All the people (saith Christ) that heard him, and the Publicans justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of him, which words of our blessed Savior are to be believed before the words of men and angels, though they should all speak the contrary, as w • cked I. S. and my brother Burton both do. Now our Savior in those words proclames all those that heard John the Baptist and were baptized by him, to be good Christians, and the Scripture saith, that Jerusalem, and they of Jerusalem came out to his baptism and were baptized by him in Jordan, Matth. 3. And in Ae • on near to Salim there was much water, John 3. 23. So that all these were inhabitants of Jerusalem and such as had their abode in that City; yea our blessed Lord and Savior that true witness, who out of his bare word ought ever to be believed, doth not only say they were good Christians and true believers, but proves it by many arguments: The first of the which is this, that they justified God, that is, they acknowledged that God was a most just righteous and a merciful God, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and keeping promise unto his people, which was, 2 Chron. 7. ver. 14. that if his people which are called by his name shall humble themselves and pray and seek his face, and turn from their wicked ways; that then he would hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. This promise of God and all his other gracious promises, those that were baptized by John did believe: for, saith o • r Savior, they justified God; declaring unto the world by their profession, that they believed in him and embraced his promises; which is yet farther manifest from Christ's second argument which is this, they rejected not (saith he) the counsel of God against themselves as the Pharisees and Lawyers did▪

Now if we consider but what the counsel of God was to the people in the ministry of John the Baptist we shall find it in the third of Matthew where the Baptist preaching unto all Jerusalem that came out unto his baptism, as it is also clear in the third of Luke, he says there, repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, warning them to fly from the wrath to come, exhorting them all to bring forth fruits meet for repentance, telling them of the danger that would otherwise ensue if they did not repent and believe in the Messiah who was to come shortly after him with his fan in his hand, who would thoroughly purge his floor and gather his Wheat into his garner, but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire; and therefore he exhorted them all again and again to repent and believe in the Messiah; this good counsel did John the Baptist give to all those that came out of Jerusalem to his Baptism, and our Savior affirms and witnesses of them all, that they rejected not his counsel as the Pharisees did to their own destruction, but embraced it to their salvation, and therefore they were all true believers if our Savior knew who were believers, which yet he proves by a third argument, saying, that they were all baptized of him confessing their sins; in token of their repentance, and of their faith in the Messiah they were all baptized by John, saith Christ; and therefore they were all very good Christians and true believers: all these arguments for brevity sake may be reduced into one argument after this manner, All those that justify God and embrace the counsel of God, that do repent, confess and forsake their sins, and believe in Jesus Christ, and in token of their faith and obedience are baptized into him, they are all good Christians and true believers; but all these, saith Christ, that heard John the Baptist with the Publicans, except the Pharisees and Lawyers, were such: Ergo, they were all good Christians and believers, and all Jerusalem consisted of such; for Jerusalem went out to Jo • n the Baptist and were baptized by him in Jordan confessing their sins: and yet more then these were converted by Christ, his Apostles and seventy Disciples ministry, and all inhabitants in Jerusalem: And therefore all these could not possibly be contained in any one place or a few, and all these were then in Jerusalem as well as the hundred and twenty names, and therefore all the believers at that time in Jerusalem, though they were all epi to auto as well as the Apostles, yet they were not all in one place as the Homothumadon brethren would infer; for those that the first chapter of the Acts speaks of ver. 15. those hundred and twenty names which met together in the second Chapter and first Verse, were Christ's apostles and Disciples and such as had followed him from the beginning of John's baptism, and were indeed all Ministers of the Gospel and preachers of the Word and men of great eminency and fame and renoun, and therefore by a great elegancy are called Names, the number of the Names (saith the Holy Ghost) which kind of expression in the Holy Scripture, is ever used for to express men only of transcendent excellency and desert for their rare virtues and endowments, as is manifest out of the Revel. 3. 4. and all these were taken up in holy duties, as the occasion required, and were by themselves; but may any rational man conclude from thence, that there were no more Believers in