An Admonitory LETTER WRITTEN By an Old Minister of the New Combinational Church, and sent to divers Ejected Ministers of those Parts in which he lives.  
IN Which is not boldly and barely affirmed, but also offered fairly to be confirmed by unanswerable Arguments, 

I. The right constitution of a Combinational Church.  
II. The corruptions that crept in upon it from the Parochial, Cathedral, Provincial, National, and Ecumenical Roman Church.  
III. Who were the Heads of these several Churches, and what were the qualities of them.    
PUBLISHED 

I For to inform the Ignorant.  
II. For to reduce the Errand.    
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for Richard Lowns, at the White Lion in Paul's Churchyard, 1658.   

An Admonitory LETTER WRITTEN By an Old Minister of the New Combinational Church, and sent to divers Ejected Ministers of those Parts in which he lives.  
Reverend Sir,  
THat that glorious God who is the giver of all Grace (as well as of every good and perfect gift) would never be weary of conferring on you, or of continuing in you, or yet of increasing by you, those real and rich gifts and graces which he (out of his good will & mere goodness) was pleased to endue & adorn your precious soul withal; for the daily use and exercise whereof, his main aim, and uttermost end was his own service, and your own solace, to heave you up higher in holiness and happiness (as I am hopefully persuaded in my very heart) then most of your Companions or Acquaintance, Kindred or Country (and that at the least) by the head and shoulders; is one of those many motions which I have frequently and unfeignedly found myself moved (and that as I trust from the highest Heavens) for to make unto the Hearer of prayers, and the granter of requests: 
1. An humble motion for you.  this motion is my humble motion for you.  
That you would call to your remembrance, and also seriously consider, and lay to heart, what (I in the judgement of rational charity am bound to conceive) you cannot choose but know, by what Christ did reveal to you, and by what you did likewise receive from Christ; namely, how our God in Covenant hath thought meet to constitute three several sorts of visible Churches (and no more to be owned and acknowledged as his) to be founded, and found successively on earth from the beginning of the world to the end of the same: Whereof the first was the Oeconomical, or Domestical; the second was the National, or Judaical; and the third was the Presbyterial or Combinational Church. You yourself are not at all any thing ignorant I suppose, that the foremost of these sorts did exist in, and was confined unto those Ages alone, which were before the Mosaical Law, or that the next had its being (and that precisely) during those very days which were under the force of that Law; either of which spaces of time consisted of two thousand years, or near about: and that the hindermost sort did not begin to be until after the utter abolishment of the said Oeconomical Law. In which third and last kind of Church-government, every child of man that is an ingenious child of God, and a conformable member of Christ, either really hath for the present, or else earnestly longs and desires to have for the future, both a name and a nail, according to what is promised to the believing Gentiles, and was performed to the believing Jews, Isa. 56.2. & Ezra 9.8. That you would be pleased to spend sometimes a few of your second and morning thoughts in the mature perusing, pondering, and applying of what is thus humbly put before your eyes, and proposed to your judicious consideration, is a second Motion which I make bold to acquaint you with. 
2. An hearty motion to you.  This Motion is my hearty Motion to you.  
That some others, especially such of yours whom it may most nearly concern, to be well seen and skilled therein, may have it made known unto their souls by yourself (how and where you shall see cause, and think fit) that the first visible Church which was constituted by the wise builder thereof was a domestical Church, being outwardly guided and governed by the first born of the family, who were the types and shadows of Christ Jesus in the several houses of professing Saints; and did continue from Abel and Adam's days, to the time of Moses and Aaron's pilgrimage in the Wilderness of Sin: as doth plainly appear to all that deliberately do weigh both what is expressed, and what is necessarily employed in Gen. 4.4 compared with Exod. 12.17. That the Church of the second sort was a National Church, consisting merely of Jewish persons, and their Proselytes for its Members, who were instrumentally enlightened and led by the Priests and Levites, as their only ordinary Ministers: the which kind of Church-Government lasted among them from the life of Moses to the death of the Messia●, and no longer, as it is exceeding plain and clear to any one that can find in his heart advisedly to compare the several testimonies of the old and new Testament together, which will contribute pregnant light to this particular point; such as are Exod 19.6. Numb. 8.10. Deut. 7.7. with Gal. 4.9, 10. Col. 2.14.17. & Heb. 7.12. And that the Church of the last and longest constitution was a Presbyterial, or Combinational Church; whose commendable opinion and practice (and that without any ground of contradiction in the best judgement of  believers) it is, quietly and cordially to subject the earthly, erring, and unruly will of every creature therein, unto the heavenly, infallible, and uncontrollable will of Christ; who peremptorily wills and enjoins all his professed subjects, and professing Church-Members to be indoctrinated and disciplined by the prescribed ministry of those Presbyters (or Teaching and Ruling Elders) that are of their own voluntary Election and regular Ordination, whose office-extent reacheth from Christ's Ascension, to the Creation's Dissolution: as it is witnessed by what is written Acts 6.5. & 14.23. Rom. 12.7, 8. 1 Cor. 12.8, 28. Ephes. 4.7, 14. Rev. 2.6. & 5.6. & 19.4. That you would resolve (in his strength whose you are, and in whose hand your life and whole time also is) to reveal and manifest unto some of yours, somewhat (at least) of that much, which the loving and liberal Lord and lender of pounds and Talents, did see good to commit to the care of your conscience, 
3. An harmless motion by you.  is a third Motion which I was stirred up for to spread before you. This Motion is my harmless Motion by you.  
In case that the frequent pondering of this profitable point (which is of so much concernment to be throughly versed in) should puzzle any one that gins for to question how, where, or when did the Christian Church (which at the first was Presbyterial and Pure) become so corrupt and polluted, as that scarce is the Skeleton, fashion, or face thereof as much as to be perceived; the more is the pity in most places, or (as yet) amongst most professors of godliness. I was really persuaded that a little pains might prove not only acceptable, but advantageous to a person that was so puzzled about that particular, for to hear and to have it (not alone boldly and barely affirmed, but also) fairly and firmly confirmed by unanswerable arguments, that it fell to that foul and fearful degeneration (under which it now doth, or should) groan and for which it hath good cause to grieve by no fewer than by five distinct degrees; whereof the first was into a Parochial, the second into a Cathedral, the third into a Provincial, the fourth into a National, and the fifth was into an Ecumenical, or a Roman Catholic Church.  
The first rise of the rottening of the Church, was its falling from a pure (though poor) Presbyterial Church (which in respect of its Primitive constitution was composed and made up of living stones: namely lively Members, and laborious Ministers, being fastened and firmly knit unto the Lord Jesus as their only head by faith, and one to the other by a Fraternal covenant of servant love; according to the pattern which was proposed and prescribed in both Testaments. Isa. 44.5. Jer. 50.5. Ezek. 20.37. Zach. 11.7, 10, 14. 2 Cor. 8.5. Ephes. 2.13, 19, 22. Coll. 2.2, 19 & 1 Pet. 2.5) Into an impure and unpolished Parochial Church at that time, when (ceasing to elect and ordain either a Teather, a Pastor, a Ruler, or Deacon and Deaconess, or Widow) in conformity to the heavenly Canon, Rom. 12.7. & 15.4. & 16.1. compared with 1 Tim. 3.1. & Tit. 1.5, 6.) it was well content to admit and accept of a Parson, a Vicar, a Warden, an Overseer of the poor, and a Midwife; by which wisdom of the flesh, being no better than enmity against God, within a short time after the days of the Apostles, Christ's spiritual house, and growing (as well as living) Temple, was turned and transformed into a carnal and dead Town, or apostatising Parish, the very beginning and breeding of which Parochial Church is seen to have been in the time of Polycarpus and Ireneus, one of them being an Elder of the Church at Smyrna, and a Disciple of John the Evangelist; and the other a Pastor at Lions, and a Disciple of that Polycarpus, as any man may easily perceive, that will peruse what is to be observed in Eusetius his Ecclesiastical History, the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters of the fourth Book, with the three and twentieth and four and twentieth of the fifth Book.  
The second degree of the Combinational Church's corruption was the Cathedral Church's generation, which did presume to alter and to elevate the places and appellations of the Teacher, Pastor, Ruler, and Deacon, into those unscripture-like titles of Lord Bishop, Dean, Chancellor, and Arch Deacon, who ventured to usurp the Power of excommunication against the Members and Ministers of many congregations in their Synods and Councils, contrary to what was practised in that Orthodox Pattern, Act. 15.24. which is laid down, and left as well for the imitation as information of after-Ages; whose work it was by Scripture-proofs to confute souls-subverting positions, and to confirm Christian Doctrines, without using any manner of authority to censure any man's person, being that that is the express privilege of the Presbyterial Church, 1 Cor. 5.4, 5. & 2 Thess. 3.15. The Babe-age of which usurpation is made mention of (as newly appearing in the world) by what was exercised by Alexander of Alexandria against Eusebius of Nicomedia, as well as against Arrius in the reign of Constantius and Constance the sons of Constantine the Emperor; as 'tis to be seen in Socrates Scholasticus, the second book, the third chapter, compared with the two and thirtieth chapter of the second Book, or Evag. the sixth chapter of the first Book.  
The third degree of the Presbyterial Church's degeneration was its climbing up to the style of a Provincial Church, whose Pastor was not afraid nor ashamed to assume the name and Office of Arch Bishop, and Metropolitan, leaving the servile and subservient titles of Prebend, Surrogate, and Vicar general, as terms good enough to the inferior officers his underlings: of which proud and profane Pest-house that Austin (who was sent from Gregory the last of good Bishops, and the first of the evil Popes of Rome) is reputed and recorded to have been the Father and Founder in this land, even then, when he was both stiffly and stoutly opposed by the Monks of Bangor in the year of our Lord 596. and in the reign of King Ethelbert; witness Fox his Martyrology page 119. together with the rest of the English Historians, and Evagrius lib. 2.8.  
The fourth famous degree of the Combinational Churches infamous defection was its notable naughty enlarging its self into a National Church, when, and whence (without coutroversie) arose that Jewish imitation, and irregularly religious observation of five frivolous and foundationless customs and traditions, of which, the first was of National times, as the fisty years' festivals, or holy working days, Cursed-mass, Candlemass. The second, was of National places, as the consecrated Meeting houses, Porches, Chancels, and Churchyards. The third was of National persons, as the Universal Preachers, Office-Priests, and Half Priests, or Diocesian-Deacons. The fourth was of National pious performances, as stinted Worship, Choristers, singing of Psalms, with all the Rubrique postures. And the fifth was of National payments, or spiritual profits, as Offerings, Tithes, and Mortuaries. All which faithless and fantastical fashions were the illegitimate legal offspring of National Parliaments in this and the neighbour Nations; witness the public Acts, Statutes, and other Ordinances in that behalf.  
The fifth and highest degree of Church-deformity is the Ecumenical Church, otherwise called Roman Catholic; the which in the apprehension of I know not how many Kingdoms is the very best, though in the judgement of Christ Jesus in the Scriptures it is the very basest, because the beast●est, and the most blasphemous of all the Bastard-Church constitutions, that ever were till now; witness what is written, Rev. 13.1, 3, 5, 6. Whose Pastors and other Presbyters, yea (sin-pardoning Pope, Cardinals, Abbots, with others were owned and acknowledged for to be, and thereby not a few (if not of the summoned Counsels; yet) in several Synods in sundry countries, insomuch that Churches abominable iniquities were so increased over their heads, and their traitorous trespasses were so egregiously grown up to heaven, as that the long-forbearing Lord could no longer forbear, but was put upon it, and as it were necessitated for to take vengeance on their inventions, as on Aaron's golden calf, and samuel's grievous connivency at the evils of his sons spoken of Psal. 99.6.8.   

Much respected Sir,  
MAy not any one to whose Inwards the knowledge of these particulars is come, ingeniously confess that his very soul is clearly convinced of the mighty and manifold corruptions which have crept into, are cherished within, and contested about by many (yea, by too too many) Christians of too too many Churches? And may not I (though a stranger to my nearest friends, because an exile newly arrived to the land of my nativity) safely appeal to any person that hath either conscience, or common sense, whether Christ Jesus our supreme Lord Protector, upon whose shoulders the government of the Churches is laid, hath not of late years borne a loud witness against every one of those five afore mentioned kinds of deformed Churches, and that in those very countries which are counted and commonly called Christendom? If so, God forbidden, that there should be any Christian man (and more especially any Clergy man) so carnal, and so careless in all these coasts, as not to be both able and willing to conceive and conclude himself to be called upon for to consider of, and to lay to heart, the great and grievous desolations which his hand hath made amongst the most and mightiest of the sons of men.  
First, hath not the long provoked Lord begun in this Island and in Ireland, to pull down lowest, that lose, that lofty and lawless Church, which the corrupt Clergy had lifted up highest? namely, the Ecumenical, or Roman Catholic Church, whereof the sin-pardoning, or rather soul-poisoning Pope was the vile and virulent head, who was therefore, and upon that account, publicly declared, and generally (though not universally) believed to be a very horrible Monster, as well as a very abominable beast, because of its ten horns; witness what is written, Rev. 17.3, 5.  
Secondly, Hath not Christ hid his face from, and bend his brow against the National Church, as being the very next in naughtiness? whereof the British King was (although not an invincible) yet a violent head, which was therefore the less victorious, and more vincible; partly because the head (not only of a very uncanonical, but also) of a very unspiritual corporation: and partly, because of the said National corporations inconsistency with the Scripture precepts, Mat. 18.17. & 1 Cor. 14.23.) which do require its ordinary congregating in one place, seconded and aggravated by its notorio us inconformity to the Scripture patterns. (Ephes. 2.16, 22. Phil. 2.15. Rev. 9.5) where the Christian Combinational Church is called (not a whole Nation, but) a holy City, a growing Temple, a spiritual House, or a finenlightning, and a soul-enlivening Church, gathered, built, framed, culled and called out, of and from a carnal and crooked Nation, which was both dark and darkness itself; witness what is written, Ephes. 5.3.  
Thirdly, Did not Christ's own mouth marvellously condemn the prevailing corruptions of the Provincial Church, whereof the chief Prelate or Arch Bishop was the haughty and horrible head: which was therefore so much the more absurd, and bold head, because of its base and blasphemous blindness, in daring to take up and ascribe to its self such a style & title as is not communicable to any creature, but is proper and peculiar to Christ's own sacred person, being that besides himself none can be safely said to be an Archbishop, or Chief-shepherd; If one of the eminentest Apostles may be believed, whose words imply no less, 1. Pet. 5.4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive an incorruptible crown of Glory. Who was that Church-Minister? what was his name, or where did he dwell? who came once into a capacity to be accounted such a superlative Counsellor, or comforter, as was endued either with ability, or authority to confer a spiritual crown on any one of the sincere Elders of a Church of Saints? which is such a matter as a dying son of man should not dare to hear (much less to make) any mention of, without some measure of amazement in his very soul.  
Fourthly, was it not Christ's own hand that did pour out a dreadful Vial of visible vengeance upon the Cathedral Church, whereof the lordly Diocesan was (not so much the Idle as) the Addle head, which (therefore, and under that notion) was not venerable, nor tolerable, because of its direct and point blank opposition unto divers, and down right peremptory prohibitions, at Mat. 20.26. Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles exercise domination over them, but it shall not be so among you. And 1 Pet. 5.3. feed the flock of God which depends upon you, not as though you were Lords ever God's heritage. Which royal Laws do testify all such lofty Lords, and Lordless outlaws to be such illegal and irregular livers, as that their unhallowed dwellings appear to be long since destined and appointed for Hedgehogs to house and harbour at; yea, for Jim and Ohim with the wild Satyrs to dance in, and for Owls and Vultures to dung on, being afraid of none to drive them away. Thus verifying that terrible threat to be performed and fulfilled at length, which was prophesied of old; witness what is written in Isa. 13.19.  
Fifthly, and finally, was it not Christ's own foot that hath kicked at, and cast contempt (and that not a little) upon those evil favoured and condemned Churches, which are yet standing in many countries', though they are remarkably reeling and ready for to fall? Is it not Christ's own voice that is at this time, and in most places audibly pleading his own cause against the Parochial Church? whereof the preaching Parson (being it must not be denied that divers of the parish Parsons are not any preaching Parsons, witness all the oppressing Impropriators) is openly seen to stand upon his trial, as the odd and eldest evil head. And though this head be the last head, and did the least hurt of all the other heads, yet the Almighty Lord hath (as yet) lift up his hand against him: yet at this time 'tis his turn to lie down under the lash, and like the lukewarm Angel of Laodicea (by taking shame and confusion of face unto himself) to receive whatsoever sharp correction shall (as a cordial of love) be administered unto him, for the preventing of the spewing of his name out of Christ's mouth, as is manifest from what is foretold, Rev. 3.19. therefore the whole (half blind Political body of the Parish Church) doth openly appear to be, though not utterly uncurable, yet in respect of its present posture in its numerous abominations, altogether unapproveable, because of its rejecting the commandments of God, that it may observe the traditions of men. Against which hateful offence Jesus Christ doth sadly complain, Ma●k 7.7, 9 and concerning which offensive hatred, Christ's sincere servant doth seriously caution, Col. 2.8, 18. Beware left there be any man that spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit, through the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Let no man at his pleasure bear rule over you by humbleness of mind, etc. Which holy watchwords and wholesome warnings (had they been heedfully harkened unto by all such as were Church-officers) would without question have restrained the multitude of Church-hearers from many such observations and alterations as must of necessity be either amended timely, or mourned for eternally; witness what is written, Rev. 14.9, etc.  
If there were nothing amiss (or out of order) to be observed in the parish meeting-houses, if there were never so full freedom from Communion, Book-praying, and from Homily Book preaching, as well as from Common-book-swearing; if all bare Heads were barred out from their places, and utterly rejected from ever being any spiritual Overseers again afore they were inwardly qualified by Christ's sin-crucifying, and soul quickening spirit in a cleansed conscience, and also outwardly, and orderly called by Christ's covenant-servants in a cleansed Combinational Church, if there were an unanimous rooting down of all double reading (I mean that babbling reading of two chapters, which is not seconded with the opening and expounding of the same, because it cannot but be confessed that 'twas such a course as was quite contrary to what is commanded and commended in the Scriptures of truth, as all do well know that are acquainted with what is written, Ezek. 33.2. N●h. 8.8 Luke 4.16. Acts 13.15. & 1 Cor. 14.23, 24. If there were no news amongst them of one Relic of all the Romish Rites, or other humane Inventions, as Matrimonial Bonds, Marriage Ring, Sign of the Cross, White Surplice, Choristers singing. Funeral Sermons, Idol Sureties, of Godfathers and Godmothers or groundless application of public or private Baptism unto the Infants of profane Parents; and if none but Christ's own faithful friends and followers were admitted to be fed, or physicked at his Supper-feast; yet the mere sight of a Monarchical Pew to stand in the stead of a Ministerial Pulpit, is a strong plea of a strange Apostasy from the commendable practice of the primitive Christians; seeing that such a coop is not of a sufficient capacity to contain (at once) any more persons than one. Whereas it is of moral equity, (and consequently of perpetual observation) that a rightly reform Presbyterial Church should have all her Elders (who are engaged by virtue of their office to begin and end all the public Ordinances, and to transact all the open concernments of the City of God) for to stand and sit together in the face and full view of the whole Assembly, and by so much the more, seeing they are so plainly warranted, and so punctually prescribed as they be, both to wait, and to walk according to the patterns showed in the mount; witness, Exod. 25.42. Acts 7.44. Heb. 8.5. and as in all other points, so in this particular concerning the Elders Pulpit, they are tied and limited by their commission, to hold conformity with what is upon sacred Record, as this is (and that not only necessarily employed, but) eminently expressed in several Scripture-expressions, as Neh. 8.4. Eccles. 12.11. 1 Tim. 4.14. Rev. 4.6. & 5.6. & 19.4.  
To sum up in short the whole sum and substance of what I would show until such times as the Parochial Churches of the Nations do again become truly Presbyterial, and so reform in their essential parts, consisting of visible converts, and an explicit covenant, which are the matter and form of a Church; witness, Jer. 50.5. Ezek. 20.37. Isa. 44.5. Acts 2.47. Rom. 14.1. 2 Cor. 8.5. & 9.13.  
And until they be also refined in their Integral parts, which are the Organs or Officers thereof, that as Eyes, Mouth, Hands, are to see, speak, and act in their behalf, until they both desire and endeavour to be endowed, first with a Teacher to dispense the word of knowledge and information to the judgement. Secondly, with a Pastor to dispense the word of wisdom and exhortation to the will and affections. Thirdly, with a Ruler to dispense the word of rebuke and admonition to the irregular in life and conversation. And fourthly, with Deacons and Widows to receive and dispense the weekly contribution, that is belonging, and also brought to the King of Saints from his subjects in covenant, toward the maintenance of the table of the Lord, the table of the Church Elders, and the tables of such of the fellow-members as be in lack; and all this in obedience to what is enjoined in his revealed will; namely, in Rom. 12.2, 7, 8. & 16.1. 1 Cor. 12.8.28. & 16.1, 2. 1 Tim. 3.2. & 5.10, 20. Until that I say the Parochial Churches be thus qualified: can you upon good ground expect (as to them) either the manifestation of sure mercy, or the enjoyment of solid peace? knowing that comminations are properly appertaining to vile and violent sin-loving sinners; as 'tis showed by the Oracles of God, Psal. 5.5. & 11.5, 6. and Rev. 14.10. & 22.15. And that Church-promises and Church-priviledges, as well as Christ's consolations, are peculiarly applicable to such covenant-makers with God and Men (as through the strength of their surety) are covenant keepers with both; which covenant-making, and covenant breaking is expressed and perceived by a regular walking towards them that are without, as well as towards them that are within; according to what is written, Isa. 55.3. Gal. 6.16. & 1 Tim. 4.8. If you can tell any such tidings as a heavenly promise to unheavenly persons, or a holy privilege to the souls, or the seed of unholy Parents, that you would find in your heart to give me some notice thereof, and to acquaint me with any one of those good grounds of any lively hope that they will be everlastingly happy, is the last of those Motions which I make bold for to leave with you to consider of, and meditate upon. This Motion is my heavenly Motion for myself, the granting of which, will engage me (yet farther) to be, to remain, and also to acknowledge myself,  
Your thankful Remembrancer in his nearest approaches to the Throne of Grace.  
FINIS.