Message And strange it is to see with what seeming Zeal R. B. seeks notwithstanding to maintain the Ministers of the Reformed Churches to be truly Called and divinely Ordained the Ministers of Jesus Christ and to be such as they to whom Christ said He that heareth you heareth me c. whenas he himself makes bold very much and in many things to contradict and gain-say very many of their Doctrines which they preach as from God to the people How would he take it to be charged for his so doing with a despising of Christ and of God and with making God a Lyar would he think you submit unto it confess and repent thereof as of his great and haynous sin or would he not rather think him that should so charge him to be some Fool or Mad-Man for his labour And in page 8. of his second sheet how strangely and untruly doth he expound and apply the Kingdom and Reign of Christ over the House of Jacob for ever making this to mean the Gentile-Christian Church in this World and from the endlesness of that Kingdom of Christ mentioned in Luk. 1. 33. and in other Scriptures of like import there cited by him he would prove the endlesness of a true Ministry and Christian Church upon Earth in this world asserting the Ministers of the Reformed Churches to be the ordinary and true Ministers of Christ continued by him since the extraordinary Ministry ceased and the reformed Churches to be that his Kingdom and House of Jacob over which Christ by these his Officers reigns for ever And this he indeavours to prove by many Arguments from the Third Proposition in the seventh Page to the end of his Book Arguing in the eleventh Page thus Either these Pastors of the Reformed Churches are the true Ministers of Christ or else there are none such visible in the world but there are such visibly and certainly in the VVorld else there is no Church Answ I must here confess that I never so well knew as now I do what was meant by the Presbyterial Discipline and Church-Government which they so much so long and so eagerly have pursued and sought to be established amongst us and are yet restless to get it up Yet I have heard of their Horning men in Scotland for their not conforming to the Worship Discipline and other their humane Inventions even to the utter ruine of the Men their Wives and Children But now I perceive their Government is Imperial and King-like Their Parishes their Kingdoms wherein And see what blind obedience he requires us to yield to these Rulers in the second Part of his Saints Rest pag. 241. Where he tells us That if these Rulers Stewards require us to believe when we know not our selves whether it be Truth or not or if they require us to obey when we know not our selves whether it be a Duty commanded by God or not here it is saith he that we ought to obey them they are to Rule and Reign and their silly Parishioners their Subjects and Vassals over whom they are to Reign as Stewards and Deputy-Kings in Christ's stead And I must also confess that I never saw in so small a Compasse so much Sophistry used and so much Scripture with so much impudence and with so much Ignorance expounded and applied as in these two sheets of his For by Christs Kingdom and Reign over the House of Jacob mentioned Luk. 1. 33. can be meant no other thing then the Throne of David which Christ is to inherit mentioned in the 32 verse and in Isa 9. 7. wherein he must sit and Reign over the House of Jacob for ever according as it was Covenanted and sworn to David who as Peter saith Act. 2. 30. Being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne Now where Davids Throne and Reign over the Twelve Tribes or whole House of Jacob was there Christs Throne and Reign over them must be but David's Throne and Reign over them was in Jerusalem in the Land of Canaan therefore Christ's Throne and Reign over them must be there also It being therefore fore-told by the Prophet Ezek. 37. 16 19 20 21 22. That all the Tribes or whole house of Israel shall be brought again into their own Land and be there again united into one Kingdom and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all And the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 3. 17 18. likewise tells us of a time when they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord And the House of Judah shall walk with the House of Israel and they shall come together cut of the North to the Land which was given to their Fathers to possess And therefore it is that Ezekiel in Chap. 20. 41 42. tells us that they shall be gathered out of all Countreys wherein they are scattered or wherein they yet shall be led captive by the power of Antichrist upon his surprisal of them at his taking of Jerusalem mentioned in Zach. 14. 1. compared with Dan. 7. 25 26. which is not yet nor will be until a little before the Personal coming of our Lord Jesus Christ whose coming will be to avenge them on Antichrist and on all other their Oppressors to redeem them out of captivity to set up that his Kingdom and to set them therein from thenceforth and for ever then will the Kingdom be restored to Israel and Christs Reign over them and the whole earth shall be thenceforth everlasting World without end Zach. 14. 3 4 5 9 17. compared with Luk. 19. 11 12 15. and with Luk. 21. 23 24 27 to 33. Luk. 18. 5 9. with Jer. 30. 4 to 11. Act. 1. 6. with Act. 3. 20 21. Isa 45. 17 18. Heb 2. 5. with Psal 93. 1. This being the same Kingdom wherein Christ promised his Disciples that they should eat and drink at his Table and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luk. 22. 29 30. This Kingdom also is mentioned Dan. 7. 14 18 20 to 28 and which shall not begin until the fourth and last Monarchy together with Antichrist set forth by the Little Horn vers 8. be destroyed which will not be until the Personal coming of Christ as Saint Paul informs us 2 Thess 1. 7. compared with Chap. 2. 1 to 9. and which also is pointed out in the seventh of Daniel verse 8 to 12. For Satan is the Prince of this world John 14. 30. The portion therefore of the righteous in this life is Tribulation as Christ tells his Disciples John 16. 33. 2 Thes 1. 4. The Church-state in this world being a persecuted and an afflicted estate wherein they are to exercise much patience expecting rest and reward in the Kingdom of Christ at his coming 2 Thes
that that is past halt not so between both if either be sufficient to uphold your Doctrine then cleave to that but you seem to doubt either alone why else make you such use of both A. For do not you say page 32. as before is noted That you have the â—ull use and benefit of the Holy-Ghost which was formerly given which if true is sufficient without your having it now your selves in particular for it alone was sufficient to them that then had it and if you have the full use and benefit of that now it alone is sufficient for you also and now to have it your selves too is supersluous and over and above what is sufficient but they formerly manifested their having of it so must you before any wise man will believe your having it because the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every one that had the Spirit to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. Page 38. B. Christ hath now delivered up even all the Learning in the world that is worth the speaking of unto his Church and continued even these common gifts of the Spirit therein N. The Church of Rome will challenge this as much as you if not more A. But the Church of Rome is more wise and reasonable then to account humane Learning any gift of the Spirit or to make it any mark of a true Christian since Heathens and Unbelievers may have humane Learning and had it in great measure among their Philosophers c. but the gifts of the Spirit were given onely to believers and that after they believed Eph. 1. 13. Act. 19. 2. Act. 2. 38. Page 46. B. The Scripture being true and the Christian Religion certainly true every part of it must needs be true N. Where is that Bible or Scripture A. And is not the Church of Rome the Quakers the Antinomians and divers other whom you oppose all Christian and their Religion Christian Religion and if true in every part VVhy do you then oppose them in many if not in most parts of their Religion but haply by Christian Religion you mean onely your own Religion Let me then ask you Is your Religion true in every part If it be why then do so many as learned Christians and as true Ministers of the reformed Churches as your self oppose you and you them in so many parts of your Religion being all Christian Religion and true in every part and all of you also true Ministers of Jesus Christ as you assert How fell you out and How comes it to pass that you be at so great Odds even about the most essential Doctrines of the Gospel yea and about the very Person and Nature of Christ himself Nay How comes it to pass that you so heave and cast out one another out of Habitation Liveli-hood and Maintenance and so much seek to get places of profit from one another as you do all of you being the true Ministers and Officers of the Kingdom of Christ Surely the Apostles may fear to admit you as such into the true Kingdom of Christ lest you should there likewise heave them out of their places appointed for them to eat and drink at Christs Table and also justle them besides their Thrones whereon they are to sit to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel in the Kingdom of Christ Luk. 22. 29 30. Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Page 57. B. As the bodies of men do live and speak and reason by the soul so doth the Church live and move by the spirit of Jesus N. In which of the many sorts and Sects of Christians is this Church to be found since Rome and all other challenge to be the true A. And also to have this Spirit of Jesus yea and to live and move thereby yea and by that Spirit of Jesus which each will pretend to have they will judge each other sort dissenting from them to be led by the Spirit of Error Page 80 81. B. Jesus did send forth his Spirit into his prophets before his coming and more fully into believers since his coming to be his infallible witness to the world to convince the unbelieving and confirm believers and that this Spirit was poured out on the Church especially on the Apostles causing them to prophesie and speak with strange Languages and cast out Devils and heal Diseases and that the same Spirit is given to all true believers in all ages to guide c. N. Is it the same and not the same powerful works of manifestation to accompany it A. Yea and which did and will alwayes accompany it for by Spirit of God and Power of God is one and the same thing meant in many places of Scripture As Stay until ye be endued with power from on High i. e. with the spirit Luk. 24. 49. Ye shall receive power when the Holy-Ghost is come upon you or the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you Act. 1. 8. My speech and my preaching came not with perswasive words of mans wisdom but with evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power that your faith might not stand in the wisdome of men but in the power or Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. And it cannot be imagined that this self same Spirit which was then so powerful is now grown old weak and feeble nor that it hath lost or is separated from that its might and power Page 81. B. That it is and must needs be the holy Spirit of God which doth such Miracles as were then wrought and attesteth and revealeth so holy a Doctrine N. But where are any such to attest the Truth of your Doctrine or are we bound to take it on trust Page 83. B. It is most expedient that Christ our head should be bodily present in Heaven but send his Spirit to his lowest and remotest Members N. In 1 Cor. 12. these spiritual Members of Christs body are set out by manifest gifts onely Page 84. B. It actuated the first Church after Christ with a force extraordinary by Miracles Prophesie Healing Languages c. N. Here you make a difference without warrant see Mar. 16. 16. Joh. 14. 12. and by limiting it to the first you contradict your self elsewhere in proving these continued long after the first Church Page 85. B. John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever N. The same Spirit and Power to be with the true Church for ever A. A little before to wit in page 80 81. you say That the same Spirit by which the mighty works were wrought formerly is given to all true believers in all ages Whence will necessarily follow That all true Churches and all true Ministers of the Gospel must be endued with the same power as formerly And thus and not otherwise the text in John 14. 16. is truly expounded Page 87. B. He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is said to be none of his N.
1. 3 4 5 6 7. Mat. 5. 12. They having here a race set before them to run with patience and hold out to the end of their lives before they can get the prize And a warfare wherein they must fight hold out to the end and conquer before they can obtain the Crown in the day and Kingdom of Christ 1 Cor. 9. 24 25 26 27. Heb. 12. 1. Jam. 1. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Yea and hold out unto death and overcome before they can receive the Crown of life and sit with Christ in his Throne and Kingdom Rev. 2. 10 26. Rev. 3. 21. Come ye blessed of the Father and inherite the Kingdom prepared for you Mat. 25. 34. This will not be said and performed by Christ to the righteous until after his coming in glory verse 31. All which places with many more that might be cited if need were do evidently shew That the Church in this world is not the Kingdom of Christ intended and meant in Luk. 1. 33. Isa 9. 6 7. nor in Psal 145. 13. as R. B. very inconsiderately expounds it to be for the Children of God must through much tribulation enter into that Kingdom Act. 14. 22. Through it note that and be past all for they shall have none at all after they once enter into that Kingdom I hope by this time I have quit my self of being an Infidel intimated by R. B. pag. the seventh which I conceive cannot justly be charged upon any man though he should but believe an Almighty God Maker of heaven and earth and that he is a Rewarder of them that seek him being no Respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him But as for his term Heathen I know not well his meaning but it may be feared That the righteousness of many who are by us called Heathens will finde acceptance with God when neither the faith nor righteousness of most called Christians will finde any A Gentile I confess my self to be so also must he unless he be a very Jew Thou seest Reader that R. B. his whole drift in this his second Sheet is to prove himself and the Ministers of the Reformed Churches to be the true Ministers of Jesus Christ which he endeavours to do by laying this ground viz. Christ saith he must alway have a true Church upon Earth even to the end of the world Whence he infers a necessity of a true Ministry there also because saith he pag. 8. The Church never did nor can subsist without its Officers who are an essential part of it as it is a politick body and the most eminent part as it is a Community Then he endeavours to prove the Ministers of the reformed Churches to be those Ministers or Officers by an argument pag. 11. thus framed Either those Pastors of the reformed Churches are the true Ministers of Christ or else there are none such visible in the world but there are such visibly and certainly in the world else there is no Church So then thou maist see That the whole stress of his Arguments to prove the Ministers of the reformed Churches to be the true Ministers of Christ hangs meerly upon this single pin namely That Christ must have a true Christian Church upon the earth alway even to the end of the world and his chiefest proof for that is First Mat. 28. 20. from Christs promise to be with his eleven Apostles alway even to the end of the world This promise R. B. saith is absolute that Christ will be with the eleven Apostles and their successors alway c. and therefore a true Church must be alway upon earth even to the end of the world Secondly from Luke 1. 33. and other Texts of like import where it 's said That Christ must raigne over the house of Jacob for ever and of that his Kingdom there shall be no end This house of Jacob and Kingdom of Christ R. B. expounds to be the Christian Church upon Earth in this world and thence concludes no end of the being of a true Church or Ministry upon earth Both which Expositions of his I have denyed and thou hast seen my Proofs and Refutations And mayst yet further see how these two Scriptures do interfere and cross one another and that in the main and chief point for which they are produced by R. B. to accord in viz to prove the time of the continuance of the Christian Church upon earth For if it be granted that both these Texts do mean the Christian Church in this world as they do not yet the one refers the continuance thereof but to the end of the world and the other refers it to no end at all but to be everlasting and for ever even as the Kingdom of Christ must be from the time of its first establishment Rev. 11. 15. Dan. 7. 14 18 27. Micha 4. 7. compared with Luk. 1. 33. Isai 9. 6 7. Psalm 145. 13. These last three being the Scriptures cited by R. B. to prove and uphold the kingly priesthood and raigne of the Ministers of the reformed Churches in Christs stead in his Kingdom over the house of Jacob everlastingly And this must be the fulfilling of the prophesies of Christs inheriting of the Throne of his Father David and of his restoring the Kingdom to Israel and to be the Kingdom wherein he will drink wine new with his Disciples and also the Kingdom wherein the Mother of Zebedees children desired of Christ that her two Sons might sit the one on his right hand and the other on his left Mat. 20. 20. Unto whom Christ answered That to sit on his right hand and on his left was not his to give but to them for whom it is prepared of his Father Whereby it is evident that such places are prepared of God for some to fit both on the right and left hand of Christ in the Kingdom Whence will clearly follow That Christ will be personally present in his Kingdom and therein sit with some on his right hand and some on his left But Christ is no where personally present so to sit in the reformed Churches nor in any of them nor in any other Church upon Earth no not in the Church of Rome nor yet in R. B. his Catholick or Universal Church Therefore the Refomed Churches nor any of them nor any other Church upon Earth no not the Church of Rome nor yet R. B. his Catholick or Universal Church is the Kingdom of Christ Moreover and besides all which Let it be considered how that the Promise in Mat. 28. 20. was not to the Church nor to any inferior Officer thereof for neither any such Officer to officiate in a Church nor any such Church wherein to officiate was then constituted but the promise was made meerly to the Eleven Apostles themselves who afterwards were both to plant Churches and appoint inferior Officers therein and therefore whatsoever the promise was it was specially