I Am not ignorant, that I am now entring the field, where many Combatants stand ready to encounter me; but I hope the judicious Reader will not lay the crime of presumption to my charge because I undertake in one single sheet, to vindicate that which whole volumes have calumniated, nor that I devulge my thoughts in the defence of that which of late was so much opposed, even that which so many learned and pious men, surviving at this present, both in Towne and City, in Parlia­ment and Army, have seen to their grief trampled under foot, and to their joy exalted.

Many there are who hurried on with the violent stream of their passiions, if they but once hear Inde­pendency named with applause, like a gald horse, winch and kick, and bear down all before them: Edwards, Vicars, and Bastwick, have wrote much but proved little or nothing of what they undertook; but like some unskilfull Statuaries, who in framing a Colossus, if they make it straddle wide, look big, and gape, they imagine they have equalled Apelles his Master-piece; so they, binding in one volume a whole bundle of invectives, framed against that, [Page 4] which in truth they are not able to oppugne, con­ceive they have framed pieces both lasting and inimitable.

The grand Engin with which our adversaries would beat downe Independency, is that Text of Scripture, Cor. 11. every one of you saith, I am of Paul, I of Cephas, and I of Christ: But alas! they doe not consider, that this place maketh altogether against them; for in these words, we are given to understand, that there were in the Primitive times divers Churches and Congregations under seve­rall Pastors, S. Paul doth not tax their manner of order, but reproveth those contentious spirits, that vaunted themselves to be under a more reall Pa­stor then others were, as that Paul exceeded Apollos in the gifts of the Spirit, Apollos Cephas, and a third depraving them all, and causing a Schisme, boasting hee and those of his faction were the onely followers of Christ: some there are that imploy these words of S. Paul Cor. 10. to extirpate Independency root and branch, where he saith, Now I beseech you Brethren, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions amongst you. I answer, that for us to take this saying of S. Paul as a Precept, that all men must be of one beleefe, and speak one thing, is re­diculous; for it is impossible and cannot be other­wise, but that while there are different men, there will be different minds, and that wil seem good and right to some, which to others will appeare errone­ous and impious.

[Page 5]Therefore Saint Paul must be understood other­wise then so, and to that end, we ought to consider that S Paul giveth this precept in reference to their temporall actions as well as their spirituall perfor­mances, as it were perswading them to pollicy, lest by their divisions and factions, the heathen a­mongst they then were conversant, might have just occasion to despise their Worship, and fit op­portunity to injure their persons; but let us grant that he spake to them wholly, in reference to their spirituall performances; yet it will not follow, that the Church of God ought to be tied in one knot, and kneaded in one lump; for the Church of God, though divided into distinct Congregations, as they were in the Primitive time, may speak one and the same thing, although in different manner; and like birds that sing divers notes yet make one harmony agree in one thing, though diversly deli­vered: besides if it were, as these men would have it, who professe themselves utter enemies to Tolerati­on, that every Christian by these words, ought to be compelled to give outward obedience to what is injoyned, what sundry grievous, and dire inconveniencies may happen I shall set down:

First, That service cannot be acceptable to God which is not performed with a willing mind, and a curse lies on him that dosthe work of the Lord neg­ligently, which must inevitably happen if this course were taken, to tyranize over mens Consci­ences.

Secondly, by compelling them, to do that which their Conscience alloweth not, they sin against the [Page 6] cleer and destinate light of knowledge, and so in part are guilty of the sin of the holy Ghost; but now that all men may have a good conceit of us, and be incorporated with us, let him consider;

First, What a sweet and heavenly communion we have amongst our selves, how nothing is at­tempted prejudiciall to tender Consciences; who though perhaps not resolved in some points, yet Christ who alone ought to rule his Church, we know in his good time will informe them.

Secondly, That though we acknowledge Christ to be the only ruler of his Church, yet ye devest not the temporal Magistrate of his power to punish all grosse crimes.

Thirdly, That we allow none to be capable of our Member-ship, till we have had a sufficient triall of their Conversation, and have heard the confessi­on of their Faith, and the evidences of the truth of their conversion, and till they have entred into a so­lemne Covenant, and have the joynt assent of the whole Congregation, whereby we come as neer as in us lies, to the forme observed by the Church at Jerusalem, Act. 1. 15.

But on the other side consider, our adversaries, who are continually at variance amongst them­selves, how they constraine tender Consciences to obey their rigorous and Anti-christian commands, how they bestow on the temporal Magistrate, the office belonging only to Christ, how they admit of all persons whatsoever without the least examina­tion, how their Ministers do deny, exclaime, and preach against Christs kingly Government, how [Page 7] they and all the people under their Ministery, are unconverted, or at least but in part, wanting the main thing, to wit, Christs kingly office, men vi­sibly out of the Covenant of Grace, who have not so much, as an outward profession of Faith, and de­ny Christ to be their king.