truth which beareth witnes to them and the bright sunne-shine of our owne reason deny both the one and the other in not suffering us to reape and enjoy the fruit of eyther when yet the Gospell it selfe is not able to save us if that we doubt thereof how much lesse the differing opinions of frail men subject to the same weaknesses and passions with our selves Act. 14 15. why shall any one hinder me to doe my Masters will in such manner as I beleeve he requires it to be done 't is I that must be beaten with double stripes if I doe it not whereas if I know it nâ—… or mistake it ignorantly as Paul whilst he persecuted 1 Tim. 1.13 I should escape with fewer stripes Luke 12.47.48 't is I that must be accountable for my selfe Rom. 14.12 and stand or fall unto my Master only v. 4. but such as take so much upon them and abridge others the benefit of Scripture and their own reason had need be very carefull left one day they be found censurable notwithstanding their paines and travell by sea and land for gaining proselites to have made them twofold worse the children of Hell Mat. 23.15 and I desire they would take this into their serious thoughts that if a people be bound to submit unto whatsoever the Magistrate or Church shall put upon them without first examining and fully satisfying their owne consciences whether it be agreeable to the Word of God or no that then in such case this absurdity would follow viz. The subjects of Spaine Turkie or any other erroneous State in point of faith could not be punishable by the justice of God for beleeving such heresies and blasphemâ—es as the respective States held out unto them and they made to beleeve they ought in conscience to submit unto out of obedience they owe unto the Powers and besides the Scripture where our Saviour saies If the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch Mat. 15.14 would not only be frustrated but made a lie But for a conclusion to convince all gainsayers in this behalfe wee finde the Blessed Spirit enabling the Christians of Berea before those of Thessalonica in that they searched the Scriptures daily whether that which was delivered them by their teachers was so or no Act. 17.11 and unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus it saies I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not be are them that are evill and thou hast tried them that say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers Rev. 2.2 CHAP. XIII Christs and the Apostles Testimonies of Christians being weak in faith and how they ought to grow therein bearing with an others weaknesses and infirmities IOh. 16.12 I have 1 many things to say unto you but you cannot beare them now Marke 4.33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them as they were able to beare it 2 Cor. 2.16 Who is sufficient for these things Rom. 6.19 I speake after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh Heb. 5.11,12,13,14 We have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing you are dull of hearing for when for the time ye ought to be tâ—…hers you have need of one to teach you againe which â—e the first principles of the oracles of God and are become such as have need of milke and not of strong meat for every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse for he is a babe but 2 strong meat belongeth to them that are of full agâ— even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discerne both good and evill 1 Cor. 3.1,2,3 I could not speake unto you brethren as unto spirituall but as unto carnall even as unto babes in Christ I have fed you with milke and not with strong meat for hitherto you were not able neither yet are you able for you are carnall C. 13.9 11. We know but in part when I was as a childe I spake I thought and understood like a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things Phil 3.12,13 14. Not as though I were already perfect but forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth to those things which are before I presse towards the marke 1 Pet. 2.2 As new borne babes desire the sincere â—ilke of the Word that they may grow thereby Eph. 4.13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ 1 Cor. 13.10 When that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away Rom. 14.1,2,3 Him that is weake in the faith receive you but not to 3 doubtfull disputations for one beleeveth that he may eat all things an other that is weake eateth hearbes let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him Rom. 15.1 We that are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake Gal. 6.1.2 If a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one an others burden and so fulfill the Law of Christ Rom. 11.13,14 In as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie mine office if by any meanes I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them 1 Cor. 9.20,21,22 Vnto the 4 Jewes I became as a Iew that I might gaine the Jewes to them that are under the law as under the law that I might gaine them that are under the law to them that are without law aâ— without law being not without law to God but under the law of Christ that I might gaine them that are without law to the weake became I as weake that I might gain the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some Rom. 14.13 Let no man put a stumbling blocke or an occasion to fall in his brothers way V. 17,18,19 The Kingdome of God consisteth in righteousnesse 5 peace and joy in the Holy Ghost for he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men let us therefore follow after these things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie an other C. 12.18 If it â—… possible live peaceably with all men 1 Cor. 10.32 Give no offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God Col. 4 5. Walke in wisdome towards them which are without Rom. 14.22 Hast thou faith have it to thy 6 selfe V. 15.16 If thy brother be grieved now walkest thou charitably destroy not him for whom Christ dyed let not your good be evill spoken of C. 15.2.3 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to
unlesse some speciall custome composition or priviledge of the place allowed by Law exempt him pag. 1 Now wee know that amongst severall others the publike practice and profession of Usurers is neither of the rarest nor least gainsome in Christendome to the shame of all such be it spoken no one trade produces such certaine nor so much gaine throughout the world But by what Law of God the tenth hereof and of a thousand other unwarrantable I may say damnable increasings becomes due unto the Clergie I know not unlesse by their conniving in not reproving us in these sinfull courses out of a designe to wrest that Scripture to prove it where we are required to make us friends of our unrighteous mammon Luke 16.9 But if any one shall say that Usurie or such unlawfull gaines were not intended I answer that since none are exempted but by speciall priviledge the words inferre all gaines to bee lawfull which the Lawes of the Land permitted or could not punish innumerable particulars where of the Law of God abominates and though many professions of themselves bee lawfull yet the greatest part of all their gaines is otherwise most commonly But can we justly blame these men that are so good accountants that have such care of themselves and families They require not onely the tenth part of all the foure Elements produce as Corne Fruit Fish and Fowle of all sorts the tenth part of all increase in Cattell and of Poultry the tenth of all house-rent but also the tenth part of what is gained by Handicraft Manufactures and Metchandize or any kinde of bargaining c. which yet is more than double as much as all the rest in value surely we may well answer these men with Ye know not what ye aske Matth. 20.22 as our Saviour did those two Disciples not more ambitious than these are a varitious And yet the Authour of the said Discourse prosessed that he thought himself bound in conscience to make discovery how due these Personall â—ithts are chiâ—sly to pull sundry honest Christians out of a â—anâ—…able sinne lest through his silence he should bee both guilty thereof and of their blood pag. 3. But since on the contrary as I hope hee is by this time fully informed now many mens sin and blood he may have been deeply accestory to though himself never thought thereof in publishing â—o unjustifiable so unhappy in Discovery Oâ— how acceptable would it bee to all rightly informed conscientious Christians siâ—ce the Father of mercles hath given so laâ—ge a 〈◊〉 to see so great a mistake retracted Such publike offences require no lesse than publike acknowledgement and â—…morce if perhaps the guâ—â—…esse may be forgiven Atl. 8 Thus I doll this golden wedge of 〈◊〉 was execrated in most if not in all other Countries by the first Reformers onely Episcopacy has thus reprived worshipping of it so long in England and unlesse these gods of their be sent away packing with them as it is impossible that either of them can chastly long observe a voluntary withdrawing from each other much lesse an unwilling parting so may we be as certaine that where ever such a car keis is there will be the Eagles of spirituall prey gathered together Math. 24 28. if not the worst of ravenous carrion Crowes And in regard this is a subject which through the successive iniquitie of the times has not beene permitted to be treated on as it cannot bee expected but much will be omitted which might be produced against it so if any thing which is superstuous or that might have beene spared is yet alledged the wel affected Reader as he is bound in charity so is he requested in all courtesie to seeke to salve it by Christian admonishing and reproofe It cannot upon due triall be found unseasonable at such a time when Civill and Church estate are both to be reformed to have said somewhat about this Cankerworme which with such pestilent influence reflects and feeds upon them both Under the Law two witnesses were as good as twentie even in case of Civill death and if but two be found to witnesse against this monster such as are wanting may be the better spared but through Gods gracious assistance we are sussiciently provided if the Gospel of truth it selfe wherein wee have a compleat Jury of Apostles and our blessed Saviour not disdaining to be foreâ—an may be beleeved and prevaile with us in a cause which so much conternes our selves the interest of all Estates Our Saviour in his Commission to the Apostles for preaching of the Gosspel inserts this Injunction viz. Freely ye have received freely give Math. 20. from vers 5 to 8. Into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you eate such things as are set before you Luke 10.8 In obedience whereunto Paul sayes unto the The ssalonians Ye may remember our labouring night and day because wee would not be charge able unto any of you 1 Thâ—ss 29 and in that respect tels the Corinthians It were better for him to dye than that any man should make his glorying void 1 Cor. 9,15 My Brethren have we not the expresse commands of God concerning his Ministers maintenance and Pauls conforming thereunto both related to us by inspiration of the blessed Spiâ—it and will wee yet from a typicall prohibition onely of not musling an Oxe that trod out the corne under the Law Deut. 25.4 presume to leavie maintaintenance by force of armes for the Ministerie of the Gospel when it appeares plainly by Paul in the beginning of that Chapter where he quotes the same words 1 Cor. 9.9 that we are now onely bound the equity thereof that is Christians are now obliged in conscience to order matters in such manner that Ministers of the Gospell might live comfortably of the Gospel vers 14. and Paul and this power as well as other Apostles v. 34. to require it by exhortation and yet he never used it towards the Corinthians lest he should hinder the Gospel of Christ v. 12. But what power is it which Paul sayes he never exercised towards the Corinthians not a Civill powerâ— for we doe not finde in any place that ever he had such a power but a power he had to eate and drinke such things as were set before him 1 Cor. 9.4 with Luke 10. â— And as the beleevers were bound in conscience to give them a competent allowance to live upon so the Apostles both might and ought to presse it upon their consciences receiving it as a gift not to satisfie their coverousnesse nor yet so much for supplying their owne necessities as out of a 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 thereof might abound to the Donors accounts Phil. 4.17 I know the exceptions will be that if Ministers must have no other maintenance but what good Christians will give them of their own accords the Universities will become solitary Learning of no account and the Ministery of the Gospel grow contemptible and quite deserted To this seeming threefold cord of objections