Ordinances of Men for the Lords sake when they viz. mens Ordinances were against preaching in the Name of Christ Jesus and in opposition to the requirings of God and contrary to the Word of the Lord for when the Apostles of Christ were forbidden to preach and commanded by the Magistrates then not to teach at all in the Name of Jesus Acts 4.17,18 they put the Magistrates to be their own Judges concerning that thing however they could not be subject unto them concerning the same so as to give over preaching because God requires it of them for first the Apostles of Christ spoke to the Magistrates by way of enquiry to make them their own Judges of their unreasonableness and injustice concerning the same saying whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you so as to give over preaching in the name of Jesus when you forbid us to preach more then unto God judge ye Secondly they spoke by way of affirmation and justification of preaching when the Magistrates forbad them to preach and could not give over Preaching though men did prohibit them from preaching which may serve as an use of reproof to many hypocritical Priests of this Generation for said the true Gospel Ministers to the Magistrates who forbad them to preach We cannot but speak the thing which we have heard and seen as by the Scriptures is evident and plain see Acts 4. from verse the 1. to the 21. Thirdly The Apostles of Christ and true Gospel Preachers did never intend that Christians and Believers in Christ should be judged as seditious Sectaries and punished by Fines Imprisonment ' and Banishment under pretence of being at seditious Conventicles for meeting and preaching in houses or other places then Parish Churches and Chappels when both the manner of their meeting and matter of preaching is according to the Scriptures and mind of Christ Jesus for it was the practice of Christ and his Apostles to meet together with the Primitive Christians and preach in houses and other places then Parish Churches and Chappels and the Apostles of Christ who had the mind of Christ Jesus commands us to walk as we have them for example Phil. 3.17 and must we be punished for so doing that is to say for meeting and preaching in houses and out of houses as Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians did seeing it was the practice of true Christians and Ministers of the Gospel of Christ so to do whose example is left upon record in Scripture and they have given commandment to Christians to walk as they have them for an example whose godly meetings were lawful assemblies how then can such godly meetings be seditious Conventicles which be according to such good examples Object Now if any object and say that Preaching must not be in Houses but in the visible Church of Christ Jesus in Answer thereunto we may say unto such Answer That the Parish meeting places are not the visible Church of Christ Jesus first because the Liturgy saith that the Church is the houshold and family of God See the Liturgy on Good Friday the Collects so called 2ly That the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified by the Spirit of God but so are not the Parish meeting places how then can they be said to be Christs visible Church For 3ly it is declared by the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year 1562. in the 19 th Article of the Church Article 19. that the visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached is not therefore the preaching of the pure word of God in a Congregation of faithful men the preaching of it in the visible Church of Christ as aforesaid though they be not met and assembled together in a Parish Church or a Chappel The Bishops and Clergie in that Convocation said and in the 13 th Article it is declared Article 13. that works done before the Grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God here they own inspiration and forasmuch as preaching is a work do not the Arch-Bishops and Bishops own and declare in effect that none can preach aright so as to be well pleasing unto God untill they be inspired by the spirit of God though they may preach in a Parish Church or a Chappel In thâ— 34 th Article they say Article 34. that nothing is to be ordained against Gods Word now then if any thing be ordained by men against the Worship of God is not that ordained against Gods Word Again in the 6. Article the Bishops and Clergy have declared Article 6. that whatsoever is not read in the Scriptures nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or to be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation And in the same Convocation they have agreed and declared in the 20 th Article Article 20. that it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods Word written and as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation If nothing ought to be ordained that is contrary to the Word of God Article 34. then if an Ordinance be made against meeting and preaching in Houses and upper Chambers Article 20. or in other places then Parish Churches and Chappels is not that Ordinance made against the Word of God because the holy Scriptures are said to be the Word of God against which nothing ought to be ordained as aforesaid and by the holy Scriptures it is evident and plain that it was the practice of the Primitive Christians and Apostles of Christ to assemble together and meet in private Houses and upper Chambers to Preach and Pray and perform service to God and their practice is left upon record in Scripture as a godly Christian example for Believers to follow and they have commanded true christians to walk as they have them for an ensample Phil. 3.17 If it be not lawful for the Church of England to ordain any thing against the word of God written Article 34. then if they ordain that Christians must not meet and assemble together to preach and pray Article 6. and performe service to God in any place but a Parâ—sh Church or a Chappel is not such an ordinance against the Word of God written because the Apostles of Christ saith to the Saints and Believers in Christ Phil. 3.17 walk as ye have us for an ensample And they met together to preach and pray in Houses and upper Chambers and not in Parish Churches and Chappels for they preached down the outward Temple Article 19. Acts 7.41.47 Acts 17.24,25 If the visible Church of Christ be a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and if none can preach the same so as to be well pleasing unto God before they be inspired by the spirit of God do not such as be inspired by the Spirit of God most truly preach the Word of God though not in a Parish Church or a Chappel and do not they come to the Church of Christ who meet and assemble together with a Congregation of faithful men to hear the Word of God preached by such as are inspired by the Spirit of God as aforesaid Article 34. Article 6. Article 20. though in other places then Parish Churches and Chappels and if nothing ought to be ordained contrary to Gods word is it not plain that every Ordinance of man which is to be submitted unto for the Lords sake should answer the mind of God by being according to the Word of God as aforesaid because the Bishops and Clergie in their Convocation have agreed and declared that it is unlawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods Word written and as they ought not to decree any thing against the Word of God so besides the same they ought not to enforce anything as aforesaid as by the Scriptures and the said Articles is evident and plain THE END
in pieces therefore behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steale my words every one from his neighbour who use their tongues and say he saith whom I never commanded nor sent saith the Lord who hath also said that such false Teachers do cause the People to erre by their lyes and by their lightness and such the Lord is against as you may read but he that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23.28,29,30,31,32 Thirdly The holy Ghost spake to the Church whereby it is evident that the holy Ghost speaks in the true Church and the Church is acquainted with the holy Ghost and his teachings and therefore stands not to dispute its commands or disobey the holy Ghosts Order and Authority Acts 13. but being commanded by the holy Ghost to separate Barnabas and Saul for the work of the Ministry whereunto the holy Ghost had ordained or called them the true Church never questioned whether such a Call was sufficient without a signification of the consent and allowance of Arch-Bishops and Bishops in a Nationall way or as the manner now is amongst such as may be will deny the way and manner of the proceedings of the holy Ghost in that case of calling and sending forth Ministers as aforesaid to preach the Gospel of Christ Acts 13 1,2,3,4 1 Tim. 3.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Tit. 1 7,8,9 but if they do is it not below a true Gospel Bishop so to do who ought not to shew a dislike unto and disesteem of what the holy Ghost and the true Church of Christ and the Scripture do justify and own concerning the same but I hope it may be well for them who are so in account to take it into due consideration so as not to condemn but rather allow of the holy Ghosts order and proceedings and the true Churches example or practise therein seeing that what the holy Scripture allowes of that the Liturgie of the Church of England allowes of and it is evident that the holy Scriptures allowes of the same as aforesaid for the Holy Ghost said to the Church separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away so they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed and when they were at Salamis they preached the Word of God to the People Acts 13.1,2,3,4 Whereby it is evident that the Holy Ghost hath a true right to call to the work of the Ministry of Christ and that they who are called to that work by the Holy Ghost ought not to be forbidden to preach because they are both truly ordained and sent and have the Word of God to preach to the people being also accompanied with a true spiritual power and filled with the Holy Ghost that hath called and sent them to preach as aforesaid after they were at Salamis and had gone through the Island unto Paphos they found a certain Sorcerer a false Prophet a Jew with the Deputy of the Country a prudent Man who called for Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear the Word of God but Elimus the Sorcerer withstood them seeking to turn away the Deputy from the faith as false teachers geting into favour with Governours and Deputy Governours and great persons often times endeavour to do then Saul who is also called Paul who was filled with the Holy Ghost that called and sent him to preach said unto the false Prophet that sought to turn away the Deputy Governour from the faith Oh full of all subtlety and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all Righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Acts 13.6,7,8,9,10 Whereby it is evident and plain that the Holy Ghost filleth true Preachers with spiritual boldness sharply to reprove and testifie against a false Prophet in the presence of a Deputy or Governour of a Country They who are ordained and sent of God as aforesaid ought not to be forbidden to preach or punished for preaching the word of the Lord to the People because they preach the Everlasting Gospel and thereby do minister the Spirit and power of God to Salvation unto Believers and such have not dominion over the faith of their hearers but are appointed of God to be helpers of the joy of Believers 2ly They ought not to be forbidden to preach the Word of God to the people because that by vertue of their preaching the Lord opperating with them in their Ministry â—cts 26.16 â—7,18 â—…m 5.20 they do convert people from the evil of their wayes and doings by turning them from darkness unto light and so from the power of Satan unto God whereby it may be observed that to hinder such Ministers from Preaching would be to hinder the work of conversion and so to oppose the work of the Lord Mat. 18.3 Luke 22.32 3ly They ought not to be hindered from preaching who have the Word of the Lord to speak to the People and do preach it freely without Tithes Easier Reckonings or Midsummer dews who covet no mans Silver nor Gold for their Preaching Acts 20.27 â—8,29,30,31 â—2,33,34,35 because God hath ordained that they who preach the Gospel should deny Tythes and live of the Gospel it is necessary therefore first to know what the Gospel is 2ly Who have a right to preach the Gospel of Christ unto the people And 3ly what it is for true Preachers to live on the Gospel In Answer to the first as concerning the Gospel of Christ what it is it is declared in Scripture to be the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth wherein the Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written Rom. 1.15,16,17 Gal. 1.6,7,8,9,10,11,12,15,16 2ly They have a true right to preach the Gospel who have rightly received the same so that the Gospel is to be rightly received before it can be rightly preached and the Gospel is not to be received of man how then can men impower to the effectual true and right Preaching of the same for Paul who was a true Gospel Preacher was taught of God how to minister from him to the People and received the Gospel by the Revelation of Christ and not of man as he hath certified to the Brethren as we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed Gal 1.8,9 and before that is to say in his Epistle to the Romans he said Rom. 1.16 Gal. 1.11,12 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 this Gospel which is the power of God is to be received of God by them that are true Preachers of the same but I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me was