contradists himself for in chap. 5. p. 40. he hath said That kneeling at the Lords Supper is one peg beneath the adoration of the Breaden God he will not affirm but here he saith 't is an adoration in by or before the Creature respectivè or with relation to the Creature Answ 1. Very good and I say so still nor am I able to discern the least contradiction betwixt these two assertions The present Ministers may not worship the Popish Breaden God as the Papists do and yet worship the true God in by or before the creature respectivè or with relation to the creature His pittiful jibes are beneath â—e to take notice of The Idolatry in kneeling at the Sacrament is to be referred to the second kind of Idolatry we at the beginning mentioned it being a way of adoration enjoyned by man not commanded by the Lord and every thing beside the Commandment is an Idol hath been an hitherto received Maxime But it cannot be this kind of Idolatry saith Mr. T. for kneeling in prayer to God is appointed by him Answ 1. This is false I no where find any such appointment exclusive of any other posture 2. Impertinent We are not treating of kneeling in prayer but in receiving the Sacrament Where hath God said he will have this Gesture and no other used in this part of his Worship 'T is true man hath of late so determined it and written the cruelty of their determination in bloody Characters Worthy Mr. Dyton and Mr. Porter of Ware being stifled by their Imprisonment the one in the Gate-house the other in the New-Prison for not conforming thereunto not to mention others then nor late sufferers for the same cause 3. Even in prayer to God the posture of standing seems to be more used throughout the Scriptures Gen. 19. 27. Levit. 9. 5. Deut. 10. 8. 29. 10. 1 Kings 8. 14 15. 2 Chron. 20. 5 19. 29. 11. Jer. 15. 1. 18. 20. Ezek. 44. 11 15. Luke 18. 11 13. Mark 11. 25. an Argument kneeling in that duty was no appointment of the Lord. That the Primitive Christians for above 800. years after Christ on all Lords Dayes throughout the year and from Easter till Whitsuntide constantly prayed standing Mr. T. knows is upon good Authority affirmed What he nextly adds we have already answered That I speak ambiguously and indistinctly I cannot help 't is not given to every one to be a B. D. nor to speak with that eloquence and clearness as Mr. T. I did what I could to be understood However to make sure work on 't he denies both major and minor 1. Adoration in by or before a creature respectivè or with relation to the creature is not Idolatry such as so worship God are not Idolaters for the Holy Ghost invites the Jews to worship at God's Foot-stool his Holy Hill Psal 99. 5 9. which were creatures in by or before whom respectivè or with relation to them as the objectum significativè a quo or the motive of their Worship they were to bow down to God Answ 1. From God's Commands to mans Inventions is but lame arguing God commanded Israel to worship at Jerusalem before the Ark Altar there which they did without being guilty of the sin of Idolatry therefore when men command us to bow down and worship before the creature we may do so without the contraction of any such guilt is a sort of reasoning that Mr. T. upon second thoughts will be ashamed to defend As good he may argue 'T is lawful for men to rob and spoyl their Neighbours for the Israelites by the command of God spoiled the Egyptians without being guilty of Theft But 2dly that the Temple Altar was the objectum significativè a quo or the motive of their Worship is not true it was solely the command of God that was the motive thereof and had neither Temple nor Altar been there had God bid them worship there they would have done it 3dly To worship at his Foot-stool is no more than to worship in the Temple to worship in the House of his Sanctuary saith the Chald. Paraph. which is as remote from Mr. T. his purpose to prove it lawful to worship God in by or before the creature respectivè as 't is from Bellarmines who introduce it to prove the lawfulness of Image Worship What follows 2dly is of an easier dispatch 'T is true the use of the Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper is of the Institution of Christ but bowing down before it is not so as worshipping at the Temple before the Altar was So is 3dly the instance he gives of the Israelites falling down upon their faces and worshipping God when the fire came down and the Glory of the Lord was seen 1 Kings 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 3. For 1st should we grant that the people bowed and worshipped God by occasion of the coming down of the fire it would not follow that they worshipped before it which is somewhat more 2dly The Plea is Papistical and may as righteously be used for the worshipping God before Images 3. The sight and presence of the fire was not the motive of their worshipping but the conviction of the Glorious Majesty of God that from that Vision fell upon them 4. Their bowing was as to man a voluntary act from the extraordinary compulsion of the Spirit and by singular occasion ours a forced act frequently performed in imitation of the most horrid Idolaters in the World by the compulsion of the spirit of Antichrist and Satan Their Act hath therefore no place in our present case wherein neither such a compulsion nor occasion can be pleaded Dr. Jackson tells us That such actions as have been managed by Gods Spirit suggested by secret instinct or extracted by extraordinary and special occasions are then only lawful in others when they are begotten by like occasions or brought forth by like impulsions Which is indeed what is usually asserted by our Protestants in answer to such Papistical Arguments as our Animadverter for want of better is forced to make use of He adds 2dly The minor may be denied the present Ministers do not worship God in by or before the creature respectivè or with relation to the creature as the objectum significativè a quo or the motive thereunto for the Common-Prayer-Book saith That kneeling is not for adoration of the Elements but for a signification of our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ Answ 1. But it saith not the Elements are not the motive of their kneeling which they are else why is not this posture enjoyn'd in other parts and acts of worship wherein 't is our duty to signifie our humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of Christ Nay 2dly whence is it that in that very Ordinance another posture is after the receiving the Bread and Wine permitted Yea do not our kneelers teach us that we ought to stand up at Gloria Patri which is as
Israelitish Apostasie God left not himself without a Witness reserved to himself a Remnant Of the self-invented Worship of that day Whether there be no such Worship to be found in England The duty of Saints with relation thereunto Of Mr. T. his rash judging THat God left not himself without a Witness in the height of the Israelitish Apostasie but raised up one or other to testifie for him against their self-invented Worship that he reserv'd unto himself a Remnant that clave to him and his pure Appointments is a seventh Assertion in the S. T. which Mr. T. also grants to be true Sect. 12. but yet hath somewhat to say hereunto 1. That self-invented Worship was bowing the knee to Baal 1 King 19. 18. Rom. 11. 3 4. Serving Idols 2 King 17. 12. Burning Incense to Vanity Jer. 18. 15. Going after other Godds to serve them and worship them Jer. 25. 6. 35. 15. Answ Very good Doth the Author of the S. T. deny that when the Apostacy of the Jews arose to its height it came indeed to this the beginning hereof being laid in the departure from that Principle That God is to be served according to the revelation he makes of himself not according to mans inventions his citation of the places now again mentioned by Mr. T. evinceth the contrary 2. O but there is no such self-invented Worship found in England Answ That there is not in every particular the same is granted I know not that they set up the image of Baal to worship it what they do in the chambers of their imagery God only sees openly they serve not the same Idols nor burn Incense to Vanity c. but that there is no such self-invented Worship to be found in England is gratis dictum and without proof All self-invented Worship being indeed such like it in its principle a departure from the fore-mentioned fundamental-principle of Religion being the source and spring from whence it issues forth A bowing the knee to Baal or yielding obedience to other Lords viz. the Instituter and Commander of that Worship which is invented a serving Idols in the setting up Man in the room of the Spirit of God and the image or form created and made by him in the place of Divine Appointments But 2dly 'T is to me a fond conceit to imagine that upon a supposition that the Ministers and Church of England are not guilty of such gross Abominations as the places mentioned intimate the Jews to be guilty of against whom the Prophets bear their Testimony Therefore none must bear testimony against present Abominations nor can they be justified in their so doing from these Texts Whereas had they been guilty of less wickedness than they were it had been the duty of the Servants of the Lord to have testified against them The doing of what was not commanded by the Lord as well as what was expresly forbidden is part of their Testimony 2 King 16. 11. 17. 11 13. We pretend not to be extraordinarily raised up and spirited to witness against present Abominations conceiving it not at all needful in the present undertaking Every Christian that hath tenderness to the honour and glory of God according to the capacity they are in being obliged to testifie for him against the Innovations and Will-worship of the day Whether that speech of Christ to James and John be most aptly applyed to this Animadverter and that generation he is become the Advocate of and who they are that call for fire to come down from Heaven upon those that will not imbrace their doctrines others will judge We have through grace otherwise learned Christ Whether it be bitter or holy Zeal for God that moves us by whom whether our language will be judged just reproof or unjust reviling will one day be declared I am sure Mr. T. hath adventured upon what doth not at all appertain to him in judging before the time And in this can we rejoyce that under all his Censures we have the Testimony of the Spirit of the Highest That in godly simplicity and from a principle of holy Zeal â—o God we are carried forth in this matter Though we dare not acquir our selves of fleshly mixtures which we too much discern to our abasement and grief in all our undertakings But what hath this Animadv to accuse us of 'T were as easie to have manifested if it had been so and we conceive he would not have spared us could he have done it wherein the bitterness of our Zeal did appear as to have said it was bitter to have shewed wherein our reproof was unjust as to intimate it to be so These are but words and I hope not spoken from a spirit of gall and bitterness towards us though perhaps some other will be apt to think they are so Sect. 12. The People of God of old not to hearken to the teachings of such as were not sent by the Lord. The Command of God touching their cutting-off Saints forbidden to hear them The false Prophets preached much truth though not the whole truth So doth Antichrist They were not called false Prophets meerly for their preaching falshood but because they ran before they were sent The present Ministers preach falshoods c. In what sense to be cut off Separation from the enjoyned false worship of old commanded 'T is a breach upon the Sovereign Authority of God called by the names of Adultery Whoredom Idolatry c. Upon what account so called Jer. 9. 2. Hos 3. 3. 1. 2. Rev. 14. 8. explained worshipping God at Jerusalem Non-separation from his Worship there no argument of the unlawfulness of Separation from the Church of England IN his 13th Section Mr. T. takes notice of what I offer in the eighth place touching the duty of the Saints of old viz. That they were 1. Not to hearken to the teachings of such as were not sent of the Lord though they pretended never so much to be sent by him This we prove 1. from the Command of God touching these false Prophets viz. to cut them off Deut. 18. 20. 2dly They are expresly forbidden to hear them Deut. 13. 3. Jer. 27. 6 16. To which the Animadverter replies 1. None are said in the Texts mentioned nor in any other he meets with not to be sent by the Lord who delivered the Truth of God but such as delivered falshoods inciting to Idolatry or contradictory to the message to the true Prophets Answ 1. If by the Truth of God he means the whole Truth of God 't is granted That never any false Prophet delivered the whole Truth of God nor do the Ministers of England as we prove S. T. p. 91. If he mean that all they delivered was false and erroneous there is nothing more false can be invented or spoken They knew and so did Satan that set them on work that so to have done had been immediatly to have miscarried in the design they were advancing Antichrist in his Ecclesiastical
Kneeling at the Sacrament is wisely done and had he wav'd the whole Controversie some think it had been no argument of his indiscretion but his so doing is no Answer He that will justifie the present Ministry and Worship of the Church of England persons of such dull capacities as our selves conceive must justifie these too They being made so necessary a part of their Worship that the Worship it self must rather be omitted than these devices of their Prelates or rather the Arch-Priest of Rome a Minister though never so able must not Preach if he will not wear the Surplice nor Baptize if he will not Cross nor may any either administer the Communion or receive it without Kneeling In which things if they transgress they are liable to be presented suspended excommunicated I have no power to compel Mr. T. to plead for any thing that he hath no mind to plead for In due time for ought I know he may as fast draw off from the tents of these men as he hath of late been advancing towards them He will not plead for their Canons nor for their Ceremonies at least some of them he tells us p. 54. It may be the next step may be nor for their Ministry To what purpose Mr. T. disputes for the power of Governors to Institute Rules for Church-Polity when he will not plead for those they Institute I know not We manifested in S. T. the invalidity of this Argument The Apostle by an infallible Spirit adviseth the Church of Corinth That all things de done decently and in order and discovers to them wherein that Decency and Order lay therefore persons that pretend not to such a Spirit may of their own head bind our Consciences by Laws and Rules of their own in the Service of God To this Mr. T. replies He conceives none would thus unadvisedly conclude Answ And I believe so too but if they will argue rightly from this Scripture thus must they argue as we have demonstrated But he will yet prove the power of Governours in this matter from 1 Cor. 14 40. thus That which belonging to Decency and Order is commanded in general but not in the particularities determined is in respect of Communities left to be determined by their Rulers But so is the Apostles command 1 Cor. 14. 40. Therefore Answ 1. Both Propositions are liable to exception 1. Upon supposition that what in the Worship of Christ belongs to Decency and Order is left undetermined it doth not follow that it belongs to the Rules of the Church to determine thereof which is to make the Rulers Lords over Gods Heritage to introduce insupportable Tyranny into the Churches of Christ They are the Churches Servants not Lords that are her Ministers 2dly The Minor Proposition is notoriously false and untrue the Apostle is debating the business of Prophesying touching this he lays down particular rules for Decency and Order which he requires them to conform to Let any sober Christian peruse the Chapter he will see this shining therein in brightness So Ambrose Aquinas c. inform us Decently and in Order that no unseemliness or tumult arise But this prescription of the Apostle is not to be applied to any Episcopal Traditions but the Apostles own viz. such as he had delivered to the Churches saith a learned man Thus the heat of this contest is allayed Pulveris exigui jactu We further reply in S. T. But let this be granted suppose that 't is the Priviledge and Duty of the Church to make Laws and Constitutions for the binding of the Consciences of men in matters of Decency and Order this Church herein is bounded by the Scripture or 't is not If it be then when it hath no prescription therein for its commands it 's not to be obeyed and so we are where we were before That Decency and Order is to be determined by the Scripture If it be not bounded thereby then whatever Ceremonies it introduceth not directly contrary thereunto they must be subjected to which how fair an inlet it is to the whole Farrago of Popish Inventions who sees not To this Mr. T. adjoyns That he doth not plead that it is the Priviledge and Duty of the Church to make Laws and Constitutions for the binding of the Consciences of men in matters of Decency and Order Answ Very good The Church of England Mr. T. thinks hath no such Power Priviledge or Authority granted unto them by the Lord Jesus Then have they whilst they have so done invaded his Throne and Kingly Authority The Parish Priests whilst they own abet and subscribe to what they have done in this matter are Co-partners with them in their iniquity are really guilty of opposing the King-ship of Christ which was the matter we have been all this while contesting about and is now in effect granted by our wary Antagonist We argue thus Those that assume power to make Laws and impose the reception of them upon the People of a Nation beside those and without any Priviledge or grant to them by such given in whom the Soveraign Power of Ruledom resides are guilty of Rebellion against such their Rulers and Governours Those that abet them herein are guilty of the same Rebellion But this the Church of England with respect to Jesus Christ the onely Soveraign Lord and Ruler of his Churches hath done her Ministers have abetted her herein Therefore The Major cannot be denied The Minor is evident 1. That the Church of England hath made Constitutions for the binding thâ— Consciences of men in the maters of Decency and Order their Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical evince that they have no authority from Christ so to do Mr. T. grants So that in what follows we are little concerned partly because he hath already yeelded the cause and partly because the particularities he speaks of be they what they will are only he tells us of Decency and Order not determined in the Scripture Now we deny any such particularities undetermined we think it a most fearful undervaluing of the Wisdom of Christ to assert That mans ' Devices can add Beauty Order or Decency to Christ's Institutions i. e. They are not Orderly or Decent without Humane Impositions Nor see we how these can be prescribed by Canons Ecclesiastical to be obeyed because enjoyned by the Rulers of the Church to whom we are saith Mr. T. in Conscience bound to submit if it be not the Priviledge nor Duty of the Church to make Laws and Constitutions for the binding the Consciences of men in matters of this nature and think that the latter part of his Answer is in contention with the former Besides we are yet â—o seek for a proof of this matter That we are obliged to obey Rulers Ecclesiastical commanding us any thing in the Worship of God as such under the notion of Decency and Order and believe this very assertion is contrary to the Law of Nature and right Reason which teacheth us That God
in their approaches to God If the first they are not Saints Rom. 8. 9. to assert the second is little less than blasphemy besides its direct opposition to Rom. 8. 26. To which Mr. T. pretends to answer Sect. 9. 1. 'T is no hard thing to prove it lawful to pray in the form of the Common-Prayer-Book if we suppose the Ministers and Common-Prayer-Book-Worshippers not to have the Spirit for then they do not quench the Spirit Answ 1. But upon this supposition they are not Christians for if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his are not Ministers and so to be separated from 2dly Our present enquiry is of the duty of Saints with respect to forms of prayer of others we are not now speaking which what Mr. T. saith Is wholly forreign to and greatly impertinent as he knows He adds 2dly We must prove it lawful for the Saints to use once a stinted form of words which will be done by this Argument That Prayer may be lawful to Saints in which neither is any thing done forbidden by God nor any thing omitted which God requires thereto But such may be praying in a form Therefore Answ 1. Were he able to prove a stinted form of Prayer lawful he will not carry the cause except he manifest that Liturgical forms are so 2. We deny his minor with which he deals very unkindly to leave it to shift for it self so soon as he hath brought it forth into the World And retort his Argument thus That Prayer is utterly unlawful to the Saints in which something is done forbidden by God and something omitted which God requires thereunto But in a stinted form something is done that is forbidden the Spirit is quenched undervalued grieved the form is rested trusted in rather than the Spirit something is omitted which God requires viz. the exercise stirring up and improvement of the gift given To what we briefly offer touching the unlawfulness of stinted forms of prayer Mr. T. answers 1. That the things offered are bottomed upon mistakes As 1. that praying in the Spirit Ephes 6. 18. Jude 20. is meant of extemporal unprescribed forms of words whereas it 's meant of praying by operation of the Spirit within not of prayer in respect of the form of words wherein it 's expressed Answ 1. To pray in the Spirit is to pray from the power and assistance of the Spirit who not onely forms requests in the heaâ—s of the Sâ—â—â—ts but also gives in apt words for the expressing those inward groans in a way of edification and comfort to the houshould of Faith and the assistance of the Spirit in both these they experience The expressions of praying allway with all prayer do not in the least intimate that the Apostle speaks of solitary prayers and if he did Saints are wont to use words when they draw nigh to God in their secret Chambers Ephes 5. 19. is so far from proving that Ephes 6. 18. is meant of solitary prayers that it totally enervates it Their speaking to themselves in Psalms is their speaking one to another for their mutual edification 2dly We say not that meditation and preparation to this important duty of Prayer is unlawful or that he who beforehand gives himself hereunto prayes not in the Spirit as Mr. T. intimates yet this we assert that no awakened enlivened Saint under the highest preparation for this duty dares say these words will I speak and no more nor can he do it without an high undervaluation and contempt of the love care and faithfulness of the good Spirit of the Lord to him who is often enabling him in a way of enlargement beyond the utmost thoughts of his heart 3dly Suppose it lawful to use a form of words in prayer the Spirit assists in the forming of groans within answerable to that form of words without I ask What if the Spirit should form in us requests beyond what are in words expressed in the form which sure he may do for however it be pleaded that 't is lawful to bind us to the form it will not be supposed that the Spirit is bound Must I pour them forth in words he helps me to or must I not if he say the first actum est perlisti there is an end of his stinted forms of prayer if the second there is an apparent slighting quenching of the Spirit in his motions and assistance he is ready to afford us A second mistake upon which he saith The things offer'd proceed is That the ability to express petitions in words extemporary is tearmed the Spirit of Prayer as if it were in every one that hath the sanctifying Spirit of God and they only for so the alleadging Rom. 8. 9 26. for it in the fourth Argument must infer now a man may have the Spirit and yet not have this ability he may have this ability and yet not have the Spirit Answ Crimen inauditum Caie Caesar Doth Mr. T. consider what he writes 1. We no where say that this ability to express our inward desires in prompt and significant expressions to the Lord as separated from the grace of Prayer or the sanctifying presence of the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Prayer En tabulas Let him direct us to the place where we so do 2. We grant there may be the grace of Prayer without the gift and the gift without the grace but say that when God calls forth his Children to the publick discharge of this duty he bestows the gift of Prayer upon them which if they have not they are not called forth thereunto When otherwise the Spirit of Adoption in them is abundantly sufficient to enable them to pour forth their souls to God so as that they need not the help of the Crutches of Forms as some speak 3. The Question is whether it be lawful for Saints to use a stinted Form of words in Prayer Of others we are not speaking Rom. 8. is produced to prove it is not lawful for them so to do The particular Answers he gives to the Arguments produced against such Forms of Prayer are of an easie dispatch To the first he answers 1. The quenching of the Spirit is not meant of the Spirit of Prayer more than any other exercise Answ Grant it it s meant as much of the Spirit of Prayer as any other exercise The expression is wholly Metaphorical The Spirit in his operations and motions is frequently called and compared to fire as is known the quenching of him is our resisting not giving up our selves to the obedience of those motions how we do this by stinted Forms of Prayer was but now shewed He adds 2dly The quenching of the Spirit is the act of him in whom the Spirit is quenched Answ Very true the tying of our selves to a prescript form of words in Prayer is our own act none can actually compel us thereunto hereby we quench the Spirit Yea but 3dly The hearer is stinted in all joynt Prayer
the hearing the present Ministers to be are not to be subjected to Acts 4. 19 20. 5. 29. Dan. 3. 16 17. 6. 10. We remark the Testimony of August de Verâ— Dom. Ser. 6. in this matter who was fully of the same mind with us Sed timeo inquies He tells us plainly That such as fear to offend â—heir superiours should much more fear to offend God who is greater than all The Emperors and Monarchs of the World threaten us with a Prison if we disobey them The Lord threatens us with Hell upon our disobâ—dience to him To which Mr. T. answers not at all The 9th Objection in S. T. is The Ministers of England are true Gospel Ministers for they convert souls which the Apostle makes the Sâ—al of his Ministry or Apostleship Therefore its lawful to hear them To which we say That the conversion of Souls proves not â— lawful Ministry 1. Paul makes it not 1 Cor 9. 2. singly a sufficient demonstration of his Apostleship 2. Many have converted souls that were not Apostles as ordinary Ministers yea Brethren Women remarkable Providences yet who will say that these last are Apostles or Ministers of the Lord Jesus 3. Should it be granted that Conversion of souls is an Argument of a lawful Ministry Where are the Churches nay where are the particular persons converted by them In answer to which Mr. T. grants That Conversion of souls is no certain sign of a true Gospel Minister whereby he hath discharged this Argument as insufficient from further attendance upon this service In what follows there is nothing but what hath already been replied to in this Sect. that requires our stay The last Objection proposed and answered in S. T. is Our Ministers are removed and we know not where to go to hear would you havâ— us sit at home idle Answ 1. Though we are not against any Ordinance of Christ yet we are afraid that those that know not how to spend the Lords â—ay without hearing do too much Idolize that Ordinance and never knew what 't was to spend that day with him Mr. T. adjoyns That such persons conceive they cannot spend â—he Lords day without hearing is not out of any Idolizing that Ordinance of God but because it is one duty of sanctifying the Lords day not only to exercise themselves in Reading and Prayer at home for that is every days duty but also to frequent the publick Assemblies where God is worshipped Heb. 10. 25. Exod. 20. 8. Acts 20. 7. Rev. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Joh. 20. 26 29. Answ 1. If by Publick Assemblies he mean the Assemblies of Swearers Drunkards Adulterers Idolaters called Christians where God is worshipped in a way of mans devising by an Antichristian Formal Superstitious and it may be Drunken Priest in opposition to the Private Meetings and Assemblies of the Saints The frequenting such Assemblies is so far from being that wherein the sanctifying the Lords Day doth consist that it is a profanation thereof being rebellion against that solemn Institution of our Lord Jesus enjoyning persons to separate from such Assemblies The Scriptures produced by him totally evert his Figment the most of them preaching forth the duty and practice of the Saints in opposition to such Assemblies And Rev. 1. 10. John was alone on the Lords Day and yet I hope sanctified it according to the will of God 2. I cannot but wonder that People especially men of learning reading should talk so much of Publick Assemblies and Publick Ordinances when they cannot but know that ever since Christianity had a being in the world for the most part the Assemblies of Pagans and Antichristians with their Ordinances and Worship were publick and the Assemblies of the true Church and Worship of Christ retired and private Whence in Rev. 12. 6. when you have the Beast and Whore in their Ruffe and Gallantry the whole World wondering after them Rev. 13. 3. you have the poor Witnesses of Christ prophesying in sackcloth Rev. 11. and the Church flying into the Wilderness a state of solitariness and retirement Rev. 12. 6 14. Might not the Papists in the Marian dayes have pleaded thus against the Protestants Such Publick Assemblies as Mr. Cotton spake of viz. The Assemblies of Believers in a particular Church-State we say are not carelesly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken But what 's this to the Parochial Assemblies of England who are not such Mr. Crofton's Argument cited by him is easily answered 'T is this Communion with the Church-visible in Gods solemn Worship is an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath an indispensible duty But Communion with the English Church in the Worship by her celebrated is Communion with the Church-visible in Gods solemn Worship Therefore Answ 1. By the Church-visible he must understand a particular instituted Church for with the Universal-Church-Visible of which some talk as such I cannot have Communion in the celebration of Ordinances of the appointment of Christ by Goâ—'s solemn Worship Worship appointed instituted by him to be managed and performed according to his will for otherwise it is not his Worship Iâ— which sense we grant his Major Communion with the Church-visible i. e. a particular instituted Church of Christ in Gods solemn Worship i. e. Worship of his own appointment celebrated in his own way is an essential part of the sanctification of the Sabbath an indispensible duty with this limitation when and where there is any such Church with whom I may meet But then the Minor is most notoriously false and untrue because the Church of England is no such particular instituted Church as we have proved the Worship celebrated by her is not Worship of the appointment of God managed in his own way but of mans devising performed by Antichristian Officers as we have demonstrated We say further in S. T. 2dly You need not sit at home idle you may soon hear of some or other of the Assemblies of the Saints whither you may repair to wait upon the Lord with them Mr. T. is mistaken that such Assemblies as these are not in many places to be found Through the grace of the Lord 't is for the most part far otherwise than he intimates We add 3dly Were it or should it be otherwise yet better be idle than do worse better do nothing than sin against God encourage others in their evil deeds Which he confesseth to be true upon supposition that publick hearing is a sin 't were better be idle than do that Whether we have manifested it to be so let the indifferent Reader judge We add 4thly There is no necessity of being idle if thou knowest not where to hear on that day If thou hast a sight of thy interest in God thou mayst spend thy time in admiring magnifying the rich love of the Lord to thee if not in getting thy interest cleared up unto thee in studying thine own heart getting sin mortified grace quickened strengthened reaching after
Epistl 1. ep 4. Soperemini inquit Dominus a taberuaculis hominum istorum durissimorum nolite tangere ea qua ad eos pertinent ne simul pereat is in peccatis eorum Propter quod plebs obsequens praeceptis Domini Deum meturus à peccato praepofitó seperare se debet nec se ad Sacrilegi Sacerdotis Sacrificia misare quando ipsa defectu sidelis Magistratus maxime habeat potestatem vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes vel recusandi indignos Thus far he in open defiance of his present undertaking But to proceed in Sect. 2. and afterwards we have an account notwithstanding his late discouragement in writing why he still follows that employment and in particular of his engaging in the confutation of the Treatise under consideration which may be reduced to these heads 1. The expectation of hâ—â— giving account of the Talents committed to him by hâ—s â—ord and Master which being restrained from publick preaching he thinks he ought to make use of this way Answ That a strict account must be given to the Lord for the improvement of Talents received is undeniable The Parable Mat. 25. 14 to 31. evâ—nceth as much The consideration whereof should quicken us to our duty the most exact and diligent performance of it imaginable that we have not at the last the most direful judgment of the wicked and slothful Servant ver 26 28 30. past upon us But every use of our Talent is not a faithful improvement of it for God Wisdom parts c. are Talents given by him many have used them against him and smitten him if I may so say with his own weapons nor had they been in a capacity of doing so much against him had they not received so much from him Whether Mr. T. hath in his present undertaking been improving his Talent according to the mind of Christ I humbly beg him in his more retired thoughts to consider That none can so improve their Talents without the blessed supplies of the Spirit of Christ this Animadverter will not deny 'T is impossible any duty or service should be accepted of God without these 'T is one end for which he is sent from the Father and the Son to in-dwell in the hearts of Believers to enable them hereunto Rom. 8. 26. How little of the Spirit of the Lord in those Magisterial and Dictator-like expressions manifesting too much of a spirit of pride and self-fulâ—ess with an horrible contempt of what is opposit to the mind of this Animadv together with those reproachful biting passionate words that without any just cause given do ever and anon drop from him he will upon a review be able to discern I am not able to foresee We are â—oo apt to judge partially in our own causes and of our own actions but the day will declare it Should I muster up the many expressions of this nature scattered almost from the one end of this Book to â—he other and represent them at once possibly it might somewhat startle this Animadverter of his being restâ—ained from publick preaching I have nothing to say but only this That if Mr. Tombs supposeth himself to be called forth by the Lord to the work of preaching the Gospel I see not now at least whilst not under corporal restraint he can answer the obligation is upon him by such a call by a total neglect of that duty either publickly or privately notwithstanding the interdiction of any Our retreat in such cases to the old Apostolical Maxime Act. 5. 29. Whether it be lawful to obey God or man judge ye being suitable and warrantable Nor is it I believe justifiable to improve Talents given in one work or duty with the neglect of another to which we are as equally obliged by the reception of them He adds as a second Reason of this undertaking his meeting with the Book under consideration and another entituled Prelatical Preachers none of Christ's Teachers which manifesting that the seeds of most rigid Separation were sown and spread themselves amongst many out of the greatness of his love and design to do them good and for the publick peace of the Nation he conceiv'd himself bound to pluck up such roots of bitterness and the rather because some that had known him to be for Believers Baptism have been ready to think him for Separation also Answ That he met with the Book under consideration I readily yeeld him being informed that in some heat of spirit about two years before the publishing his Theodulia he threatned the Refutation thereof But that the seeds of Separation are roots of bitterness is as warmly said as weakly proved in his following Treatise The word though it sounds ill in the ears of the world is of a middle signification denoting neither that which is evil nor good in it self as Mr. T. well knows A twofold Separation we read of in the Scripture 1. A wicked and unlawful Separation which is a causless departure from the People and Appointments of Christ as not able to bear their spirituality strictness purity and glory in contempt of Christ's Institution and meerly for the satisfying their lusts Jude 19. This is the Separation that is condemned in the Scripture Do either of the Tracts mentioned undertake the defence or vindication of it Are there not Principles laid down and asserted therein wholly opposite hereunto 2dly A warrantable lawful Separation enjoyned by Jesus Christ which is a peaceable departure from a Church or People not rightly constituted according to the mind of Christ the pattern exhibited by him or degenerated therefrom beyond a possibility of recovering their first state purely for the enjoyment of the Ordinances of God in power and purity This is the Separation no other pleaded for in the Papers mentioned Which â—â—ch poor worms as we are apt to think there is ground enough in the Scriptures for 1. 'T is of old prophesied of Num. 23. 9. Isa 52. 11 12. 62. 10. 2dly Commanded by the Lord Prov. 4. 14. 9. 6. 14. 7. Eph. 5. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Act. 2. 39. Psa 45. 10. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Rev. 18. 4. 3dly Practised by the Saints not to mention them of old Gen. 4. 26. Exod. 19. 5. Deut. 7. 6. 33. 28. Numb 33. 52. Exod. 24. 12 15. John 15. 19. Rev. 19. 7 8 9. which the Epistles of the Apostles to the Churches justifie who writ to them as Saints separated from the World and the Worship thereof What the Animadverter hath done in order to the plucking up the seeds of this Separation is afterwards considered He that is successfull in such an undertaking oâ— desires to be so had need do more than â—ent his passion in some biting satyrical expressions against the men of his contest or dictate to them as if Wisdom only rested with him and all others were to hang on his lips for Indoctrination whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without controul were to be submitted But Christ's School knows
the same or greater wickednesses are committed and increase groans to the Lord in us to cause the light of his glorious Gospel to arise and shine upon them as also stir us up to thankfulness for the light of the Gospel he hath sent amongst us and whilst we have it to walk in it not loving darkness more than light But thus far will the light of Nature engraven upon the heart lead us with respect to the right Worship of God and I humbly conceive ne plus ultra not a step farther 2dly As there is a natural or moral Worship of God so is there that which is ceremonial or instituted which depends upon Divine Revelation and is nothing but the expression of the moral and internal Worship of God our love faith fear subjection of and to him in those external wayes that are of his own revelation wherein he hath said he will have us manifest and express them and as a great encouragement thereunto hath promised in our so doing to meet with us and bless us This is that which is most usually in Scripture called the Worship of God and Christ And this is that Worship whereunto I refer hearing the Word as 't is a Gospel-Institution to be practised by the Saints which was so plainly asserted in the Sober Testimony that there was no occasion for Mr. T. to trouble himself or the Reader with his guessing at the meaning of the Author did he not delight to multiply words but to have owned it if true or otherwise to have addressed himself to the confutation thereof That which I asserted was that Hearing by the Saints under the dispensation of the Gospel for of them and their duty is the question proposed pag. 13. is part of Instituted Worship Which when Mr. T. endeavours the confutation of I may be supposed to be concern'd in his discourses but till then the most partially addicted Reader will acquit me from any bounden service or attendance on them 'T is an easie way of answering Books though not much to edification to desert the main point to be impugned and divertise ones self and Reader with discourses that are but at best collateral thereunto and scarce speak a word to that which is the alone thing to be spoken to as Mr. T. in this matter hath done So that in what he saith not speaking to the thing in question in these two first Sections I am little concerned yet can I not but take notice of one thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we pass on which I cannot close with him in viz. That we worship God in hearing when we hear which he pretends to prove from 1 Thess 2. 13. which as thus crudely proposed I humbly conceive is very remote from truth There is more to be done than so I am apt to think that those who worship God in hearing must first come to it as to an Institution of Christ Which if a man doth nor he worships not God at all therein For persons to come to hear a Sermon out of custom curiosity lothness to undergo the penalties of the Land censures of others for company or the like not heeding it or coming to it as an Institution of Christ will hardly be accounted by the Lord as worshipping him being indeed not at all so 2dly That they set themselves to hear what is spoken as the Word of the eternal God receive it in meekness faith love giving up themselves to its authority and conduct which except we do we worship not God Jehoiakim in Jeremiah heard the Roll read but he takes his Penknife cuts it in pieces and throws it into the fire The Pharisees hear Christ preach Luke 16. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they blew their noses at him in scorn and derision Act. 7. you have Stephen preaching to the Jews who for a great while hear him with silence and attention bâ—t v. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were vexed so as if they had been cut with a Saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shewed their teeth and grind them like mad dogs against him To which many more instances might be added of such as heard the Word of God under such abominable passions Will Mr. T. say that such as these worship God in hearing what more absurd And yet if he deny it his Assertion falls to the ground That men worship God in hearing when they hear 'T is one device of Satan to undo souls and no mean one by miscalling things and appropriating those names and titles to them that do not belong to them to cause them to think that they have and do what they neither have nor do Some transient checks of conscience slight and superficial sorrow for sin assent to propositions of truth escaping the pollutions of the world saying their prayers going to hear he calls and would make poor hearts believe they are so the saving convictions of the Spirit Gospel-humiliation precious unfeigned Faith Evangelical Sanctication and Holiness worshipping God c. which if they do they have only this advantage that they go down with more pomp and state to Hell than those that know nothing of these semblances of Grace and Holiness 'T is a fond conceit that poor blind ignorant creatures flatter themselves with that their going to Church as they call it and joyning with the Preacher in the outward acts of praying and preaching supposing it to be according to the Institution of Christ is worshiping God and I am sorry to find Mr. T. by such expressions hardning them in this dangerous conceit Alas ye cannot thus worshâ—p God for he is a jealous God he is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Precious Mr. Burroughs in his Treatise of Gospel-Worship speaks excellently to this matter pag. 93. Though I do kneel down in prayer and present my body to hear the Word this is noâ— to worship God as a Spirit and yet he that worships him not as a Spirit worships him not at all And p. 109. Many people think it a very easie matter to worship God and so it were if Mr. T. his Assertion were true If it were nothing else to worship God but to come and hear a Sermon then it were the easiest matter in the world to worship God but there is more required in the duty of God's Worship than thou hast been acquainted with there is a power of Godliness in it And citing Josh 24. 19. he adds q. d. You think it is nothing to serve the Lord alas you cannot serve the Lord for he is a holy God and a jealous God you must have other manner of hearts than yet you have you must understand his Worship in another manner than yet you do until you understand God his Wayes and Worship you cannot serve the Lord i. e. you do not cannot worship him Nor doth the Scripture 1 Thess 2. 13. prove his Assertion but rather the contrary The words are For this cause thank we God without
1 4. it was no sin to hear them they were not the strangers meant John 10. 5 c. I must crave leave to inform him of what he cannot be ignorant that he trifles and abuses his Reader egregiously 1. Christ did not only chiefly but solely enjoyn his Disciples to hear his Apostles and those that afterwards were sent by his appointment in his Name as acting in the ministration of the Gospel by vertue of an Office-power The instance of the scattered Brethren Act. 8. 1 4. is not at all to his purpose they were indeed to be heard but not as Ministers of the Gospel acting by Office-power in the promulgation thereof which they were not nor pretended to be but as gifted Brethren or private Christians receiving abilities from the Lord for that work and duty they were now providentially called unto 2dly Mr. T. knows that the Author of S. Test. is for the liberty of Prophesying though he seems to suggest the contrary in these expressions Nor did I ever think nor any man in the world in his wits that those scattered Brethren Acts 8. 1 4. were the strangers mentioned John 10. but some others as is proved in the Treatise under his consideration Those in Acts 8. were to be heard as was said as gifted Brethren not as Officers of Christ which they were not What this makes to proving the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers to which good service it seems transiently designed is not easie to understand who preach not so whom we cannot hear as such except we would put out our eyes and renounce our understanding when they avouch they preach as Ministers and we see them daily in the exercise of that which suppose an Office-power as Baptism and breaking Bread for the doing of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things must he speak to who considers Mr. T. his Papers for want of what is more material But perhaps Sect. 3. doth the business where he flourisheth on the head of it as if he were resolv'd to come up close to the matter in hand and demonstrate by irrefragable Arguments that Hearing as a duty incumbent upon the Saints in the time of the Gospel in the way appointed by Christ is not a meer positive or ceremonial Worship But perhaps saith he the Author means by instituted Worship such as is meerly Positive or as we use to speak Ceremonial such as Baptism and the Lord's Supper c. In which he hath almost hit the white of the Author's intendment and meaning as plainly expressed as he knew how which is this That however Hearing may put on the endument and property of Moral Worship yet as practised under the New-Testament it solely appertains to Positive Worship or the Institution of Christ and whoever performs it not as such I am apt to conceive worships not Christ at all therein What saith the Animadverter to this Why this Author seems to me very inconsiderate But seriously Sir I was well aware knew and well considered of what I writ in this matter He seemeth to me very inconsiderate is a pitiful Argument to evert the Assertion impleaded by Mr. T. it being not much to the purpose what seems to him or me to be considerate or otherwise These matters will be judged by others whether we will or no. As for what he adds 't is of no more weight than what went before That hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons He must 1. except Adam to whom at first it was no duty so to do except he make God the Preacher and then he altars the state of the question and afterwards 't is more than probable he preached to his Family not they to him 2. Except the time of ignorance God winked at when he sent no Preachers to the Gentile world but suffered them to walk in their own wayes 3. He had need to qualifie his Assertion a little better else it will not be found weight I am apt to think that hearing all Preachers and an indefinite Proposition as Mr. T. his is is equipollent to an universal is neither part of moral nor instituted Worship The Romans had their Flamins and Arch-Flamins from whence the pattern of Bishops and Arch-Bishops Baal had his Chemarims our forefathers in England the Druides who in their solemn acts of Worship were clad in a white-garment you may call it a Surplice from whence 't is probable that rag had its original all Preachers yet the hearing of them no part I hope of moral Worship Yea the Devil was once a Preacher and of the Gospel too till Christ silenced him Luke 4. 41. yet I very much question whether should he do so again as 't is not impossible our Animadverter would assert it lawful to hear him There were also Preachers of the Circumcision whom Paul thought it no part of the Worship of God to hear the duty of Saints lying in the direct contrary part by vertue of the Apostolical Injunction Phil. 3. 2. So that 't is evidently a mistake of Mr. T. to say that hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons Whereas 4. the very truth is Though hearing the Word of God whenever and however it shall please him to dispense it be a moral and perpetual Worship yet hearing these or those Preachers appointed by him to dispense it is purely of Sovereign Institution It being free to the Lord to have sent his Word alway by the hands of his Angels as sometimes he did to his Children as well as otherwise which had he done it had been so far from being our duty to attend upon Men-Preachers that it had been our sin to have heeded any other than these Angelical ones I must desire the Animadverter by the way to correct one passage of his it being a gross mistake wherein he seems to intimate that I make the hearing the present Ministers such an instituted Worship of Christ as is meerly positive and adds that herein I seem to be very inconsidèrate Which I confess I should be if I did so Mr. T. knows I am so far from making it such an Instituted Worship of Christ that I say 't is no Worship of Christ at all either moral or instituted to hear them and exprofesso prove as well as I can the contrary which that it is not satisfactory to Mr. T. I cannot help Some men will be satisfied with little except what hath the countenance of Authority on its side However I never said that hearing the present Ministers is any part of the instituted Worship of Christ which had I believed to be so I had done very wickedly to have opposed it He adds that should it be granted me that the whole of Gospel-Institutions were to be devolved upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament yet would it be to the disadvantage of my self and the rest of the Separatists who use many places of the Old-Testament about
the Sabbath Baptism Lord's Supper c. and I do so in this dispute Answ Egregie dictum excellently said indeed as if because we affirm that whatever is to be practised in Instituted Worship in the time of the Gospel is to be wholly bottom'd as to the Law and Precept instituting it upon some Commandment of Christ in the New-Testament therefore we assert that no use may be made of the Scriptures of the Old-Testament treating thereabout by way of prophecy or otherwise which is a Consequence this learned Animadverter will never be able to make good 'T is true many learned men do make use of some places of the Old-Testament to prove the morality of one day in seven or the seventh part of time not as I remember except Psa 118. 24 which some conceive by way of prophecy speaks of the Lord 's honouring the first day for the confirmation of the observation of the first day which they conceive Christ's resurrection on that day the practice of the Primitive-Church meeting together for the solemn Worship of God 1 Cor. 16. 2. Acts 20. 7. the appellation the Lord's Day which they judge is given to it c. is a sufficient warrant for their observation thereof in Gospel-times They plead not for Baptism or the Lord's Supper upon any other bottom than Gospel-Institution or their preception by Christ in the New-Testament Though 't is true as touching the subjects of the one and the other they judg they may by way of analogy argue somewhat from Old-Testament-Scriptures from which apprehension they see nothing so weighty in what is tendred by Mr. T. notwithstanding his brag and immodest Assertion pag. 18. Sect. 14. that such a way of arguing is irrational as if wisdom rested with him and he had the measure of it and a man could not differ from him but he must be a block or bruit to influence their departure That because the granting the Assertion would be disadvantagious to the Author and the Separatists therefore it should be in Mr. T. his opinion an unreasonable postulatum to devolve the question upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament I understand not He takes not a measure I presume of the reasonableness or unreasonableness of requests from their advantagiousness or disadvantagiousness to such contemptible creatures as we and should he do so he were much to blame as to infer from hence therefore I see no reasonableness in his Postulatum which is introduced not as the natural issue of any thing premised which he knows it is not but meerly for pomp and shew Sect. 3. The judgments of the Antients no sufficient substratum to build my practice upon in the Worship of God The opinion of the Antients â—hemselves in this matter None but the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures can satisfie the consciences of any dissatisfied in matters relating to Worship Our Faith not to be resolved into the Testimony of men which is a principle decryed by the Antients and Protestant Churches The consciences of none can be satisfied in what is written by the Ancients before they are assured 1. that what they read as or are told is theirs be indeed so and not counterfeited nor adulterated 2. That in their Writings they were as the Apostles and Prophets guided by an unerring Spirit The true use of the Testimony of the Ancients Congregational-Principles owned by them Of Councils and Schoolmen THe fourth Section is fronted with this The judgement of the Ancients not useless in this Controversie as if the Author of the Sober-Testimony had asserted it to be so which Mr. T. knows he no where doth This indeed the words of the Author not perplexing our selves nor the consciences of any with the judgments of men in generations past wherein they cannot acquiesce fairly intimate 1. That the judgment of none of the children of men though never so famous in their generation since the Apostles fell asleep is a sufficient Substratum to build my faith and practice upon in the Worship of my God In which we have the concurrence of the Ancients themselves Basil tels us that it is necessary and consonant to Reason that every man learn that which is needful out of the Scriptures both for the fulness of Godliness and lest they be inured to humane traditions Regul contract 95. p. 902. And Austin Epist 112. ad Paulin. saith If a matter be grounded on the clear authority of the holy Scriptures it is to be believed without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies upon whose credit any thing may be urged unto us to believe it it is lawful for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceive them of weight to deserve or not to deserve credit Origin saith Homil. 1. in Hierem. We must of necessity call the Scriptures to witness for our senses and interpretations without them are of no credit Famous is the saying of Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem Catech. 4. p. 15. We must not deliver any thing though never so small without the holy Scriptures neither may we be led away with probabilities and shews of words neither yet believe me barely saying these things unto you unless you also believe the demonstration thereof from the Scriptures for the security of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture 2dly That not the sayings or judgment of the Ancients but the clear Testimony of the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures is sufficient and efficacious for the satisfying persons that are dissatisfied in any thing relating to Faith or Worship Come to a poor soul under real scruples of spirit with respect to these and tell him this Father is of this opinion and that Father of that you do but oleum operam perdere when you have said all he remains as he was dissatisfied and so will do without evidence from Scripture More than these two things the Animadverter cannot righteously infer from the expression he discants on What saith he to these not a word more or less And I am apt to believe of Mr. T. that he is a man of greater modesty than to oppose them He tells us indeed that it may be of good use to satisfie mens consciences that no such separation as now is from the present Ministers of the Church of England was allowed of by the first Fathers and Writers what truth there is in this suggestion shall by and by be manifested He will not say surely of what good use he supposeth it to be that the faith of any is to be resolved into their testimony which it must be if what they say satisfie the scrupling conscience i. e. I must believe what they say is true because they say it else that they say it will never tend to my satisfaction which yet is an homage and duty that we owe to none but the Lord. A principle decryed and abhorred by the Ancients themselves The saying of Austin Epist 48. is known
place in the world of which the Poet Erupit Venae pejoris in aevum Omne nefas fugere pudor verumque fidesque In quorum subiere locum fraudesque delique Insidiaeque Vis amor sceleratus habendi Vivitur ex rapto non hospes ab hospite tutus Nec socer à genero fratrum quoque gratia raraest But this saith Mr. T. is not the cause of the Separation avowed by this Author Answ 'T is not indeed the alone cause but one amongst the rest So that in the judgment of this Animadverter the Separation pleaded-for is necessary For whom he intends what he puts in a parenthesis though it appears not but Noah continued to preach to them and live among them I know not As rigid as the Separation pleaded-for is 'T is not so rigid but we do and can do both and more than so too We look upon it as our duty to follow the Callings and Imployments the Lord-hath placed us in in the World to have civil converse amongst the men thereof 1 Cor. 5. 10. to fill up all the duties of the relation we stand in to the worst amongst them to do any office of love we can for them nor do we cease to pour forth our souls though they are some of them desirous to pour out our blood to the Lord on their behalf that they may be turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God And are as we have opportunity preaching to them though we run the hazard of the loss of our Liberties if not Life it self thereby we know Christs bowels and pity to poor sinners is great we have found it to be so who have obtained grace from God and we cannot knowing also the terrors of the Lord but warn and beseech them to flee from the wrath that is to come What follows in this Section not at all relating to the matter in controversie being only a captions exception against an expression made use of by me my intendment wherein is obvious to any ordinary understanding might be passed over in silence I say not as Mr. T. falsly represents my words that he might take occasion to talk of Job and other holy men who he thinks were not bound to repair to the people of Israel except they would become Proseâ—ytes which the avoiding the Idolatry of the Gentiles might require of them not such corruptions only as are in the Church of Engl. that a Standard was set up for the people to repair unto i. e. as he seems to intimate the people of the Gentile world at least those that feared the Lord amongst them but them viz. the People of the Jews So that his discourse about Job and such like is impertinent and frivolous Job lived about the year of the World 2100 several years after the giving the Land He with the rest he tels us were not bound to repair to them except they would become Proselytes which the avoiding the Idolatry of the Gentiles might require i. e. they were bound to repair to them which indeed they could not do or if they did they would noâ— nor could they be accepted except they turned Proselytes But the corruptions that were amongst the Gentiles were not only such as are in the Church of England i. e. they were somewhat more and greater and God forbid they should Lesser abominations in a once rightly constituted Church are warrant sufficient for separation from it than what were at that day to be found amongst the Gentiles But these things are not at all to the business in hand Sect. 5. The People of the Jews indispensibly bound to the Statutes and Ordinances Jehovah gave forth to them with respect to Ecclesiasticals and Civils without addition or detraction The case of the Disciples plucking the ears of Corn and David 's eating the Shew-bread considered Hos 6. 6. explained God's dispensing with his own Law no argument that the Jews might add to or diminish therefrom Of the seven other dayes kept by the Assembly 2 Chron. 30. 23. Of David's Ordinance 1 Sam. 30. 20 25. MR. T. in his 6th Section repeats what I affirmed pag. 8. of S. T. touching the people of the Jews the sum where of is That God gave them Statutes and Ordinances both with relation to Civils and Ecclesiasticks which they were without adding to or detracting from indispensibly bound to conform to To this the Animadverter replies 1. By way of concession They were he saith bound to conform to them and so much the Texts alledged do prove 2dly By way of negation That they were bound indispensibly without adding to or detracting therefrom to conform hereunto not one of the Scriptures prove This is to be considered The first Scripture instanc'd in is Exod. 21. 1. Now these are the Judgments thou shalt set before them the Judgments i. e. the Judicial Laws or Civil Sanctions as by Statutes or Decrees the Ordinances relating to Worship are usually understood which he particularly doth in the following verses To what purpose he is charged to set them before them is easie to be conjectured viz. that they might conform to them and not solely to do so had been a contempt and disvaluation of the wisdom and love of God who gave them forth and chargeth them chap. 23. 13. that with respect unto them they be circumspect i. e. that they heed them and them only Lev. 18. 4. the second place instanced speaks after this wise Ye shall do my Judgments i. e. mine only as him thou shalt serve Deut. 6. 13. is expounded by Christ Mat. 4. 10. him only shalt thou serve Nor is there any thing more frequent in the Hebrew language which is short and concise as is known than such a manner of speech The same line of interpretation is to be stretched over Lev. 19. 37. 20. 22. 25. 18. But how egregiously doth Mr. T. mistake in affirming that not one of the Scriptures instanced in saith that they were indispensibly bound without adding or detracting to conform to these Statutes and Judgments when Deut. 4. 2. the 7th Scripture instanc'd in expresly asserts it Now therefore hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I teach you for to do them Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandments of the Lord you God which I command you bound they were by this Scripture to conform to the Statutes and Judgments without addition to them thou shalt not adde or detraction from them neither shalt thou diminish And if bound they were indispensibly so For no man hath power though the Papists blasphemously assert their Pope hath to dispense with the breach of Jehovah's Law what he himself may do is not of our present disquisition which is enough to evince the falsity of Mr. T. his Assertion This one Scripture if there had been no more as it is a sufficient proof of what we
Christ tells us is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. i. e. what is required in the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets and is the sum of what they teach concerning the duties of man to man viz. That whatsoever we would that men should do to us we should do to them But 4thly This Ordinance is expresly established by the Lord Numb 31. 26 27. Take the sum of the Prey that was taken and dividâ— the Prey into two parts between them that took the War upon them who went out to Battel and between all the Congregation And Jos 22. 8. And he spake unto them saying Return with much Riches unto your Tents and with very much Cattel divide the spoyl of your enemies with your Brethren So that this Ordinance of David is no addition to the Civil-Laws of Israel What Mr. T. hath further to add touching this matter chap. 1. shall there be considered Sect. 6. The Election or Ordination of Levites not asserted by the Author of the Sober Testimony to be a Rule for the Ordination and Election of Ministers now Mr. Tombs his mistake and injurious dealing therein manifested Mr. T. grants as much as we assert in this matter The ground of giving the first-born to God The Levites given to him by the Congregation in the room of the first-born The People set apart the Levites to the Ministry Exod. 22. 29. Numb 8. 16 17 18. explained The reason of the Peoples laying on of hands Aaron and his sons Levites In what sense the Levites are called Priests their office and work THe seventh Section is by this Animadverter fronted with this The Election and Ordination of the Levites is no Rule for Election and Ordination of Ministers now which if with an intendment to insinuate into the mind of the Reader as the Assertion of the Author of the S. T. he egregiously abuseth both the one and the other There being not the least word syllable or tittle throughout the whole Treatise that gives him the least ground to surmise any such thing but rather the contrary The Election and Ordination of Ministers is a positive Institution of Christ to be managed according to Rules given forth by him in the New-Testament This I prove as well as I can chap. 4. pag. 33. So that what Mr. T. closeth this Section with that if it were true that in this act of imposing their hands there were Election and Ordination this was not a successive Election and Ordination as is when one dies and another is chosen and ordained in his room as oft as there is such a vacancy when one Minister dies and another comes in his stead For this Election and Ordination if it may be so called was but once and of the whole company together and so is no pattern for Election or Ordination of Elders successively by a particular Congregation successively or the major part of them is not at all to the purpose I no where intimate that it is a pattern of such an Election Though I know as wise men as this Animadverter that do as Cyprian Epist lib. 1. ep 4. and others Yet I see no reason but that we may review what was by the appointment of the Lord practised amongst his people that bears some analogy and resemblance to what is commanded under the Gospel for our further enlightning therein Mr. T. himself in his Apology or Plea for the two Treatises grants p. 141. that we may use an Analogie to enforce a Duty before proved And this is the whole of what I profess to be my aim in this Review of Ancient Institutions in the Prologue thereunto in these words Yet inasmuch as some beams of light may be communicated unto the present enquiry by a retrospection into the state of things in the time of the old Law it shall not be grievous to us briefly to remark the state and management of affairs under that Oeconomy which was so plainly asserted to be my sole aim therein that I cannot but wonder Mr. T. should have the confidence to impose upon me as if from thence I would deduce a pattern for New-Testament-Institutions which he knows I do not But I say that persons were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation for the publick administration of Ordinances and Worship Thus were the Levites Exod. 13. 2 12 13. 22. 29. Num. 3. 12. Answ I do so indeed what hath this Animadverter to say against it 'T is true he grants they were given to God from among the Children of Israel to do the service of the Congregation but it is not true that they-were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation Answ This must be a little further considered Upon the account of his sparing the first-born of the children of Israel when he slew the firstborn of the Egyptians doth the Lord challenge them to be his Exod. 13. 14 15. These were the Congregation of Israel to set apart unto the Lord v. 12. Thou the People or Congregation of Israel v. 3. shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix or as the Serventy renders it thou shalt put them apart unto the Lord. This is call'd chap. 22. 29. the giving of the first born of their sons to God viz. to his work and service In the stead of these he afterwards appointeth the Levites Numb 8. 16 18. For they the Levits are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel in stead of such as open every womb even instead of all the first-born of the children of Israel Concerning whom these few things are considerable 1. That the Levites are said to be given wholly given unto God and that in the stead or room of the first-born v. 16 17 18. who they were that set apart the first-born to God was before shewed 2dly That by theâ—r being given unto God is intended their donation for his work and service is evident v. 11. for an offering of the children of Israel that they the Levites may execute the service of the Lord. Whether the people had any hand in setting them apart to this work and service is the question to which the Spirit speaks fully ver 9 10. 1. The Levites were to be brought before the Tabernacle of the Congregation 2. The whole Assembly of the children of Israel is to be gathered together v. 9. which had been needless had they not been concerned in their approbation which is all I intended by the word chosen which the Animadverter afterward carps at or can be supposed to do having before asserted that they were appointed by the Lord a word frequently used in that sense as he knows Precious Ainsworth saith as much upon the place The whole or all the Congregation saith he because the thing concerned them all to know and approve the Levites being now taken instead of the first-born 3dly Whether this were testified by the peoples imposition of hands let the Scripture determine
state is called the false Prophet Rev. 19. 21. his Doctrine and Worship a Lie 2 Thess 2. 11. yet many Truths are imbraced and preached by him 2. If Mr. T. thinks they were called false Prophets meerly upon the account of their preaching Falshoods and such as incite to Idolatry and contradict the message of the true Prophets he is mistaken They are called false Prophets upon the account of their running before they were sent Ezek. 13. 6. Jer. 14. 14 15. which they had been though they had delivered nothing but Truth coming in his Name when he never sent them And as such were to be put to death So saith Maimonides in his Treatise of Idolatry Chap. 5. Sect. 7 8. one who understood these things as well as Mr. T. The false Prophet is to be strangled to death although he prophesie in the Name of the Lord and neither addeth nor diminisheth Deut. 18. 20. Whether he prophesieth that which he hath not heard by Prophetical Vision or whoso hath heard the words of his fellow-Prophet and saith That this word was said unto him and he prophesieth thereby lo he is a false Prophet and is to be strangled to death That they preached falshoods we deny not and such intimated at least some of them but that they were singly upon this foot of account so called this Animadverter will never prove The Hebrews who more perfectly knew these things than we say the contrary as but now was manifested They were false Prophets though they prophesied Truths without adding or diminishing if they pretended God sent them spake to them when he did not 3. The present Ministers as the false Prophets of old preach falshood and such as incite to Idolatry as we prove S. T. chap. 7. and such as are contradictory to the great Prophet Christ as we manifest ch 4 5. of S. T. Therefore not to be heard by the concession of this Animadverter though commanded by Kings and Rulers By which he may guess how fit these things are to my present purpose and how frivolously he speaks when he saith I should have left out these Allegations if I had well bethought my self how unfit they were to my present design but I will not he presumes say that the present Ministers should be cut off Answ If by cutting off he means putting to death I will not indeed say so though it may be Mr. T. when an Assistant for the ejection of scandalous Ministers thought it lawful civilly to slay them the saying of Divine Service being one branch of scandal for which they were to be ejected And the truth is the Author of S. T. thinks they should not open their mouthes as if Messengers and Embassadors for God till he opens them by giving down the holy Unction to them the great qualification of Gospel-Preachers which most of them 't is to be feared want and an heart to relinquish their Antichristian standing that they may go forth in the work of God from Authority received not from his grand Enemy but from himself 2dly As not harkning to the false Prophets was the duty of the Children of the Lord of old so is Separation from the devised Worship of that day in the fore-cited places asserted and proved to be 1. From the greatness of the sin of self-invented Worship which is 1st A breach upon the soveraign Authority of God 2dly Called by the names of Whordom Adultery Idolatry Fornication Psal 73. 27. Isa 57. 3 8. Jer. 9. 2. Ezek. 23. 45. Hos 3. 7. and 7. 3. Lev. 20. 5. Jer. 13. 27. Ezek. 16. 17. and 20. 30. Hos 1. 2. Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 9. 19 20. 3dly Separation here-from is solemnly charged upon them as their duty Hos 4. 15. Amos 5. 5. Prov. 4. 14. and 5. 8. Cant. 4. 8. To which Mr. T. reples 1st That devised Worship which is tearmed Adultery c. is Lev. 20. 5. committing whordom with Molech Psal 73. 27. being far from God c. Ans 1. But Sir the Question is not what that self-invented Worship was that is so call'd but whether it be not so call'd let it be what it will on the account of its being self-invented The Lord had taken that People into Covenant with himself for his Bride Beloved To them he was Ishi a Lord a Husband By him as such they were obliged by virtue of that Covenant into which he had taken them to be solely guided and ruled to observe his Statutes and Judgments to do them not harkning to the voice of any other beside himself Their acting contrary hereunto was a breach of this Covenant which being a Covenant of Betrothment or Conjugal relation the breach of it is therefore called by the names of Adultery Whordom c. which they had been guilty of had they in smaller matters than those instanced in turned aside from God Jer. 3. 19 20. But I said How shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant Land a goodly Heritage of the Hosts of Nations and I said Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not turn away from me Surely as a Wife treacherously departeth from her Husband so have you dealt treacherously with me O house of Israel Their turning aside to their own Inventions is the bottom upon which these abominations are so called Psal 106. 39. Thus were they defiled with their own works and went a whoring with their own inventions Jer. 9. 2. They be all adulterers i. e. turned away from God say the Assembly Hos 3. 3. Her not playing the Harlot is expresly said to be her not being for another man which should she be as by subjecting to the Ordinances of men in the Worship of God we are she plays the Harlot And Hos 1. 2. Departing from the Lord or his Institutions and Appointments is called committing great whordom 2dly 'T is true the Worship which is called Fornication Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 9. is such as Babylon made all Nations even the Kings of the Earth to commit Which learned Brightman upon Rev. 14. 8. interprets to be the Superstitions Errors and Idolatries of the Church of Rome which the West sucked from her as from her Mothers Breasts which proved Wine of wrath or jealousie as well as Fornication because hereby the jealousie of God was stirred up and provoked against them as to purpose it hath been manifesting and displaying it self in Characters of Blood and Flames Ruine and Devastation more or less throughout the European Kingdoms That the very Service of the Ch. of Engl. called by an Antiphrasis Divine Service is the Service of the Church of Rome That many of the Fornications Superstitions Errors c. of the old Strumpet are yet remaining in the Church of England we have demonstrated Chap. 7. of S. T. The Holy-dayes observed by the Church of England are the Holy-dayes of Rome its Collects Prayers Litany Rites from thence Mr. T. knows and in part confesseth pag. 102 of his Theodulia So
whence Separation from her is warrantable by the Animadverters concession and grant 3dly That Separation from one part of Worship in a Church should be somewhat justifiable and not from the whole at some time and not alway things still remaining as they were is a mystery that I profess I understand not I presume he suggests it with reference to the Prayers and Sacraments of the Church a separation from which he supposeth is more justifiable than from their Preaching But seriously I would thank Mr. T. if he would take the pains to prove 1. That 't is lawful for me to joyn with that Church in any part of Worship with whom I am not obliged cannot in conscience pray 2dly That where the Sacraments are not duly administred there is a true Church The due administration of Sacraments having been hither to assertâ—d as one certain note of a true Church If they are duly administred in the Church of England why doth Mr. T. refuse to joyn in their Administration If they are not duly administred the Church of England is a false Church and not to be joyned with in any part of Worship What follows in this Section that the Separation pleaded-for is for the most part the fruit of pride or bitter zeal and tends to strife and confusion and every evil work must be imputed to the overflowing of Mr. T. his gall and passion 'T is at the least a fruit of the flesh which he will do well to wait upon God to humble him for and mortifie in him I shall only say The Lord forgive thee The Scripture instanc'd Jam. 3. 16. is more applicable to the Church of England than to those of the Congregational way as every considerate Reader will acknowledge To the tenth Query in S. T. viz. Whether supposing a Church apostatised as aforesaid never to be according to Truth a visible instituted Church of Christ and the People of God living in the Nation never by their free consent members thereof as it is on the pretended Churches part most unheard-of cruelty to compel them so it be not on the part of the free-born Children of God most stupendous folly and disvaluation of the Institutions of Christ and ingratitude to God for the light and liberty from the yokes of men received imaginable to joyn affinity with it in Worship or attend upon its Ministry he pretends to answer in his 26th Sect. I say he pretends to do so for Mr. T. must suppose that Reader to be distempered in his brain that shall take what he saith to be indeed an Answer to the Query proposed 1. He grants compulsion of men may be cruelty Answ But Sir the question is not about every compulsion but a compulsion to conformity to and communion with a Church so called that never was of the Institution of Christ of which we never owned our selves members Is not such a compulsion cruelty doubtless if there be any cruelty in the world this is so 2. He runs to his old shift of joyning with a Church that hath some humane inventions in Worship a Ministry that for the main preach the Gospel with some mixture of Errors not requiring persons to practise that which is in it self evil Answ 1. This hath been answered as it relates to the Church of England over and over 'T is an Argument our Animadverter hath little to say for the defence of his Church that is true when we hear the same story so oft which yet in a great measure is notoriously false as if he had been brought up at the feet of old Battus he speaks exactly like him subillis Montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis Montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis the same over and over for fear of failing But 2dly One Key will never fit every Lock nor one Answer servâ— to every Question Sir the Query is not what we may do with respect to a Church collapsed of which we before spake but whether it be not great folly for the People of God who by their own voluntary consent were never members of such a Church to joyn affinity with it in Worship and attend upon its Ministry which none of the Texts of Scripture produced by Mr. T. evince Acts 21. 18 c. 16 3. 1 Cor. 9. 19 20 21. give us an account of the readiness of Paul to condescend to weak Believers in what he lawfully might Ergo it is our duty for peace-sake to joyn with a Church which is not of the Institution of Christ Which consequence when Mr. T. makes good he will manifest himself to be a man of rare abilities indeed Mat. 17. 27. is so remote to his purpose that I wonder to what purpose he produceth it Christ works a Miracle to pay Tribute exacted of the Emperours Collectors Ergo we must not separate from a false Church but attend upon its Ministry joyn in affinity with it How he will in his next cover these palpable mistakes I know not nor can I advise him to a better Apology than that Semel insanivimus omnes CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of Sanctifying the Name of God in our drawing nigh to him Of particularities of Worship and their Imposition Of an implicite Faith in matters of Worship The first Argument in the S. T. against hearing the present Ministers vindicated Of a Warrant by permission and part accidental of Instituted Worship Of Shaphan's reading the Law 2 Chr. 34. 18. Joh. 8. 47. explained The unlawfulness of practising any thing in Instituted Worship for which we have no warrant in the Scripture Whether Christ hath only revealed the essentials of Worship and left accidental Parts thereof to be determined by the prudence of Rulers The rise of Ceremonies Col. 2. 8 9 10. explained Of the Scriptures perfection The Testimonies of the Ancients Josh 22. 34. explained THe Preface of the S. T. being vindicated from the exceptions of Mr. T. wherein his skirmishings have been manifested to be velitary and weak indeed We attend his advance and on-set upon the Triarii or main Battel as he phraseth it against which let him do his worst after all his endeavours to rout it he will find it keeping the field against him Statque ut dura silex aut ut Marpessia cautes The first thing he takes notice of is a saying of mine in the beginning of Chap. 1. of the S. T. That God having said he will be sanctified in all that draw nigh to him It 's therefore the necessary duty of Saints in all their approaches to God to see to his Institution both in respect of the matter and manner of Worship To which he subjoyns This is yielded with respect to determined particularities but as to such as are undetermined by the Lord there may be too anxious care tending to be get scruples perplexities divisions which experience hath proved to cause fluctuating in mens minds inconstancy in their practice And it s therefore adviseable that
Sacrifice at Jerusalem was so but not elsewhere These things must be performed in the way appointed by him else they cannot be so accounted 2dly 'T is true bound we are to perform the duties they pretend to perform but according to the Institution of the Lord not mans devising as they are performed in the Church of England Isa 29. 13. Mat. 15. 7. 3ly Though it be no sin to joyn in the true Worship of God yet 't is a sin to joyn with false worshippers in a false way of Worship as praying after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book hearing an Antichristian Minister 4thly Believers 't is true might prophesie though unbelievers came in but it doth not therefore follow that ' â—is lawful for Believers to joyn with Unbelievers or forsake the Way and Institutions of Christ to go to the Assemblies of Unbelievers and hear them Prophesie As the worst of Ministers of whom he is discoursing and the generality of Parochial Assemblies undoubtedly are if a Spirit of prophaness visible debauchery an excess of riot bespeak persons to be such And from such he grants we are to separate by command from Christ 2 Cor. 6. 17. to which may be added Eph. 5. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Acts 2. 39 40. But why talks he of our separating from them when they separate as much from us as we do from them we were never no more of them than they were of us Of Rev. 18. 4. we shall hereafter speak For the present we deny that by Babylon there is meant only literal Rome and expect the proof of his dictate The keeping company and eating interdicted 1 Cor. 5. 11. he tells us must be meant of eating Common Bread Because vers 10. That keeping company which is forbidden to such Brethren is allowed in vers 9 10. to the Fornicators of the world which cannot be Gospel-Communion keeping company in eating of the Lords Supper Answ 1. It seems then that with the Fornicators of the world we may not have Gospel-Communion if so then not with the Church of England for with it we cannot have Communion without holding fellowship with such as these 2dly If it be not lawful to have Communion with a Brother one of the same particular Church for of such an one the Apostle speaks that is a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner so far as to common eating and drinking then a fortiori may we argue it is utterly unlawful to have communion with him in the Worship of God and much more unlawful to have fellowship with one we never walked with in the way of the Gospel according to any institution of Christ 3. That 't is lawful to hold Communion in eating the Lords Supper with Railers Drunkards c. I am sorry to find Mr. T. asserting of which we expect his proof The contrary is evident 1. Persons must be in a Church-state before they are capable of the regular enjoyment of that Ordinance which is a Church-Ordinance and part of Instituted Worship but Persons of such a Complexion are not fiâ— matter for a Church as we before proved Therefore 2. Those who ought to be excommunicated out of a Church were they in we may not have Communion with especially when in a false Church-state as is the case of the members of the Church of England But persons of such a character as the Apostle mentions should be excommunicated out of the Church Therefore 3. Those with whom we have Communion in breaking Bread as a Gospel-Ordinance with them we are one Bread 1 Cor. 10. 17. But we may not be one Bread with Drunkards c. Therefore 4. Those with whom we are commanded to have no fellowship with them we may not have fellowship in that Ordinance of breaking Bread But with such as these we are commanded to have no fellowship Eph. 5. 11. That the People of God can scarce ever break Bread with comfort in the best instituted Churches as he tells us from this doctrine is a notoriously false Crimination a meer Calumny His subsequent scoff is such froth and vanity as becomes not his years nor profession we pass it over as beneath us to take further notice of We add in S. T. 3dly That we cannot acknowledge the present Ministers for our Brethren but we must acknowledge the Bishops for our Reverend Fathers for theirs they are but that we cannot do To this Mr. T. adjoyns Sect. 5. 1. They are call'd their Reverend Fathers in respect of their Ordination Answ 1. But we cannot own them as Reverend Fathers with respect hereunto when we assuredly know they are herein usurpers of what doth not appertain to them But 2dly This is not all they own them as such upon the account of their Authority over them and the Parochial-Assemblies in the respective Diocesses who are to give forth Canons and Laws for them to walk by in not a few things relating to Worship as is known Now so we cannot own them as our Reverend Fathers we know no honour or obedience we owe them as such We think the inspection of one Bishop over an hundred Congregations can be proved by no better Arguments than the inspection of the Pope over an hundred thousand That a Diocesan and Oecumenical Bishop are much of the same kind and have their standing on the same foundation We know no Bishop of the institution of Christ but a Pastor of a particular Congregation He that pretends to more must prove his pretensions or we cannot but look upon him as an usurper I would gladly know whether Mr. T. thought it lawful to own them as his Reverend Fathers when he swore to exâ—irpate them with the whole Hierarchy and whether his so doing were an act of filial obedience That they are to be accounted Fathers in respect of their Antichristian Office because the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 5. 1. That an Elder is to be entreated as a Father when they are not Elders but a degree above them not from the Institution of Christ but the Courtesie at the best of Princes he will never prove Of their success in begetting others to Christ I understand nothing Those whom they have begotten may upon the account thereof esteem them as their Reverend Fathers but yet I am apt to think should they not be invested in the Title till then for the most of them at least they would go to their graves without it These are but Figleave-coverings The Animadverter knows they are not upon this bottom so called or accounted but with respect to that Office-power they have in the Church over the rest of the Ministers and Parochial-Assemblies thereof which being a meer incroachment usurpation and innovation we dare not own them as such We further argue in S. T. 4thly We cannot hear them as Brethren because they are if Brethren such as walk disorderly from whom we are bound to separate by express precept Mat 18. 2 Thess 3. 6. That they walk
words therein contained because he saith When ye pray say Our Father 2dly That which is in Mat. 6. is a full Interpretation of Luke's expression and Christ's intendment viz. vers 9. After this manner pray ye c. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this purpose 3dly We no where find the Disciples either themselves using the form of words here mentioned nor in all their directions given to the Churches touching this important duty is there the least recommendation of the use of these words to them nor are they prescribed as a matter of duty upon any of them 4thly There are not the same words nor the same number of words in Mat. 6. 9. as in Luke 11. 2. So that if Christ enjoyns us to the use of the words he enjoyns us to sin for if I use the words recited by Matthew I sin against the injunction in Luke and so contraâ—ily 5thly Paul expresly saith We know not what to pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. which were scarce consistant with truth if Christ had tied us to the use of those words in Prayer 2. Impertinent â—estructive of the cause he hath undertaken the defence of upon supposition that Christ hath prescribed a Form of Prayer to be used it follows not that others may so prescribe and ordain but rather the contrary The prescription of another form by them casts on his the reproach of imperfection and insufficiency Our Saviour hath prescribed us a form of Prayer to be used as a form by the repetition of the same words therefore we may use it yea we must is an invincible Argument on supposition of the truth of the Proposition But our Saviour hath prescribed us such a form Therefore we may use another which he hath not prescribed hath saith a learned man neither shew nor colour of Reason in it But Mr. T. will prove That a form of Prayer prescribed and imposed is not contrary to Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. For 1st 'T is not said the Spirit helps our infirmities by suggesting the form of words but by making known what things we shall ask and by exciting in us groans and sighs that are unutterable Answ 1. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit helpeth as the Nurse the Child or as a strong man him that is fainting under his burden our sicknesses weaknesses infirmities Whatever the inabilities and infirmities of the Saints are he helps them in and under them which Mr. T. doth ill to apply solely to our inward weaknesses when the Lord doth not do so 2. Hath he never known an unapâ—ness of expression to be upon him in this and other duties in which he hath been holpen by the Spirit of the Lord 3. Is not such an unaptness one of our weaknesses to prevent which iâ— is pleaded forms of Prayer are prescribed which is directly to justle out the Spirit and put these forms in his place this the Spirit shall help saith the Apostle 4. Have not many of the Saints under the sense of their inabilitie suitably to express themselves lived in a dependance upon this promise and found the Spirit helping their infirmities indeed 5. Is it not as much our duty to wait for the Spirit to give us a Mouth and Wisdom to speak to God a door of utterance when before him as when we are speaking to men 6. The Assembly in their Annotations interpret it of the assistance of the Spirit in respect of words as otherwise But Mr. T. will prove the contrary because 1. It 's said the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groans unutterable Answ 1. Groans unutterable are either 1. such as my words and expressions cannot fully reach or 2. such whose vertue and excellency doth not consist in the number and flourish of words as the prayers of Hypocrites Mat. 6. 7. but in most lively feelings and pangs of the Spirit but that therefore we must not use words in prayer or that in so doing we may not expect the help and assistance of the Spirit is yet to be proved He adds 2dly That 1 Cor. 14. 15. is such a praying in the Spirit as may be 1. without the understanding of him that prayes or 2. others even such as he that occupieth the room of the unlearned cannot say Amen Answ 1. The first is not said Mr. T. doth ill to impose his own crude conceptions upon the Spirit of the Lord 'T is said indeed That his understanding is unfruitful viz. to others what he conceives they are not better'd by because brought forth in an unknown tongue 2. The words they speak in an unknown Tongue were from the assistance of the Spirit therefore call'd a praying in or by the Spirit so that this is so far from abetting what he produceth it for viz. that the Spirit doth not suggest words that it proves the contrary 3. A manifest evidence also that a form of prayer imposed is contrary to this gift of praying in the Spirit for had they been tied to the former the exercise hereof had been altogether shut out which being a Spiritual gift was to be coveted by the Saints chap. 14. 1. As for what he adds 1. That the assistance of the Spirit Rom. 8. is meant of secret private prayers not of publick is frivolous 'T is not to be imagined that God should promise his help in the managerie of private duties and not afford it in such as are more publick in the honourable performance whereof his glory is more eminently concerned 'T is 2. fond to imagine that it should be meant of raptures and extasies in Prayer 'T is a promise made to the Saints in general which they reap the daily fruit of to their own Souls and cannot be perswaded upon such easie tearms to let go their interest therein These Texts stand diametrically opposite to a form of Prayer which renders the assistance of the Spirit both as to matter and words useless both which are ready prepared therein We say in S. T. That the present Ministers own 8thly That wicked and ungodly persons and their Seed are lawful Members of â—he Church and if they consent not willingly to be so they may be compelled thereunto contrary to Psalm 110. 3. Acts 2. 40 41 47. 19. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. 9. 13. Which is so notoriously known to be according to the Canons of their Church and consonant to their daily practice that I wonder Mr. T. should enquire after the Law or Constitution of this instance and much more that he should say He knows not where to find it as he doth Sect. 8. He hath sure read Can. 112. 22 57. where he will find an abundant demonstration of the truth of what we have asserted He adds None of the Scriptures produced prove that persons may not be compel'd by pecuniary mulcts to come to Common-Prayer or the Communion Answ 1. And why pleads he onely for the lawfulness of Pecuniary Mulcts Doâ—h the Canon-Law extend no
things we are to pray for for at that time they were not bound to the use of so many words and syllables as are Tertullian Cyprian Cornelius a Lapide Musculus c. But 3dly should it be granted that Christ enjoyned the use of that form of Prayer as a form this will not prove that stinted forms of Prayer are lawful and as such may lawfully be imposed and used which can have no other basis then this 't is as lawful for Civil or Ecclesiastical Rulers to devise and impose forms of Prayer upon the Churches as for Christ a most absurd and blasphemous assertion As touching what he adds 2. Christ justifies the Childrens crying of Hosanna uses himself the forms which David used before in the Psalms c. We answer That in all this he doth but beat the Air and speaks not one word to the purpose We find no footsteps of any enjoyned Liturgie or stinted forths of Prayer imposed either in the old Testament or the New though we find the same words used sometimes by them yet that they might never use any other in their publick devotions which is the condition of stinted enjoyned forms the known case of the Ministers of Engl. with respect to their Church-Service we find not which is also a full answer to what he cites out of Cyprian touching their use of the Lord's Prayers and other Forms if they used any they were not bound to use them and no other When he proves this consequence the Saints of old used the same words in prayer sometimes and Christ used words before used by them Therefore a set and stinted Liturgy was in use amongst them and such an one as our Common-Prayer-Book-Worship I will be his Convert He knows the contrary His answers to Justin Martyr and Tertullian are impertinent and not worth the reciting The words of the former are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Atheists we are not seeing we worship the Maker of the World And in all our Oblations we praise him according to our abilities in the way of prayer and thanksgiving And afterwards tells us that the President of the Assembly poureth our prayers according to his ability and continues long in this work Tertullian tells us The Christians looking towards Heaven not on their Common-Prayer-Book with their hands spread abroad prayed without a Moniter because from their hearts expressions wholly exclusive of inconsistant with the formes of prayer contended for The sayings of Socrates in his Eccl. Hist l. 5. c. 21. who lived about the year 430. tells us That among all the Christians in that Age scarce two were to be found that used the same words in prayer He passeth over in silence as he doth the account I give of the use of them not till about the year 600. and the imposition by Charles the Great of Gregories Liturgy as is thought and the support thereof by threats and punishments ever since These things hâ— knows to be true and yet they are such as the Dragon he labours to support cannot possibly stand before Sect. 3. Common-Prayer-Book-Worship not of the appointment of Christ because an obstruction of some positive Duty charged by Christ upon the Saints Mr. T. his Exceptions refuted Of resting on the Sabbath Day Whether Sacrificing was an obstruction of that Duty Mat. 5. 12. explained Following Christ no obstruction of positive Duties to Parents Of the gift and grace of Prayer Rom. 8. 26. opened 'T is the duty of Saints to improve Gifts received Common-Prayer-Book-Worship contrary to Scripture 'T is not necessary to the edification of the Saints The Judgment of the Reformed Churches A Second Argument advanced in S. T. to prove that Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is not of the appointment of Christ is thus formed That Worship which is an obstruction of any positive Duty charged by Christ to be performed by the Saints is not a Worship that is of his appointment But this is undeniably true of the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship Therefore Christ hath given Officers to his Church Ephes 4. 11. to them he hath given gifts every way suiting the imployment he calls them forth unto the improvement whereof he expects and charges upon them 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. Prov. 17. 16. Luke 19. 20. To think after all this that any Worship should be of the institution of Christ that shuts ouâ— as unnecessary the exercise of the gifts given is absurd and injurious to Christ To which Mr. T. answers Sect. 5. 1. The major is not in all cases true resting on the Sabbath Day was a positive Duty yet sacrificing which was an obstruction of that Duty called prophaning the Sabbath Mat. 12. 5. was Worship of Gods appointment following Christ preaching of the Gospel were Worship of Christs appointment yet they were obstructions to positive duties to be done to Parents Answ 1. Resting from our own works on the Sabbath Day was a positive Duty not from the works of Religion and the Worship of God as was Sacrificing 'T is true Christ saith Mat. 12. 5. That the Priests in the Temple prophaned the Sabbath but this is spoken in respect of the vulgar Opinion that thought the Sabbath violated if any necesâ—â—ry work were done therein not that indeed the Sabbath day was broken by them So Dr. Willet on Exod. 20. 9. and our Annotaâ—ors upon the place expound it 2. That following Christ is an obstruction of any posstive duty we owe to Parents Mr. T. will prove Quum durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella i. e. never 'T is true Christ sometimes calls us to leave Father and Mother for his Name and Gospel-sake but then our abiding with them is no longer any positive duty enjoyned us by him but the contraty so that the major Proposition abides firm To the minor viz. That the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is an obstruction of a positive duty viz. the exercise of the gift of Prayer which is excluded hereby He answers 1. 'T is supposed that the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is a different sort of Worship from such as is used by those who exercise the gift of Prayer Answ And so it is the one being of the Earth earthy carnal devilish the other from Heaven as good he may say the Ark and Dagon are the same as that the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship and the Worship of Jesus Christ is so When he proves the absurdities mentioned are the proper issue of this assertion we shall think our selves concern'd to take notice of them but till then we reject them as the spurious off-spring of his own begetting He adds 2dly The Author intimates that ability to conceâ—ve compose and utter in variety of Expressions Petitions to God is the gift of Prayer and the exercise of it is the exercise of that gift Answ I do so indeed That there are some that have ability so to do Mr. T. will not cannot deny nor that this ability may be where there is not true Grace what will Mr. T. call this Ability to
667. when he is able The ground of the offence on the Non-hearers side is so visibly just and righteous the others so notoriously groundless that his impertinent and false stories some of them contrary to his own knowledge and Conscience are insignificant to remove the one or justifie the other We add 4thly That 't is the duty of Saints especially if in a Church-relation to meet together as a people called and picked by the Lord out of the Nations of the World cannot be denyed The neglect of which is charged by the Lord as the first step to Apostacy Heb. 10. 25. Be you in the practice of this duty and see what Spiritual Saint will be offended at you If any should you might have peace therein you doing your duty no just cause of scandal is given Mr. T. replies They do not think it their duty to meet together as a separated Church Answ 1. Who do not so think Do not they that are for Seperate Churches so think To these we are speaking 2. That 't is the duty of Saints so to do we evince Ch. 9. of S. T. Heb. 10. 25. is again taken notice of by him Chap. 9. S. 2. where we shall consider it We yet add in S. T. 5thly Consider on which side the Cross lies which the flâ—sh and fleshly interest is most opposite to whether in going or forbearing to go to hear these men Usually that is the way of God that hath most of the Cross in it and the flâ—sh is most strugling and contesting against In which I only assert That the way of God hath usually most of the Cross in it and is mostly opposed by flesh and blood which Mr. T. knows is true and therefore though of it self this be no certain sufficient Rule to judge by yet is it not together with others inconsiderable which Mr. T. doth not oppose Sect. 3. An eighth Argument against hearing the present Ministers We cannot do so without being guilty of partaking with them in their sin The several wayes of partaking with others in their sin Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes 3. 14 15. explained THE 8th Argument against hearing the persenr Ministers is in S. T. thus formed That which Saints cannot do without being guilty with others in their sins is utterly unlawful for them to do But the Saints cannot attend upon the Ministers of England without being guilty of partaking with them in their sins Therefore The Major Proposition is bottomed upon Psal 50. 18. Ephes 5. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 John 11. Rev. 18. 4. 1 Thes 5. 22. This he grants is true In order to the confirmation of the Minor two things are briefly enquired into 1st What that or those sins are the Ministers of England are guilty of These we say are worshipping God in a false way acting from an Antichristian Office-power therein opposing the Offices of Christ doing what such as go to hear them account to be sinful who therefore cannot do the same nor joyn with them whilst they do it We instance in the case of Reordination using the Service-Book administring the Sacrament to all To which when Mr. T. or any one for him shall inform us of any thing that is offered by him by way of Answer that deserves a Reply we shall consider it What he saith requires proof we have already proved We enquire in S. T. 2dly How it will appear that any person attending on their Ministry renders him guilty of partaking with them in their sins This we say the consideration of the several wayes persons may be justly charged with being guilty of partaking with others in their sin will demonstrate We instance in these particulars 1. Then may persons be justly charged as guilty hereof 1st When they are found any way consenting with them in their sin Psal 50. 18. 2dly When they do that which hath a real tendency to encourage persons in their sin 2 John 11. 3dly When they neglect the doing those duties which the Lord requires at their hands for the reclaiming of them from their sins such as watching over rebuking admonishing first privately then by two and in case of obstinacy and perseverance therein telling it to the Church according to 1 Thes 5 14. Heb. 3. 12 13. and 10. 24 25. Lev. 19. 17. Mat. 18. 15 16 17. all this Mr. T. tells us he grants nor doth he except against the Texts brought to prove them except that Mat. 18. 15 16 17. the vanity of his exceptions whereunto we have demonstrated pag. 87. of this Treatise 4thly When they notwithstanding all that they can do perceive them to persevere in their sin shall still continue to hold Communion with them and not separate from them Rev. 18. 4. The abiding with obstinate offenders as it is against positive injunctions of the most high Rom. 16. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Ephs 5. 8. 11. Rev. 18. 4. so in the last place instanced in 't is assigned by the Spirit to be one way of pertaking with others in their sins So saith learned Brightman upon the place To which Mr. T. Sect. 7. This is not true we may hear the Word of God pray with receive the Lords Supper from a Minister that is an obstinate offender and yet not be partaker with him in his sin The texts alledged prove not separation from such Answ Whether they do or not we leave to the judgment of the discreet and pious Reader to determine yea to Mr. T. himself the texts are so marvelously plain for the proof of such a separation when he is able in an undistempered unprejudiced spirit to review tâ—em What he here offers to the contrary is not worth the spotting Paper with 1. A man may cause divisions and offences contrary to the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 14 and 15. touching the use of Liberty in matters indifferent to the offence and scandal of the Saints as the Ministers of England do if Mr. T. his notion about the indifferency of their Ceremonies be true whilst they practise them to the offence of the Saints and yet preach the same Doctrine in other things the Apostles preached which yet the present Ministers do not 2dly When Mr. T. is at leisure he may prove that sepâ—ration from the wicked and prophane or from a false Church is contrary to Rom. 16. 17. Because the Apostle charges them to note and avoid those that cause devisions in a true Church By the use of things indifferent contrary to his Doctrine thereabout of 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17. Rev. 18. 4. we have already spoken and vindicated it from Mr. T. his exceptions We add in S. T. Not to multiply more particulars let us in a few words make application of these remarked to the business in hand Is there any thing in the world that carries a greater brightness and evidence with it than this that the hearing the present Ministers is to be partakâ—rs with them in their sin To which
the Sion of God nor to be accounted so Of this we have already spoken and shall only add Those Churches that have no answerableness to Mount Sion the Type of the true Gospel-Churches but are the very Picture of old Babylon the Type of Antichristian Churches are not the Gospel-Churches typed out by Mount Sion but the Babel out of which 't is the duty of the Lords People to flie in whom God dwels not But National-Churches are not answerable to Mount Sion but old Babel Therefore Look upon Sion consider her diligently 1. She was an Holy Mountain or Hill Psal 2. 6. 15. 1. where the holy People dwelt 2dly There was the Temple of God built according to his appointment of hewen stone ready fitted and prepared precious costly stones 2 Chron. 3. 6. 3dly There was the Worship of God managed by Officers of his own according to his own direction and appointment What more evident then that National Churches the Church of England is most unlike hereunto May it be call'd an Holy Hill rather a Mountain of Corruption Are its Members an Holy People What less A Generation of Atheists Drunkards Swearers Adulterers and Adulteresses cannot be so accounted If God's Worship managed according to his own appointment by Officers of his own in their Assemblies we have proved the contrary Are not they the very Picture of old Babylon in their self-invented Worship rigid pressing of Uniformity under Penal Laws the onely support of their Service and murdering the Children of the Lord who dissent from them All that know any thing know these things to be so Nor can they be called his Candlesticks who are not of pure Gold fashioned in all respects so near as humane frailty will admit according to the Idea and platform given forth in the Scriptures of Truth upon which account the New-Testament-Churches are so called with allusion to Exod. 25. 31. but the contrary Their matter for the most part is Reprobate Silver the very dross of the Earth and scum of the World instead of pure Gold They are formed according to the devices of men laid in a subservency to their pride arrogancy and lusts of them we have not the least print in the Scriptures nor for some Ages after as we have proved Nor can they be called his Garden being constituted of such as were never chosen and separated by him from the rest of the World in whose hearts the Fruits of Paradise are not planted as their outward deportment shews who are not dressed by him nor bring forth fruit to him who are not inclosed by his own Rules but the Canon-Law of Antichrist his professed Enemy His answer to the following Reasons hath nothing in it but what we have already considered To the Question Where are the Souls that are converted comforted strengthened stablished that are waiting at the doors of their House He Answers 1. That though there were none such yet this proves not God not to be present in them in respect of his special presence and Grace Answ 1. This I confess is to me a most strange Paradox that no Souls should be converted comforted strengthened stablished in the Parochial Assemblies of England and yet God be present there in respect of his special Presence and Grace when these things are as much the proper issues of such a presence as light and heat are of the shining of the Sun in its brightness 2. The Scriptures cited by him are impertinent 1. Because they expresly relate to the people of the Jews to whom I speak with respect to the body and bulk of them as a Church National God gave not of his special Presence and Grace at that day he had blinded them Isa 6. 9 10. John 12. 40. 2. Because notwithstanding those complaints there were some yea many converted comforted strengthened stablished Isa 49. 4. is a Prophesie of Christ Were none converted by him Isa 53. 1. John 12. 38. Rom. 10. 16. Isa 65. 2. Rom. 10. 21. Mich. 7. 1. Luke 7. 31. Mat. 23. 37. are the complaints of the Lord and his Messengers against the Church of the Jews for their obstinacy against Gospel tenders of Grace and Love but say not that God was with that Church in respect of his special Presence and Grace which had he been they had most assuredly believed and obeyed the Gospel nor do they intimate that there were none converted We read of many yea of some thousands converted by Christ and his Apostles notwithstanding these complaints What follows being an heap of impertinencies we might omit 1. We design not to beget enmity and prejudices in the minds of men against the present Ministry they themselves for the most part are the occasion hereof by their covetousness and debauchery 2. We know not any of the Churches of whom they may say you are the Seal of our Ministry 3. Our groans to the Lord are for poor England that God would shew mercy to it and give them hearts to receive the Truth in the love of it We hope he hath a great Harvest yet to reap in the midst of us and we are incessantly praying him to send forth Labourers into his Harvest Though to be plain we think not that God will use any in this work of gathering Souls to Christ who come with an Antichristian Call and the Wooden Sword of a Common-Prayer-Book and Homilie under their Arms which will never pierce so much as skin deep but such as come with a glorious Gospel-Unction upon them the great Character of Gospel-Ministers 4. He grants That a sad Spirit of withering and visible decaies are to be found upon the Auditors of the Ministers but reflects upon the Congregational Churches To which I shall only say That through the good presence of God with them things are far otherwise with them than this Animadverters words import They meet with choice Springs of Life and Royal establishments from the God of Glory the sâ—out of the King the Lord of Hosts is many times heard in the midst of them and they tryumph gloriously in him Sect. 4. The 12th Argument against hearing the present Ministers vindicated 'T is one step to Apostacy proved Heb. 10. 25. considered Some Reasons why persons may not hear Parochial Ministers as formerly Mr. T. his Answers to the Queries in S. T. considered His agreement with Bellarmine in the qualification of Church-Members evinced THE 12th Argument produced in S. T. for the proof of the unlawfulness of hearing the present Ministers of England is this That the doing whereof is one step to Apostacy is not lawful to be done But the hearing the present Ministers of England is one step to Apostacy Therefore To which Mr. T. adjoyns Sect. 9. 1. If the Major be understood of Apostacy from the living God and the Christian Faith it 's true if of the Congregational Principles and Practices it 's false Answ 1. The Congregational Principles and Practices we have in this Treatise in part proved to be
us That they mean not that on these â—ayes the Saints should be honoured Answ 1. To these Saints for their Worship and Service dayes were instituted by the Popes of Rome to be observed Lessons peculiar and proper thereunto appointed to be read in their Service-Books If no intendment of honour to the Saints were in their present observation whence is it that the very same dayes the very same Lessons the very same Collects and Prayers are appointed to be used in the Church of England on many of the Saints dayes that are appointed in the Church of Rome on the same dayes 'T were easie to demonstrate the truth of this by particular instances but that would be too â—edious 2. They are called still in their Common-Prayer-Book by the names of the Saints as St. John's day and are accounted Holy for not resting on them persons are more liable to be excommunicated by their Church than for Swearing and Drunkenness which as it is an imitation of Heathenish and Antichristian Superstition so it is an occasion of nourishing a most horrid error if not Idolatry in the hearts of the simple and ignorant who think that day to be set apart in honour of the Saint whose name it bears Which 3. if it be not I see no ground why it should be called by his name as the same day is in the Papacy from whence the rise and spring of our observation thereof Now although we say not that 't is unlawful to hold communion with persons that hold some errors yet this we are bold to affirm 1. That the ground or foundation is laid by Mr. T. upon which we may hear the present Ministers viz. Their preaching truth is hereby discovered to be sandy and rotten they being guilty of so many errors Which 2. being of such a nature as enwrap in them some of them a denyal of the Offices of Christ 3. Such as lie at the bottom of that superstitious corrupt idolatrous Worship and Service that is directly contrary to the simplicity of the Gospel Clouds and obfuscates the splendor and glory thereof as this Animadverter elsewhere acquaints us Yea 4. Such as they have frequently sacrificed the Liberty Estates and precious blood of the Children of the Lord for the support of they may well cause a Saint to enter his demurrer against hearing them yea if they obstinately hold and maintain them as they do Though many of the Witnesses of Christ have born a testimony against them whom they have no otherwise been able to resist but by force and violence utterly to separate from them and have nothing to do with such an hardned and bloody Generation Sect. 4. The Answer to the 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Objection vindicated Of the case of Judas his preaching Of hearing good men Of the practice of Learned and good men in this matter Of the Magistrates command how far obligatory Of mens converting Souls whether an Argument of true Gospel-Ministers Of spending the Lords Day Wherein the sanctification of it consists THE fifth Objection in S. T. is Judas preached though a wicked man and no doubt it was lawful yea the duty of Saints to hear him To this we say no doubt it was so But 1. Judas was not a visible wicked man at the time of his preaching that Christ as God knew him to be so is not in our case considerable but so close an Hypocrite that he was not known no not to the Disciples to be so but some of the present Ministers are visibly wicked and prophane What Mr. T. answers hereunto hath already been considered There was a special reason in the case of Judaâ— his preaching to answer the Prophesie Psal 41. 8. of which Acts 1. 16. Nor can any thing rationally from hence be deduced more than this that 't is lawful to hear visible Saints known only to God to be Hypocrites for so was Judas We add 2. Judas was chosen and called by Christ to be an Apostle commissioned by him to preach but the present Ministers of England are not so as hath been proved To which when Mr. T. shall be pleased to offer any thing that deserves consideration it shall be considered His reflection upon the Congrational Ministers as 't is false is no answer That because Judas a commissionated Officer by Christ was to be heard though an Hypocrite therefore 't is lawful to hear such as are not commissionaâ—ed by him though visibly prophane will be an hard task for any to prove We proceed in S. T. Object 6. But there are some good men amongst them and such as belong to God may we not hear such Answ 1. That there are some good men amongst them we deny not Mr. T. adjoyns With what face can he acknowledge them good men who hath represented them as walking disorderly deniers of Christs Offices Answ 1. Mr. T. thinks there are good men in the Papacy yet I presume he will thus represent them and that with a better face â—e may do so than build again the things he hath destroyed 2. Good men may be guilty of the greatest enormities the sin unto death excepted 3. Noah David Solomon Peter were good men yet represented by the Spirit of the Lord as guilty of hainous iniquities We add in S. T. Yet we crave leave to say That they are all of them such as are sadly polluted by their compliance in respect of their standing in the Ministry Antichristian whose teachings Saints have no warrant to attend upon Mr. T. subjoyns 1. That their Ministry is Antichristian when they minister the Word of God is a contradiction Answ 1. This is meerly his dictate without proof 2. The Ministry of Rome he grants is Antichristian yet they minister the Word of God He adds 2dly That they stand in that Ministry which they received by Episcopal Ordination is their virtue which for any to disclaim is to go back from the service of God for that Ministry is no other than of the Doctrine and Sacraments and Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and aâ— this Church and Realm hath received the same Answ 1. 'T is true thus they speak in their Book of Ordination but these words imply a contradiction Christs Ministry Administration of Sacraments and Discipline and the Church of England are sufficiently remote hers being received not from Christ but Austin the Monk and the Apostatick Church of Rome 2. Their Priests have no Ministry of Discipline 't is reserved in other hands 3. That Lord-Bishops are no Officers of the Institution of Christ but Antichristian we have proved that any should receive from them any Ministry but what is Antichristian is the first born of absurdities to imagine 4. That to stand in such a Ministry is to stand in a Ministry of Christ is oppositum in opposito a contradiction indeed We add 3dly The greater hopes we have of their goodness the more caâ—telouâ— we should be of incouraging them in a false way What Mr. T.
may put Mr. T. to the blush upon the review thereof He argues further Arg. 25. Schismatical and arrogant conceits that the VVord of God is from them as the only right Teachers or confined to them as the only persons to whom it was communicated and from whom it might be received is condemned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 36. But such conceits and inclosures they have and make who deny the present Ministers to be heard conceiving the separated Churches and Ministers the only right Churches and Ministers to be heard Therefore Answ 1. We deny the Minor we make no such inclosures as the Apostle condemns which are not what are mentioned by this Animadverter There were no Churches of Christ in the world at that day so much as in Name and pretence but such as were separated these were the right Churches and no other no ordinary Ministers but such as were related to and Ministers of such separated Churches This the Apostle cannot be supposed to condemn But if this be not that he condemns What is it Briefly 2. The Church of Corinth was one of the most famous Churches of Christ upon the account of what is mentioned by the Apostle Chap. 12. at that day in the world by reasoâ— whereof they were apt enough to be sweld puft up against other Churches that were as equally the Churches of Christ as they who had not the excellency of gifts they had This the Apostle condemnes in them and gives them to understand that the Word of God came not out from them they were not the first Church to whom it was communicated and from whom it was transmitted unto others nor came it unto them only i. e. other Churches had received embraced it as well as they therefore they ought not to carry it proudly towards them which what it makes against the inclosure our Animadverter mentions I know not The Apostle condemns one Congregational Church for being puft up against another therefore to assert Congregational Churches and Ministers to be the only right Churches and Ministers is condemn'd by him is such a strange consequence as will never readily be imbraced But 3. we make not such inclosures I believe there are hundreds in England that are not of that way who have the Spirit of God and are deservedly to be attended in their Ministration of the Word of Truth That because we deny it lawful to hear the present Ministers we must be necessitated to deny the hearing of all others but men of Congregational Principles is a supposition as monstrously false and absurd as the former We give some special and peculiar grounds of our not hearing those that can be applied to no other He adds Arg. 26. The Apostle Phil. 3. 15 16. presseth such as were perfect or well instructed in the Christian Doctrine of liberty from the Mosaical Laws not to separate from but hold Communion with such as were weak in the Faith and otherwise minded that thought Mosaical Laws were yet obligatory Therefore we may not separate from Christians and Ministers by reason of diversity of judgement about Church-Government and Liturgy and different practice about Conformity and Non-conformity to them which are of less moment than those differences about Meats and Dayes Answ 1. We deny his Consequence That because it was the duty of Saints to hold Communion in a true Church-State without altercations about Meats or Drinks therefore 't is our duty to hold Communion with a false Church and a false Ministry our Animadverter can never prove 2. That the business of Church-Government wherein the Kingship of Christ in a great measure lies is of no more moment than the eating or not eating about which the contests among the primitive Believers in the dawning of the Day of the Gospel did in a great measure lie he will not easily demonstrate 3. That the retention for a while of Mosaical Ceremonies whilst the Temple was yet standing to which they were affixed should be a greater ground of separation from a true Church of Christ then the reception imbracement of the Liturgy and Ceremonies of Antichrist in and by a false Church and Ministry from it is as absurd an assertion as ever dropped from the mouth or pen of so learned a person And yet fail he in the proof hereof this Argument is of no moment We attend his next Arg. 27. The holy Ghost hath recorded the prophesie of Balaam Num. 24. 3 4. Of Caiaphas Joh. 11. 51 52. Yea the sayings of Infidel Iâ—olatrous Poets Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Tit. 3. 12. Therefore it 's lawful to hear the present Ministers Answ Now I confess if he be able to make good this Argument it will follow that we may not attend the Ministry of the present Ministers of England only but the very vilest and worst of men Yeâ— I think we may righteously deny his Consequence and expect his proof thereof before we credit it The reading of Poets or citation of them is no part of instituted Worship as I remember which we have proved hearing the present Ministers to be He proceeds Arg. 28. The Apostle 1 Thes 5. 20 21. requires Christians not to despise prophesyings but to prove all things and hold fast that which is good And the Apostle 1 John 4. Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God They make it not sin meerly to hear them that are erroneous if they try them they may hear pretenders prophesying if they prove it much more those Ministers who preach truth Answ 1. Prophesyings are not to be despised all things are to be proved the Spirits to be tried whether they are of God buâ— all this must be done in his own way For persons from hence to take liberty to go to Mass hear the Jesuites frequent the meetings of Ranters is dangerous and a plain tempting of God 2. Why he should accommodate 1 Thes 5. 20. to the preaching of the present Ministers and impose it upon us as our duty not to despise prophesyings who tells us pag. 136. l. 30. That he knows not of any at this day that have the gift of prophesie I understand not 3. 'T is abominable wickedness to violate other commands of Christ upon the pretext of these Scriptures and a plain irrision of Christ when he hath charged us as we have pâ—oved to have nothing to do with such a generation for us upon pretence of trying all things to attend their Ministry and Worship is abominable prophaness not to be justified 4. There are some things so visibly opposite to Christ and his wayes that they need no trial in order to a discovery Whether drunken ignorant Priests the shame and contempt of the Nation be Ministers of the Gospel Whether a formal sapless self-devised Worship and Ministry from the Pope and Bawd of Rome be the Worship and Ministry of Christ are things so palpably and noâ—oriously foreign to the Scriptures that a man need not put them to the