to the Civill Majestrate to be tormented and executed making them their executioners and as the Papists in former times so the Prelates Lately And now the Presbyters would be which I conceive to be contrarie to these Scriptures as Matthew the 7. chapter and the 12. verse Where CHRIST saith Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets and Romanes the 13. chapter and the third and fourth verses Rulers are not a terrour to good workes but to the evill wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for he is the Minister of God for thy good but if thou doe that which is evill be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill as is largely laid downe in the 1. of Timmothie the 1. chapter and the 8. verse to the 12th verse and the second of Timothie chapter the second verse 24. and 25. Quere 46. Whether those Ministers which have recived their Ordination and call from Antichrist shall have any hand at all or not the least in the publishing that Glorious and Everlasting Gospel Revelation chapter 14. verse 6. For the overthrowing the Kingdome of Antichrist and the setting up the Kingdome of CHRIST according to Jeremiah chapter 49. verse 20. and chapter 50. verse 45. and chapter 51. verse 24.25 and 26. compared with Matthew chapter 5. verse 19. Whosoever shall break one of these Commandements and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of God and Acts chapter 6. verse 7. When the Word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed in Jerusalem greatly then a great companie of Priests were obedient to the faith and Acts chapter 8. verse 12.13 When Samaria had received the faith and were Baptized both men and women then Simon himselfe that had used Sorcerie and bewitched the people formerly then he beleeved and was Baptized but as in CHRISTS time the Pharisees cried out John the 7th chapter and the 48. and 49 verses have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeved on him but this people which know not the Law are cursed so now they usually cry out do any of the Learned walke in this way of the separation To which I Answer for my owne part I am so farre frow wondring at it that no more of them imbrace it that considering the Apostles words the 1. of the Corinthians chapter 1. verse 26. to the 30. that I admire to see so many Yea any at all cosidering the great measure of selfe deniall that must be wrought in them beyond others when they like the Converts Acts chapter 19. verse 19. that used curious Arts shall burne their bookes And with Apollo bee instructed by Aquila or Priscilla Acts 18. verse 24 25 26. Two poore Disciples being by trade Tentmakers with whom Paul wrought he being of the same craft verse 1.2 3 And with Paul Philippians chapter 3. verse the 7 and the 8 count all things but losse and dung that he might gain the knowledge of Christ being willing to receive Instruction and Baptisme though from Ananias a poore Disciple Acts 9.17 18. And so as he adviseth 1 Corinth 3.18 become a fool that he may be made wise Quere 47. Whether the shutting up of houses for infection or the Plague as they call it be not a great heedlesse burthen and oppression to this Kingdome and a meer invention to the great grief of the perticular persons and abuse of divers scriptures contrary to the rule of Equity and Christs command who saith Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you even so do you unto them And at the last day when Christ shall say depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the divell and his Angels One chief reason was I was sick and in prison and ye visited me not Will it be a good plea for them think you to say thou wast sicke of the plague or sicknesse Surely no. Christ excepts no disease but saith the haires of their head are numbred And a Sparrow fals not to the ground without the providence of God Matth. 10.29 30 31. Again whereas many ignorantly would draw it from the shutting up of the Leprosie you may easily perceive how grossely they abuse the Scriptures First they were never shut up as I humbly conceive for fear of infection but to keep the Congregation cleer which rather typed the keeping out those that were scandalous of life and Excommunication to be past upon great offenders As in the first of the Corinthians the fifth chapter the 4 and 5 verses the Incestuous person was to be cast out but from the Leprous the Priest was not to keep but Aron or his sonnes was to have recourse to them and to look upon it upon all occasions As is cleer in the 13 Chapter of Leviticus throughout But the Priests of these times though they retain their Tithes yet run from the Plague as some of them have done from the Cavatiers or after a rich Benefice letting who will take the flock According as Iohn saith chapter 10. verses 10.12 13 He that is an hireling and not the Shepheard whose own the sheep are not seeth the Wolfe comming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the Wolfe catcheth them and scattereth the sheep the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep but the good shepheard giveth his life for the Sheep And as Christ the head and true Shepheard Isaiah 40.11 Ezek. 34.23 to the end of the chapter So his faithfull Ministers and servants as Paul expresses Acts 21.13 what mean ye to weep and break my heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord JESVS A definition of a Church of Christ in the Order of the Gospell consisting of a companie of Saints or holy people called out of the world by the preaching of the Gospel by a free and voluntarie consent entring into covenant to discharge duties to God and one to another putting on Christ by Baptisme or Dipping The perticulars thereof proved A Company of Saints or holy people 1 Corinth 1.2 1 Peter 2.5.9 called out of the world John 15.19 by the preaching of the Gospell Matth. 28.19 20. Mark 16.15 16. Acts 2.41 Revel 14 6. by a free and voluntary consent Psal 18.43 44. and 110.3 Acts 13.48 entering into covenant Psalm 50.5 Zephaniah 2. 1. Acts 3.25 Mal. 2.1 Heb. 8.9 to discharge duties to God and one to another John 4.24 Phill. 3.3 1 Peter 2.5 1 Corinth 12.12 to the 28 putting on Christ by Baptisme or Dipping Mark 16.16 Acts 2.38 41. Gal. 3.27 For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ and Ephes 4.4 5 this I conceive to be
CERTAIN QUERIES PROPOVNDED To the Churches of Christ and all that fear God and love the appearing of King JESUS QVERIE 1. WHether there be not sufficient in the Bible as it is translated into English for Believers under the Gospell to prove their Faith and Order or Church-fellowship by without any tradition of men as Matth. 20.28 teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world according to Tim. 2 3.14 15 16 17. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them And 〈◊〉 form a childe thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes Compared with Rev. 22.18 19. Q 2. Whether Christ Jesus hath not given as plain and perspicuous a rule under the Gospel to Believers in all their Administrations to the end of the world as Moses did to the Jews under the Law Deut. 4.2 Isa 8.20 Jer. 6.16 Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternall life and them are they that testifie of me compared with Ephes 4 8.11 to the 14. Quer. 3. Whether any thing may be brought into the worship of God for matter or form that is not exprest in the Gospell or the Epistle of the Apostles seeing the Jewes were required so strict obedience under the Law as it was given of God by Moses Deut 12.32 What thing soever I command you to observe do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it compared with Pro. 30.6 But believers much more under the Gospell as given by Christ Heb. 1.1 to the 4. and 2.1 to the 5. and 3.1 to the 4. and 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercie under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an un-holy thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of Grace Quer. 4. Whether actuall Believers confessing sins and professing faith with desire of the Ordnance be not the true subject of Baptisme or Dipping And the right form Dipping or Burying in water not Sprinkling with water it being not according to the rule and institution of Christ and the primitive Churches practice Mat. 28 19 20. Acts 2.37 38. and 8.12 13. But when they believed Philip preaching to them the Kingdome of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were all dipt both men and women compared with verses 36 and 37. Rom. 6.4 Coll. 2.10 And this is performed in shew by Godfathers and Godmothers commanding the Priest to dip the childe as is cleer in the Rubrick And whether the Administrator be not to go down into the water as Philip with the Eunuch Acts 3.38 and Iohn with Jesus Matth. 3.16 Quer. 5. Whether repentance and faith with desire of dipping be not of necessitie to be required according to the former Scriptures and declared in the Catechisme set forth by authoritie of every one that is baptised And whether there be not the same ground for Common Prayer Surplice and the rest as for sprinkling of Infants Quer. 6. Whether Christ commanded or the Disciples and Apostles ever practised the dipping much lesse the sprinkling of Infants of eight dayes old or the like or when or by whom it was first invented which we finde to be one Fidus a Priest and confirmed by Pope Innocentius about 300 years after Christ And whether such as seek to uphold it by Scripture be not those false accusers Paul speaks of 2 Tim. 3.3 In that they pretend Scripture for it when both the Church of Rome Councels and Fathers as they call them confesse it to be but a Tradition And whether the Inventers and upholders declare not themselves worse then Balam Numb 22.18 who being sent for by Balack to curse the people of God and so to be raised to great promotion answered If Balack would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord my God to do lesse or more Quer. 7. Whether every one that looks for life and salvation by Christ and professe faith in him be not bound to partake of that one Baptisme Eph. 4.4 5 and not content themselves with any inventions of men For as Eliah said 1 Kings 18.21 how long halt ye between two opinions if God be God follow him if Baal be God follow him So say I if Dipping actuall Believers be Gods Ordinance obey and imbrace it If Sprinkling Infants be according to Christs institution prove it by the Scripture and continue it For as the Apostle saith if he or an Angell bring any other doctrine then what they have received or above what is written let him be accursed Gal 189. 1 Cor. 46. Quer. 8. Whether every particular Church of Christ or Assembly of Saints in the order of the Gospell have not power from him their Head to receive in deal with or cast out their own Members by the onely Lawes Keyes or Statutes of him their King and Law-giver according to Is 33.22 The Church of Ierusalem Corinth or the Churches of Galatia for Iames 4.12 there is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Acts 2.41 46 1 Cor. 5 4 5. Quer 9. Whether Religion be to be forced or compelled by any paenall Laws and Statutes Or if these Scriptures prove not the contrary Psal 18.43 and 110.3 Math. 10.1 to the 16 and 20.1 to the 10 and 28.19 Mark 16.15 16. 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5. 2 Tim. 2.24 25. And whether the Civill Magistrate in forcing the conscience fulfils not these Scriptures in giving their power and Kingdome to the Beast Revel 17 12 to the 18. And whether as was said by Christ Matth. 23.32 to the 36 Fill yee up the measure of the Fathers ye serpents ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men and Scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie and some of them shall ye scourge in the Synagogues and persecute them from Citie to Citie that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the bloud of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barakias whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar So whether the bloud imprisonments banishments deaths and persecutions of what kinde soever that hath been spilt of any of the Saints that hath witnessed for the truth since Christs death our Abel shal not be required of the Kingdomes and States where they have suffered According to Isa 43.4 and
Jer. 25.13 to the 18. and Rev. 18.21 22 23 24 The Angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the Sea saying thus with violence shall that great Citie Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all And the voice of Harpers and Musitians and Pipers and Trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee And no Craftsman of whatsoever craft he be shall be found any more in thee and the sound of a milstone shall be heard no more at all in thee and the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the Bridegroom and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee for thy Merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived and in her was found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the earth compared with Jude 15. 10 Whether Religion is to be fought for with carnall weapons by Believers in the first publishing the Gospell for the planting or after preserving the Churches of Christ Or if these Scriptures prove not cleerly the contrary Mat. 10.16 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves be ye therfore wise as Serpents harmlesse as Doves Mat. 16.24 25 Then said Jesus unto his Disciples if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse and follow me for whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5 For though we walk in the flesh we do not warre after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ compared with Ephes 6.11 to the 19. Col 1 24 Revel 6.10 and 11.12 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and they loved not their lives unto the death Their weapons as I conceive being onely Faith Preaching Prayers Sufferings and Tears Mark 16.16 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs steed be ye reconciled unto God Ier. 9.1 and 13.17 2 Cor. 12.15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the lesse I am beloved According to Eccles 9.17 The Words of Wise men are heard in quiet more then the crie of him that ruleth among Fooles Quer. 11. Whether Nationall or Parishionall Assemblies be by divine Institution Churches of Christ now under the Gospell or a humane invention and contrary to the Primitive churches practice as 1 Cor. 1.2 Unto the church of God which is in Corinth to them which are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints Ioh. 15.19 If ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 1 Pet. 2 5 9 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priest-hood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Vers 9. But ye are a chosen generation a Royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that you shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvailous light And that some would shew how and by whom the Nationall or Parochiall Assemblies were first begun contrived or constituted Quer. 12. Whether God makes any covenant under the Gospell concerning life and salvation with any Parishionall church and their naturall seed much lesse with any Nationall which is cleer he doth with all the Saints and churches of Christ Mark 16.16 He that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved Rom. 2.6.7 Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour immortality and eternall life The contrary proved Mat. 3 7 8 9. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 7 8 9.27 28 29. And therefore whether practising contrary to the Scripture pretending Scripture for their doings when there is none be not as Isaiah saith seeking deep to hide their counsell from the Lord whose works are in the dark turning things upside down saying who seeth us or who knoweth us saying of him that made them he had no understanding Isaiah 29.15 16. Quer. 13. Whether the Parishionall Assemblies and the Ministerie of England have not their Constitution and calling from the Church of Rome by Austin the Monk As we humbly conceive is to be seen in the Book of Ordination dedicated to Archbishop Abbot And whether such as have their call from them be not as truly Antichristian as theirs Seeing Job the 14.4 he saith Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Therefore Christ saith Math. 7.15 16 Beware of false Prephets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves ye shall know them by their fruites Do men gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of Thistles Even so every good Tree bringeth forth good fruit But a corrupt Tree bringeth forth evill fruit A good Tree cannot bring forth evill fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good fruit Verses the seventeen and eighteen Quer. 14. Whether any that pretend to renounce their call from the Prelates may preach as some do by vertue of their gifts as they pretend without first conversion to the Faith and obedience to the Gospell And so joyning to a church of Christ in order and by them sent forth with whom they are Members Seeing the Apostle saith Rom. 10.15 How shall they preach except they be sent And Acts 13.3 When they chose Paul and Barnabas it is said when they had fasted and prayed they laid their hands on them and sent them away Quer. 15. Whether after the Apostasie JOHN speakes of Revel 6.14 15. Heaven being rowled up as a Scrole and the witnesses being slain Chapter eleven verse the seventh to the twelfth the churches of Christ are not to be so gathered as they were first instituted by Christ and planted by the Apostles as in the first of the Corinthians the third and the 9 to the 15 and Revelat the eleventh and the first And there was given me a Reed like unto a Rod and the Angell stood saying arise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein Quer. 16. Whether the Ministerie of the Gospell be not those gifts and those onely of Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers which CHRIST gave at his Ascension Ephes 4.8.11 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivitie captive and gave gifts unto men And he gave some Apostles and