The ivstification of the independant chvrches of Christ being an answer to Mr. Edvvards his booke, which hee hath written against the government of Christ's chvrch and toleration of Christs, publike worship : briefely declaring that the congregations of the saints ought not to have dependancie in government upon any other : or direction in worship from any other than Christ their head and lavv-giver / by Katherine Chidley.

THE Answer to Mr. EDVVARDS his INTRODVCTION.

•• Hearing the complaints of many that were godly, against the Booke that Mr. Edwards hath written; and upon the sight of this his Introduction, considering his desperate resolu∣tion, (namely) that he would set out severall Tractates against the whole way of Separati∣on. I could not but declare by the testimony of the Scripture it selfe, that the way of Separation is the way of God, who is the author of it,* 1.1 which manifestly appeares by his separating of his Church from the world, and the world from his Church in all ages.

When the Church was greater than the world, then the world was to be separated from the Church; but when the world was greater than the Church, then the Church was to separate from the world.

As for instance;

When Caine was a member of the Church, then the Church was greater than the world; and Caine being discovered, was exempted from Gods presence; * 1.2 before whom he formerly had presented himselfe: c 1.3 but in the time of Noah, when the world was greater than the Church d 1.4 then Noah and his Family who were the Church, were commanded to goe into the Arke e 1.5 in which place they were saved, when the world was drowned. f 1.6 yet Ham being afterward discovered, was accursed of his Father, and Shem was blessed, and good prophesied for Iaphat.

Afterward when the world was grown mightier than the Church againe, then Abraham was called out of Vr of the Caldeans▪

both from his country and from his kindred, and from his fa∣thers house g 1.7 (because they were Idolat••rs) to ••••••ship God in Canaan.

Moreover, afterwards Moses was se••••, and his brother Aaron, to deliver the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt when Pharaoh vexed them, h 1.8 at which time God wrought their deliverance, i 1.9 separating wondrously between the Egyptians and the Israelites, and that which was light to the one, was darkenesse to the other.

Afterwards, when Cerah and his Congregation rebelled a∣gainst God, and were obstinate therein k 1.10 the people were com∣manded to depart from the tents of those with 〈…〉〈…〉 l 1.11 were the children separated from the parents, and those who did not separate▪ were destroyed by fire, m 1.12 and swallowed by the earth, n 1.13 upon the day which God had appointed * 1.14 as 〈…〉〈…〉 Noahs time, who repented not▪ were swallowed by wate••

Moreover, when God brought his people into the promised Land, he commanded them to be separated from the Idolaters,* 1.15 and not to meddle with the accursed things. And for this cause God gave them his Ordinances and Commandements; and by the manifestation of their Obediance to them, they were known to be the onely people of God, * 1.16 which made a reall separation.

And when they were carried captive into Babylon a•• any* 1.17 time for their sinnes: God raised them up deliverers to bring them from thence: and Prophets to call them from thence p 1.18 and from their backesliding. q 1.19 And it was the practise of all the Prophets of God, (which prophesied of the Church under the New Testament) to separate the precious from the vile, and God hath declared that hee that so doth shall be as his mouth, Jer. 15. 19.

And we know it was the practise of the Apostles of the Lord Iesus, to declare to the people that there could be no more agreement betweene beleevers and unbeleevers, than betweene light and darkenesse, God and Belial, as Paul writing to the Corinthians doth declare, when he saith, Be not unequally yoked together with unbeleevers; for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse? and what communion hath light with darkenesse, and what concord

hath Christ, with Belial? or what part hath he that belee∣veth* 1.20 with an Infidell? and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idolls? for yee are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walke in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people; Wherefore come out from among them, and by yee Separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the uncleane thing, and I will receive you, and I will be a Father unto you, and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty, 1 Cor. 6. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Moreover, they are pronounced blessed, which reade, heare, and keepe the words of the Booke of the Revelation of Iesus Christ; r 1.21 among which sentences, there is a commandement from heaven for a totall Separation. s 1.22

These things (in briefe) I have minded from the Scriptures, to prove the necessitie of Separation; and though the Scripture be a deepe Well▪ and containeth in the Treasures thereof innumerable Doctrines and Precepts tending to this purpose; yet I leave the further prosecution of the same, till a fitter opertu∣nity be offered to me, or any other whom the Lord shall indue with a greater measure of his Spirit.

But Mr. Edwards, for preparation to this his desperate in∣tention, hath sent these Reasons against Independant govern∣ment, and Toleration, and presented them to the Honorable House of Commons; which Reasons (I thinke) he would have to be get a Snake, to appeare (as he saith) under the greene grasse; for I am sure, he cannot, ••ake the humble petitions of of the Kings subjects to be a Snake, for petitioning is a way of peace and submission, without violence or venum; neither can it cast durt upon any government of the Nation, as he unjustly accuseth the Protestation Protested, for that Author leaveth it to the Magistrate, not undertaking to determine of him∣selfe what government shall be set ever the Nation, for the bringing of men to God but leaveth it to the consideration of them that have authority,

And whereas Mr. Edwards grudges that they preach so often at the Parliament; in this he is like unto Amaziah, who bid the Prophet Amos to flee away into the Land of Ju••••a, and not to Prophesie at Bethel, the Kings Chappell, and the House of the Kingdome. * 1.23

And though Mr. Edwards boast himselfe heare, to be a Minister of the Gospell, and a sufferer for it, yet I challenge him, to prove unto me, that he hath any Calling or Ordina∣tion to the Ministry, but that which he hath successively from Rome; If he lay claime to that; he is one of the Popes house∣hold; But if he deny that calling▪ then is he as void of a calling to the worke of the Ministry, and as void of Ordination, as a∣ny of those Ministers, whom hee calleth Independant men, (which have cast off the Ordination of the Prelates) and con∣sequently as void of Ordination as a macanicall trades man.

And therefore I hope that Honourable House that is so full of wisedome (which Mr▪ Edwards doth confesse) will never judge these men unreasonable, because they do Petition, nor their petitions unreasonable before they are tried, and so proved, by some better ground, then the bare entrance of Mr. Edwards his Cavit, or writ of Ne admittas, though he saith he fo••ched it from heaven; for I know it was never there, Neither is it confirmed by the Records of holy Scripture, but taken from the practise of Nimrod, That mighty Hunter before the Lord,* 1.24 and from the practise of Haman that wicked persecu∣cuter,* 1.25 & from the evill behaviour and malicious speeches, and gesture of wicked Sanballet,* 1.26 and Tobias, who were both bitter enemies to God, and sought to hinder the building of the walles of Jerusalem.

But the Prophet Haggai, reproveth not onely such as hin∣dred the building of the Lords House▪ but also those that were contented to live in their seyled Houses, and suffer the Lords House to lie waste, Hag. 1-

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deut. 32▪ ••. 1 King. ••. 53.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 4▪ 14. 15. 16.
• c 1.3

  Gen. 4. 3.
• d 1.4

  Mat. 24. 38. 39. 1 Pet. 3. 20.
• e 1.5

  Gen▪ 7▪ 1.
• f 1.6

  Ver. 21, 22, 23.
• g 1.7

  Gen. 12. 1.
• h 1.8

  Exo. 3. 7▪ 8▪ 9. 10. Chap. 6. 26. 27.
• i 1.9

  And 12▪ ••2.
• k 1.10

  Num 16. 12, 13 14.
• l 1.11

  Ver. 21. 24, 25, 26.
• m 1.12

  Ver. 35.
• n 1.13

  Ver. 31, 32, 33.
• * 1.14

  Ver. 5.
• * 1.15

  Deut. 5. 26. 27.
• * 1.16

  Deut. 28. 9. 10.
• * 1.17

  Ezza. 1. Hag. 1. 2, 3. 4. 8. 12. 14.
• p 1.18

  Ier 51. 6.
• q 1.19

  Ier. 3. 12. Hos. 11, 7.
• * 1.20

  Christ made so great a difference betweene the world and the Church, that hee would not pray for the world; yet would die for the Church, which was given him out of the world; and without a Se∣paration the Church can not be known from the world.
• r 1.21

  Rev. 1. 3▪
• s 1.22

  Rev. 18. 4.
• * 1.23

  Amos 7. 12. 13.
• * 1.24

  Gen. 10. 8, 9.
• * 1.25

  Ecster 3. 8. 6, 6.
• * 1.26

  Neh, 6.