1. 6 7 8. 2 Tim. 1. 3 4 5. How many Saints by name receive honour from him in the 16 Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes and in the last Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians doth not the Elect Lady and her children receive honour from John in his second Epistle and both Gains and Demetrius in his third Epistle yea men may respect persons for their places and more especially for their spiritual worth and be in the faith as Paul calls the Governour to whom he spake Most noble Festus Acts 26. 25. And Elisha honoured the face or presence of Jehoshaphat 2 King 3. 14. Yea all the Saints must honour those that fear the Lord Psal. 15. 4 True it is it is a great hinderance to the faith or the believing of the true Word for men to seek the honour of men more then the honour that comes from God Joh. 5. 44. but by a patient continuance in well-doing we may both seek honour and glory and immortality and in the end also obtain eternal life Rom. 2. 7. It is also a blot and blemish to the true believers to respect the ungodly that are rich and great in this world before the true Saints that are poor James 2. 1 2 3 4. Yea it is a plain denyal of the faith and of a good conscience also to respect persons in doing of Justice whether for favour or reward Exod. 23. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. But to give deserved honour and respect to men is so far from being an impediment or injurious to the true faith that his faith is justly to be suspected for unsound or weak at the least who doth it not and much more denyes it to be lawful as your acquaintance doth 33 Quaery Whether wilt thou own Quaking and Trembling yea or no Answ. In some kinds I will and in others I will not First I own trembling at the Word and the threatenings of the same Isaiah 66. 2. And consequently a just fear and trembling at our own deserved condemnation wrought by the sentence and work of the Law and Gods dreadful appearing therein Heb. 12. 18 19 20 21. Secondly I own the serving of the Lord with fear and trembling to commit iniquity Psal. 2. 11. the working out of our salvation in that kind Phil. 2. 12. Thirdly I own a fear and trembling in time of temptation and desertion and when men are for the present under the sentence of death or in the spiritual hell as Jonah was Jonah 2. 1 2 3 4 5 c. And all these may yea must befall the Saints here ere they can be perfected But to tremble and quake in one member of the body alone be it leg or arm to tremble and shake in the whole body without any trouble of the Spirit or Ague to be strongly acted violently tossed and turned as John Gilpin and others of yours have been to lye like the man possessed with the unclean spirit and to foam at the mouth Mark 9. 20. Finally to be a quaker alwayes and never to come to that perfect love which casts out fear 1 Joh. 4. 18. These and the like kinds of trembling and quaking I disown as unusual postures and conditions with the former Saints of God 34. Quaery What is the pure Religion and whether in it thou dwellest Answ. First I say that Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the widowes and fatherlesse in their affliction and to keep our selves unspotted from the world Jam. 1. 27. Or it is that we should serve God in newnesse of the spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter Rom. 7. 6. Or it is to serve God chearfully and without fear In holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life after we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies first by Christ Luk. 1. 74 75. Finally it is the keeping of the two great Commandments through the grace and Spirit of Christ viz. to love the Lord our God with all our heart mind and might and our neighbour as our selves Matth. 22. 37 38 39 40. And in this Religion I desire to walk dwell and remain for ever without being shaken 1 Joh. 4. 16 17 18. 35 Quaery What is the difference between the Jew outwardly and the Jew inwardly and how shall we know the one from the other Answ. The outward Jew desires to make a fair shew in the flesh or external man with his outward circumcision or reformation Gal. 6. 12 13. in voluntary worship and not sparing the boyd Col. 2. 23. He observes the lesser commands and leaves the greater undone Matth. 23. 23. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees for ye pay tythe of mint and dill and cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law as judgment mercy and faith And in one point he goes beyond you He payes tythes exactly He makes clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but leaves all foul within Matth. 23. 25 26. He is unblameable for the most part in the outward righteousnesse of the Law being therein of a very strict observation Phil. 3. 6. Act. 26. 5. Finally he is so holy in his own eyes that he finds matter to praise God for but no wants to crave the supply of them and takes occasion not onely to censure others but to dispose and rule them as you do to us Luk. 18. 11 12. The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publicane I fast twice in the week I give tythes of all that I possesse But the inward Jew or Israelite trusts in the Lord Christ and hath no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. 3. He first makes clean the inside of the cup and of the platter that the outside may be clean also Matth. 23. 26. His circumcision is in the heart in laying away the foreskin of sin Rom. 2. 29. Col. 2. 11. He delighteth in nothing more then in the inward crosse or like patience and sufferings of Christ wherein with Paul he is crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6. 14 15 16. Finally he is upright in heart Psal. 73. 1 2. or serveth God in the newnesse of the Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter Rom. 7. 6. In a word there is as much difference betwixt the one and the other as between Saul and Paul a persecutor and an executor of Christs doctrine and way And for the true means how to know the one from the other besides what hath been said already the fruits of the Spirit and of the flesh set forth by Paul Gal. 5. 19 21 22. will sufficiently discover them For by their fruits ye shall know them Matth. 7. 16. 36 Quaery Whether they that professe themselves the Ministers of Christ and cannot give an account of their Ministery and faith but do act contrary to the Scriptures and to the
let your communication be Yea yea and Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evil Jam 5. 12. But above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay be nay lest ye fall into condemnation Q. 39. Whether Paul himself did not swear in those words 2 Cor. 11. 10. As the truth of Christ is in me no man shall stop me of this boasting in the Regions of Achaia Concerning outward material Churches and the publick exercises therein Quaery 41. Whether any thing be a sin against which there is no Law or command in the written VVord of God seeing the Apostle thus defineth or describeth sin 1 Jâ—h. 3. 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law Q. 42. What Commandement is there against building of Synagogues in the Old Testament or the erecting of material Churches in the new since the Jews moved our Lord to do a miracle by that argument Luk. 7. 5. He hath built us a Synaegogue and he blames not their reasoning Q. 43. Is not the coming together into one place for the exercise of Religion and edification allowed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 23. If therefore the whole Church be come together into one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers will they not say that ye are mad and verse 26. How is it then Brethren when ye are come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a revelation hath an interpretation let all things be done to edifying Q 44. And may not such meetings be mixt Assemblies of learned and unlearned of believers and unbelievers seeing the Apostle said before verse 23. And there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers Q. 45. May not an house built of purpose for such meetings with all conveniencies and decently kept as the Synagogues were and our material Churches are be more convenient and useful to those sacred ends then any common house as Glasiers Hall or the Bull and mouth usually can be seeing as was said before the religious Jews so thought and spake and our blessed Saviour contradicts it not Luk. 7. 5. For he loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue Q. 46. Is not this place of assembling as well as the Congregation it self called a Church by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 17 18. Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not that you come together not for the better but for the worse For first of all when ye come together in the Church I hear that there be divisions among you c. See also 1 Cor. 14. 19. where the Apostle saith Yet in the Church had I rather speak five words with mine understanding that by my voice I might teach others also then ten thousands words in an unknown tongue Q. 47. Whether Christ himself did not frequent the Synagogues to teach therein seeing he himself faith to the high Priest Joh. 18. 20. I spake openly to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews alwaies resort and in secret have I said nothing See Matth. 9. 35. Q. 48. Whether the Apostles did not usually repair to those Synagogues and first hear the Scriptures read and expounded and afterwards speak and teach themselves in the same place if they had an invitation or fair opportunity for the same seeing Luke saith Acts 13. 14 15. But when they departed from Perga they came to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and sate down And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying Ye men and Brethren if ye have any word of exhortation say on See further Act. 15. 21. 17. 10. 18. 19 26. 19. 8 c. Q. 49. Whether ever Christ or his Apostles did call those Synagogues by any reproachful names as you do our Oratories and Churches by the name of steeple-houses and the like Q. 50. Did not the Prophet complain to God against the prophaners and destroyers of the Synagogues Psal. 74. 4 5 6 7 8. Thine enemies roar in the midst of the Congregations they set up their ensigns for signes A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers They have cast fire into thy Sanctuary they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy Name to the ground They said in their hearts Let us destroy them together they have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Q. 51. Whether our Saviour speaks against publick prayer in those places or the posture of standing to pray or only against an affectation of praise by an hypocritical practice Matth. 6. 5. where he saith And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are For they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men seeing our Saviour saith from the mouth of his Father Matth 21. 13. It is written My house shall be called an house of prayer For so it is said Isaiah 56. 7 Q. 52. Is it unlawful to call either Baptisme or the Supper of the Lord a Sacrament or obliging mystery since that name imports no more and you cannot deny but that both those are mystical things and obliging mysteries viz. to the washing away of sin and the following of Christ into his like death Q. 53. What Scriptures have you that forbid the baptizing of Infants or the sprinckling of them with water Q. 54. Did not Christ more for them when he took them up in his Arms and blessed them saying further that of such is the Kingdome of God Mark 10. 13 14 15 Q. 55. Were those Disciples commended by Christ or reproved who would have kept back such Infants Mark 10. 13 14 Q. 56. Whether did not Christ give the bread and wine to a mixt company when he administred those elements to Judas as well as to the other eleven Disciples Matth. 26. 21. compared with Luk. 22. 21 Q. 57. Whether did not the Apostles distribute those holy signs to some who discerned not the Lords body aright because they were afterwards punished upon that account who had so received 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eatâ—th and drinketh judgment to himself not discerning the Lords body For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Q. 58. Yea who is there among you who are called Quakers or the other Sectarians your forefathers that hath rightly declared the mystery of Christs body and blood in your dissentings from us since none of you have declared this according to our Lords intent Joh. 6. 33 c
things such as are holden forth by the true Ministers and Messengers of God Thence it is that the Lord themself made an expresse provision for them by manifold commands both in the Old and New Testament And when the hearers of the Word were regardlesse of those as well as other injunctions of the Lord the Magistrates in the Old Testament were sometimes forced to make and execute Lawes in that behalf also as first Ezekiah did 2 Chron. 31. 5 6 c. and after him Nehemiah likewise Chap. 10. 38. 12. 44 c. 13. 5 c. And not they onely but wise pious and devout Princes since the Gospel was propagated finding by experience how backward and averse worldly-minded men were to entertain and maintain the publishers of the same have piously and prudently both by endowing Lands upon the Ministers and investing them with Tythes also provided for them a competent if not a liberal maintenance for them in most places of this Nation and added compulsive Lawes where people shall unjustly detain what vvas piously given at the first as you called Quakers every where teach the people to do contrary to the practice of Christ and his Apostles 12 Quaery Whether ever any Ministers of the Gospel took any necessaries of the world as thou and such as thou doth your Tythes and maintenance Answ. Yea they have For first Paul took such necessaries of the Barbarians the Inhabitants of the Isle of Melita Act. 28. 1 9. and as Ecclesiastical Histories and Records do for 14 or 15 hundred years abundantly testifie though James Parnel and his disaffected brethren to us of the Ministery have read little to that and many other purposes or are willingly ignorant of the same yet as was said before it sufficeth to us that there is no Law or Commandment of God to the contrary nor are examples needful for every thing as to prove that Christ called any Shoemaker or Cobler to be a Prophet 13 Quaery Whether ever they had any set maintenance or so much a year for preaching as 40l 60l 100l or 200l a year and called it their due as thou and such as thou doth Answ. The most authentique Records that are to be found in the several parts of Christendom or in the Eastern and Western Churches will testifie that since there were constituted Churches and fixed or settled Bishops and Pastors there hath not onely been a settled maintenance of that value but of a great deal more settled upon them though you are such a novice therein who perhaps with many more of your strain pretend that you have neither read nor heard thereof But if you say Where do we read of this in the Scripture I answer That the story of things transacted in the Primitive Church is short perhaps not of full fifty years from the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus nor are all things recorded therein that were then acted But why may not we call that our due which was so given unto us especially if we do the work and service for which doth we and it were designed 14 Quaery Whether such as thou are not the hirelings which forsake the flock Joh. 10. 12 And are not the greedy dogs against which the Prophet Isaiah declared freely Chap. 56 And make a prey upon the sheep as those did against whom Ezekiel declared Chap. 34 And are not you the Ravenous Wolves against which Christ declared Matth. 7. 15 And such as through covetousnesse make merchandise of the peoples soules against whom Peter speaketh 2 Epist. 2. 3 And such as go after the errour of Balaam for gifts and rewards against whom Jude a servant of Christ cryeth out Answ. First the Spirit of Christ teacheth men to apply the complaints which he maketh against wicked men first at home to their ovvn soules and to say Lord is it I as the Apostle said to Christ Matth. 26. 22. Secondly I hope that I and many Ministers more in this Nation can with a better conscience say No to your sixfold demand or Interrogatory then you can justly impute any one of them to me or them though I neither can nor will go about to justifie all of our Calling let every one answer for himself And first I say I am none of those hirelings for he is not an hireling which taketh the wages allotted unto him for his work by God and men when he doth that work conscionably and faithfully but he that sets his heart upon the wages onely and delights not in the work but is weary of the same and longs for the shadow or rest Job 7. 1 2 3. If every one that takes a salary or support for his work were an hireling as you import then Kings and Governours who take Tribute and Custome must be such yea the Apostles themselves 2 Cor. 11. 8. as before yea Christ himself took such support when he was upon earth Luk. 8. 23. yet he was no hireling Secondly I am no such greedy dog whatsoever some foul-mouth'd curs may bark to the contrary for I neither lye down nor love to slumber but give warning to the flock against inward and outward dangers and deceits I content my self with my legal salary which yet is not contrary to Evangelical I do not say Let us fill our selves with wine or strong drink c. Thirdly I am no such Shepherd as scatters the sheep and drives them from Mountain to hill in the dark and cloudy day as the Sectarians themselves do for the most part as well as others but endeavour to feed the flock and not my self either alone or in the first place and with all my might strengthening that which was diseased healing that which was sick binding up that which was broken bringing again that which was driven away and seeking that which was lost and not ruling over the flock with force and cruelty Ezek. 34. 2 3 4. Fourthly I am none of those Wolves which rend tear and devour the sheep whatsoever you do to us the Shepherds Fifthly I make not merchandize of mens soules by flattering them in their sins or false righteousnesse crying Peace peace where there is no peace I sowe not pillows under their arm-holes nor bind kerchiefs about the painted Statues c. Ezek. 13. Sixthly I go not in the way of Balaam for gifts or rewards either to weaken the hands of Gods people or to curse and defie them neither do I teach Balak or others to put a stumbling-block before them that they should eat things offered to Idols or commit fornication as Balaam did Numb. 22. 23. 24. Chapters and Revel. 2. 14. But do not you and others of your associates bewray your selves to be wresters of che Scriptures and I pray God it be not to your own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. very censorious and uncharitable if not full of envy bitternesse strife and confusion also James 3. 14 15 15 Quaery Whether ever thou laboured with thy hands to make the Gospel free and
Q. 59. Did not the Apostles give these mystical signs to those that afterwards proved Schismaticks and Apostates if not Hereticks likewise though for the present time they professed true faith and repentance seeing Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. 18 19 c. For first of all when ye come together in the Church I hear that there be schismes among you and I partly believe it For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you When ye come together into one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper c. And the Apostle John saith 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us c Concerning the present Ministers and Teachers and their maintenance Q. 60. Were there no Ministers in this Nation that held forth the truth amongst us till you and your associates rose up since we have our Lords promise The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church and Behold I am with you to the end of the world Q. 61. What is become then of all your forefathers theirs and ours who dyed since the Apostles dayes till your rising up with the pretended Spirit of Truth Q. 62. If there were some taught of God before you were called why are not they owned by any of you Q. 63. Did Christ or his Apostles decry the whole Priesthood and Ministery that was in their dayes though many of them were sufficiently blind and corrupt Q. 64. Were not those Priests and Scribes thar either walked in the Truth or were well affected towards it acknowledged by Christ and his Apostles as Joses the Levite afterwards called Barnabas Act. 4. 36. and that Scribe which asked our Saviour concerning the great Commandment Mark 12. 34. and many Priests also Acts 6. 7 Q. 65. Did not Christ ratifie the present Priesthood and their maintenance when he sent the Lepers whom he cleansed to them to offer according ro the Law Matth. 8. 4 Luk. 17. 14 Q. 66. Where hath Christ or his Apostles forbidden the hearers to pay or the Teachers to take Tythes Q. 67. Where did Christ or his Apostles deprive any man and much more so great a society of men of their birthright by Law or their civil Inheritance as you go about to deprive us the Ministers of this Nation of our legal rights and dues given by pious Benefactors and confirmed by many Lawes and Acts of Parliament Q. 68. Is the teaching Priesthood to cease till the spiritual Melchizedeck come unto us to blesse us after the slaughter of all our enemies with the heavenly bread and wine Gen. 14. 18 19. Heb. 7. 1 2 3. That you say that Priesthood of Aaron with the Law annexed of Tythes is ceased under the Gospel Q. 69. Why then hath Christ Ephes. 4. 11 12 13 14. given some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Doctors for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery and for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the meansure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Q. 70. Is he an hireling that takes the salary and wages allowed by God and men for his labour which he doth faithfully or he only that affects the wages alone and not the work leaving his charge in time of danger and longing only for the shadow and rest as being weary of the work seeing our Saviour saith Joh. 10. 13. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep See Job 7. 12. Q. 71. Are the Superiour powers hirelings because they take tribute and custome by Gods allowance for their support Rom. 13. 6. For for this cause pay ye tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Q. 72. Is it then dishonest gain to take or require that which by the Lawes of God and man is appointed unto us for the work we do Q. 73. Do any follow the way of Balaam but those that for gain and reward sake are ready to curse Gods people and to give evil counsel against them that they may be drawn into whoredome and commit iniquity and fornication against the Lord as be did Rev. 2. 14. But I have a few things against thee saith Christ because thou hast them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Q. 74. Did ever the Church of Rome cast greater reproaches upon the Protestant Ministers then you do and are you not Jesuited by some of her Emissaries that you would have them all one with another rooted out at once Yea what can the Devil himself desire more in this kind Concerning the inward Light Q. 75. Is there not a false light within men as well as a true seeing the Apostle saith of the false Teachers 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. For such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light Q. 76. Is not that false light the most dangerous darknesse the hardest to be discerned and driven away seeing our Saviour faith Matth. 6. 23. But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darknesse If therefore the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Q. 77. Are we not therefore to try mens pretended light by the Law and Word of God seeing Isaiah saith Chap. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to that it is because there is no light or morning in them Q. 78. What may men think of your pretended light who hate so many of your Brethren in the Ministery of England seeing the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 2. 9. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse even till now Q. 79. Is there not another light to go before the light of Christ seeing the Wise men that came from the East were guided unto Christ by a star Matth. 2 Q. 80. Is not the sure Prophetical Word a light that shines in a dark corner till the true day light arise in our heart seeing the Apostle saith thus 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure Word of Prophecie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark corner till the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts Q. 81. Whether the life of Christ be not the true light that men are to wait for and wherein the true children of light are to walk seeing the Evangelist saith Joh. 1. 4. In whom was life and that life was the light of men And the Apostle Paul saith Ephes. 5. 8 9. Walk as children of the light for the fruit