may it be interpreted as the voluntary bound of your malice as is well known section 25 T.L. Shall all those c. Ans The way to heaven is but one and a very narrow one it will at no hand receive the vast and spreading Compass of Tithes Glebe Augmentations together with the love of the world and lusts of the flesh these in no wise can be gotten in the waie 's so strait section 26 T.L. Whether supposing that Timothy followed the command of Paul viz. in meditating on that Word which he was to deliver c. as also in studying in the discharge of his Ministry c. he might therefore be justly charged to speak visions of his own heart Answ Timothy vvas an holy man and holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Also had Timothy received a gift which was given by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 and the spirit of power of love and of a sound mind Now dare ye say even he that is most arrogant among ye That such a gift such a spirit as was in Timothy ye also have received The Bee can convert into honey such Juices as she gathereth from Flowers The Spider contrariwise is said to turn the same Juices into poison Pick out the meaning Timothy when he cited the sayings of other holie men wel knevv vvhat he spake his understanding and spirit also being sutable and commensurate with the things he said Neither did his life give his Doctrine the lie section 27 T.L. Whether those that so far slight the Majestie of the great God and his Divine Oracles as upon pretext of immediate inspiration to rush upon them vvithout premeditation c. Answ Suppose ye that they vvho spake as the spirit gave them utterance Acts 2.4 as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 in whom the Spirit of the Father did speak without their taking thought how or what to speak Matth. 10.19,20 I say did all these premeditate what they should say and yet vvere they not therefore slighters of the Majestie of the great God and his Divine Oracles as impiouslie this quaery by consequent supposeth them to have been Or think ye that they who were Christs Embassadors did by long premeditation study engender and compose those Messages which as Christs Embassadors they did deliver to others The Woman that speaketh not without taking thought aforehand what and how to speak here duty is not to teach others but her self to learn in silence Go learn what this meaneth section 28 To the following quaery concerning reading quoting and making use for edification the Books of the Prophets Apostles c. I answer That he that is duly called to this honor may take it but unto you thus saith the Lord What have ye to do to take my word into your mouths while ye hate to be reformed Or can ye being evil speak good things Or can ye prophesie when the Spirit of the Lord never resteth upon you It was not for every one to bear the Ark that had a shoulder neither yet is it lawful to every one to say The Lord liveth although he have a tongue and a voluble one too left he be found a transgressor even in speaking that thing which is true because not commanded or nor meetly qualified thereunto section 29 T. L. Whether these quaeries which you sent us were immediately inspired or rather Whether there were not a conspiracie among you for the inventing and penning of them c. Ans The Author of those quaeries pretended not himself to be a Minister of the Gospel but did direct them indeed to such as say they are Ministers and are not but are found lyars Rev. 2.2 Neither was there any the least conspiracie among us for inventing and penning those quaeries neither were they glean'd out of the Papers and Pamphlets of any seducing Leaders Ye thought we were such one 's as your selves but our wayes are not like yours T.L. Whether it be an Argument of covetousness in an humble and orderlie waie to desire opportunitie libertie countenance and maintenance from a Christian Magistrate for the comfortable discharge of our gifts and abilities Answ A Christian Magistrate will readily give opportunity liberty and countenance to the Ministers of Christ for to discharge their Ministerial gifts and abilities though by them never hereunto desired will he forbid or restrain them or else shall he be no Christian Magistrate but rather an Antichristian And as for maintenance that will he also provide them if their heavenly Father as Christ hath promised feed them not Matth 6.26 But friends if ye seek first of all the kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof though you never in this humble and orderlie waie desire of the Magistrate food and raiment all these things shall be added unto you But you by not believing the promises of God but seeking after all these things do openlie bewray of what generation ye are for after all these things do the heathen seek Mat. 6.32 And here by the waie I cannot but this observe That you who with such open confidence claim to your selves the glorious titles of Ministers and Embassadors of Christ do yet reckon your selves it effect to be less regarded of God then the very Fowls of the air for these the heavenly Father and not the Magistrate feedeth and rayeth too Matth 6.26 Here also I do require of you to shew any one example in the New-Testement or any thing like an example where the Ministers of Christ did ever once sue the civil Magistrate for any of these things mentioned in the quaery But hereof more hereafter section 31 Obj There is as much equity for a publike maintenance to be allowed to the Ministers of the Gospel now as there was herotofore to the Tribe of Levi under the Law Ans 1 The Levites were forbidden to have any Inheritance among the people Numb 18.25 Ans 2 The tithes under the Law were not onelie for the sustenance of the Tribe of Levi but also of the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow that they might eat and be filled Deut. 26.12.13 Deut. 14.29 So that the store-house for Tythes mentioned Mal. 3 19. had far greater allyance and resemblance to Hospitals and Alms-houses then to the called Ministers Parsonage-Barnes and Places of receit c. An. 3. The man and his house were also to eat of the tythes or the proceed thereof Deut. 14.26 An. 4 The year of tything among the Iews was on the third year Deut. 26.12 Deut. 14.28 An. 5 The Owner of the tythable Lands was to lay up the tythes within his gates Deut 14 28 And not the Levite to carry them Captive into his own private Barnes as now the called Ministers use to do from whence as to the relief of the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow with many of them there is no more return then is redemption
to pass into the Swine Answ 2. Ye cannot away to hear of the Saints arrival to the measure of Christs stature Why Because ye your selves are so short thereof Also well know ye in your selves That as many as are come hither or fair in the way thereto be now tall enough to over-look all your deceits and failings Answ 3. I demand Whether All the Saints shall come to this neasure all at one time that is as you say at the end of the world If ye say Yea then it seems after your sense the Saints shall neither till then come to the unity of the Faith or the knowledge of the Son of God Forasmuch as both these are coupled together with the other which were very absurd to affirm taking the end of the world in that sense you take it and openly contradictory to many other places of Scriptures Whosoever is truly in the Faith is one with all others who are likewise in the same Faith The Beleevers of old time were all of one heart and of one soul Acts 4.32 were not these come to the Unity of the Faith also in the way of attaining to the measure of Christs stature c. The one Faith being in many makes them all of one heart mind and consent We are one bread fellow-members of the same body See also 1 John 1.7 Again how can a man be a true Believer that is not in some measure come to the knowledge of the Son of God See Iohn 17.3 1 Cor. 2.2 Phil 3.10 2 Thes 1.8 1 John 2.3 2.13 c. Now that all these things namely Unity of the Faith Knowledge of the Son of God and Coming to be a Perfect man are referred to one and the same time i e. the time of this life with coming to the measure of the stature of Christs fulness is very plain in that they are all alike joyned together in one form and manner of speech under the word until See more of this in Section 49 6. section 57 T L. Whether Magistrates are not truly styled Ministers of God though ordained by men Answ Magistrates indeed are Gods very Ministers but in Civil not in a Spiritual accompt And yet if the Magistrate so well as ye now account him should once abandon your Function to voluntary Contribution you would turne your Tale I beleeve section 58 T L. Whether those that say none other things than those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come Acts 26.22 and that determine to know nothing yea to Preach nothing but Jesus Christ and him Crucified and that according to the Scriptures may not be rightly styled to speak as the Oracles of God Answ They only are to be said to speak as the Oracles of God who speak by inspiration or revelation of the holy Ghost or else in the Light speak those things which themselves have handled and tasted both seasonably and aptly for the edification or benefit of the hearers But they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8 8. whatever they say or determine to know or preach And though ye may use the words of Scripture yet cannot ye thus be covered the Tempter so did and that cunningly too and yet got he thereby no thank at all at Christs hands No more do you neither by Preaching long Sermons compiled of words stoln in like manner out of the Scriptures and other Books T.L. That these are very vertues c. And yet we affirm That through Grace some yea many of us have attained to this That even the piercing eye of malice it self cannot see so far as justly to charge us Answ The eye of wisdome then sees farthet than the eye of malice for this sees you full of iniquities Now the eye of malice is of your side and therefore not so apt to charge you how far soever it may see into your guiltiness yea even this piercing eye hath a mote in it self and therefore cannot see a beam in yours T.L. That our Gifts and Conversations are not at least in a competent measure suitable to that high Calling whereunto we are called However not unto us not unto us you mean not here of Tythes and Augmentations c. but unto our God's name be the praise Answ Our Gifts If ye were indeed wise yet your Gifts would blind your eyes Your Conversations they are like a menstruous garment whereof is no part remaining clean but is wholly defiled Your Calling is from the Serpent and your Gifts and Conversations are suitable to it But why is your Calling an high Calling Because it sets you in the Pulpit on high It 's certain were it not for Tythes and rich Livings the most of your number would turn the deaf ear to this High Calling and say they never heard sound thereof But how bountiful ye are to God! To his Name be the praise A few empty words without any true ground Go offer unto God the firstlings of your flock and the fat thereof until ye so do the Lord will have no more respect to your Sacrifice than he had unto his who for envy slew his Brother a vice most truly yours section 60 T.L. Whether when the Obedience and satisfaction of Christ our Surety unto the Law and Justice of God is by God the Father freely imputed to us the righteousness of the Law may not in the Apostles sense Rom 8.4 be truly said to be fulfilled in us or by us 2 Cor. 5 19,21 Answ Here may the Reader take a taste whereby to judge what kind of Interpreters ye are of the Scriptures the which where they fit not your purpose or fansie ye stick not to wrest contract extend at the beck of each frivolous Opinion just as if they were a Nose of VVax But Paul hath sufficiently declared what he means when he saith That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us not out of us in that he adds immediately after Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit And they that so walk do verily fulfil the righteousness of the Law By these words therefore he expresseth the mean or way wherein or whereby such righteousness is fulfilled section 61 T.L. VVhether those that are said 1 Cor. 14. to speak by immediate revelation were not extraordinary Officers and such as continued only for a time in the Church of God and its first planting and are now ceased Answ VVhile the Churches did abide in the Truth and wayes of God so long was God also with them and they did feel the movings of his Spirit and spake accordingly as of it they were moved But when they began to forsake their first love and to joyn with the whore and false Prophets and to worship the Beast then did God also justly with-draw himself from them then did their Sun begin to set and the shadows of Night ensued Now heard they not the VVord of the Lord nor the workings of his Spirit did they perceive but became
yet assume and challenge to themselves the Name when they have in no wise the thing it self but do lack not only all these causes that did concur to the due creation thereof but also all those vertues gifts and faculties that did accompany and shew themselvs in the right administration or exercise of the same wherefore your Ordainers be like to certain Impostors that profess indeed the true Art of Physick but cannot give a proof thereof by healing any one disease Away then with this fasting praying hand-laying Ordination which was never yet followed nor attested by a miracle or any other visible effect t is no better then that * Mat. 21.19 fig-tree that bare indeed leaves but no fruit at all Shortly after he mustereth up a number of things and calls them Doctrines by your Party aâ—…erted to which I forbear to answer he having not respectively cited the Books and pages where they might be found In the mean time it may not seem good proof that such or such a thing is truth because so saith Thomas Lye Neither ought it to be charged on our friends for error or blasphemie if they sometimes mistake the meaning of words they being in this behalf unlearned as also most of Christs Disciples and Ministers were whiles the learned Rabbles and Priests were bitter opposers and persecutors both of him and them section 5 T L. Whether those godly Priests and Prophets that lived by a standing-maintenance are those that are accused by Micah 3.11 to teach for hire c. Answ Here would ye methinks allude and compare your maintenance to that of the godlie Priests and Prophets of old time First Where in all the Old-Testament find you this Epithet godly standing so near the word Priest I am sure it 's a very rare conjunction Neither is your implied comparison a vvhit better theirs that is the Priests and Levites was a voluntarie contribution and of God himself ordained your's a forcible exaction and by humane Law if any whereof more hereafter section 6 Neither was this Querent vvell advised when he scoffed at She Prophetesses as he hath done it being a part of Joels Prophesies I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh saith God and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie c. Also Priscilla was one of those two that instructed eloquent Apollos in the things of the Gospel God gave the word and great was the company of the She-Preachers as the Hebrew reads it Psal 68.11 section 7 T. L. Whether Christ hath not ordained That they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel and that they which sow spiritual things should reap carnal things 1 Cor. 9.11,13,19 Answ To sue men at Law for tithes to recover trebble damages to distrain mens goods and take much more then is claimed is this to live of the Gospel Did ever any Priest or Prophet in the times of the Law or any Apostle or Minister since the Gospel so live either of the Law or Gospel Or will ye else grant us That never any of Christs Ministers mentioned in the Scriptures did live of the Gospel Is it not much rather to be said That to live of the Gospel is to live of such Alms and Contribution as men freelie give to Ministers as such and that vvithout the awe of any outward co-action terror of trebble damages or other peril section 8 Obj. We also live of such means as the Magistrate hath freely allotted for our maintenance Answ If indeed the Magistrate or other shall give of his own private Goods or Lands to what kind of Preachers soever for their livelihood I have nothing here to gain-say But if he shall give them that which is another man's without his consent to keep them in idleness I see not how this can be justified by the Scriptures or by any sound reason This also were repugnant to Christs own Otdinance namely That they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel and to live of the Gospel is not to live of any inforced maintenance as above is shewn neither can you produce any one such Ordinance of Christ that the Magistrate ought to take such course for the livelihood of his Ministers Now the Ordinance above intreated and to which the Scripture cited in the Quaery hath reference we find in Luk. 10.7,8 And in the same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give for the labourer is worthy of his hire And into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you eat such things as are set before you From whence I note these things 1. That the Apostles were to eat such things only as were freely ministred to them 2. By them who should receive them 3. Of their meat who having a private and proper right therein should so give or cause to be given Now whether the men of your qualitie do live after this manner and rule let all sober men be Judges And albeit it were true that you sowed indeed to your hearers spiritual things yet should you not therefore reap their carnal by force muchless take them being reaped Now what kind of Seed it is you sowe doth by the Fruit appear section 9 Obj. But if we have nothing allowed for our maintenance but must depend of the charity of our hearers soon may we either beg or starve Ans Wherefore if God so cloth the grasse of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the Oven shall he not much more clothe you O ye of little faith Therefore take no thought saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed for after all these things do the Gentiles or Heathen seek Matth. 6.30,31,32,33 Now if so great be Gods care of ordinary Christians how much more shall he provide for his Ministers who are as it were his Embassadors and have specially addicted themselves to his service Are you his choice Darlings unto bliss eternal and wil not yet trust him vvith your bodies Are you his Labourers and vvill not yet relie on him for your Wages no not though you have his own word for it and solemn Engagement What greater infidelity then this hath any of the Gentiles ever bewrayed Neither can you avoid the Edge of this Sword by saying Your petitioning the Magistrate indenting with the people for maintenance c. is no distrusting of God for your livelihood forasmuch as the provision God makes hath made for his Ministers Livelihood is by inclining mens hearts to supply their necessities and that out of their own private goods and not out of other mens as elsewhere I have said section 10 T.L. Then do men preach for hire when they make hire their chiefest end c. Answ Yea and if they make hire any end at all do they truly preach for hire Neither are we justlie charged to intrench on Gods prerogative in that we do judg you to preach for hire for certes that can be no
The penalty of not eating partaineth to them all whatsoever they be who being whole and able of body and speciallie wanting food rayment of their own do yet think it matter of fowl disgrace to them to work in some honest calling though Paul and other Ministers so have done but chose rather to live after the manner of Drones by devouring the fruits of others labors and cost like as did also their Predecessors the false Priests and Prophets of old time who did eat of the fat and cloth themselves with the wool not sparing the flock Ezek 34.3 As concerning those of our partie name who they be that wander and labor not Wnder indeed did the Saints and Ministers of God in old times and that very * Heb. 11.9 poorely arrayed and not sate they still in a †Wander indeed they might that long enough before they found it too fat Benefice in the glory of the world and the friendship thereof as the Ministers of Mammon in these times do Of these things also elsewhere section 77 T. L. Whether there is no labor but that which is handy c. Answ With you it is some labor to invent and write your Sermons which after ye may recite to the people for money or moneys-worth a practice utterly unknown to the ancient Ministers of the Gospel save what they had read in the old Testament touching the false Priests and Prophets there reproved for this very cause section 78 T. L. And whether hath not the mind its labor and that even to defatigation Answ Think ye that Paul Silvanus and Timotheus with the rest of Christs true Ministers went not so far in the labor and travell of the mind as any of you And yet for all this did they not omit much lesse did they scorn to labor with the body also for sustenance of the outward life as none of you ordinarily do Of this more at large elsewhere section 79 T. L. Whether Paul doth not judge labouring in the word and Doctrine to be labor 1 Tim. 5.17 And our Saviour saith The Laborer is worthy of his hire Answ Though Paul did indeed so judge as is supposed in this quere yet letted not this but that he used handy labor too and that night and day earnestly pressing and exciting withall other Ministers to follow such his example For our Saviours saying cited in the quere it is plain that he here by alluding to or alleadging the case or right of a laborer in respect of his hire as being a master notorious and of all men confessed insinuates only the like equity and reasonableness of his Apostles taking necessary supply of food and rayment of them they should Minister to in the Gospel There being a certain portion and parity of reason between the one the other in this behalf And in no wise doth he mean or imply that his Apostles should or might lawfully be hired even as a laborer to preach for money or like reward or that they might or would preach and teach for sake of the same for so should he altogether cross and oppugne aswell what himselfe hath said Iohn 10. by way of noting and condemning the Hireling Sheepherd as also the many and vehement testimonies born against this mercenary Teaching by the holy Prophets and his own Apostles But were the matter even so here as the Quere seemeth to take it yet ought the laborer in such case to require take his hire of them who hire him for whom and to whose benefit he laboreth and not of others who hire him not who refuse reject and detest both his labor as vain and fruitless and himselfe as a counterfeit and deceiver See also §8 section 81 T.L. Whether Ministers are not to give attendance to reading to meditate on those things And whether 't is possible for them so to do at least to give themselves wholly to them and yet follow handy labor 1. Tim. 4.13.15 Answ Both Paul that so adviseth and Timothy so advised did yet notwithstanding their many travels offices pertaining to their Ministry and the meet discharge thereof work with labor and travel night and day that they might not be chargable to any c. And this beside other causes To make themselves an ensample to others to follow them c. Ministers not excepted with this command also or penalty rather That if any would not work neither should he eat Afterward they note such as walk disorderly not working at all whom they command and exhort by the Lord Jesus Christ that with quietnesse they work and eat their own bread 2. Thess 3.7.8.9.10.11.12 By these things it doth appear how much Paul and Timothy whom yet you have avouched for your Patrons do befriend your idle cause See elsewhere section 82 T. L. Whether Pastors and Teachers are not to waite on their office and whether handy labor be not a means of distraction and hindrance to the laboring in the word and Doctrine c. Answ Did not Paul Sylvanus Timotheus and the rest laudably waite on their office yea did they not better waite on their office then the best among you And yet did they this notwithstanding put their hands to labor as is a foresaid Neither is such handy labor more a distraction and hindrance to Christs true Ministers now then it heretofore was But and if I should grant the thing to be so as the quere would have it yet would it not straightway follow to be lawful that to releive their necessities arising by their not working and waiting on their office they may begg or take a way other mens goods especially theirs who make no part of their Flocks to whom they sowe no spiritual things nor plow nor thresh nor any labor take except to do them mischief and harme section 83 T. L Though they had an extraordinary spirit to assist them c. Answ Are there more holy spirits then one as this quere seems to imply The Scripture saith There is but one spirit Eph. 4.4 And again There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit 1. Cor. 12.4 If so it be what mean ye then by extraordinary spirit Now seeing there is but one holy spirit and this the Apostles had let the Reader then judge what a spirit yours is which is not the same which the Apostles had but some other Say ye that I wrong you by such a Deduction what else do your words import If the Apostles had an Extraordinary spirit and you have not this extraordinary spirit then have you not the same spirit as they had but either another or none at all But if ye Retract and affirme that ye have the same spirit indeed as the Apostles had also but not in that extraordinary measure as they had it Mine Answer then is shew it by the fruits proper unto it Gal. 5.22 Also I ask if your spirit be fallible or infallible If fallible then not Gods spirit If infallible How cometh it