given what would you have more the Donation does not confound it self neither does your confused writing nothing to the purpose confound it But we claime it as a free Gift True you told us so P. 10. P. 12. but were sensible it seems of your wild running away from it in that and the next Page so now you will return to it no not now neither 't is a Bears ear he dares nor touch it then I have no right to it Luc. 12.42 Hebr. 13.17 24. 1 Cor. 16.16 1 Tim. 4.11 but as a Rector be it so as a Rector I clame it what is this Doctrine new to you Ministers are Servants 2 Cor. 4.5 but for Jesus sake and they are Rulers too their Rule is Ministerial they have an high merciful end for which they serve and they Rule by directing and commanding to that way which leads by Gods appointment to this end Then I dare trust an old the elder the better Title Popes Donation Popes man their own who were ownes of the Land is it not so in your Plea as your self relate it but three Lines before Then Christs Ordination why we speak now of Free-gift is not that Christs Ordination Now being put from your Divine Plea not by your reasons I assure you but be it so we now speak of Donation I pray tell me what proportion it is but the Free-gift of the Giver you have told the world twice 't is that very thing we speak of did you ever find it a tenth by Christs appointment why You have told men but just now we are put off from our Divine Plea this is to stand and crow over us a while after you have beaten us from that ground with come hither again if you dare you see I have ventured however but pursue your Victory you see we have taken field again upon another ground that of Free-gift I pray be not offended I pray take it in good part now speak to the business honestly and fairly and I will not be offended but this is tiresome though not the first time you have exercised my patience if not by the Law of God again that will you never have done conquerings Nor by the Gift of indulgent Princes we proclame it by the Gift of indulgent Princes and people and your self have told the world as much for us twice already what is it you now answer to but this but by some old Popish Statute I tell you we have done with Statutes now Popish or not Popish t is Free-gift we speak of After Austins coming into England tenths were not required but Free-gift was the only maintenance man t is that you are now pressed with Free-gift and that of Tenths we prove it from about those very times Watch men blind and in those dayes could but read a Homily in those dayes Austins did they read in the Book of Homilies then and what if they did then or since what 's this to Donation Yet now must they rather turn back again as it were into Egypt for onyons and garlick then to feed upon Manna the Lords Free-gift Why 't is that very Manna we plead for the Free-gift you speak of Therefore thus to your Paper For shame you should not have mentioned such a word who have not printed it when you pretend to answer it you might have put it easily into the empty page But what to my Paper It was Christs Prerogative to provide for his house he hath so done and changed his Ministers wages into a Free-gift and not Tithe into a free-gift of Tithe let it passe so now Twice you have told men so that thus we plead and do not you yet know it your self Yet you have not done your wandrings next come exceptions against Lawes Civil for the recovering of Tithes be it a carnal reasoning to say if a Minister may not sue he may starve What 's this to Free-gift A Free-gift may be sued for as in the case of Legacies P. 13. Is it not strange all things considered well you are a very considerate man but what is so strange that ever National Teachers should desert the Church of Rome and yet love the Diana of Tithes so much You that have considered all things tell us but one reason why this should seem strange But 't is a Free-gift we love 't is that we now stand upon your Diana if that word please you so well Rome would not trust Princes with such a thing and truly it seemeth to me that this is that the National Teachers mainely want to be not only Bishops but Lord Bishops No no oh dispute not against that that cause will not now trouble you you have another before you he changed it into a Free-gift the very thing we speak of He left it not to the pleasure of Magistrates then his faithful Ministers should hardly get a Livelyhood yes by Free-will Offerings as well the Magistrate neglecting his duty as if we suppose him to have none at all But we trouble not Magistrates now 't is the Free-gift we speak of Then the lying story a most impudent slander comes in of me and my Predecessor of which before Nothing at all to the Donation for four pages after an Answer to this Plea was undertaken Reader I relate not all this for the considerableness of what is said by him or reply'd by me nor yet to make my self and my Reader sport to refresh us in a debate of seriousness there needs no fool in the play here But this I relate it for that my Neighbour may see how little he hath said to the business against the only foundation I gave him for my Right in Tithes and that the world may see that notwithstanding any strength in his Reasons against my plea we needed not have troubled our selves to print nor others in reading what we have printed But you have done your wandrings and now you come the third time to the business You have played off and on long enough you will fasten now What say you now you have spent four pages in roming about and now you come to it You cut us off at the end of the four with six lines and then easily conclude I hope you will now desist Why the strength of your whole Book should have been bent upon this to overthrow this Donation You know it was my only Plea to you and you confess as much this you could not yield to would venture any thing rather then pay upon this ground And are six lines enough for that which hath so great a stroke in the whole Cause Were I as censoriously addicted as your self I should from these things infer that Faction and Emulation that you may seem stout as well as others hath carried you on in this Cause against your Conscience But I doe not so judge you the Lord help you to judge your self and to be contented to shame your self for your many miscarriages in this matter by an humble
discourse I might adde a Sponge full of Vinegar to wipe out the bitter taunts and un-Christian mockings the Book is full of P. 10. 1 Pet. 2.13 I cannot omit one a sad passage where he makes himself sport with the oath of supremacy and our praying for the King as such and of Gods not hearing our prayers for providence hath disposed otherwise the calamity of Princes which hath been in our times to the amazement and astonishment of the whole world so great that I should suspect my heart much harder then I hope it is if I did not think of with horrour and trembling every time it comes into my mind this man thinks fit to flout at But these things are beside the cause I manage the Lord cover them and I shall gladly draw my skirt over them having no engagement to speak to them but onely to shame him openly and that is not my design it would be more joyfull to me wherein we do amiss either of us to endeavour mutually by all offices of mutual love to bring each other to repentance For you my dear Brethren of Staplehurst my glory and crown whose conversion and building up in the Truth is of greater sweetness to me then all the Tithe either of poor or rich however I am traduced no shame almost could have been so unhappily hit upon as this if ever I felt any sweetness and true joy in any thing all my life it hath been in Gods crowning my labours with some successe even among you and in the assured hope of abundance more his grace working with me For you I say I have this word of caution Let not the esteem of this injurious both speaker and doer be vile in your eyes much more let not the name of godliness which he hath for so many yeers held out a profession of be for his sake despised Remember how easie it is for rash and heady persons to commit many things which are sorely to be repented of and how hard a thing it is for even good men in whom pride is not throughly mortified to be willing to shame themselves by an open confession of open miscarriages that you remember what easie passage there is from the head to the heart and with what care we are to keep the Devil out of our heads as we would keep him out of our hearts and hands and pens That you beware of the beginnings of contention strife hath no end no measure no moderation it cares not how it hitts so by hitting it wounds Set up an Angel of heaven for an adversary and after we have chased about him a while he will be a Devil in our eye fancy blinding our judgement and self-conceit perverting strait resolutions that whoever is not in all things on our side is not thought to be on Gods-side and what evil may be in causes and persons we strongly conceit is so as no evidence of things seen and felt can beat us out of it because we are mightily perswaded things cannot be otherwise then we have conceited them So our brethren are cloathed in Bear-skins and then worried by us and as they do in the hunting of noisom beasts that 's best play which most certainly and speedily dispatches and this is plain dealing without flattery and whatever is short of the utmost of our power either in word or action belongs to our patience and mercifulness towards our and Gods enemies But learn we to overcome their evil with our good if for our love men will be our adversaries Ps 109.4 be we prayers when they mock us let not us mock them when they despise us despise we not them and let it not be said that we give them one reproachful word who give us many so shall we inherite the blessing we are called to For the rest Hold fast the form of sound words 1 Pet. 3.9 2 Tim. 1.13 and build up your selves and your families in the most holy faith Suffer not ignorance or Atheism to dwell either in your hearts or houses Labour to feel truth as well as know it especially that which concernes the preciousness of Christ to a penitent believer Get your Lamps lighted and let them shine out Suffer not the Gospel to be dishonoured by so much as one unsavoury word from you Be jealous over those reasonings which take you off from Christian fellowship to doe soul-good to and receive soul-good from one another makes any society Christian all the rest is Heathen it is a precious Article of our Faith The Communion of Saints Get those evidences of Faith which are the parting duties where the unbeliever walks not with the believer heavenly-mindedness self-denial and those hard duties the mortifying of revenge even in its lowest degree and the love of enemies doe you more then others for God as you hope God shall do more for you then others Be cloathed with humility towards one another and towards all men God hath even in these our dayes had terrible controversies with proud self-conceited ones And the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout through patience and comfort of the Scripture give you hope make you a leading example of piety to our neighbour-people and a real confutation of them who say Gods Spirit hath left our Assemblies That I may have comfort in you at that day and you in me that I may not have run in vaine nor laboured in vaine The prayers I doubt not of many of you have preserved me a long time under deep languishings and have now in a great measure recovered me out of them As you expect and hope for any good by my Life and Ministry be instant in prayer and watch thereunto with all perseverance that utterance may be given to me that I may speak as I ought to speak that God would give me the bow of Jonathan that turned not back and the sword of Saul that returned not empty And that when I have preached to others I my self may not be a Castaway The Ministers first Plea for his Portion The Divine Right of TYTHES To my Neighbour truly loved in the Lord RICHARD KINGSNOTH OMitting many things Doctrinal overly touched in your Book which are nothing to our present Cause I finde some things which are something and much to the cause are not so much as touched at by you give me leave to put you in mind of considering them I find two very material questions wholly neglected 1. Whether supposing Tythes not due by Gods Law but prohibited rather and that our Lawes for them are not onely old but corrupt P. 22. P. 7. like to the Law the Jewes had Christ should die by the way a soul mistake this they had no such Law but wickedly pretended it what the Jewes Law was of Gods making and did God make a Law requiring men to put Christ to death Yet is not a sinful Law of the Magistrate to be suffered under and if we must suffer in one may not
Temple these and other things even in prayer were Ceremonial instance in what you will some thing will appear to have been appendant to it though the body of the duty be not so we must therefore forbear nailing Tithes to the Crosse of Christ among other Ceremonies upon this account till we can tell how to rescue all other duties from following them the same way No that whose use is meerly or at least principally to shadow let that cease as having its consummation at the Crosse of Christ but let not that be dealt so with which hath another perpetual use for its principal design and which alone is sufficient to support its standing because of some Ceremonialness annexed suiteable to the nature of those things for then we deface all So then the right of God in Tithes remains yet firm and the assignement of them for such uses remains good as to the principal uses and the ceasing of the rest overthrowes not the very assignement much lesse the Original Law by which they are due to God Yet again consider we the assignement Num. 18.21 P. 10. Eph. 5.3 4. in respect of the persons to whom it was made I have given the Children of Levi. To omit the merry jesting Triumphs we meet with here only sayiâ—g thus much in a serious cause against many that hold the same foundation with us jesting and that with bitterness is not convenient and does ill become Saints yet thus much may with reason be affirmed That Tithes were not assigned to Levi as Levi but as set apart for the service of the Lord let him be removed and others set apart the very reason which gave them him qua set apart will give them that too this service is altered a service remains this service is altered in its inferiour duties in its superiour and most noble duties t is still the same repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ diversely indeed Preached as the diversity of times was but the substance of the duty one and the assignement in reference to their service was with such additions and alterations as it should please God from time to time to make as he did both in what they were to teach first Moses afterwards the Prophets added first Tabernacle service afterwards Temple service a great alteration the maintenance in all changes abiding the same The line of the Priesthood we find altered but how by losing the reward of their Ministerial service in case of receiving him whom they hitherto had Preached and being sent forth by him to teach others to receive him also we want a proof of this the change was not in losing any thing they formerly enjoyed but by taking in others of other Tribes and Nations Is 66.21 as it was Prophesied and the time of fulfilling Types and removing partition Walls being now come required so others are joyned with them to share in the same service for substance by the same authority why then they should not share in the same reward removing what is to be removed and letling the rest stand I ask a reason Let me put a case suppose God had abrogated sacrifice and communicated the Priesthood to chosen persons out of every Tribe not taking all of Levi nor confining it to Levi both these before the coming of Christ in the Flesh which he might have done the Doctrine of Faith in the Messias to come still remaining had made no change of the maintenance but left it standing still would any man say that the still standing maintenance must not be the portion of the now present Priests especially if no new provisions were made for them No reasonable man I think would say so that which might have been done then is done now and therefore plain it is that so far as the assignement goes we are not excluded from the benefit of it upon the reasons forementioned with Master Seldens good leave and whoever will pluck Tithes out of our hands must plead an alteration in the Gospel supposed to be made in this matter and must not rest in any thing barely producible out of this assignement to Levi. What is added about Tithes in the Old Testament is little helpful to the cause of them that plead against Tithes being the confirmation of them by the voice of God and the Edicts of Kings and Governours of which we shall speak in the second plea we may then draw all that hath been said into these summary conclusions 1. That when Tithes were first due to God is nowhere to be found we suppose it was Gods reserved Rent from the beginning 2. That Melchizedeck had a just right in Tithes from God and not from the free gift of man 3. That this right was neither by Law Ceremonial nor Judicial but moral and perpetual 4. That Gods right in Tithes began not with the Levitical Priesthood they had only from him the assignement of the use of them 5. That the expiration of this assignement to the Levitical Priest hood will neither abrogate Gods right if he have taken them from Levi he hath not therefore given them away from himself 〈◊〉 revoke the grant to Melchizedeck and his Priesthood 6. That Gospel Ministers may claim Tithes from this assignement to Levi at least in the equitable construction of it as appointed to serve God in his house though not as Levis race nor for Ceremonial services from all that are or ought to be taught by and would be accounted the Israel of God any thing to be found in this assignemet to the contrary notwithstanding I shall but step aside to consider in brief that question whether Tithes were not commanded under Moses by a Law Judicial and then I shall follow our Adversaries in this cause to their pretences for a change in New Testament times Our engagement with them that plead the Judicial Law is not so necessary seeing to bring in a Judicial Law again is not to deny Christ come in Flesh all that would have the Judicial Law rule all upon this supposition would yeeld us a Divine right in them and none but upon the Foundation of equity upon which Judicials are built would grant us rather more then lesse Yet let it not be injurious to the many great names of them at home and abroad who are of this persuasion if I propound my doubts though not very necessary to the cause in hand They seem to me not to have been due under Moses by a Judicial Law for these reasons 1. They could not be Judicial as paid by the people to God Mal. 2.8.9 whence it is called a robbing of God to detain them nor yet as they were given by God to Levi. Judicials order things from man to man not from man to God nor from God to man 2. Judicials began with Moses politie such as were meerly so at least with Abrahams Family becoming a people for Political Laws suppose a body Politick to be Governed by them but
in second Table duties The heart must be changed before an acceptable obedience can be yeelded to these and paternal Laws can as little change the heart in one as in the other Instrumental causes must not be laid aside because they can do nothing without the concurrence and guidance of the principal Isa 60.10 Ps 2. 2. Due regard I hope will be had of Old Testament Prophesies that describe the state of the New Testament to us among many others take we that for instance that which of your own accord Neighbor you set up to frame an answer to as supposing your self best able to deal with Is 49.13 P. 6. They shal bow down that is they shall submit to Christ well but what is the nursing Fathers nursing Mothers They shall bring them in the Arms of love let that be it a man would look to find good Law in a Kings Arms wholesom Ordinances well duly executed making it a dangerous thing to offend or wrong one of Christs little ones You adde not scourge them with the rod of power what in no case though they offend and deserve it You have many such Anarchical expressions I hope they droped from you unadvisedly Christians are for the Magistrates armes his love care protection defence from his person State Laws Forces every thing he hath he is not to count any thing too dear for them not his life but he hath a Rod to chastise their wantonness yea and a Sword to cut off their temporal life if they so deserve it They shall wait for the Lord not make the Lord wait for them very pretty and Rhetorical But where are the words that this interprets it must be the last in that Verse for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me But this is not spoken of Magistrates but of Christians who lay under heavy persecutions from Heathens and waited for deliverance and exaltation from Christ these have a promise not to wait in vain Emperours that formerly sucked the blood of Christians shal now hold out the breast to them did you not see this or would you not Why do you apply the words to Kings and Queens well as it is what sense hath your exposition They shall wâ—â—â— for the Lord attend to the movings of the Lord in themselves 〈◊〉 in their people is it thus But how without the use either of Ministery or Laws or the Laws only excluded but the Ministery admitted It may be so you say but good Laws may have a subordination in their place under the Lords moving aswel as good Preaching then what is the not making the Lord wait for them is it not hindering the Lords motions in themselves and their people a good sense this the Lord make all men aswel as Magistrates do so but this hath no oppositon to what is said by us and you but must hit us or you shoot besides the mark You would mean I suppose they must wait for the Lords movings in their people and not constrain them by Laws before the Lord make them willing but this is quite contrary to making the Lord wait for them for all the Musicalness of the words therefore it mistakes the sense of the place it interprets and it is hard to find what design is in it contradictory to us But all this while my very Elegant Neighbour the Nurse is forgotten the Armes are not the only things make a Nurse yet this is fair towards our cause from your own exposition Nurses are wont to have brests too and they are indeed the essentials of a Nurse now let our Magistrates have Armes by wholesome Laws to defend from injuries and let them have breasts too by wholesome Laws to provide sustenance for the Nurseling we will think he play the Nurse well and not otherwise yet we will allow him a Rod and a Sword too for bad Christians and for good ones also behaving themselves as the bad though you dare not trust him with edged tools Well the Milk and the maintenance have a very near correspondence we may think them the same but may not this â—ow from private devotion constraining themselves not from penal Laws constraining others otherwise then as so good an Example may provoke them not so the private devotion of Princes may reach far but this Nursery is too numerous to be provided for so and such as the Armes are such are the breasts a Prince both wayes rules when he rules by his Laws Besides it is not comely to straiten a promise without manifest reason promises love to be understood in the largest sense they may especially when we have the History of those Prophesies fulfilled so largely interpreting them as we have most amply when the Roman-Empire became Vassal to the Throne of Christ the Nurse then was very flush of Milk in both Breasts that of free Gift and that of Laws too and if promises be doubtful let the History expound them So in other cases we are wont to say with good acceptance how far it will be admitted here I cannot tell The next of our evidences is from several constitutions in the Gospel it self they are Matth. 28.18 Prov. 8.15.16 1. The Sovereignty of the whole world put into the hands of Christ Whence it follows That all earthly powers are by and under him By him Kings reign and so are to rule for him their Supream Soveraign John 17.2 Eph. 1.22 as all inferiour Offices are for the safety honour and welfare of the Superiour and are bound as much to preserve the dignity of the power above them as inferiours are bound to preserve their dignity And as this power of Christ over all flesh is with a peculiar reference to the good of his Elect so all officers under him are reasonably thought engaged to eye these peculiarly and tender them in their lawes and government whom their great Head and Soveraign particularly eye's and tenders so far as they are able to know them from other men I durst not omit this Reason because some friends in this cause are unsatisfied with it though did not the weight of the whole Conclusion lie much upon it I should have forborne Now 't is enough to say that this principle hinders not our Assâ—â—tion against the truth against whoever that defend the Erastian way the Ministers of Christ having from Christ as immediately and solely the power of Censure Mark 16.19 1â— 18 John 20.23 1 Cor. 5.12 13. as they have the power of Preaching and Administring the Sacraments as to which acts no man can ever prove the Magistrate Vice Christi we may safely then allow him to be so as to acts that are in his owns Sphere And as the principle is not to the hinderance of our Assertion for Church-government so neither is it to the furtherance of the Erastian unless it were proved that this Vicegerency is in the acts of government controverted Here that cause sticks and I think will doe
Moses and Aaron OR THE MINISTERS RIGHT AND THE MAGISTRATES DUTY Vindicated from the Exceptions made against both by Richard Kingsnoth in a late Book of his Entitled The true Tything of the Gospel-Ministers By DANIEL POINTEL a servant of Jesus Christ and Rector of the Church of Christ at STAPLEHURST Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Psal 77.20 Thou leddest thy People like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron LONDON Printed by T. C. for Samuel Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in Pauls Church-yard 1657. An Apologetick INTRODUCTION to my dear Brethren the Church and People of STAPLEHURST I Have found this cause between me and my neighbour among the saddest things that have befallen me since God brought me to this place And of many things deeply afflicting this is not the least that I am forced to a publick vindication for a publick offence and therein know not how to clear my self without shaming an aged disciple who is both the wrong-doer and the false accuser It is not much agreeable to my spirit to print upon any thing especially in this youth of mine but to print upon this Subject hath been much more against my spirit then most things else not but that the matters are weighty and greatly useful to the Churches welfare and the debates of this present time so it will be a word spoken in season But many others are concerned in it and who am I that I should stand up as a Champion for the two great Pillars of the Land Magistracy and Ministry in a time of shaking through so many fierce contradictions against them both 2. Besides this Cause is fully pleaded already by sundry learned judicious pens never yet answered nor ever likely to be answered whereas as to the matter of Tythes though many indeed appear against the divine right especially of our beyond-sea Divines both Popish and Reformed yet few or none of any judgment appear against the lawfulness of them 3. Because all undertakings of this nature are likely to meet with misconstructions enough from those men that know not how not to look asquint upon any thing we either say or do That charity that thinketh no evil how is it fled from the earth it will be thought by many a sufficient answer to all that is brought on the Ministers behalf to cry out covetousness and to all on the Magistrates to cry out persecution 4. But then when an unwelcome cause must be managed after an unwelcome manner the cause not to be handled in Thesi but in Hypothesi and that drawing in many personal things and mixing affections with judgements so that we have now to answer not Errour onely but anger peevishness self-will self-interests and as flowing from them calumnies false accusings unfaithful dealings c. Upon these thoughts I have been tossed up and down in my minde sometimes for replying sometimes against it till very necessity hath compelled me At the first reading of this Book I thought I might safely let it alone and that it needed no answer but when I understood how it was cryed up by that party and how prized by himself and that this perswasion was entered into others not Anabaptists that some things in it were not to be answered and seeing how unlikely it was that any Books new or old would ever be looked after by them to remove this prejudice unlesse some one were brought to their hands from a person known to them and fitted to this Book and Cause in which many things of fact are mixed with the matter of right which no mans Book could answer but mine and which I have understood have and do lie in the way of some though I hope not of many who have had a greater account of my Ministry till this unhappy debate sprang up These things have resolve'd my former doubtfulnesse and produced this Treatise here presented unto you Dr. Tillesly's whole Book against Selden is of this purposely It hath added to my encouragement in this work to see not much time needed in this question to turn over the writings of Ancients they to whom I write valuing them not and that work being done to our hands already by many for their sakes who do value them and our Learned Adversaries of the Divine Right of Tythes acknowledging what is pleaded upon that account not onely out of the monuments of Heathens they are said to have done it astutiâ Diaboli more probable I think what we finde in the famous Law of Edward the Confessor That the withholding of Tythes was Instinctu Diaboli then that the meer paying of Tythes was Some also enquire why the 7th of time among the Heathens should not be as much astutiâ Diaboli Rivet in Gen. 19. as the tenth of goods As for Fathers they are after a cleanly ingenuous manner put with patres excusari possunt c. So then Heathens Fathers are confessedly ours Clem. Alex. Stro. 5. p. 600. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Similia 6 to Strom. 685. we must try out the rest by Scripture only for they that will not be pressed by us with the authority of Fathers will not I hope presse us with the Authority of later Popish Monks the Pontificial Schoolmen who are all in this cause and good reason why against us Had my neighbour spared injurious speeches and not filled his Book with so many unkind calumniations but kept himself close to the question of right I should never have found fault with his omitting the narrative of matters of fact But seeing he hath sprinkled his Book all over with so much of that unsavoury salt I am forced to let you understand thus much that covetousness is a sinne that hath deep roots and is not plucked up many times when we think it is and when it is stubbed up in the main root it will yet leave many small fibra's behind which will often be a springing above ground and require a constant hand watchfully and industriously imployed in plucking them up and it would be more worth my neighbors time now in his old age among other things to enquire curiously into his own heart about this sin rather then spend his approaches to the grave in peevish quarrellings with and revilings of his neighbour who would fain have liv'd at peace with him Did I take any joy in recriminations it were no hard matter to evidence sore suspicions of covetousness in him even in the matter in debate between us I offer to take half the worth of what was in my account due to me for peace sake he offered about half of that which I would have taken and no man but will say he might with as good conscience have offer'd enough as any thing a greater proportion then a tenth freely given would have prevented this suspicion whereas a much less offer'd and onely
Churches of the Gentiles the Jewish had all things in common and yet it will not help the cause it is produced for by him and may be by others for though payed both at once they are payments distinct in nature having several grounds and several measures to direct and determine conscience by asmuch as if they were paid never so much asunder P. 18. Yet this instance is made a Rule for all Churches to walk by and to this purpose 1 Cor. 7.17 and 1 Cor. 4.17 are produced neither of which speak to the matter of maintenance particularly if at all Now to see the unhappiness of this man in all his reasonings be all this granted that the Ministers maintenance is no otherwise determined by God then the Poors and that the Apostles Ordinance about this in one Church is a Rule for all Churches it will then deserve an inquiry to know what that Ordinance was this we must take at the first Original Law about it not upon an after-Act upon special reasons varying in one particular from the first general constitution That we find a punctual Law indeed and pretty general 1 Cor. 16.1 2. but this runs quite in another strain the Rule is determinate and a very strait one too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arian Epict. l. 4.15 Proclaim that thou art at peace with all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatever they do to thee not as God hath prospered him in yet that is not the proportion of the heart and mind of the Giver but whatever he hath thriven in the whole increase of their stock in trading that week uncertain you will say that and whether we will or no we must leave it to mens wills and consciences unius cujusque arbitrio conscientiae what shall we leave so most Excellent Capel not the Law that 's determined in the Text it must be his obedience to the Law and that the Apostle left indeed not to mens wills that 's unhansome that word arbitrio but to their consciences that they deal faithfully in obedience to his Command to the utmost of their knowledge and for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a caveat sufficient indeeed Answer this to that learned mans exception about personal Tithes for which he brings those words This being the Laws in Corinth it met with a proud sturdy covetous people with whom the whole increase of a great gainful trading that City flourished in would have amounted to too great a summe for an evil eye contentedly to part with the Apostle having notice of it and their proneness upon every occasion to division through the influence false Teachers had among them takes quite another course in the second Epistle from what he used in the first not commanding them peremptorily without a reason nor appointing them what to give in any sense of the words but because of the hardness of their hearts leaving them free in the summe and endeavouring to raise them up another way by many most melting Arguments in two whole Chapters which course he had omitted altogether before so it appeares this was a special indulgence upon special causes relaxing the rigour of a severe Canon to the Corinthians and to them only as to all other Churches remaining in its full force vertue You will say this could not last long for men to bear all the losses in trading themselves and others to carry away all the gain true no more it did not the order it self expresses its own expiration when the Apostle came to carry away their charity to Jerusalem and for what I can see to the contrary it was but one weeks burden so far is it from being a perpetual Law for Ministers maintenance that it was not so much as a perpetual Law for Collections for the Poor so exceeding inconsiderable is this allegation to the purpose in hand yet one place there is which speaks to the Ministers maintenance indeed Phil. 4.17 18 19. we find diverse such in the Old Testament to Prophets especially which were never therefore pleaded Rules that so it ought to be done alwayes and no otherwise yet this is plainly and fully to the instance Payments to Ministers are either out of duty to supply them as God hath Commanded them to be supplied these have their measures bounded and not left arbitrary to the discretion and will of the people Other payments are out of courtesy as Testimonies of that love and kindness which is comely good people should and many do bear to their Ministers these are altogether arbitrary a little signifying love aswel as much Which of these two sorts the Philippians were does depend upon the knowledge of the Apostles then state if not necessitous we may admit the free will-offering in this place it being an Act of courtesy and Christian care if necessitous as it seems by Verse 14. and 16. the Gift was not free but a matter of plain duty will any deny this bounded as hath been forementioned and smelt never the worse in Gods nostrils for being Commanded and having an other Rule and measure besides mans own will See v. 10.14 The summe of this is Contribution to the Apostle in a necessitous condition was in it self a duty in its measure so far as it had a correspondency with Gods bounds then pointed out and known as hath been declared that was a duty too if in any thing their bounty exceeded this will be referred to their courtesy and was indeed a free Gift and as then so it is now the Stint does not thrust out the free Gift if men have hearts to exceed P. 2. P. 18. But these are the Sacrifices alone which are accepted with God that only and God accepts no other it must needs be so then indeed we have cause to look to that see what 's brought to convince us 1 Chro. 28.9 Again that What will not serving the Lord be accepted unlesse without a Command if will-worship become the only acceptable worship in your account how at randome do you write 1 Chro. 29.5 6 9. Accepted no doubt these were but the word only is wanting there were other Laws acknowledged at that time and were these snares to men they must obey them because Laws but they could not be accepted in their obedience to them because Laws too Oh do not write so reproachfully to the goodness of God 2 Cor. 9.14 and 8.1 Contribution is called a grace and that to their power Verse 2. was a grace enabling them to do their duty if the Apostle reason well Rom. 15.27 beyond their power was grace enabling them to an uncommanded Act of mercy obedience to just Commands is of grace Where there is a Ye must needs be subject Rom. 13.5 this done for conscience sake is a grace and accepted too is it not so still here wants the only Phil 4.17 18 19. The free Gift is an odour phy P. 2. P. 18. why put you in the word free 't
2 Cor. 8.3 yet it is beyond doubt they paid a tenth and more the number of Believers being for the greatest part of the poorer sort and they often sending relief to the Saints at Jerusalem and doing it to their power and beyond their power if this was not done in kind neither is it so with us in many places only with this difference then they paid much more in money then if they had paid the tenth in kind now they pay much lesse yet what is this to the change of the way there is a special reason for it they were then in a moving condition through manifold persecutions and though the Apostles in planting of Churches and ordaining of elders in every City did endeavour to bring them to a seâ—ed fixed State yet the rage of the Dragon gave them little rest first by the angry Jewish little Dog then by the fierce Heathen Mastife worrying them out of their goods and lives too Cruel edicts doing them much mischief and the Licentious Plundering Souldiers much more In such extremities there was no time of orderly Gathering and laying up Tithes in kind what they had was for the service of the Church no man looked for more then from hand to mouth all preparing for present Martyrdom yet even then as there was any breathing some instances are of payments in kind even of Tithes though I suppose not in the bulke but by Peice-meales as the necessity of those times required nothing then is to be drawn from these instances to prove Gods relinquishing his right to Tithes they paying more then a Tenth in valew other reasons being abundantly given why they did not pay a tenth in kind What the great Lud. Capel addes out of Matth. 23.23 from Christs opposing Tithing Mint and Anise and Cummine to the weightier matters of the Law which would not be if the Law were Moral is of small moment the opposition being not between the weightier matters and Tithe simply would the Learned Man say that to pay Tithes simply under the Law was not a weighty thing but between the weightier things and Tithes of mint c. so on the other side Christs ought here is insufficiently alledged for the morality of them because at this time all three Laws were standing so this Scripture may be let alone on both sides Adde we now for a close for all that Tithes are Christs Portion given P. 2. Hebr. 7.8 saith my Neighbour but I say paid by Abraham to Melchizedech and in him to Christ Levi a Tith-taker that dies Christ a Tith-taker that lives and so is Eternally due as long as such things are to be paid on Earth if Christ be not a perpetual taker of Tithes the Opposition is of no advantage on Christs side but Levi had it for he was a Tith-taker many ages of Generations together how then shall Christ take this due being now in Heaven but by those that are in his stead on Earth 2 Cor. 5.20 so he ever received Tithes even when he was in Earth and much more so now he is in Heaven This and 1 Cor. 9.14 upon the supposition that Tithes are no part of the Ceremonial Law have we as positive evidence that the particular determination of a tenth is still in force besides all that hath been said to answer the pretences for a repeal And what 's the issue of all are Tithes still of Divine right and to be resolved so by the force of these reasons I humbly submit them and my self to the censure of them that are able to Judg and will do it as becomes Christians without bitterness disdain As for you my good Friend truely loved Neighbour however I am dealt with by you I only say thus much do not scorn the question of the Divine right till you have distinctly and plainly answered what is here pleaded for it I shall readily and thankfully receive any light may be given me by them that can see further then my self even by you or any communicated by word or writing but meer words and confident assertions will not do it much lesse bitterness and wrath and clamours and evil speaking I may without arrogance affirm that nothing but plain Scripture demonstration must carry it against the reasons given and such I hope I shall freely acquiesce in there will be no need of reviling terms as long as I am ready to lay down my errour and my Tithes with it assoon as it is proved to be a Levitical Ceremony and so a sin to take it and not only nakedly affirmed one clear Scripture ground will go further with me then a thousand empty affirmations waspes without stings make an angry noise to fright Children but they hurt them not The Ministers second Plea for his Portion The Magistrates Power and Duty in making Laws for the Church I Am now to begin a new Webbe but that which I hope we shall see come about sooner the power and duty of Magistrates to see Gods Laws for the maintenance of his Ministers put in execution A question wherein Magistrates have many Adversaries but it is a great cause of grief to see some Magistrates their own Adversaries The grand Adversary here is the Papist whose usual reproach it is that our belief followes the State and that our Religion is Parliamentary but we can bear with such reproaches it is more comfortable to see a Papist raile against the truth then trample over it but that within those walls there should be found so many that think Religion an unfit thing to determine of is a thing greatly to be lamented May Papists for ever fear the name of a Parliament under what cunning disguise soever they dresse themselves and may Parliaments never turn their feares into despisings by making themselves Vile in their eyes what are Magistrates lesse under Christ in the New Testament then they were in the Old Does not reason tell us that the scope of Politick Societies is not meerly to live but to live well and is there any living well without the Soul be provided for Hath God declared and done so much against the Idolatry of the people of Israel and do we not yet think that the care of Gods Worship is of main concernment to the temporal welfare of a people Do such Magistrates think themselves keepers of swine whose care is only that they have Meat and Drink that they gore not one another and be not a prey to them that invade them Have not we Souls to provide a well-being for as well as bodies What a torture and plague would it be for a man of a Spirit Zealous for Christ to be a Magistrate if he must have great power put into his hands enabling him to do much and yet withal his hands bound that he shall do nothing I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of God in the meanest Office wherein as such I may Act for Christ then in the highest Office of State
useful for the Publick even as the day laborers this will be enough to ground a provision for a just subsistence for one as well as for the other if our way of life be such as may be allowed they must see that we may live and not perish in iâ— A very Heathen tolerating the Christian Religion within his Dominions may and ought to tell Christians If you will be of this Religion and have Ministers wholly attending on this very thing to me they are so many droâ—es bring nothing to the hive yet seeing â—o you they are necessary you shall maintain them to you they are Ministers to me they are subjects if you will use them you shall keep them they shall live among you This would be reasonable language honourable and of right to be expected from a very Turk But we have no Histories of any such thing done by Magistrats in the New Testament for the Religion of Christ Admit this yet our cause stands more firmly upon the forementioned pillars of right then it could upon any examples of fact we have the best plea. The Magistrates neglect here was their sin and prayed against by the Church Yet that nothing may be wanting which might be desired in this cause we have Magistrates favourers of the Gospel and the Apostles using them and submitting to them though not Supream ones indeed yet subordinate ones and the consequence from these to them is good à majore if the Rulers of the Synagogues were such God never appointed any such Officer to minister in holy things neither ever did they and scourging the punishment they used is no Church-punishment Luke 4.16 17. Acts 13.15 18.8 Now Christ submits to this power never gainsaying them but when they executed their Office amisse The like we finde the Apostles to have done after him and we may well think that Crispus and other chief Rulers converted to the Faith had no lesse authority in their respective Synagogues then they had before it being no more then what the Kings of Judah had anciently practised and now could not so fully and with that authoritie be practised in Judaea the government now being in the hands of Heathens And in the several Plantations of Jewes it could not possibly be otherwise the power of Kings thus parcell'd and weakened as it wont to be in the declinings of every Government Such there must be if any thing done in these matters at all others playing the careless Gallios and resolving not to be Judges in any such matters And all this may be well allowed without clashing of their Authority of whose warfare the weapons are spiritual We acknowledge more in the Kings of Judah then ever can be proved to have been in the Rulers of the Synagogues and yet no diminution to those powers which Christ hath immediately stated upon the Ministers of his holy things Adde now for a close of all Rev. 17.12 16. that the Magistrates are they that shall haâ—e the whore and make her desolate and naked and this not only as a bloody Whore but as a Whore a Spiritual Fornicator from God every one of them jointly in a most just engagement against her and severally in their respective dominions and he that hath power to punish hath power to protect he who is to pull down Antichrist is to set up Christ if for Christs sake he meanes to pull him down Now why should this Whore say to Kings what have you to do with my Idols Your Commission is but in civil things hardly in them neither a reference to Spirituals may hook them in too leave me to the Lords time t is no wonder she knows they are the persons appointed by God to make her desolate and naked and to eat her flesh and burn her with fire could she perswade them to let her alone with her Adulteries she were safe then But for those who would be thought the onely through enemies of the Whore in the world all having some confederacy with her more or lesse but they who hate her and petition for things purposely as they say that the Whores Flesh may be eaten and she burnt with Fire these men if they mean as they speak deserve to be wondred at indeed O ye Rulers pull down Tithes that Antichristian yoke and impose nothing upon mens consciences in the room of them let every one Worship God in his own way that so you may eat the Whores Flesh and burn her with Fire let her alone that you may destroy her touch her not that you may make her naked the most effectual means to ruine Antichrist this they plot against us with all their wit and malice continually and put their plots in execution unweariedly sparing neither cost nor industry and we are perswaded the best course against them is to let them alone and take their course tamely to give up our throats to be cut by them and this not only a duty from us but the most effectual means to ruine them I shall not wish these mens Daughters may play the Harlots that they may learn by an home experience whether let them alone be the only effectual means to reclame them But such reasonings we must expect from men when they are appointed to destruction Quos Deus vult perdere dementat prius Now my good Friend and Neighbour what is it you have to lay in the Ballance against these many so strongly concluding reasons one would expect nothing lesse then down right New Testament Laws against us who shall read your peremptory conclusion This is the period of all P. 16. the Gospel must be free and kept free from mans power for this is an Ordinance of God An Angel of God let down from Heaven charging mankind to fear God and believe in Christ could speak no otherwise yea and we are threatned too who every one the Protector P. 7. if he find not out the old Romish Laws that have commanded Tithes his sin will find him out who else the whole Nation and Nations It is no wonder that Gods Judgements do impend Nations whose Princes and Teachers hinder this odour the free will-offering Marvailous confidence especially if we adde the magnificent conclusion More of this strain P. 12. as if it were an old Oracle out of Christs own mouth he that hath ears to hear let him hear A man would think nothing lesse then the Denyal of Christ came in the Flesh even the expresse Denyal were threatned thus in these dreadful words but 't is no more then this That Princes may make no Laws to command the people to give the Spiritual Labourer his wages they must do it of their own accord or the Labourer must have nothing and be contented too for they owe him no more then what they please to give him if this be all we are pretty well pacified no great cause for such an out-cry yet if the evidence produced of Gods mind in this thing be
imposed upon any for a rule of practice and if that motion be embraced this Argument is vanished Well shut you up your Argument from Examples thus O ye Rulers be ye followers of Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzer Nero Trajan Severus Diocletian c. We on the other side will urge ours from Examples thus O ye Rulers be ye the followers of David Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah Nehemiah Constantine Theodosius c. And let them Judge of the patternes which they like best P. 7. 2 Cor. 11.8 9 11. as most becoming that holy name that is upon them The Apostles gave us no such Example true the then Magistrates were not in a case to relieve them and the then Christians needed no complaints of that nature to be made against them or if any did as the Corinthians to Paul a supply was made elsewhere as to him from the Brethren of Macedonia though they were apt to create a jealousy whether he loved them or no from whom he would receive nothing which he prevents and removes any of these will answer as strong an Argument as this is There are many that are so happy as never to need a Magistrate for the recovery of any debt whatsoever the Apostles never used them for this 1 Cor. 6.1 and when some Corinthians did so they are check'd for it yet the Magistrates have power to help such injur'd ones if need be or they have power for nothing P. 9. Christ gave no such Precept to sue for Tithes What then therefore not lawful Christ gave no such precept to sue for any debt therefore not lawful what think you It is enough that Magistrates have a precept from Christ to execute Judgment and though all men ought to make use of Magistrates Authority with much tendernesse as their last refuge and Ministers especially above others yet when there is no remedy the wrong cannot be suffered under and no mediation will serve the turn it is then a liberty for them and as the case may be a Duty to make use of this Ordinance of Christ and Ministers are not the onely persons cut short of the benefit of this common relief if we are shew where I think we lie under a peculiar duty above others in as much as what Title we lose we lose not to our children but to succeeding Ministers and in them to the Church of God for ever And whatever we have only the use of we are bound to deliver it up as entire as we found it But is suing for Tithes peaceabe I think not and I think yea But must the matter goe by your thinking and mine Any that reads this would take you to be as utter an enemy to Magistracy as ever Anabaptist was Why should suing for Tithes be more unpeaceable then suing for any thing else or a Ministers suing more then another mans Suing is then unpeaceable when it is upon claimes known to be unrighteous if I verily think what I sue for is not his that detaines it I am not unpeaceable if I humbly submit my cause to the determination of those Ministers of God who serve for that very thing Rom. 13.6 no though I be in a mistake and it be his not mine if it be for trifles which may be put up without any great damage if we run hastily to strive without trying all other remedies if the free fair and speedy determination of the cause like to goe against us be hindred by our peevish revengeful spirits Such circumstances about suing may render it unpeaceable but in its selfe it is not so but a most necessary remedy to keep men in peace and not to right wrongs received with their own hands P. 9. Of the untrueness of the Relation see P. 5. Lest we should say you are the Ministers of men and so no Ministers of Christ you deny Princes gift Strange If it be Princes gift will that make us more the Ministers of men then if it be peoples gift You should have put in lawes in stead of gift so as I explained my self Correct that now 't is the Lawes of men were then and are now spoken of Let us then see whether a maintenance so had will make us Ministers of men and so no Ministers of Christ One proof me thinks of this Argument might have been intimated at least to make it appear only so formidable as that when it was a great way off only foreseen we should run away from it utterly deny that which would have brought so dreadful a coâ—sequence upon us The truth is I foresaw no such consequence at all much lesse was I afraid of it neither doe I yet though you have told me it For supposing such a Law might not a man have gifts and grace from God for the work of the Ministry might he not be stirred up to the work might he not be invited to a people destitute of help and accept of the invitation Might he not be ordained to the Office of a Minister of Christ by Praâ—er and Fasting with the laying on the hands of the Presbytery Might he not act in this Office as Gods Embassador Teaching Exhorting Commanding Reproving Comforting exercise all that belongs to him in the whole power of the Keyes by binding and loosing all in Gods name and in Christs stead Might he not be still employed in bringing men from the power of Satan unto God and in edifying those that have been already called Have not thousands been so since these Lawes have been in the world Might they not receive all their encouragements from Christ even this of faithful Magistrates under Christ encouraging him in the work as they commanded him to doe his duty in the work How will this one thing dash all he hath his maintenance from Christ by the hands of Christian Magistrates who should have had it from Christ by the hands of Christian people But if this be to be Ministers of men to be under the Authority of the Civil Magistrate to be commanded by them to doe our duty to be liable to punishment from them in case we neglect our duty to be encouraged by them in our faithfulnesse to our duty We own our selves Ministers of men in such senses and hope to be found the rather Ministers of Christ for so doing And we do withal professe our selves bound thankfully to acknowledge all encouragements we receive from the Magistrates protection to pray for them and contribute our utmost endeavours to maintain their just Authority they have from God against all heady seditious Principles in matters of State as they are bound to maintain that just Authority which we have from God against the like heady principles in matters of Religion And we see men would not believe it sooner they that are giddy one way are like enough to be soon giddy another way too And when both doe our duties towards each other we shall give Papists and Atheists that I include not you leave to mock on
great weight and obstinacy in any evill to preserve the reputation of our wisedome will be an hainous crime in any Cause much more in this As a Conclusion of this Discourse I shall adde some general Answers to other mens Exceptions against the Magistrates making Laws in matters of Religion and then I shall have done with the second Plea The first Pretence is the difficulty of defining to the Magistrate his due bounds in such matters All yield some infirmities of mind as to the belief of Truth allowable as well as some infirmities of heart as to the practice of Duty And where shall we set the bounds why such a difficulty now more then under the Old Testament Hath Christ given us the Gospel to obscure the Truths of God or to make them more illustrious At least fix there this at first sight is reasonable let the bounds that then were as to matters moral and perpetual be now 2. May we not agree thus far to restrain men from trampling under their feet that blood which must save them and from doing despite to the Spirit of Grace keep men from committing that sin which shal never be forgiven them 3. Can we punish an Adulterer with death and yet tolerate those filthy Principles through which he was led to commit it 4. If men hold principles formally destructive of Civil Government shall these by that Law be tolerated by which Civil Government is upheld For my part I professe though I am not so self-conceitedly cruel as to wish nothing tolerated yet I cannot but tremble at an Act of Toleration for any thing that is evil For what is that but to make a State-allowance for men to sin Should I hear of an Act of Toleration to but an officious lye I should think it an evil greatly to be lamented yet I would not have every such a one haled to the tribunal of publick Justice for it If any thing be to be declared in the matter of Toleration it were more proper to declare severely what they will not tolerate then what they will But this Conscience is a tender thing and may not be forced Religion is not to be beaten but perswaded into men Gen. 9.27 that 's the way of the Gentiles Conversion Prophesied of Why Lawes Politick have for their end to revenge the evil done by executing wrath upon the doer to the terrour of others the recovery and salvation of the offendor onely so far as is consistent with this So in other matters why not so here too Rom. 13.4 Must Conscience be made a sacred Asylum for all manner of villanies to have a refuge to and there defie the justest Lawes that are made against them Thou shalt take him from my Altar that he die saith God Every Malefactor may escape thus But are Poenal Lawes no helps towards the conversion of him that suffers them unadvisedly sure God whips men so often into pure Consciences by several chastisements A power indeed there goes with the Rod but it would be a power alone if the Rod did nothing Nor so fitly sure is chastening children so often commanded unto Parents All other Parents come to their children with a Rod heavenly and earthly and they suppose and finde it to their childrens good profit Shall the publick Father alone either have no Rod or his an unprofitable one Rods do not change the heart but they may awaken the secure quiet sinner unto a consideration of his wayes they may soften the hearts stubbornness Eccl. 7.14 though then 't is another hand must set to the seal when the wax is softened when they doe least they may restrain the impudent profession of sin though they cannot remove the love of sin in the heart Laws against Murder and Adultery cannot take away the inclination of the heart to such sins yet are they not in vain We cannot by law change a sinners heart but we may change his place by Law Our Our Brethren in New-England can banish them whom they cannot reclaim We cannot by Law change mens hearts yet we may by Law encourage them who by Christ are imployed for that very purpose and remove from them those that seduce and pervert them and this will go very far towards the changing of their hearts If conscience be a thing that cannot be forced why fear we making Laws about it If Lawes are good they may direct warn draw a bad conscience and it were not much harm if they could force it better is a forced good then a free evil If Lawes are bad what fear we they may discover a bad conscience but they cannot force the good But here is another sore Objection Few men are good and great too Not many mighty Buchanans message to King James when he lay upon his death-bed is too true He was a going to that place whither few Kings would follow him Will not this rather hazard the persecution of the good conscience rather then the punishment of the evil Were it not better that known Malefactors should be spared now that hereafter if ungracious Magistrates be set up in wrath Gods people may be spared under them Doubtless a very subtil device and pity that Hezekiah did not wisely foresee what the conditon of Gods people might be under his Son Manasses and tolerate Idolaters under his Reign that so Manasses might tolerate the true worshippers under his Nay let us enlarge the politick counsel too If Parents and Masters that are godly should suffer sin in their children and servants in hopes that the many Parents and Masters that are wicked will doe the like to their children and servants that are godly would it not be deep designe too especially the good Parents and Masters being so few and the bad so many What care doe men take sincere Christians may never feel the Crosse Yet that was one of Christs Legacies to his it was the Apostles glory is that to which all they that will live godly are appointed and the first Christians counted them happy that endured but with us how effeminate and worldly and ambitious a thing is the profession of Religion grown to be Grace shal spare sin that sin hereafter may spare grace Have we this league within us too or are we sure sin will stand to the terms never look that wicked ones will deale so gently with the good conscience as we expect they should Papists never yet gave us any such instances to hope so and if the witnesses be not yet slain by them and far wiser men then I think they are not there is a sea of blood more to be added to what is under the Whores skirts already Pray how long is it since the Lion turned Lamb Blood is an essential ingredient in the Religion of a Papist and let those who have received the most deadly principles that Popery hath in the Doctrinal part of it already adde but the open profession of Popery yea let them but hold the same things
covenant they were once received into and from that Church membership that flowes from thence yea when we suppose the evidences for the contrary are full and not onely not yet soundly answered by any but not answerable we in this speak our very mind And we desire you to believe us when we professe our selves amazed to see what miserable shifts you are put to establish the Foundations of the contrary side Timetis dicere non Baptizentur ne non solum facies vestrae sputisinficiantur virorum verum etiam Capita Sandaliis muliercularum comminuantur Aug. contrà Julianum l. 3.5 〈◊〉 enim illi trati lavacrum regenerationis remissionis peccatorum audent negare ne hoc Christianae aures ferre non possint 2. de peccat origin 1 Tim. 4.8 Gen. 17.7 8 â—0 Gal. 5.3 it grieves us to see some of you for this end to revive Pelegianisme by denying original sin yet Pelagius durst not deny Infant baptisme for all that though often put to it Aug. tells us what would have become of him if he had he would have been in danger of mens spitle and Womens Scandals if he had Christian ears could not endure such a thing to see your self and many others of you to hold original sin universally remitted to al mankind by a general Covenant strang this to us that there should be a Covenant remitting sinnes which hath no condition on mans side and that all the damned should have one sin remitted to them when they have none else the very best of you seem to us to be left to sad plunges by denying Infants the benefit of our special Covenant who with us and you hold original sin and with us against you deny its univeversal Remission when they know not what to say concerning the hope of any Infants salvation but leave them to God that is in effect contentedly give them all up to Hell That distinction of Spiritual promises to the Spiritual seed only Fleshly promises to the Fleshy-seed is verily to us an amazement it overturnes the Foundations of Divinity we verily believe that the same thing that gives us a Covenant Title to the Kingdom of Heaven gives us a Covenant Title to a piece of bread that Spiritual and temporal blessings dispensed by way of promise to a particular person flow from one and the same Covenant that 't is Godlinesse hath the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come that God puts them both together in the Covenant with Abraham and his Seed that I will be their God is exceedingly more then I will give them the Land of Canaan that God did not mocke the Servant among the Jews and the Proselytes when he gave circumcision as a sign between them and him when he intended that on his part it should signify nothing that God would never make man a debter to him in the sign of the mutual Covenant who by the same Covenant and sign of would make himself a debter of nothing to man that unbelief would never have kept the Jews Hebr. 3.19 whose carkasses fell in the wildernesse from entring into the Land of Canaan and Idolatry with other sins would never have cast them out again if Canaan had belonged unto them meerly as the Fleshly Seed of Abraham if the same Faith which was the condition of the Heavenly Canaan were not also the condition of the Earthly that Abraham is in vain made a pattern of justification to all Nations if what was done in him was singular and rested in his person if circumcision were a seal of the Righteousnesse of Faith to him and to him onely Rom. 4.11 we conceive the Apostle excludes such phancies in his own expresse words he received that he might be a Father and what is this that he might be a Father he explaines himself that righteousnesse might be imputed to them also I would hazzard any ill consequent might be soundly drawn from the Doctrine of Infant Baptisme then venture any one of these things they are verily in our eyes monstrous imaginations of dreaming men al of them to us it seems a certain truth that spiritual promises to the Fleshly Seed of Abraham were a part and the chiefest of Abrahams blessing that this is come on the Gentils through Jesus Christ Gal. 3.14 Rom. 11.16 that if the root be holy so are the branches is a truth universally verified of Jew Gentile where God puts our Childrens names into the Sealed Indenture of Covenant between us him we dare not be so blasphemous to God unnatural to our Children as to blot out their names again these are our very thoughts we shut our eyes against no light but have weighed what is alledged on the behalf of your cause in the ballance of our most impartial judgement according to Scripture and find it light and our Request to you is if you must suppose us to erre in judgement the Lord reveal even this unto you that yet where our conversation is orderly according to the Gospel you would spare our hearts which are to be judged by a Severer one that knows them better and their secrets then you do Rom. 2.16 That you would remember what benefit your self once received in your most zealous following of such as we are and would conclude it possible that others may have the same benefit in their conscientious attendance upon us now and so out of gratitude charity and wisdom to stand out of the way of that curse which is wont to be the portion of them that heave at that burdensome stone Zech. 12.3 1 Thes 2.16 who hinder the Preaching of the word to ignorant carnal ones that they may be saved the objects of so much pitty and compassion and if it be their stubbornenesse that they will not follow your assemblies yet let them be brought to Christ anywhere and do you rejoyce with us at such powerful experiences of mercy and do not envy us why should you seek to destroy us by Petitions Remonstrances Practices Do not do so it will not turn to your account if you must divide carry it no further then needs must if you cannot have to do with us P. 6. as much as it were comfortable that you did and we take it to be your duty yet resolve not to have nothing to do with us nothing is a hard word and Actions suiteable to such words are harder no dealing was high arrogance in the Jews Jo. 4.9 even against Samaritans Christ sets us there a more merciful Example there is love pitty Prayer doing good speaking well furthering one another in what we agree debating what we differ in with ingenuous opennesse humility These are better then nothing to do Rom. 3.13 14. and meekenesse if we must speak amisse of wayes be we tender how we speak amisse of persons a great sumptome of an high inward Feaver is a black fowl rough tongue David and Paul