heaven as Prophets and Apostles did or Christs voice Dost thou believe that a man shall come to that which is perfect while he is upon the earth and have the body of sin put off and be free from sin Dost thou owne that salvation that is wrought out with fear and trembling Dost thou own the same Revelation and Inspiration that the Prophets and Apostles had now in this age yea or nay Dost thou own the Prophesing sons and daughters in this age and that the Lord will poure his Spirit upon all flesh When Christ saith to his Dicsiples be yee not called Masters for yee have own Master and all ye are brethren where dost thou read Mr. Paul Mr. Mathew Mr. Mark Mr. Luke Mr. Iohn Mr. Peter Mr. James Mr. Timothy Mr. Titus that these transgressed the command of Christ Is not he Antichrist that transgressetb and the deceiver and hath not God nor the Son and is not to be bid Godspeed read Iohns second Epistle and answer me Answer me these queryes in writting to the thing that is queried and do not say they are foolish and non-sense but let have me an answer in writing William Emerson AN Answer Returned to the former Letter according to its seventeen Heads of Demands in answerable CHAPTERS CHAP. I. FRiend I have as thou desired at the giving unto me thy Paper read it with as great patience and consideration as I could and I by this do return thee an Answer intreating thee to read and peruse it with Patience Christian Candor and Consideration giving unto God the praise if thou reap any good by it My answer is to things in the same order as they were proposed by thee Thus thou begins I. FRiend who calls thy self a Minister of Jesus Christ and the Scriptures to be the Rule Shew me out of the Scriptures where the Apostles or the Disciples or the Ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ or any of the Saints or Believers ran up and down or sent up and down and wrangled with Parishes for Tithe-calves Tithe-pigs geese or Eggs Apples Hey Wool Lambs Flax Foals Plow-pennies Bees Gardens or for money for smoak passing up Chimneis Answer me this by Scripture out of the Apostles Disciples practise and give me plain Scripture for it or else I shall never believe that thou art a Minister of Christ but hath the Tithes from the Author the Pope come up since the dayes of the Apostles Answer to this is as followeth Answer I do truly affirm my self to be a Minister of Jesus Christ because he hath called me to his Ministry and hath not only endowed me with gifts essential to the Ministry but further called me by a right Ordination to it according to the way of the Church of England and all antient Catholick Churches And according to that only Rule given from God for the ordering of mens conversation heaven-ward which is the Holy Scripture of which I say and will maintain it against all Opposers that it is the only Rule given by God for ordering all mens conversation in thingâ—â—ppâ—â—tâ—ining to God and which leads them towards Heaven Whereas thou bids me to shew thee out of the Scriptures where the Apostles or Disciples or Ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ or any Saint or Believer ran up and down or sent up and down to wrangle with Parishes for Tithe-calves and other particulars mentioned bidding me to answer it by Scripture out of the Apostles and Disciples practise and to give thee plain Scripture for it Answer Neither the Apostles nor the Disciples who were Ambassadors of Jesus Christ nor any Saints or Believers were in the first setlings of the Church after Christ put to wrangle with any Parishes or persons for things which was due unto them Righteousness was so exercised among the Professors and Believers of the Christian faith at first that they would not wrong any by detaining their Rights Corruption afterâ—aâ—ds crept into the Corinthian Church a Church which as thou shall know anon denied to the Apostle maintenance and would wrong one another and to the shame and scandal of their profession 2 Cor. 2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. by lawing before Unbelievers made their wrong doings and defrauding others manifest unto the world A thing which the Apostle tels them was a fault and threatens such unrighteous Dealers with not Inheriting the Kingddom of God I do not go nor send any up and down to wrangle but to demand as is my duty and to receive that temporal maintenance which of Right from Christ doth appertain unto me If any will wranâ—le with me and those whom I send to demand and receive what is due seeking thereby to detain fraudulently what is due I conceive the fault of wrangling is meerly their own arising from their own perverse covetous sacrilegious spirit which is rebellious to Christ but it is not from me who doth but demand and challenge what is due and herein I do but as Peter did who demanded of Ananias and Saphira having kept back a part of that which was consecrated to God Act. 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11. the Truth and the Right And though the Lord in these our times doth not shew visible immediate Judgements ordinarily on unfaithfull and fraudulent payers of Tithes which are Christs dues and his Ministets for his sake yet it is most sure that without Repentance such shall lie under Gods eternal curse who livâ— and die in their Thievery of robbing Gods Ministers in the least parcel of their livelihood appointed unto them from Mal. 3. 8 9. God Touching the Particulars of Tithes which thou hast mentioned bidding me answer it by Scripture out of the Apostles and Disciples practise and to give plain Scripture for it I say Thou cannot be ignorant if thou be a Reader of Holy Scriptures and not a Rejecter of them that the Levites under the Law of whom many were very holy men received Tithes and that God commanded the people to pay Tithes to them and that the Apostle saith Know you not that they who minister about the Holy things eat of the things of the Temple and they 1 Cor. 9. 13 41. which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar even so also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel mind these words Even so hath the Lord ordained The Apostle tels us that as it was ordained by God that they of old who waited on the Altar should live of the Altar so God hath ordained that they who preach the Gospel would even so live of the Gospel even so comprehends in it that in the same manner the maintenance of the Preachers of the Gospel should arise which thou may know was by Tithes and Offerings Act. 4. 34. by lands and houses for them and their family c. As for the practise of the Apostles and Disciples which thou calls for to be shewed from
that these scoffers and mockers are Iude 3. 2 Pet. 2. 1. men who walk after their own ungodly lusts they are dâ—riders of the best counsel and comfort which Gods Word gives unto them they follow the guidance of their own corrupt reason and affections ordering their whole life according to their own lustings Such mockers and scoffers were those Seducers and false Teachers and their followers which the Apostle said should come and these since their first rising have had their ebbings and flowings in the several Ages of the Christian Church according as it pleased the Lord to exercise his Church with greater or lesser numbers of them And I believe that the numbers of these seducing and heretical mockers and scoffers of the holy Scripture and of all persons Ordinances duties services instructions directions comforts and commands commended unto us in the holy Scripture was in no time of the Church so increased as they are in these our days whereby we assuredly know that we are in the last days wherein evil men and seducers 2 Tim. 3. 13 shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 3. Thou asks further and are not these the marks of the false prophets mockers scoffers bâ—iars thornes thistles Answ 1. I finde that Peter and Jude do give the name of mockers and scoffers unto such false teachers whom they foretold should arise and therefore every one may infallibly conclude that such teachers are without doubt false teachers who are such mockers as the Apostles speaks of who scoffe at holy Scripture and cast all reproaches on it to villifie and nullifie it yea and who jeare and gibe at holy Ministers for their preachings of the Gospel of Christ which that word of truth holds out The Rabbies of the Romish Church and the rabble of teachers which they of your way heap up to your selves will never free themselves from that mark given to know false teachers by Whosoever hath to deale in the contrroversies of both must be of a stupendious inobservancy if he espies not both of them to be grand mockers and scoffers of holy Scripture and of the holy contents of it 2. The holy Scripture doth not by these words briars thorns and thistles particularly and distinctly decipher out false teachers from other wicked men It ascribes them in general to all wicked men in which number false teachers may be comprehended but it gives not these names properly and peculiarly to false teachers as Marks or Characters whereby they may be known to be no other then false teachers I think therefore it was not advisedly asked are not these the marks of false teachers briars thornes and thistles yet to satisfie thee understand that the holy Scripture doth certifie us touching these words As 1. We are told that it is a piece of the curse on the ground Gen. 3. 17 18 Isa 7. 23 24 Heb. 6. 7 8 for mans sinne that it should bring forth thornes and thistles and that it is threatned as a sore judgement to a land that it should become all briars and thornes and that the earth which bringeth out these is nigh unto a curse 2. The holy Scripture informes us that the enemies of Gods Eze. 28. 24 people of Israel were pricking briars and grieving thornes and that the enemies of Christs Church are all of them Cant. 2. 2. thornes surrounding her as pricking and stinging thornes do a Lilly 3. The Scripture certifies us that among Gods own people of Israel there were wicked men of all ranks which it calls thornes and briars One Prophet calls the common people Isa 9. 18 who were grosly wicked briars and thornes as he stiles the great ones who were also wicked the thickets of the forrest Anothet Prophet tells us that the great ones the Princes and Judges and great men in Israel even the very best of them were as a briar the most upright sharper then a thorne hedge The former Prophet did threaten that their wickedness should be Mic. 7. 3 4 as a fire in a Wood which should destroy the Nation it should first take hold on the briars and thornes and then consume all the trees so wickednesse should first destroy the poorest and meanest sort of wicked people and after the Grandees or them of higher rank and reckoning 4. The holy Scripture calls those who rebel against the Word of the Lord spoken and taught by his true Prophets briars and thornes and scorpions and bids his Prophet not to Ezek. 2. 6 be afraid of them nor of their words Thus wicked men are in Scripture called briars and thornes and thistles because their fruits is not good they choak the Mat. 13 12 Ezek. 2. â— Micah 7. 4 good seed of Gods word which his Ministers sow among them not suffering it to take root in their souls they are disposed to tear and hurt the servants of God and likewise others and many times they do so they yeeld no fruits of righteousnesse no grapes of grace to comfort and cheare any no figs no fruits of faith to assure themselves that the Lord is their possession or portion for men gather not grapes of thornes nor figs of thistles Though then false teachers as all other wicked Mat. 7. 16. men are briars and thornes and thistles yet these names are no peculiar mark of them that they are such they are not by these names marked out from all other wicked men to have it signified thereby that they have this property more then wicked men who are briars and thornes that they are false teachers 4. Thou having said that the fruits of these is mocking and scoffing at honest people dost further ask Do we we not see that these fruits proceed from thee Answ Mocking and scoffing and other sinnes of wicked men are fruits which proceed from themselves but they do not proceed from me or any other faithful Minister of Jesus Christ For 1. They proceed from wicked men themselves even from Mat. 15. 19 the corruptions of their own hearts which are fields fertile in all sorts of wickednesse but barren in any goodnesse and pro. 24. 30 31 prov 1. 24 25 they proceed from their own neglects of husbanding aright their hearts and from their refusals to have their hearts and lives ordered and husbanded spiritually by Gods holy commands and reproofes uttered unto them by his Ministers And 2. These evils of wicked men doth not proceed from us who are faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ and who preach Gods Word to take people off from such vanities and vild conversation for the Word preached doth good to them who are good who walk uprightly The faults of wicked men continuing still in their reproachful courses after the Word hath been faithfully dispensed to them are most unjustly by thee and others said to proceed from the preachers of the Word The Pharisees having heard our Saviour preach against Luk. 16. 14 serving Mammon derided him the Evangelist
in their course to content their flesh to fulfil its lusts of uncleanness or its impure lustings 2. He names also them who were Libertines in judgement ver 10. and practice men who despised government who had slight contemptuous thoughts and opinions concerning all civil Government and power who perswaded others to believe that Christians are freed from the yoke of Magistracy and from the bondage of having Rulers over them they were such who were not afraid to speak evil of Dignities they were revilers of those who did bear authority or were dignified The Apostle also plainly relates the evil conditions of these men 1. He saith they were presumptuous or men of impudent ver 10. daring spirits to undertake enterprises impious and perillous And 2. He saith that they were self-willed or such who were resolved and set on it that they would have their own will and way and as natural bruit-beasts contemnes things the use whereof they know not or which they apprehend to be contrary to their nature even so these kinde of men speak evil of ver 12. the things which they understand not or conceives to be things crossing their corrupt doctrines and wicked lives such speak evil of the holy Scriptures of most Articles of Religion of Magistracy of Ministry they speak evil of these sporting themselves with their own conceits or delusions and the Apostle ver 13. further 3. Tells us that they were men of lascivious wanton looks and were restless in sinfulnesse that they beguiled unstable souls that ver 14. their hearts were exercised with covetous practises that they were turned Apostates having forsaken the right way and that ver 15. they were gone astray And having spoken of them in this manner he compares them to waterlesse Wells and to unstable and unsetled clouds saying these are Wells without water Clouds are carried with a tempest ver 17. 1. He compares them to wells without water saying they are such wells As wells without water deludes the travellers expectation of finding relief and refreshment therein so these false teachers will at length deceive the hopes of their seduced followers who thinking to have from them soul-saving and soul-sanctifying instructions will in time finde that they are as empty Wells having nothing in them but the mud and filth of sin defiling and soul-damning doctrines and conceptions The Apostle in calling them Wells without water intimates plainly that their misled followers will have but empty and uncomfortable ver 18. performances of these alluring great swelling words or promises of liberty and happy peace which they tell them is to be had only in their way and which they give out concerning their way as that it is a nearer path to heaven then that which the holy Apostles and faithful Ministers teach of living by faith in the Sonne of God and of exercising Gal. 3. 20. 1 Tim. 4. 7 2 Pâ—t 2. 18 19 ones self unto godlinesse in the works of mortification and vivification But the Apostle saith while they promise them liberty they themselves are servants of corruption intimating that their followers will finde that there is no peace in impurity and no liberty to be got by following the way of those who living in errour and teaching errour do themselves continue servants in bondage to corruption 2. The Apostle compares them to clouds carried with a tempest these clouds are usually whirled this way and that in an unsteady positure with a conslict of windes which is a whirlewind 2 Pet. 2. 17 or tempest as the Apostle calls it so that they keep not to any settled point or site of the heavens but are somtimes in one and somtimes in another position and sometimes in none but inclining to any part whether the winds will hurry them such are Seducers they are empty clouds having no droppings in them of any sound doctrine to distill towards the benefit of the Church and towards the improving of it towards heaven but they are rather darkning clouds which seeks to obscure those divine lights of holy truths which are already revealed and conteined in the holy Scripture yea they are clouds ever and anon whirled or carried about with the tempest of divers and Heb. 13. 9. strange doctrines every new doctrine carrieth them into a new way and when they meet with several new doctrines they are whirled round and know not where to rest becoming I am 1. 8. thereby unstable in all their wayes Sometimes they are in one opinion and sometimes in another crosse conceit they are usually exercised with great conslicts from plausible and pleasing though polluting and destroying doctrines so as they are unresolved unto what they should hold resolutely trying several wayes till they be outed of all wayes and become seekers or rather loosers of themselves being herein like thin empty clouds tossed with several windes divers wayes which at last vapours into nothing The Apostle tells us that these kind of men are unlearned and unstable and that they wrest 2 Pet. 3. 16 the Scriptures unto their own destruction Thus it may be easily understood that not the setled Ministers of Christ who preach his truths and his Gospel but that false teachers and seducers who broach and belch out damnable doctrines are the men whom the Apostle calls Wells without water and Clouds carried with a Tempest think not that these will instill into thy soul any of the water of the Wells of salvation for they are empty Wells and whosoever trusts to them and runnes after them to get soul-saving comforts from them will at length finde themselves deluded in them even as the little ones were who the Prophet mentions who were sent to the pits and found no water and returned Ier. 14. 3. with their vessels empty and were ashamed and confounded and think not that it can be safe unto thy soul to follow those clouds carried with a tempest as the Apostle stiles them for whosoever will follow their pernicious wayes will prove as unstable as their giddy guides and will be still as children tossed to and fro and carried with every winde of doctrine by the Eph. 4. 14. slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lay in wait to deceive and without repentance they will fall into the same condemnation of an horrible tempest with their Psal 11. 6. seducing Leaders even into the mist of darkness which is reserved for them for ever 2 Pet. 2. 17 Enough is said to thy eleventh Head of Demands CHAP. XII Thy twelfth Head of Demands is thus set down by thee ARt not thou one of the Novices spoken of in the Scripture seeing that thy Congregation is so out of order scoffing giving names railing and abusing as witches and such slandering expressions to honest people Are not these the mockers now that should come that the Apostle said should come that now we see hath raigned since and are not these the marks
of the false prophets mockers scoffers briars thorns thistles do not we see these fruits proceed from thee and shew that thou hast not profited the people at all Ier. 23. Doth not Christ say by their fruits ye shall know them Mat. 7. inwardly ravening do we not see the people could be but wilde mockers and scoffers if thou never spoke unto them and are not these thy fruits and doth not the Apostle say their fruits shall wither and shall not these fruits wither thinks thou 1. Thou asks Art not thou one of the Novices spoken of in the Scripture Answ The holy Scripture saith that a Bishop that is he 1 Tim. 3. v. 1. and 6 who is an Overseer to whom the charge is committed of giving warning unto and of guiding and instructing the flock of Christ in spirituals yea and he also who as antiquity manifests was Assâ—mbly Notes on the place an Overseer of the Pastors as well as of flocks the chief Presbyter or Minister who had on him a charge or superintendency of all the Churches A Bishop saith the holy Scripture is not to be a Novice that is one newly planted or inserted into the body of the Church which in Apostolical times was in them who were of age of discretion by their outward profession of Christianity whereunto they were converted or come from their former profession of Judaisme or Gentilisme I do truly affirme that I am none of these Novices As Paul Phil. 3. 5. pleaded for himself I am of the stock of Israel an Hebrew of the Hebrews so say I of my self I am of the stock of Christitns 2 Tim. 3. 15 a Christion of Christians and as Timothy from a childe so have I also known the holy Scripture and as a childe trained Prov. 22. 6 up in the way in which he should go departs not from it when he is old even so I having already stept into some degrees of age yet do still keep in that holy profession of the Ministry wherein I have been trained and tutored in my youth and I did not rashly and rawly hasten to be a Pastor for until I had seriously spent good time and study in the holy Seripture and divine things being nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine whereunto I had attained I did not take 1 Tim. 4. 6 upon me a Pastoral charge and therefore I am unjustly suspected by thee or any else to be one of those Novices which the Scripture speaks of But to prove me to be one of these Novices thou writes that my Congregation is out of order scoffing giving names railing and abusing as witches and such slandering expressions of honest people Answ 1. A Congregation being in some things out of order is no good proof that he who is over it in things spiritual 1 Tit. 5. is a Novice Titus was no Novice though at Creet where he was ovet the Church of God there was something not in order so they who are set over the flock or Congregation of the Lord to take care of the Church are not therefore in the Scripture-sense Novices because some things it may be are for present out of order which in time may by their care and contrivance be brought into good order 2. I say that such Congregations or holy Assemblies of Gods people are not out of order wherin all things are done 1 Cor. 14. 40 decently and in order decently in a seemly and sit manner and orderly without confusion when every thing and Ordinance is dispensed in its proper season time and place In such order I keep my Congregation in all their solemn meetings in regard whereof thou cannot justly charge it with confusion or disorder or with being out of order 3. Whereas thou writes that my Congregation is out of order scoffing giving names railing and abusing as witches and such slandering expressions unto honest people I answer thee that thou ought not to say that the whole Congregation is out of order or is to be blamed for the disorderly acts and personal faults of some apperteining to the Congregation of whose faults it hath no knowledge and which faults it wholly disallows when it comes to know them for neither I nor the Congregation of my people will justifie any belonging to it in their scoffing nicknaming railing and abusing any nor in their fastning on any slanderous expressions they have in the holy Assemblies been oft taught better and though perhaps some of thy way have by their imbittered language whereof the mouths and letters of your Sect are usually full provoked some of our Congregation to pay you in your own coine yet be it known unto thee that such never received any instruction from us to do so but were and are upon all occasions charged by us as the Apostle did the Thessalonians see that none render evil for evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both 1 Thes 5. 15 among your selves and to all men 2. Thou asks Are not these rhe mockers now which should come that the Apostles said should come Answ One Apostle saith that in the last dayes shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the 2 Pet. 3 3 4 promise of his coming Another Apostle saith remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jude 17 18 19. Jesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts these be they who separate themselves sensual having not the spirit Therefore thou and others need not ask me who these scoffers were that should come for ye may easily satisfie your selves from the Apostles own words though men who are ordinary scoffers and mockers of other men are censured complained of condemned and threatned in many places of holy Scripture for their scornings and reproachings of others yet they were another kinde of mockers and scoffers whom the Apostle said should come They were mockers scoffers of the Word of God they were men contemptuously slighting its commands promises reproofs threats and Gods holy Messengers his Ministers who speak it to his people Peter particularly shews that these scoffingly ask where is the promise of his coming and that they reason against his coming and the day of Judgement as if they would never be And Jude tells us these are they that separate themselves that is appears by considering to what the Apostle in the 20 and 21. verses exhorts they separate from truth from the holy faith once delivered to the Saints by their taking up and adhering unto damnable doctrines and they separate from the holy love of right believing Christians by breaking off from communion with them in all those publick duties whereby they testifie and professe that they have a joint interest in the common salvation and have obtained like precious faith And both Peter and Jude tells us
other places where his name is recorded and Exod. 20. 24. called his as namely Gods house Gods Church and the like and where his Rationall Church of holy people meet to remember him and to learn to be improved in all his holy wayes and service 3. Quest What scripture hast thou for sprinkling of Infants Answ I will tell thee 1. What the Scripture holds out touching sprinkling as no wayes condemning the use of it in baptizing and then I will 2. Tell the some scriptures injoyning the baptizing of Infants First know that though holy scripture requires that in baptizing a such an application of wtter unto the party baptized should be made as may expresse representatively or signifingly the vertue of Christs blood in washing a way sin yet seing it no where injoynes expresly that the manner of that application should be either by dipping and dousing in agreat quantity of water or by pouring or sprinkling a little water on the party baptized therfore the Scripture allowes that baptisme which is performed by Sprinkling as well as that baptisme which is donne by dipping I the rather thinke so because the Holy-â—hâ—st in those holy writings doth not make choice of the expression of dipping dousing or ducking to signifie the application of Christ blood but he have made choice of the word sprinkling to notifiy so much Thus the sprinkling of the uncleane with Hysop dipt Heb. 9. 13. 14 Numb 19 18 19 Isa 52. 15. Heb. 10 22 Heb. 12. 24 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 3. 21 in the water of purification did testifiy faith on Christs blood applying that blood for our clensing It was prophecyed of Christ that he should sprinkle many nations we are said not to have our hearts dipt but to have them sprinkled from an evil conscience Christs blood is called the blood of sprinkling and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ is an expression whereby the Apostle intimates our justification whereof baptisme is the representation Secondly know that I have these scriptures warrantizing me and other Ministers to baptise Infants or little Children Math. 28. 19 Psâ— 117. 2. Psa 148. 12 13 Acts. 2. 38 39. Rom. 15. 8. 9. 10 Our Saviour commandes his Apostles to baptise all Nations excepting none of the Nations no not infants who are in the Psalmists opinion a very considerable part of them He having in one Psalm said Praise the Lord all ye nations in another he doth call on Kings of the earth and all People to praise God and he recounts children among the particulars mentioned both young men and maidens old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord. Againe Peter exhorts the Jewes to be baptized because the promise was made to them and their children and to all that are a farre of even as many as the Lord our God shall call seing then the promises of Grace belongs to the infants of believing Parents therefore according to holy scripture they are to be baptised Againe the Apostle saith Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorify God foâ— his mercyes as he saith Rejoyce yee Gentiles with his people Christ discharged his ministeriall Office among those of the circumcision the Jews to confiâ—me the promise made to the fathers and that the Gentiles might have a portion in the same promise that so both Jewes and Gentiles might rejoyce together before God What Christ in discharging his ministry a-abolished in the Covenant made with the Fathers is abolished but that is still confirmed and to be in use what is therein specified and was not abolished either by himself or by any of his Apostles This scripture affords a double proof of the lawfulness of baptizing the Infants of believing Parents One is from the confirmation of signing those with the seale of the Covenant who where formerly signed The other is from Christs command injoyning Baptisme to be the seale of the Covenant and not exempting from it any Infant of believing Parents 1. God at the first making of the Covenant commanded that the Children of believing Parents or Parents in Covenant should be signed with the seale of the Covenant which command was not repealed by Christ the Lord of the house which is the Church but he confirmed the promises made to the fathers and 2. Christ himself commanded that Baptisme should be the seale of the Covenant and Infants not being exempt by him from the bond of the Covenant but being such as he would have brought unto him and of whom he hath told us that of such is the Kingdome of God are therefore to receiue the seal of the Covenant appointed by him which is Baptisme These Scriptures to name no more do justifiy the baptising of the Infants of Professional believers 4. Quest What scripture hast thou for the word Sacrament Answ The 28. of Math. v. 19. 26. Math. 26 27. 1 Cor. 11. 23. c. are scriptures which doe positively injoyne those holy institutions and actions which are called among the most of Christians Sacraments however some stiles them the seals of the Covenant and though the word sacrament be not in Scripture yet seeing what is thereby meant is fully set down in holy Scriptture and the word is not used by any true Protestant in their Theologically writing to signify any thing which disagrees from No men nihil hahet Criminis quod non perturbat sensum Religionis Hilarius lib. de synod contra Arium rope finem what the scripture asserts therefore none ought to blame this and other Theological terms used for explanation of some scriptural truths and never used to be additions of something unto the holy scripture which it mentions not nor to be perversions of the true sence meaning and intent of any part of holy scripture concerning any of the Ordinances and truths which it injoynes and conteines 5. Quest Hast thou heard Gods Voyce immediately from heaven as Prophets and Apostles did or Christs Voyce Answ Though I have neither heard Gods voyce immediately from heaven as did the Prophets and Apostles whome he extraordinarily inspired and sent with his immediate messages to his people nor Christs Voyce immediately as did the Apostles and Disciples who conversed with Christ while he lived on earth yet as it becomes the Ministery which I have received fom him in his ordinary way of mission I have in all these doctrines which I taught to his people communicated to them that very voyce or mind of God and Christ which was heard immediately by the Prophets and Apostles and have tighrly informed them concerning these for I have said no other things then those that the Prophets and Moses and Christ and his Apostles said and taught God in these Heb. 1. 1. 2 latter dayes hath ceased to speake any more as he did of old to the father by immediate voyces and other extraordinary
Christ it is whom they owne or acknowledge in the flesh they reply that it is no other but Christ in their flesh Christ in them disowning and denying that there is the man Christ who is a man different from other men and who is the Mediator between God and man whom God raised from the dead who ascended into 2 Tim. 25. pag. 5. heaven and is now sitting at Gods right hand making intercession for his Church who shall come againe to judge the quick and the dead at the last day This Christ they deny and speak very contemptuously of him and of that body of flesh which he had on earth and hath now in heavenly glory A printed paper of theirs called the sword of the Lord drawn hath this blasphemous jeering expression your immagined God beyond the stars and your carnall Christ is utterly denyed and testified against by the light These men led by the lying spirit of Antichrist deny that Jesus is the Christ and they confesse 1 Ioh 2. 2â— 2 Iohn 7. not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh Thus both the Papal Antichrist and his confederated instruments and followers and the hereticall Antichrists with their associâ—tes and disciples have not abode in this doctrine of Christ that Chriâ—t is come in the flesh 2. It is also â— Doctrine of Christ that the holy Scriptures are the written word of God given by inspiration 2 Tim 3. 15. 16. Psal 119. 93. Rom. 1 16 and are sufficient to direct and inform in all things absolutely necessary unto salvation and that God by its precepts doth quicken his people and that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation Christs doctrine doth magnifie the excellency of holy Scripture The Papal Antichrist Pope and Popelings deny that the holy Scriptures are sufficient for edification in things of salvation without traditions and some of them have reviled the holy Scriptures calling them a Dead letter and blasphemously the word of the Devill as Protestants whom they call hereticks alledged it and one of them said that the Church had vid. Tilen loc com 2. Sec. 35. been better provided for if there had never been any Scripture Some hereticall Antichrists Quakers and others in our dayes speaking from the spirit of Antichrist have vented the like venemous breath against the holy Scriptures saying that they are insufficient for guidance in things belonging unto salvation in comparison of the light within them and those Inspirations and Revelations which they imagine that they themselves have They do not acknowledge that the holy Scripture are the declaration of Gods minde but they call them the declaration of Saints conditions intimating thereby that they being not to us of this present generation but that they only concerned the Saints of former ages This conceite thwarts the holy Scriptures yea and some of these hereticall Antichrists have licked up the Popish slavering Rhetorick in calling the holy Scripture a dead letter and some of them have said that some Rom. 15. 4. paâ—t of the Scripture is the word of the Devill and serpents dust not considering that though these words which were originally uttered by the Devill are recorded by Gods Pen-men in the Scriptute yet being now recorded by these Pen-men of God who have related the true history of what the Devill spake these words are now the words of the God of Truth namely his true relating the Devills words Moreover some of these hereticall Antichrists have said that it was no great matter if all the Bibles in England were burned and that it had been better for one to whom one of them spake if he had never read the Bible It is evident by what is writ as it might be also if we would in other points parallel the great Antichrist and the petty Antichrists that they both have transgressed and have not abode in the doctrine of Christ Thirdly Both the Papall Antichrist and the hereticall Antichrists are deceivers The Papall Antichrist comes saith one Apostle with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth 2 Thes 2. 9. 10. that they might be saved The hereticall Antichrists or false teachers bring in privily said another Apostle damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them and many shall 2. Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be spoken evil of and with fained words they shall make merchandise of Christians Both these sorts of Antichrists are deceivers and do manifest themselves to be so for they do not hold the forme of sound words but do delight purposely and affectedly to use cloudy and obscure expressions thereby to confound the understandings of simple men from apprehending aright the truth yea and their pretendings to extraordinary holiness and strictness in their conversation and religion beyond truth is but a crafty deceite under a meer shew of religion It were an endlesse labour to recount all that cunning craftiness and those deluding fallacies and subtill wiles and cheating tricks for insnaring soules and all those depths of Satan which they have used for gaining and for retaining those Proselites which they have gained It is enough to know that the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists are deceivers because the holy Scripture hath branded them with that name Fourthly both the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists have not God nor Christ both these sorts of Antichrists do pharasaically and arrogantly appropriate only to themselves Rev. 2. 9. and their followers the name of the Church of holy ones yet both are in reallity no other then of the synagogue of Satan Their transgressing and renouncing through their Apostacy the doctrine of Christ is a sufficient evidence that they have not God and Christ in communion neither have they their favour in this world and without repentance they shall 2 Thes â— 11. 12. not have any communion with God and Christ in glory for God hath sent on them strong delusions that they should beleive a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Fiftly As they have not God nor Christ in Communion so believers are not to hold communion or any intimate conversation with any of them The Apostle injoynes Receive 2 Epist Iohn 10. him not into your house neither bid him God speede They are not to afford any intertainment or incouragement to any Antichrist what ever not entertainment I suppose least thereby such gaine occasion of seducing by Antichristian doctrine from the doctrine of Christ nor incouragement lest thereby they be pâ—rtakers of his evil deedes Thou hast now a full answer to thy question and therewith a true discovery from holy Scripture who is the Antichrist and who are the Antichrists of whom it speakes in briefe according to it He who is an Antichrist is one who transgresseth the Doctrine oâ— Christ
p. 146 147 Belly and what it is to serve the belly and what is not serving it 70 71 Briars Thorns and Thistles what is in Scripture said of them 94 95 Wicked men are Briars 96 C CAins way what it was 81 Ministers walk not in Cains way of Cruelty nor in his way of Infidelity 81 82 Popes and his Factors and other false Teachers walks in Cains way 82 Careless Servers of God and deceitfull payers of tithes to his Ministers are Walkers in Cains way 83 Christ is Mediator of the Everlasting Covenant 27 28 Christ is a Priest of Melchizedecks order for ever 108 Christs Priest-hood is differenced from Aarons 109 Christ hath ratified the Law of tithes 3 4 Christs laying down his life for his sâ—eep is no ground for his sheep to detain tithes from his ministerial Shepherds 132 Christs biding people learn of him doth not warrant them to neglect the hearing of their Ministers and to with-hold from them their maintenance p 132 133 Christ saying that he is the way doth not hinder Ministers from being guides in the way neither doth it discharge them from having maintenance and dues paid to them for their labours 133 Christ is a faithfull witnesse ibid. Christ being a faithfull witness doth not allow people to deny due maintenance to his Ministers 134 Christs anointing is no exclusion of Ministers from their work nor an expulsion of them from their means 135 Serving of Christ 68 Christ frees no commers to him from Tithes 131 Christians Primitives were exact and righteous payers unto others all dues and were no detainers from others their Rights 2 Church a rational Church what 145 A local Church allowed of by holy Scripture ibid. The local Church of Stanhopes Assemblies are vindicated thus 145 The Church of Corinth corrupted ibid. Clouds carried with a Tempest who 87 88 Cloathing with wool what 52 Comers unto God are to tender unto him what he requires of them and what that is 19 20 Congregations are not out of order when all things in them are done decently and in order 92 The fauls of some appertaining to a Congregation are not to be charged on it ibid. Covenant what the Everlasting Covenant is 27 Covetousness what lawfull and what is unlawfull 74 Covetous who so called in the old and new Testament 75 The Ministers are not covetous for demanding their dues 76 People are not covetous for demanding and taking their due debts ibid. They are truly covetous who seek to bereave Ministers of the Gospel of the Tithes which God and Law gives unto them 77 D DIrections for observing of spiritual mercies 25 26 27 28 29 E EAte Ministers have titlc to more then to eat a little meat and drink a little drink 120 121 124 Enthusiasts are one sort of false Prophets who in our dayes teach and divine for money 44 45 F FAT What is meant by eating the fat which was the sin of wicked Shepherds 51 52 Fed. What is meant by killing them that are fed 53 First borns maintenance or double portion 121 Fruits The fruits of Seducers will whither 103 The fruits of holy Ministers will not whither 104 G GAin Looking for gain from ones quarter what meant by it 17 18 gleab lands may lawfully be possessed by Ministers of the Gospel 123 God is no wayes benefitted by ought from man 19 What things God requires of those that come unto him 20 Coming unto God without money and without price what is signifies 19 Gospel What it is to live of the Gospel 111 119 120 Living of the Gospel in tithes the Ministers thereof have more then to a power to eat and dâ—ink 121 Tithes are the things of the Gospel on which Ministers are to live 116 H HEarers must not withdraw from hearing their Teachers though they be faulty in some things 9 Hearers of the Word are not hindered from profiting because their Ministers who teacheth them receive titbes 25 29 Hire What the Hire of Ministers is 139 140 Ministers are not hired by the people but by Christ to preach the Gospel 139 Ministers may lawfully take means from those people that never heard them 138 Ministers are not such who teach for hire 44 I Jeremiah did not disallow of the maintenance or means which the Priests and Levites had in his time 32 33 L LAW The Commendation of the just Laws of a a Nation 60 61 The Law is clamored against by men who do wrong and desire to do wrong 61 Prooofs from the Law for tithes and other things in the new Testament and unabolished are not to be cavilled against 117 Living of the Gospel what it implyes 111 119 120 Love What kind of self-love is lawfull and what unlawfull 73 74 Ministers maintenance is no filthy lucre 8 M MAintenance of Ministers is not by the Apostle called filthy lucre 8 Master the several acceptations of of that word 10 11 12 13 The word Master is not to be given to any but to Christ as it signifies one who hath power and authority over anothers faith and spiritual obedience 11 Pharisees and Scribes affected to be called Masters of others faith ibid. Ministers are not in this sense of the word Master called Masters ibid. Not being Masters but they being called Masters or the affecting of Soveraignty over others faith is condemned by our blessed Saviour 10 Master as signifying a subordinate teacher under Christ or the Master of a family may lawfully be imposed on a Minister or any other 12 Master as a civil title of honour may be lawfully imposed by others and accepted on by those on whom it is imposed 12 13 14 To be called Master in some senses of the word doth not thwart Christs saying Bee not ye called of men Masters and how 13 Paul Silas and Philip were called Masters or Sirs in Scripture record ibid. Means or maintenance which the Priests and Levites had in Jeremiahs time was not disallowed by him 32 33 What is meant by ruling by bearing rule by means 35 37 38 From the ordinary way of living in this world by means or maintenance 38 No Ministers are exempt ibid. The Rule which Ministers have in the Church is not by their means or maintenance though while they rule they have means or maintenance 38 39 Melchizedecks Priesthood is contemned 108 109 Melchizedeck had from Abraham tithes of his substance and of his spoil more then once he had from him tithes 112 113 114 Mercies of David what they are and why so called 25 26 Micah full of power and honor 46 47 Ministers are Christs Messengers 133 134 They are no Messengers of Satan nor Ministers of unrighteousness 137 Ministers toils and pains 45 73 74 Ministers do work for all people who are within their charge 137 138 The scope and end of Ministers preaching is to testifie their love to Christ their care to discharge conscionably their duty and their compassion to the souls of their people 45 Ministers must fight against
beares rule by thy means which the Lord sent Jeremiah to cry against Jer. 5. which was an horrible filthy thing committed in the land which the people loved to have it so for which God would visit them I in holding up such do I obey the Prophets voice or am one of the foolish people that have eyes and see not hath ears and hear not without the fear of God holding up such as bear rule by their means Did they not look upon Jeremy as one being deceived and was not he cast into prison and dungeon Did not the Priests and the Princes say he was worthy of death 5. Art not thou one of them that divines for money and teaches for hire and if I will put in thy mouth thou will preach peace to me if I will not thou will prepare war against me Did not such bring the people all on heaps yea Jerusalem Did not God say night should come on such and was not Micah full of the power and full of the Spirit to declare unto them their sin and transgression And is it not a sin and transgression now answer me 6. Art not thou one of them that seeks for the fleece and hath made a prey upon the people in this cloudy and dark day and with force and cruelty ruled over them Doth not the Lord say he will seek and gather them from your mouths and feed them upon the tops of the mountains even I will do it saith the Lord God Ezek. 34. 7. Would thou bear rule among the people if they should take away thy means Wouldst thou divine if they should take away thy money Wouldst thou keep the flock if they should take away the fleece Did not the Prophets cry against such and how can thou clear thy self from these steps if thou canst answer me by Scripture and the Apostles practise 8. Art not thou in the steps of them that the Apostle speaks of to the Romans that with thy fair speeches and good words deceives the hearts of the simple which serves not the Lord Jesus Christ but thy own belly 9. Art not thou one of the Lovers of their own selves that art covetous and to be turned away from 2 Tim. 3. Art not thou one of them as Peter speaks of that with covetousness and fained words makes merchandiâ—e of the people and so art in Cains way and Balaams way answer 11. Were not these the wels without water and clouds carried about with Tempests which the Apostle saw coming in before his departure 12. Art not thou one of the Novices spoken of in the Scripture seeing that thy Gongregation is so out of order scoffing giving names railing and abusing as Witches and such slandring expressions to honest people Are not these the Mockers now that should come that the Apostle said should come that now we see hath reigned since And are not these the Marks of the false Prophets Mockers Scoffers Briars Thorns Thistles Do we not see these fruits proceed from thee and shew that thou hast not profited the people at all Jer. 23. Doth not Christ say By their fruits ye shall know them Mat. 7. inwardly ravening Do we not see that people could be but wild Mockers and Scoffers if thou never spoke to them and are not these thy fruits and doth not the Apostle say their fruits shall whither and shall not these fruits wither thinks thou 13. Where did the Apostles give Davids quakings Prophecies Reproaches fastings in meeter to sing to the world 14. Is the Priesthood changed that took Tithes Is the Law changed by which they were made Is the commandment disanulled that gave them tithes Did Abraham pay tithes to Melchizedeck of his substance or of the spoil Did he ever do it to him more then once Was it a standing thing to be done after him Is the Son of God come the end of all similitudes and liknesses Now if thou say that they which preach the Gospel must live of the Gospel and have I not power to eat and power to drink yea when Christ sent forth his Disciples he bad them enquire who was worthy and what they set before them they might eat But did he that said have I not power to eat say have I not power to take stipends augmentations tithes gleab-lands great sums of money or parsonage houses Now if thou come to my house who says thou art a Minister of the Gospel and Minister unto me spirituall things I shall set before thee of my carnall things if thou hast enquired and found my house worthy so said Christ what they set before thee eat so said the Apostle have not I power to eat to drink but said I have not writen this nor spoken this that it should be so done unto me for I have not used my power But if thou come to a towne or come to an house and inquire for tithes and augmentations tithe woll hay Pigs Bees Gardens money for smoak passing up Chimnyes Foales Eggs Geese Chickins Calves Lambs and other creatures and thou canst not shew me by Scripture where the Apostle did so I must say thou art one of those evill beasts that mindes earthly things and thine own belly if thou cannot prove to the contrary 15. If any people had followed the false Prophets false Apostles and such as made a prey upon them for filthy lucre and covetousnes and took their money bear rule by their meanes and divined for mony sought for their fleece the Priest that preached for hire and come to Christ from the hirelings that will flee who hath laid down his life for the sheep who saith learn of me I am the way to the father and witnesse the word in them and the annointing in them to teach them are they to maintaine and uphold such before mentioned that Christ the Prophets and Apostles cryed against or maintain such Prophets and Priests in their way yea or nay as Priests and ministers and teachers 16. Are not they Ministers of unrighteousnesse and so messengers of Satan that seeks for meanes maintenance tithes of them they doe not work for is not that an unrighteous deed thing Now if it be said the labourer is worthy of his hire is it not then an unrighteous thing to go and take hire of them answer me and let truth spake and come to the light and bring thy deeds to it Now if you say we plow in hope and thresh in hope that we may be made partakers of our hope now if thou plowest not for me nor threshest not for me how can thou bring the Scripture and say the workman is worthy of his hire to on that hath not set thee at worke and that thou plowest not for and threshest not for 17. What is the first principle of the pure Religion Is the steeple house the Church What scripture hast thou for sprinkling Infants What scripture hast thou for the word Sacrament hast thou heard Gods voice immediately from
Answer I have oft read the 23d of Mathew and do find that our Saviour did most justly therein pronounce woe not as thou writes seven but eight several times against the Scribes and Pharisees for their several faults which he their particularly rehearseth But thou dost most unjustly apply that wo unto me who am no wayes guilty of those particular crimes for which the woe was so oft pronounced neither can thou prove that I am thereof guilty and therefore as mens curse causless so mens threats causless and groundless shall not come yea God hath opened an assurance to me and such as me that we shall escape all these woes threatned us from deluded Mortals in their tongue-revilings by promising unto us better things saying Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce Mat. 5. 11. 12 and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before yoa Thy last demand in this second head of demands is Whether will thou try thy practise thy life by Christs the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine yea or nay Answer I have learned to try all things by the Doctrine of Christ and the Prophets and Apostles and I do account every Doctrine of every man erroneous and every practise of every mans life enormious which is not thereunto agreeing And my own practise and life is no further approved by me then as it consorts to the foresaid Doctrine I do and I will try my practise and my life only thereby knowing that as many as walk according to that rule peace shall be upon them Thy second head of Demands hath had a full answer CHAP. III. Thy third head of demands is as followeth III. ART not thou one of them that seeks for thy gain from thy quarter and hast a price and seeks for thy own way Did not the Prophet say Come without a price to them that thirsted therefore whether must I go to thee that hast a price or hearken diligently that my soul may live that I may witness the sure Mercies of David and out-strip all my Teachers as he did and come into the everlasting Covenant and own the Prophets words Isa 55. 5 8. Ans The holy Prophets in their writing do not blame any faithfull Levite Priest or Prophet of the Jewish Church for taking Tith or the value of Tith in money for that was Gods ordinance Lev. 27. 30 31. and continued in force through all the time of the Prophets and therefore neither Isaiah nor Jeremiah nor Ezekiel nor Micah nor any other holy Prophet durst condemn it or any thing which God himself had established among his people when therefore thou reads that they condemn them who seek for gain from their quarter and look for their own way and that they cry out against them who divine for money and teach for hire who seek for the fleece and make a prey of the people thou ought not to conceive that they speak against any pious laborious diligent faithfull Levite Priest or Prophet receiving in those times Tithes which was the maintenance which God assigned to them but learn to know that by these and such like expressions they mean somewhat else which shall be clearly declared unto thee through Gods assistance as I come to answer in order thy demands This in general doth fully answer all thy mis-applications of these several expressions found in the prophets unto Tithes But I shall more particularly examine what thou writes Thou asks Art not thou one of them that seeks for thy gain from thy quarter and hast a price and looks for thy own way Answer The Prophet Isaiah chap 56. and verse 10 11 12. complains of blind ignorant dumb insufficient lazy greedy and drunken watchmen and saith They all looked to their own way every one for his gain from his quarter The way which God had appointed for the maintenance of his own watchmen was Tithes and offerings but it seems that these watchmen of whom the Prophet speaks were uncontent with Gods way and looked after their own ways of profit which they had made choise of and found out for themselves Evety one looked for gain from his quarter expecting in their several abodes that gain should come in to them by these practises for profit wherein they were exercised even as a man standing at his door expecting some welcome guest doth look every way verily believing that in some of the wayes leading to his house he will come these were the men of whom the Prophet spake who looked to their own way every one for gain from his quarter But I am not one of them who did or who doth thus I am well content with that maintenance which Gods Word and the Law of my Nation hath allowed me according to my station in the Church of Christ I have no felfish by-wayes of gaining and making advantages to my self God knows that I have hitherto sought the things of Christ but neither my own advancement nor advantage If I had applyed my self to worldly gettings I might have had opportunities enough in these self seeking times to have got as good a share therein as some others have but I have used none of the ways of worldly getting The world hath had a small portion of my time less of my affections for having devoted my self wholly to fulfill the Ministry whereunto Christ hath called me though I have therein gained many discouragements from the men of the world whose portion is in this life yet I have had from Christ innumerable Returns of unspeakable spiritual comforts greatly incouraging me to a perseverance in his work I am so far from complying with such who look for their own way and for gain from their quarter that if I be by thee ranked among such thou will therein make the righteous in that particular as the wicked and must answer unto God as one of those who do lay unto other mens charge the things which they knew not Thou further demands Did not the Prophet say Come without money to them that thirsted therefore whether must I go to thee that hath a price or hearken diligently that my soul may live that I may witness the sure mercies of David and out-strip all my teachers as he did and come into the everlasting Covenant and own the Prophets words Isa 55. 5 8. Answer The Prophet doth from God invite every one who is thirsty to things spiritual saying Oh! Every one that Isa 55. 1 thirsteth come ye to the waters und he that hath no money come ye buy and eat Come buy wine and milk without money and without price God doth sell for nought unto his people those spiritual things which are mentioned by the Prophet namely The waters of life dispensing and dispersed the wine of spiritual consolation the sincere milk of the word the satisfying bread
unto the Ministers of Christ to whom they are due as hath been shewed is an hindrance unto the people of Christ in partaking of spiritual mercies though such payment was no hinderance unto such comforts of old unto Gods people who paid their Tithes unto their Priests and Levites unto whom they were then due The payment therefore of Tithes doth not hinder the instructed from obtaining those spiritual Mercies which thy Question speaks of Let it not then be a pretended Plea of thy not profiting but in dealing faithfully with thy own soul apply thy self to these Directions which God in the holy Scripture gives for obtaining those spiritual mercies And do not follow this thine or any others gtoundless and unscriptural Proposals Give me leave then if thou hast not wholly cast off the regard of holy Scripture to put thee in remembrance of these few things 1. Would thou seriously seek that thy soul may live then do Pro. 8. 36. Heb. 12. 29 1 Thes 2. 13 Isa 55. 3 4. Pro. 8. 34. 35 Ioh. 13 77. not sin against Christ in rejecting his word taught by his Ministers set over thee in the Lord for in so doing thou will wrong thine own soul and cannot escape But come and incline thine ear and hearken diligently to Christs Messengers as unto Christ and what you learn practise saithfully and then thy soul shall live in his sight and obtain blessings and blessedness and life and favour from the Lord. 2. Many were the Mercies which David and the peole of God who lived under his raign injoyed but the mercies which God grants to people in and by Christ who is stil'd the Son of David and also the David who is for ever to reign over Gods people are these Mercies which in Scripture are tearmed The sure mercies of David They are called sure mercies because Mat. 1. 1. Eze. 37. 24 25 Hos 3. 5. Act. 2. 30. 31. God greatly assured David that they should be accomplished And David being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne he seeing this before spoke of those mercies which Gods people were to enjoy under Christ and these mercies are called the Merciâ—s of David both because the David who was past when the Prophets wrote of him who was the son of Jesse and a type of Christ did with much confident assurance from God foretell them and also because Christ who was the David to come when the Prophets wrote and was come when the Apostle spoke of these mercies and who was the root of Jesse did and doth accomplish and give all these sure Mercies which were from God assured unto David that they should be all brought to pass by Christ who was made according to the flesh of the seed of David Rom. 1. 3. All these sure Mercies are according to the Scripture expressions comprised under two general heads Nameâ—y Act. 15. 16 1. The building up the Tabernacle of David which was fallen down that is the erecting establishing and enlarging the Church and endowing her spiritual priviledges and outward comfortable advantages for promoting the whole publick and private service required of Gods holy people throughout all the world 2. The setting up Christ on the Throne of Daviâ— to raign for Luk. 1. 32. 33. Rom 14. 27 Psal 89. V. 29. 36 37 ever over Gods people in Righteousness Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and to bring the Gentile Nations to be subject and obedient to the faith of Christ as it was fore-told that under Christs raign it should be so These were the sure mercies of David even of Christ who is the true David Now if thou will witness as thou speaks or affirm from good experience as I think thou means that thou art under these sure mercies of David or of Christ which are to be had in Christs Church and Kingdom then seek not to destroy or hinder what Christ hath already builded and established by thy disobeying and resisting his ordinances either for his publick services or for the maintenance of his Ministers who by preaching the Gospel do the work of his service of the house of God but seriously shew that thou art a faithfull member of Christs Church and subject of his Kingdom as the converted Jews and also Gentiles did who were made partakers of these sure mercies of David by returning unto the Lord thy God and to David or to Christ thy King returning to his publick worship which the coverted Jews had for a long time and the Hos 3. 5. Act. 13. 16 17. Isa 55. 3 4 5. converted Gentiles had altogether wanted Returning to serve the Lord according to his own command in his word revealed returning to fear the Lord and his goodness to fear to offend him in any thing and to be carefull to please him in every thing to fear to turn his grace into wantonness to abuse his goodness but let his goodness lead thee to repentance and provoke thee in a way of thankfulness for these sure mercies to seek to glorifie him for every mercy and in every mercy received and so thou will shew thy self to be a thankfull servant unto the King of glory in giving all glory to this King for magnifying thee to partake of the sure mercies of his Church and of his Kingdom 3. David said I have more understanding then all my teachers Psal 119 99 for thy testimonies are my meditation It s to be considered that though he out-stript all his Teachers in understanding yet he did not despise nor forsake nor withdraw himself from hearing them for he hearkened both to Nathan and Gad and repented of those his sins which they reproved If therefore through meditation thou should as David did out-strip all thy Teachers in understanding yet still thou ought to be of Davids mind and practise to account it necessary to hear the publick Teachers and to hearken to them from whom good advise may be had in places of publick worship David relates his thoughts and practise concerning this in this manner One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to Psal 27. 4. behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple 4. The everlasting Covenant is Gods ingagement of himself unto fallen men upon their faith in Christ the Mediatour returning unto him by sincere obedience believing that he will be their God to give them pardon for their sin eternal life salvation whatsoever tends thereto by means of the Mediatour This Mediatour Jesus Christ is surely of this Covenant He is the Undertaker that what God promised should be performed unto those who throughly close with the Covenant wherefore All the Promises of God are in him yea and Amen to the glory
spoilings from their Princes and other Rulers from their wicked Priests and false prophets Jehoiakim taxed the Land and exacted silver and gold of every 2 King 23. 35. Ier. 26. 20 Eze. 22. 27 Ezek. 45. 8 9 one of the people of the Land according to the taxation and he slew Vrijah the Prophet The Princes also in that time was exceeding covetous shedding blood to get gaine they oppressed and exacted on people spoiling them yea and the wicked Priests and prophets were also covetous to have from people deceitfully and cruelly what did not legally belong unto them from the least to the greatest of them every one was Ier. 6. 13. given to covetousness and from the Prophet to the Priest every one dealt falsely thus that people was made a prey upon before their captivity In the latter part of that cloudy and dark day of sufferings which was at their captivity these people were then made a prey by Heathens both by those who led them captives the Chaldeans and also by the neighbouring Heathens who helped on that captivity as be the Edomites who laid hands on Obadiah 13. 14. their substance and did cut off those who did escape yea they were then made desolate and were swallowed up on every side becoming a prey and derision to the residue of the Heathen that were round about In this manner and no otherwise that I read of did these peoples own Princes Priests and false prophets and their enemies make a prey upon them in the day of their sufferings and utter suppressing To thy demand I truly say I have not to my knowledge by any unjust act or unlawful arts in the times of peace got any thing from any of the people which was justly theirs neither have I in the times of the late wars took from any by violence or force or any other unlawful course any thing which was justly theirs to possesse and therefore I am not one of those nor like one of those of whom the Prophet spake who made a prey upon the people in the cloudy and dark day of our Nations troubles and tribulations I have been in all these times and am still content with the tithes which by Gods and mans Law are due unto me knowing full well that the taking of these of the people is an act just and righteous in the sight both of God and man knowing also that an understanding and just man cannot account that a Ministers taking the tithes which are his dues from the people is a making a prey upon the people unlesse he conceives also that the asking and receiving by any one of the people their rents and of their due debts from any of their debtors is a making a prey upon their debtors in this dark and cloudy day but sure they are under a judgement of great darknesse and cloudinesse who judge thus either of the Ministers or of the peoples receiving of their dues 3. To that other part of thy Demand which is Art not thou one of them that hath with force and cruelty ruled over them I answer I have not used either force or cruelty towards any of my people This is my rejoycing even the testimony of my conscience that I as became a Minister of God have shewed gentlenesse towards all men and have been patient and in meeknesse have instructed them that oppose themselves if God peradventure would give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth I have not used among them Zac. 11. 15 the instruments of a foolish wicked shepherd as did the wicked shepherds of Israel namely the sheeres of violence to take from them what is their right and the knife of cruelty to butcher their persons and destroy their lives but I have used only the instruments of a good shepherd namely the spirit of love and of meeknesse to perswade them to do that which is right according to Gods and mans Law agreeing with Gods which is their duty and the rod of a righteous Law to drive such into the paths of righteousnesse who have straied from rightful into wrong doing and will be no other wayes reduced to do that which is right which is their duty The Law which I have been sometime constrained from some to make use of for the recovering of my dues as also all other men may lawfully use the same course in appealing to Caesar and the Laws of the Land when other courses cannot prevaile to obtaine what belongs unto them from men resolved to wrong them I say this Law is clamoured against by such men who do wrong and desire to do wrong to others as if it were nothing else but force and cruelty These exorbitant and disobedient men speak evil of the things which they do not or are not willing to understand for the just Laws of a Nation are Proprietaries Sanctuary the reliever of the oppressed and the appointer of due sufferings to those that do evil and wrong their brethren The Law saith the Apostle is good if it be used lawfully knowing that the Law is made for the lawlesse 1 Tim. 1. 8 9. and disobedient namely for such people who are licentiously and rebelliously disposed the Law is to bring such to understand and to practise their duty who without its determinations will not out of a willing minde apply themselves to that which is right and just Briefly I have not at all used either force or cruelty towards any of my people but I have applyed my self to do that which is just and righteous fit for me to do according to the Law or Word of God as I am a Minister of the Church and according to the Laws of my Nation as I am a member of the Common-wealth Thy Demand touching the saying of the Lord is this Doth not the Lord say he will seek his sheep and gather them from your mouthes and feed them upon the tops of the mountaines even I will do it saith the Lord God Ezek. 39. I will answer in their order to thy three Questions here propounded 1. Thou asks Doth not the Lord say he will seek his sheep Answ The Lord doth say so both in the eleventh and twelfth verses of the thirty fourth of Ezekiel I saith he will search my sheep and seek them out And again I will seâ—k out my sheep and will deliver them out of all places whether they have been scattered The Lord who is the shepherd of Israel made good once this his Word to his people Israel when he sought and brought them out of the Babylonish captivity and from all places whether they had been scattered and the Prophet saith that he will set his hand a second time to recover the remnant of that people which shall be left from all places He shall set up an Ensigne for the Nations and shall assemble Isa 11. 11 12 the Out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth yea
and will also seek out all other men true Israelites according to the election Ezek. 34. 30 31. of grace who are his flock the flock of his pasture and he will gather them to the Church which is his fold and make Joh. 10. 16 them and the places round about his hill which is his Zion his Church a blessing Eze. 34. 26 2. Thou asks Doth not the Lord say he will gather them from your mouth Answ The Lord speaking of the wicked shepherds in Israel who had neglected to feed the flocks and for their own advantage had by their evil actings been instruments to scatter some and slay others of them saith I will deliver my flock Eze. 34. 10 from their mouth that they may not be meat for them he promises herein to deliver them in their temporal livelihoods Isa 9. 12. from the open ravening mouth of these their destroyers who were worse then their professed enemies and their souls from ruine by the deceitful slattering mouth of these corrupters teaching Pro. 26. 28 them lies and falshoods Thou asks Doth not the Lord say that he will feed them on the tops of the mountains even I will do it saith the Lord. Answ The Lord speaking of his sheep saith I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the Countreys Ezek. 34. 13 14. and will bring them to their own Land and feed them upon the mountaines of Israel by the rivers and in all the inhabited places of the Countrey And again he saith I will feed in a good pasture and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be there shall they be in a good fold and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountaines of Israel his promise is to bring his people Israel from all Countreys to their own Land and there to feed them and to fold them and to fat them also with blessings both temporal and spiritual as the residue of the Chapter in several passages doth expresse Yea and his promise is also to his spiritual flock that he will gather them out of all Nations and Kindreds and bring them to his Church and there he will also feed them and fold them and fat them with blessings He saith that he will set over them the great shepherd of the flock Ezek. 34. 23 24. the Lord Jesus Christ who is called David to feed them and to be a Prince among them to rule them he promises also to give unto them under this Shepherd faithful Teachers Pastours according to Jer. 3. 15. his own heart who shall feed them with knowledge and understanding and that these their Teachers shall not be removed Isa 30 20. into a corner any more but they shall teach publickly in the mountaine of the Lords house which is his Church which shall be established in the top of the mountaines in all Kingdomes Isa 2. 2 3. and be exalted above the hills above all States he Eze. 34. 25 promises that the destroying evil beasts shall cease out of the Land and shall not hurt nor destroy in all his Church his holy mountaines and that his spiritual sheep shall dwell safely Isa 65. 25 Eze. 34. 25 Ier. 33. 22 Eze. 34. 26 having none to destroy and many faithful Levites true Pastors shall be multiplied to regard them and teach them and above all they shall have God himself to shoure down on them showers of blessings I answer them in brief to thy questions The Lord doth say that he will seek his sheep the Lord doth say that he will deliver his flock from the mouth of wicked shepherds and the Lord doth say that he will feed his sheep on the mountaines of Israel I do not perceive to what purpose thou hast asked these questions neither how from them thou can gain any advantage of plea or justification of thy self in the course wherein thou art for the present For 1. Though the Lord saith that he will seek his scattered sheep yet he thereby gives thee no allowance to make thy self a wandring sheep from his setled flock in the place where thou lives thou can have thence no encouragement at all to despise his setled Ordinances to withdraw from the footsteps of his flock and from his shepherds tents Thou hast thence no grant given thee to push all the diseased of the flock with horrid aggravations of their faults seeking thereby to scatter 〈◊〉 34 21 〈◊〉 4. 8. them which charity should cover and not make the publick professed Religion be evil spoken of by Antichristians because of some blemishes among some of its Professors The Lord seek and search thee out and bring thee again to the path of understanding things aright least thou remaine in the Congregation Pâ—o. 21. 16 of the dead 2. Though the Lord saith that he will deliver his sheep from the mouth of such wicked shepherds who devoured their substance taking from the sheep that which was their proper maintenance wherein the Priests had no right yet this saying of the Lord doth not warrant thee or any other to detein from any faithful Pastor or Minister those rights which is properly theirs and to which not any of the sheep can lay any just claime God hath a time to right his faithful Shepherds from the wrongs done them by those who ptetend they are the only faithful sheep whereas they are men unreasonable wholly resolved by striving with their faithful Pastors to wrest the dues of their teachers from them and to swallow up together with their own Inheritances Gods portion also which he allots to the Pastors of his Church The Lord keep thee ftom the pernicious courses of such men and from the curse threatned them Mal. 3. 8 9 3. Though the Lord saith that he will feed his sheep on his own mountaines in his Church and the holy Assemblies thereof yet this his promise doth not licence thee or any other to frequent the mountaines of Idolaters and hills of Hereticks as if he there did feed his people the Lord threatens the forsakers and forgetters of his holy mountaine his true Chutch and particularly saith touching frequent resorters to corrupt meetings Behold it is written bâ—fore me I will Isa 65. 7 8 11 12. not keep silence but will recompence even recompence into their bosome your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together saith the Lord which have burnt incense upon the mountaines and blasphemed me from the hills therefore will I measure their former work into their bosome If ever thou means to finde a blessing from God in feeding thee with meat which endureth unto everlasting life thou must expect to receive it from him in his own mountain of Zion in his own true Orthodox Church where he commands a blessing even life for evermore but not in the idolatrous mountain of Babylon or in the Babel mountaines of heretical confusions which are mountaines of prey where
that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heaven and againe how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation In the midst of this sixteenth head of demands thou bids me answer thee and let the truth speak and come to the light and bring my deeds to it Answ I have fully answered thee and for thy sake to give thee satisfaction if thou art yet capable of any I have laid together the words of truth that thou and all who read them may understand what is spoken in them to the things demanded and if my deeds be examined by these words of truth which have been a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths it will plainly appear to all who are unprejudiced and who are judicious that I have done no unrighteous deed and thing in demanding to receive from thee that portion of my due maintenance which is in thy hand but from God the Lord both of thee and me to whom both must give an account for our doings assigned unto me for my labours Thy sixteenth head of Demand hath now its full Answer CHAP. XVII Thy seventeenth head of Demands is thus expressed WHat is the first principle of the pure Religion Is the steeple house the Church What Scripture hast thou for sprinkling Infants What Scripture hast thou for the word Sacrament Hast thou heard Gods voice immediately from heaven as Prophets and Apostles did or Christs voice Doest thou believe that a man shall come to that which is perfect while he is upon the earth and have the body of sin put off and be free from sinne Dost thou own that salvation that is wrought out with fear and trembling Dost thou own the same Revelation and Inspiration that the Prophets and Apostles had now in this age yea or nay Dost thou own the prophecying sonnes and daughters in this age and that the Lord will poure out his Spirit upon all flesh When Christ saith to his Disciples be ye not called Masters for ye have one Master and ye are all brethren Where dost thou read Mr. Paul Mr. Matthew Mr. Mark Mr. Luke Mr. John Mr. Peter Mr. James Mr. Timothy Mr. Titus that these transgressed the command of Christ is not he Antichrist that transgresseth and the deceiver and hath not God nor the Son and is not he to bid God speed Read Johns second Epistle and answer me Answer these queries in writing to the thing that is queried and do not say that they are foolish and non-sense but let me have an answer in writing Answer Here are eleven Questions proposed whereunto an answer shall be returned severally as they come in order 1. Quest what is the first principle of the pure Religion Answ The pure Religion is the doctrin according to Godlines containing such wholesome words which teach men the way of 1. Tim. 6. 3 2 Tim. 1. 3. 2. Pet. 4. 6. 2. Cor. 13. 4 Act. 24. 14. 1. Pet. 4. 2. 1. Pet. 4. 11. living to God and with God of serving God according to his own will The principles of this holy doctrin or pure Religion which are to be known are all those holy truths which are revealed from God and are plainly to be found in the Oracles or written words of God called the holy scriptures for there they are recorded Scripturall truthes are the principles or things in the pure Religion which are to be known and the holy scriptures are the principles or chief outward means by which men come to knowledge of those principles or truths which are in the pure religion and the first principle of this pure Religion which is to be known is this there is a God and he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him 11. Heb. 6. 2. Quest Is the steeple house the Church Answ In what sense the places of our holy Assemblys are truly called Churches will appeare by what I shall deliver at present touching the name of Church know then that A multitude of believers is called the Church namely the Rationall Church or the congregation of reasonable creatures conspiring together in the profession of the Common faith and in the practise of all things truly promoting the common salvation Thus the whole company and society of believers throughout the world agreeing in the Profession of Christ calling on his name submitting to his Ordinances holding communion in the same faith worship exercise of godlines and in things of everlasting salvation Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3 15 Rom. 16. 61 is called in holy scripture the Church of God the Church of the living God the Church of Christ And thus also partiaular Societyes of believers visibly dwelling together within certaine convenient limits and bounds who prosesse publickely together the same doctrine of faith and love and submit to the Lord Jesus Christ and his ordinances and to partake in these holy institutions which he hath appointed and who do meete as the Lords people publickely to worship God and Christ I say these particular visible societyes of believers 1 Thes 1. 1 are also called the Church The Apostle writes to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the father and in Jesus Châ—ist a Church in God and in Jesus Christ is Persons who have felâ—owship together in the faith obedience and worship which God the father and his son Jesus Christ requires Again know also that the very places of Christian Assemblyes where Christians meete to perform solemne service to God and Christ and to injoy holy ordinances these also are in holy Scripture stiled the Church of God namely the Local Church thus the Apostle speaking of the assembly of the Corinthian 1 Cor. 11. 22 church and abuses therein saith have ye not houses to eate and to drink in or despise'ye the Church of God the opposition which he puts between theire own houses which were places proper for their own ordinary and Common businesses and the place where the Church was publickly assembled which was no mans house but a place for the common use of the Church in things only spiritual plainely shewes that the Apostle calls the place of Christians assembling for Christian purposes the Church of God And he confirmed it by saying afterwards when ye come together to eate tarry one for another and if any 1 Cor. 11. 33 34. man hunger let him eat at home so then the very place where the Church Rationall of Gods people publickly meet is by the Apostle called the Church of God his Locall Church not mens home but Gods house of publick worshiping him where Mark 11. 17 ever such a place be in any nation Though thou in derision calls the place of our holy Assemblys a steeple house yet it is our comfort that the Apostle calls it the Church of God and that God himself hath promised to come and meet us and blesse us in it as he will all his holy people in all