v. 10. And the children of Israel i. e. some of the chief amongst them in the name of the whole as say our Annotators shall put their hands upon the Levites by which sign saith Ainsworth they put the charge and service of the Church upon them and consecrated them to God in their name wherein they figured the Church of Christ called the General Assembly of the First-born from whence in the very next verse they are called the Offering or Wave-Offering of the children of Israel which Aaron is said to offer or wave for them v. 11. and are said v. 14. to be thus separated from amongst the children of Israel i. e. according to the Rites before-mentioned in allusion to which some think the same word is used Acts 13. 2. and Paul Rom. 1. 1. saith of himself that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated to the Gospel of God If it be objected that it is said ver 14. Thus shalt thou separate as if it were Moses his act alone the whole context confutes that vanity in which there is an apparent distinction betwixt the act of Moses Aaron and the People But here he is said to separate them because the whole of this affair was managed according to the directions given by him from the Lord to them And vers 16. to be wholly given to the Lord viz. by the People Given of the sons of Israel unto God i. e. for his Service faith Chazkum After all which they enter upon the work of the Lord to which they were thus solemnly deputed and set apart v. 11 15. This Animadverter saith indeed that the reason of the laying on of the hands of the children of Israel upon the Levites was to signifie their obedient yeelding them in their stead to God c. If he mean that it was one reason whereof it 's granted no act of worship which we perform but we thereby signifie our subjection and obedience to God If the formal and only reason his Assertion is void of truth it being as was shewed to set them apart to the office of Ministry or Service of God that they laid their hands on them nor is there the least print in v. 19 the only proof of this Assertion of any such thing 'T is true the choice i. e. the first-choice or appointment of them to this Ministry was God's the presentment of them to the Congregation Moses his act the yeelding of them or rather the solemn deputation of them to the work of the Lord not the act of the first-born meerly but of the Congregation who were called together for this purpose The Assembly in their Annotations speak clearly hereunto Numb 8. 10. The Children meaning some of the chief among them in the name of the whole Their hands the imposition of hands was used in Benedictions and Ordinations not only in the Old-Testament as Gen. 48. 17 20. Numb 27. 23. but in the New See Acts 6. 6. 13. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 6. The Peoples putting their hands upon the Levites was partly to testifie that they gave up all carnal and worldly respects and interests in them and bequeathed them wholly to God and that they did approve of their office in the behalf of themselves in whose stead they stood in the performance of many of their ministrations But Mr. T. hath found out a grievous mistake which he again takes notice of Sect. 8. which if true enervates all that we have asserted and that is that these were not Priests they were distinct from the Levites viz. Aaron and his sons who were called of God Heb. 5. 4. without the Peoples laying on of hands But 1. Aaron and his sons were Levites Exod. 4. 14 16 18 20. 2dly Calling of God and Consent and Ordination of the People are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that though Aaron wâ—s called of God he might also be set apart by the People unto that work who were not altogether therein unconcerned as is evident Exo. 29. 4. Lev. 8. 2 3 4. This Animadverter is not ignorant of the saying of Cyprian upon that action of Moses Num. 20. 26. Sicâ—t in Numeris c. As in the book of Numbers God commanded Moses saying Take Aaron thy brother and Eleazer his son and set them before all the Synagogue God commands him to be constituted Priest before all the Synagogue whereby he instructeth and sheweth that Sacerdotal Ordinations ought not to be managed without the knowledge of the People who are to assist therein c. And Piscator upon Heb. 5. 4. saith Ministerio Ecclesiae c. i. e. None ought to exercise the Ministerial Function except he who is thereunto called of God Now this vocation is either immediate or mediate The Prophets Apostles and Christ the Prince of them were immediately called Mediately were the PRIESTS of old and Evangelists called as are at this day Pastors Teachers Governors and Deacons each of whose vocation is by the Church And Josephus tells us plainly Lib. 3. cap. 9. that all the People approved the election of Aaron to the Priesthood which God had made And l. 4. c. 2. introduceth Moses speaking to the People upon the occasion of Korah's Rebellion thus Although by the loss of that honour viz. of the Priesthood which he Aaron hath received from your own election And 't is most certain that a long time after Zadok was anointed to the office of High-Priest by the People 1 Chron. 29. 22. But the Levites were not Priests Answ 1. That they were not such Priests as Aaron and his sons is granted Priests to offer Sacrifice or burn Incense they were not nor do I any where assert them so to be Priests and Levites are sometimes in Scripture distinguished I also grant but then Priests are taken for the Sacrificing-Priests viz. Aaron and his sons to whose assistance in their ministry and service they were appointed by the Lord. Yet 2dly That the word Priests is of various acceptions in the Scripture Mr. T. cannot deny 1. The People of Israel all of them are called a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19. 6. 2dly Persons of note eminency power and authority Gen. 41. 45. Exod. 2. 16. pass under the same denomination 3dly The first-born of the male-children Exod. 19. 22. with 13. 2. are say some so called As â—s 4thly Christ Heb. 7. 17. 5thly The Saints 1 Pet. 2. 5. The word is 6thly usually taken for Church-officers that were solemnly set apart as Ministers of the Sanctuary for the solemn management of the publick Worship and Service of God And of these with the leave of Mr. T. I would take the confidence to assert that amongst others there were of these three sorts 1. The Chief or High-Priest who alone might once in the year enter into the most Holy but not withouâ— Blood Heb. 9. 7. 2dly The inferiour and ordinary Priests who approached to the Altar of Burnt-Incense offered Sacrifices c. 3. The Levites who were a
Christ tells us is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. i. e. what is required in the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets and is the sum of what they teach concerning the duties of man to man viz. That whatsoever we would that men should do to us we should do to them But 4thly This Ordinance is expresly established by the Lord Numb 31. 26 27. Take the sum of the Prey that was taken and dividâ— the Prey into two parts between them that took the War upon them who went out to Battel and between all the Congregation And Jos 22. 8. And he spake unto them saying Return with much Riches unto your Tents and with very much Cattel divide the spoyl of your enemies with your Brethren So that this Ordinance of David is no addition to the Civil-Laws of Israel What Mr. T. hath further to add touching this matter chap. 1. shall there be considered Sect. 6. The Election or Ordination of Levites not asserted by the Author of the Sober Testimony to be a Rule for the Ordination and Election of Ministers now Mr. Tombs his mistake and injurious dealing therein manifested Mr. T. grants as much as we assert in this matter The ground of giving the first-born to God The Levites given to him by the Congregation in the room of the first-born The People set apart the Levites to the Ministry Exod. 22. 29. Numb 8. 16 17 18. explained The reason of the Peoples laying on of hands Aaron and his sons Levites In what sense the Levites are called Priests their office and work THe seventh Section is by this Animadverter fronted with this The Election and Ordination of the Levites is no Rule for Election and Ordination of Ministers now which if with an intendment to insinuate into the mind of the Reader as the Assertion of the Author of the S. T. he egregiously abuseth both the one and the other There being not the least word syllable or tittle throughout the whole Treatise that gives him the least ground to surmise any such thing but rather the contrary The Election and Ordination of Ministers is a positive Institution of Christ to be managed according to Rules given forth by him in the New-Testament This I prove as well as I can chap. 4. pag. 33. So that what Mr. T. closeth this Section with that if it were true that in this act of imposing their hands there were Election and Ordination this was not a successive Election and Ordination as is when one dies and another is chosen and ordained in his room as oft as there is such a vacancy when one Minister dies and another comes in his stead For this Election and Ordination if it may be so called was but once and of the whole company together and so is no pattern for Election or Ordination of Elders successively by a particular Congregation successively or the major part of them is not at all to the purpose I no where intimate that it is a pattern of such an Election Though I know as wise men as this Animadverter that do as Cyprian Epist lib. 1. ep 4. and others Yet I see no reason but that we may review what was by the appointment of the Lord practised amongst his people that bears some analogy and resemblance to what is commanded under the Gospel for our further enlightning therein Mr. T. himself in his Apology or Plea for the two Treatises grants p. 141. that we may use an Analogie to enforce a Duty before proved And this is the whole of what I profess to be my aim in this Review of Ancient Institutions in the Prologue thereunto in these words Yet inasmuch as some beams of light may be communicated unto the present enquiry by a retrospection into the state of things in the time of the old Law it shall not be grievous to us briefly to remark the state and management of affairs under that Oeconomy which was so plainly asserted to be my sole aim therein that I cannot but wonder Mr. T. should have the confidence to impose upon me as if from thence I would deduce a pattern for New-Testament-Institutions which he knows I do not But I say that persons were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation for the publick administration of Ordinances and Worship Thus were the Levites Exod. 13. 2 12 13. 22. 29. Num. 3. 12. Answ I do so indeed what hath this Animadverter to say against it 'T is true he grants they were given to God from among the Children of Israel to do the service of the Congregation but it is not true that they-were appointed by the Lord to be chosen by the Congregation Answ This must be a little further considered Upon the account of his sparing the first-born of the children of Israel when he slew the firstborn of the Egyptians doth the Lord challenge them to be his Exod. 13. 14 15. These were the Congregation of Israel to set apart unto the Lord v. 12. Thou the People or Congregation of Israel v. 3. shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix or as the Serventy renders it thou shalt put them apart unto the Lord. This is call'd chap. 22. 29. the giving of the first born of their sons to God viz. to his work and service In the stead of these he afterwards appointeth the Levites Numb 8. 16 18. For they the Levits are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel in stead of such as open every womb even instead of all the first-born of the children of Israel Concerning whom these few things are considerable 1. That the Levites are said to be given wholly given unto God and that in the stead or room of the first-born v. 16 17 18. who they were that set apart the first-born to God was before shewed 2dly That by theâ—r being given unto God is intended their donation for his work and service is evident v. 11. for an offering of the children of Israel that they the Levites may execute the service of the Lord. Whether the people had any hand in setting them apart to this work and service is the question to which the Spirit speaks fully ver 9 10. 1. The Levites were to be brought before the Tabernacle of the Congregation 2. The whole Assembly of the children of Israel is to be gathered together v. 9. which had been needless had they not been concerned in their approbation which is all I intended by the word chosen which the Animadverter afterward carps at or can be supposed to do having before asserted that they were appointed by the Lord a word frequently used in that sense as he knows Precious Ainsworth saith as much upon the place The whole or all the Congregation saith he because the thing concerned them all to know and approve the Levites being now taken instead of the first-born 3dly Whether this were testified by the peoples imposition of hands let the Scripture determine
more inferiour order of Ministers given for the help of the Priests to them in the work of the Sanctuary and solemn service of God Who are called Priests Psal 132. 9. and are said to have a Priesthood Josh 18. 7. upon the account of their destination unto the service of the Tabernacle and work of the Ministry to distinguish them from the Congregation or Body of the People of Israel they are so called They were indeed as was said an inferiour order to Aaron and his sons but draw nigh to God they did in the Service of God they were imployed on the behalf of the Congregation and are called Priests and said to have a Priesthood and hereupon one would think one might assume the boldness to call them so Mr. T. tells us indeed it was the Priests office to do that work in which was the Worship of God viz. to offer the Sacrifices sprinkle the Blood and such other duties the Levites were imployed to do other services as the bearing of the utensils and such like Wherein how truly and candidly he speaks is to be considered 1. 'T is true it was the Priests office Aaron and his sons to do that work in which was the Worship of God i. e. the work they did when they drew nigh to God or worshipped him was the Worship of God which by office they were bound to do But that it was their office exclusively to the Levites to do that work in which was the Worship of God as he must be interpreted if we suppose him to speak pertinently is false They ministred and by office whereunto they were set apart in the Service and Worship of God as was before proved Their bearing the utensils was as much the Worship of God being commanded by him as sacrificing or sprinkling the Blood of the Sacrifices upon the unclean And this Animadverter if I may assume the boldness to say so writes indiscreetly and fallaciously to oppose these 2dly 'T is true that to Aaron and his sons it did by office and exclusively to the Levites appertain to offer Sacrifice and sprinkle the Blood but that the Levites were only imployed in bearing the utenâ—â—ls and the like is not so They were as well as the Priests the sonâ— of Aaron 1. To teach the people and instruct them in the Law Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 17. 7 8 9. 80 30. 22. 31. 4. 35. 3. Ezra 7. 10 11. Nehem. 8. 7 8. 9. 4 5. 2dly They were solemnly to praise God 1 Chron. 16. 4. 23. 30. 2 Chron. 8. 14. 20. 19. 30. 21. 31. 2. Ezr. 3. 10. Neh. 9. 9. 12. 24. 3dly To bless in his Name Deut. 10. 8. 4thly The Judgment of things sacred appertained to them as touching Leprosie Deut. 24. 8. 2 Chron. 19. 8 10 11. works in which the Worship of God was as eminently as Sacrifice c. upon the account of their designation whereunto they may be called Priests and are so in the Scripture Yet 3dly I no where use the name Priests to denote the Levites only in distinction from Aaron and his sons but make use of that term to denote the Officers or Ministers amongst the Jews designed and separated for the Worship of God and the management of holy things for and to them whether Priests or Levites who being so called by the Spirit of the Lord I thought I might warrantably use that appellation without distasting any one and as yet see no just ground for the change of my thoughts in that matter Sect. 7. Persons invested into the office of Priesthood not left to the liberty of their own wills or the wills of any the whole of their Worship with respect to the matter and manner thereof of divine Institution Of the Candlestick made by Moses The matter of it His obligation to the pattern in making it What it typed out The ground of the acceptance of Worship Several places of Scripture revised and considered THat persons invested into the office of Priesthood were not left to the liberty of their own wills or the wills of any of the sons of men that the whole of their Worship with respect to the matter and manner thereof was purely of divine Institution is a third Assertion of mine touching the state of things under the old Law which Mr. T. takes notice of Sect. 8. which he grants to be thus far true that what was of the Institution of the Lord both as to matter and manner they were not in their office left to their own wills or the wills of any others and so much he saith the Scriptures produced prove Sed dabitur ignis tamen etsi ab inimicis petam We will not thank him for his grant and doubt not but to manifest somewhat more viz. That nothing was to be intermixed with what the Lord had instituted nothing of man to be super-added thereunto whether you respect the matter or manner of the Worship And this the Scriptures instanced do prove Exod. 25. 9 40. According to all that I shew thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all the Instruments thereof even so shall ye make it And look that ye make them after their pattern which was shewed thee in the Mount And this Dr. Willet upon the place plainly asserts It is hence gathered saith he the form of the Tabernacle is not left to the will of man no not to the judgment of Moses to teach us that God will not be served with will-worship according to the devices and inventions of men but as he himself hath prescribed Prelarg Piscat So our blessed Saviour alledgeth in the Gospel out of the Prophet Mark 7. 7. Num. 8. 4. According to the pattern which the Lord had shewed Moses so he made the Candlestick The Candlestick was a figure of the Church said to be but one here because the Church at this day was National as also Zech. 4. 1. But Rev. 1. 20. we reade of seven Candlesticks which are expresly said to be the seven Churches of Asia i. e. they signified the seven Churches of Asia they were represented by the seven Candlesticks said here and there to be made of Gold beaten Gold to point forth the matter constituting them to be visible Saints and to be made according to the pattern of which Exod. 25. 31. to type forth that no other ground or form of Doctrine or of the Church is to be brought in than that which is shewed of God 2 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 3 4. 3. 15. Mat. 28. 20. To this Pattern Moses was so strictly bound that it was utterly unlawful for him to have added the least of his own invention which to have done had been not only great unfaithfulness in him but an impeachment of the Wisdom of God and his Love to his People Heb. 8. 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to
make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the Mount i. e. To the type and example set before him to imitate to which he was not to add the least pin of his own 1 Chr. 28. 11. The pattern of the Porch i. e. of the Temple saith Vatablus which David received either by revelation or by the hand of the Prophet 1 Chr. 28. 12 19. Exod. 8. 27. 39. 1 5 7 21 26 31 43. other places instanced in the S. T. preach forth the same thing These were types of the heavenly Ordinances in the Church of Christ Heb. 8. 5. And type out that nothing of man is to be superadded thereto but all things to be done according to Divine Commandment To the same thing doth the Spirit of the Lord bear witness Exod. 40. 23 25 29. Num. 8. 3. Exod. 35. 10 29. 36. 1 5. Isa 29. 13. To which may be further added Deut. 4. 1 2 40. Now therefore hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I teach you for to do them Ye shall not add to the Word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God Thou shalt keep therefore his Statutes and Commandments which I command thee this day All which prove not only the obligation that lay upon them to conform to what was of the Institution of the Lord but the utter unlawfulness to add thereto or introduce any thing of their own in his service The ground of the acceptance of any Worship or Service offered to him being his Command and Institution and that with such evidence and brightness that it seems Mr. T. durst not look them in the face lest they shouâ—d have so reproved him as to have hindred his further advance in that good work and cause he was resolved having undertaken its defence to prosecute He only takes notice of two of these many places instanced in viz. Lev. 8. throughout which he grants speak of the investure of the Priests into their Office according to the Rites set down but whether any other might to these have been added to the sons of men he tells us not which yet he should have proved if he would have demolished and thrown down what it was his good pleasure to set himself against And he doth wisely not to approach too near this Scripture which stands with a two-edged Sword in its hand to defend the Truth opposed by this Animadverter No less than ten times viz. v. 4 5 9 13 17 21 29 34 35 36. The Commandment of the Lord is laid as the foundation of the whole of that procedure clearly importing that matters of this nature viz. things relating to his Worship are solely to be bottom'd on Divine Precepts and condemning and interdicting whatever of the like nature is offered to him on any other bottom Which Aaron's sons afterwards attempting to do Lev. 10. 1. perish in the flames of God's jealousie and wrath R. Menachem on Lev. 8. 36. hath these words In every other place it is said as the Lord commanded Moses but here because they added unto the Commandment he saith not so for they did not as the Lord had commanded and added moreover unto them strange Fire which he had not commanded them Lev. 10. 1. And Josephus b. 3. c. 9. saith thâ—s Nadab and Abihu bringing Sacrifices unto the Altar not such as were appointed by Moses but of that sort they were accustomed to offer aforetimes were burned by the violent flame that issued from the Altar that at length they died The other place he takes notice of is Isa 29. 13. which he refers to be discussed to the first chapter All the other places as was said are passed over in silence which manner of dealing is a great abuse both to the Truth and Reader To the Truth by waving the consideration of what is offered as the substratum upon which it is built To the Reader by pretending to answer to what is asserted by his Antagonist for the confirmation of Truth without advancing one step forward towards its confutation But perhaps he means not that where God hath given direction about any part of Worship it 's lawful to add any thing thereunto but onely wherein God hath not spoken and determined as touching the management of his Worship there the will of some of the children of men takes place and they may determine But if so 1. This is a most pitiful Petitio principii or begging the thing in question viz. That God hath not determined the whole of his Worship and Service but hath left somewhat to the wills of men relating to Worship as such to be determined by them which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the thing in question and will never be granted him upon those terms 2dly Contrary to that fundamental principle placed in the nature of man and implyed and fairly intimated in each Scripture before instanced in that nothing in his Worship and Service is acceptable to him but what is of his own prescription 3dly Diametrically opposite to Deut. 4. 1 2. these additions let them be of what nature or in what case they will are additions to the Word of Jehovah Isa 29. 13. with Mark 7. 7. being evidently doctrines and institutions of men which the Spirit there tells us must have no place in the Worship of God That the Jews had their Service more fully particularized in all things pertaining to it than we have if he mean things relating to Service or Worship as such is spoken after the rate that a great many other things in this Treatise are viz. with confidence enough but without proof There being nothing relating to Gospel-Worship as such but is determined by Christ and appointed in the Scripture When he sends forth his Apostles Mat. 28. they were to teach what he had commanded them nothing more or less And he being Lord and Master of his House whose House are we Heb. 3. 6. who dares be so bold as to intermeddle with the affairs thereof without his appointment or can do so without an incroachment upon his Soveraignty He was faithful as Moses who received and revealed the Ordinances of the then House of God that he left nothing relating to the Worship thereof as such to the wills of men But of this more hereafter Sect. 8. Of the apostasie of the Jews from Divine Institutions The aim of the Author in remarking it It s application to the Church of England Whose Investions are expresly forbidden Of things in themselves out of the casâ— of Worship indifferent 'T is not in the power of the Church to make that which is left indifferent by the Lord a necessary Worship The judgement of the Protestant Writers Of the decency and order is in the Ceremonies of the Church of England Of their being imposed by Publick Authority How they draw from God
the first part of Mr. Gatakers notion That it had its fulfilling in Cyrus Artaxerxes Darius Ahashuerus with the Queens of some of them 2dly It s to receive its accomplishment after the Preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles which was not till after the Ascention of Christ vers 1 6. which the Apostle cites Acts 13. 47. for his warrant in speaking the Word of God to them 3dly The Deliverance and Glory God doth in this Chapter engage to bestow upon the twelve Tribes as is evident from the Names of Israel vers 3 5 6 7. Of Jacob vers 5. Of the Tribâ—s of Jacob vers 6. The preserved of Israel ibid. i. e. the ten Tribes in way of distinction from whom the two Tribes are called Sion vers 14. evinceth that as yet it waits its accomplishment For though the two Tribes were delivered from the Babylonish Captivity yet the ten Tribes as it s known have remained in their graves ever since they were carried captive by Salmaneser to this day 'T is true God did once call his People of the two Tribes from the North in the time of Cyrus c. But from the West and from the Land of Sinim i. e. from all parts of the world into which they have been scattered they have not yet been called as 't is vers 12. 4thly When God doth this his People shall not hunger nor thirst neither shall the heat or Sun smite them vers 10. i. e. they shall hunger or thirst no more the heat or Sun shall never after more smite them Rev. 7. 16. i. e. they shall never be burnt by the heat or Sun of Persecution more all sorrow and crying shall depart and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7. 17. which we are sure is not yet accomplished 5thly Vers 17. Was never yet fulfilled at their return from Babylon their destroyers and they that made them waste went not out of them There were then the crew of Sanballat Tobiah c. that opposed them and that so far that they put a stop at the last to the work of the Lord at Jerusalem into which anon after Alexander the Great enters after him Antiochus Epiphanes wasteth after these the Romans conquer it and now the Turks possess it Nor hath 6thly the 19th vers ever been accomplished since the carrying away the ten Tribes the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah were never full of their own Inhabitants Those sent to pâ—ssess it 2 Kings 17. 24. we never read were sent for home again They that swallowed up the twelve Tribes have been changed the Assyrians Greeks Romans Turks have interchangably done it but not removed All which abundantly evidence the truth of what I asserted That the Prophesie waits the time of its accomplishment If you apply the Scripture solely to the Gentile Saints 't is evident hitherto it hath not been fulfilled They are still under Sorrow Oppression Sufferings which at this day of its accomplishment they shall not be of whom this Prophesie speaks vers 10. Their Wasters Destroyers c. are not gone out from among them as 't is vers 17. The prey is not yet taken from the mighty nor the lawful Captive delivered Nor hath God contended with the Persecutors of his People according to the purport of vers 24 25 26. So that evidently the Prophesie had not its accomplishment in the days of the Persian Potentates or of Constantine c. or since in any of the ten Horns but waits the time thereof as we think Mr. T. himself will say we now assert with as much evidence as confidence The former whereof with a great abatement of the latter is much desired in the writings of this Animadverter by sober minded persons not a few who have spent some of their time in perusing them That the text Isa 66. 8. is a Prophesie expresly relating to the Jews and their miraculous conversion as is asserted in the S. T. Mr. T. tells us is not certain and cites Mr. Gataker acquainting us that the most Interpreters understand it of the suddein delivery of the People out of the Babylonian bondage by Cyrus Divers of the Restitution and Restauration of the Church under the Ministry of the Gospel when so many thousands were converted Acts 2. 41. 4. 4. Answ 1. But that learned person is no Oracle to whose dictates we are indispensably bound to attend and give evidence 2. Other Interpreters understand it of the miraculous conversion of the Jews and those not a few nor contemptible 3. That it hitherto hath not had its fulfilling we have the concurrent Testimony of some of the Antients Just Mart. in his Dialog cum Tryp pag. 312. refers this place of Isa 66. from the 5th vers c. to Christs second coming In which words saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Mr. Mede understands as meant of the Resurrection of the Godly the mystery of our being again generated or made new at the Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and absolutely of all who expect Christ shall appear at Jerusalem and by well-doing study to please him And the serious consideration of the context will afford that brightness to the understanding of the judicious Reader that will lead him captive to the belief thereof Let any one tell me when vers 6 11 12 14 15 16 19 22 23 24 ever had its fulfilling Now this one observation removes out of the way both the Expositions given in by that learned person It relates not to the time either of Redemption from the Babylonish Captivity or the conversion of those Acts 2. 4. For the context evinceth that it hath not yet been fulfilled 4. That the Jews shall not be converted by the ordinary preaching of the Gospel but by some extraordinary means and particularly the appearance of Christ in the Clouds is no private opinion of our own Mr. Mede in his Apocalyptical Key is of the same mind who thinks Pauls Conversion was a type hereof The Scripture leads us into the belief hereof Zach. 12. 10. And I will pour upon the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplicatâ—on and they shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one is in bitterness for his first-born A few things are briefly to be remarked 1. That the Conversion of the Jews the whole Nation of them is here propesied of who are here called The House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem 2dly That this their Conversion is attributed to the pouring down of the Spirit and their looking upon Christ 3 dly The Question is What is meant by their looking upon Christ That their seeing him in Clouds of Heaven in Majesty and great Glory is hereby intended we have an unquestionable infallible Interpreter assuring us Rev 1. 7. Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him
by him For it will hence follow that whoever brings the truth of Doctrine is a true Minister Then the Devil was so Mark 1. 24. Luke 4. 34. Every private Brother a Woman may be so For where the Form denominating is there the Subject is rightly denominated from it But this is too absurd for Mr. T. to cleave to His sixth Argument is False Prophets false Apostles false Brethren are onely denominated from their false Doctrine therefore they are not false Ministers but true who teach the truth of the Gospel The Antecedent he proves from 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 13. Gal. 2. 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 18 21 22 26. 2 Joh. 7. Answ 1. We deny the consequence it doth not follow â—pon supposition that false Prophets are so denominated from their false Doctrine that whoever preach true Doctrine are true Ministers the proof whereof we expect by the next 2ly the Antecedent is manifestly false False Prophets are so called because they ran and prophesied in the Name of the Lord when he never sent them speak in them or to them Jer. 14. 14 15. 23. 21 22. 27. 15. 28. 15. 29. 9 31. 43. 2. Ezâ—k 13. 6. Of false Apostles there is the same reason The true Apostles are so call'd upon the account of their Mission from Christ nor is any one so except lawfully called by Christ saith Pareus on 1 Cor. 1. The false upon the account of their pretending thereto when indeed they were never sent by him Nor doth 2 Cor 11. 13. make void this Assertion it rather establisheth it T is true the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or false Apostles preached false Doctrine but they are not upon that foot of account so denominated but because they were metaschematizing or transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ as Satan is also sometimes transforming himself into an Angel of light i e they come as the Apostles of Christ pretend to be his Ambassadors men sent by him as M. T. knows the word signifies when really and indeed they were not so 1 Joh. 2. 18 21 22 26. tells us of Antichrists that were already come such as Simon Magus Ebion Cerinthus and that tâ—ey opposed the Person and Doctrine of the Son of God who with their endless genealogies and unintelligible conceptions attempted the total overthrow of the Gospel wondrously perplexing the Saints of that day but that therefore they were called false Apostles there is not the least mention Gal. 2. 4 5. speaks of false Brethren but that they are so called singly upon the account of their spreading false opinions is a conceit that Mr. T. will not in haste make good They were unsound hypocritical Professors that pretending to be Brethren sought an occasion to injure and mischieve the Children of the Lord which Paul had too great an experiment of 2 Cor. 11. 26. 2 Pet. 2. 1. hath already been considered So that with more Scripture-evidence it may be argued If false Prophets false Apostles be so denominated upon the account of their running before they were sent pretending to come in his Name when he never missionated them Then they are false Ministers who come in the Name of Christ and have received no authentick Commission from him But the Antecedent is true as we have evinced Therefore Sect. 19. Of God's determining the whole of our Worship His so doing of old in the Statutes and Judgments he gave to Israel an eminent act of Love it is so now to his New-Testament-Churches Mr. T. his ten Arguments to the contrary answered Acts 15. 10. Heb. 7. 18 19. 9. 9 10. Joh. 1. 18. explained THe third Query in the S. T. is Whether God doth not beaâ— as much love to and exercise as much faithfulness over his New-Testament-Churches as over the National Church of the Jews To this Mr. T. answers No doubt of it He grants he doth To the fourth Query Whether he hath not as of old he did with reference to the then Church determined the whole of the Worship appertaining to them to whose Institutions without any humane additions it is the duty of fouls solely to conform He answers in the Negative God hath not determined Circumstantials in Worship he must mean Circumstances of Worship relating to it as such or he speaks nothing to the purpose and these are such necessary parts of Worship that without them it is not accepted and his not doing so is an argument of greater love to his New-Testament-Churches than his determining the whole of his Worship to the Church of the Jews was to them Answ 1. In pag. 32. he tells us that if God do design more diligently the longitude and latitude of the Jewish Church at their calling hereafter which are things Mr. T. accounts Accidentals of Worship undetermined and leave the dimension of our Church to humane choice this may be done out of more special love to them So that the same act of God is it seems a manifestation and no manifestation of greater love from God i. e. when it will serve Mr. T. his design to assert it to be so it is so when otherwise he will perswade to the belief of the contrary Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo 2dly When the Lord speaks of the Judgments and Statutes he had given to Israel whereby the whole of their Worship was determined he speaks of them as the wondrous manifestation of his love to theâ— whereby they were eminently exalted above all the people in the world Psal 147. 19 20. Ezek. 20. 11. Neh. 9. 13. Deut. 6. 24. That the determination of their Worship should be an issue of dearest love and the non-determination of ours a manifestation of greater love is an Assertion that had need be back't with strong proofs and evidence else it is not likely to find the least entertainment amongst the Saints But this he manifests by no less than a decad of Reasons Reas 1. Because the determination of the whole of the Worship of God to the Jews was the imposing of a yoke on them which neither the elder nor later Jews were able to bear Acts 15. 10. Answ But this is a mistake of the Animadverters The Apostle Peter saith not the determination of the whole of the Worship of God to them was such a yoke but the pressing Circumcision and Mosaical Observances by some Sect-masters amongst them as the way to Justifâ—cation and Salvation was so As is evident from ver 1 5 11. The Doctrine of Justification and Salvation by the works of the Law was a yoke that they were not able to bear Ergo the determination of the whole of the Worship of God was so is a most ridiculous and puerile Conclusion 2. Grant the yoke to be Mosaical Observances their number and multitude c. made them such an insupportable yoke not their deteâ—mination by the Lord. Whatever he institutes and commands as such is the joy and delight of the Saints to conform to not
that a conformity to any thing that God had revealed and determined as our duty had upon that account been our bondage 'T is the liberty joy and delight of the Saints to do his will Psal 119. 45. 1 Joh. 5. 3. Psal 19. 8. 119. 111. Such kind of weak impertinent arguings asserted with state and confidence as is the manner of the man must he be content to deal with who undertakes the consideration of what is proposed by this Animadverter But to recite these Arguments had been Answer sufficient to the judicious and intelligent Reader We attend his further motion Sect. 20. God had designed his own Officers for the management of the affairs of his House Who they are may be collected from Ephes 4. 11. The Animadverter proves not that Arch-Bishops c. do the work of the Ministers of the Gospel are commissionated by Christ His apprehension when he took the solemn League and Covenant not the same as now The extensiveness of the Priviledges of the Saints under the Gospel-Oeconomie What things were wanting to the Jews under the second Temple which they had under the first The Election of Ministers the peculiar Priviledge of the Church That it was practised by the Saints in the first Ages granted by the Animadverter Many things charged upon the Saints then living that are false Neither former disorders nor present distempers amongst the Saints any sufficient Warrant for the changing an Institution of Christ. The Priviledge of Women asserted from Scripture and learned Writers Of the Decree of the Council of Carthage 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. 1 Tim. 2. 12. explained What is to be done in case of difference in the Congregation touching the election of Officers MR. T. in his 21. Sect. proposes the 5th Query in S. T. to consideration viz. Whether God hath not now as then under the time of the Law designed the several Officers and Offices his wisdom thought sufficient for the management of the affairs of his House so that the Invention of new ones by the Sons of Men is not only needless but a daring advance against the soveraignty care and wisdom of God over his Churches To which after a large harangue touching Moses the 70 Elders Joshua the Judges David and other Kings the Prophets Aaron and his Sons with the Levites whom the Lord appointed for the management of the affairs of his House having also learnedly told us that God hath not in the Christian Church designed such Officers and Offices as these the twelve Disciples and amongst the rest Peter to whom he seems to assert a Primacy by way of promise to appertain He resolves the Question in the affirmative Tells us that who the Officers of Christ's designing are may best be gathered from Eph. 4. 11. of which we have formerly spoke in Chap. 3. of S. T. As for what follows when Mr. T. shall prove 1st That the Arch-Bishops Bishops c. of the Church of England do the works enjoyned by Christ and his Apostles to the Ministers of the Gospel 2dly That every one that doth those works though not Commissionated by Christ thereunto nor performing them after the order appointed by him is a Minister of Christ 3dly That its lawful for the Sons of men to make more degrees of Ministry one above the other under new Names Titles with maintenance forreign to the maintenance of Christ employed in works he no where charges upon them to do than Christ ever instituted appointed shall look upon our selves as concerned in what he offers in this Section But till then we shall neither trouble our selves or Reader with his Lordly dictates which being tendred without proof may righteously be rejected by us Only thus much I would tell him in his ear That if he had when he took the solemn League and Covenant the same apprehension of this generation of men he now seems to have he did very wickedly to swear to endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy i. e. as in the Covenant is explained Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchie What Durst he sware to extirpate the Ministers and Ministry of Christ as he now supposeth them to be But Tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis In Sect. 22. Mr. T. takes notice of the 6th enquiry in S. T. touching the extensiveness of the Priviledges of the Saints under the Gospel whether not commensurate with theirs under the Law which if understood of Saints in appearance or the visible Church he tells us The visible Church of the Jews had in some things greater Priviledges as those mentioned Rom. 9. 4 5. 3. 1 2. and are they not as much committed to the Church and People of God now so that these Texts are little to his advantage together with Gods revealing his mind to them by Urim and Thumim extraordinary Prophets and many more which he not being pleased to particularize to us we shall not turn aside to make enquiry after But to those instanced in we Answer First That the Church and People of God are destitute of some of the Priviledges mentioned is granted and so was the Church of the Jews after their return from the Babylonish Captivity The Rabbies tell us That in the second Temple there were five things wanting which had been in the first 1. The Ark with the Mercy-Seat and Cherubims 2. The fire from Heaven 3. The Urim and Thummim Ezra 2. 63. Neh. 7. 65. whereby the Lord never answered them more 4. The Majesty or divine presence whereby they seem to mean the Oracle in the most holy place where God hath dwelt between the Cherubims Psal 80. 2. Numb 7. 89. 5. The Holy Ghost or the Spirit of Prophesie which was not in the Prophets after the second year of Darius after Haggai Zechariah and Malachie had finished their Prophesies Secondly The Inference of the Animadverter is weak Believers or visible Saints under the Gospel have not some things with which the Church of the Jews was priviledged therefore their Priviledges are not as extensive which notwithstanding they might be yea abundantly more extensive The first Temple upon many accounts was more glorious than the second which wanted as was but now remarked many things wherein its glory lay Yet Hag. 2. 9. the Prophet tells them that the glory of the latter house should be greater than of the former which it was though it had not the same things for its ornament and glory upon other accounts viz. it s being honoured with the bodily presence of Christ there c. Of the Priviledges of the Gospel-Churches and their super-eminency with respect to the Old-Testament-Church we shall not now treat They are delivered from the Yoke of Ceremonial Observances have the Gospel unvailed preached amongst them 2 Cor. 3. 18 c. Nor need we the intendment of our present enquiry being only this Whether the solemn deputation of
be called of sent by him So was Aaron Acts 14. 23. 6. 3 5. manifest that the Way of the Lord's mission is not by Lord-Bishops but by his Churches and People What he tells us he hath said in answer to any of these Scriptures we have replyed to Chap. 2. We add in S. T. 3ly That Prelates their Chancellors and Officers have power from Christ to cast out of the Church of God is owned by them contrary to Mat. 18. 16 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. To which our Animadverter subjoyns He finds no such Law Answ It may be he is willingly ignorant hereof This he cannot but know that in the Name of Christ the Officers mentioneâ— do excommunicate out of the Church so call'd of Christ Do they do this without Law Is it not one of their Church-constitutions that they may do so Do not the present Ministers own them herein Whilst they cite present persecute their Neighbours for not coming to Divine Service as they call it it may be for refusing to pay them a four-penny-due in the Ecclesiastical Courts even to an Excommunication whose Act therein they afterwards publickly denounce and declare once and again in obedience to them What more evident The weakness of his answer to Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. we have already manifested We say further in S. T. That they own 4ly that the Office of the Suffragans Deans Canons are lawful and necessary to be had in the Church contrary to 1 Cor. 12. 18 28. Rom. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. The Officers instituted by Christ are sufficient for the edification and perfecting of the Saints till they all come unto a perfect man v. 12 13. In what sense the forementioned being not one of them of the Institution of Christ may be owned as lawful and necessary without an high contempt of the Wisdom and Sovereignty of Christ I am not able to conceive this is the sum Mr. T. replies 1. He knows not where this imagined Ordinance is Answ That there are such Officers and Offices in the Church of England established by the Laws thereof he cannot be ignorant To say They are Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God is censured by the Canons thereof Can. 7. That the Ministers own submit to some of them is known The vanity and impertinency of Mr. T. his pleading for them not to mention his perjury therein is discovered in our present Vindication of Chap. 3. from his exceptions against what is by us therein argued We say they own 5thly That the Office of Deacons in the Church is to be imployed in publick Praying administration of Baptism and Preaching if licensed by the Bishop thereunto contrary to Act. 6. 2. Ephes 4. 11. Mr. T. replies 'T is not contrary to Christ's Revelation that they should be imployed in those works Ans 1. But when Christ hath instituted the office of Deacons for this end to attend Tables or look after the provision and necessities of the Saints That any persons may own an Office of Deacons in the Church to be imploy'd by virtue of Office-power in any other work than that for which they are intrusted by Christ and called unto Office without an advance against that Institution of Christ is absurd to imagine 2. That the present Ministers own such an Office he doth not deny 3. What he speaks of Stephen and Philip he had said before and to it we have replied already and need noâ— add more A sixth Law or Ordinance that we say they own is this That the Ordinance of Breaking Bread or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper may be administred to one alone as to a sick man ready to die Which is diametrically opposite to the Nature and Institution of that Ordinance 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 11. 33. Mat. 26. 26. Acts 2. 42. and 20. 7. To which Mr. T. This is not easily proved from the Scripâ—ures instanced in Answ Whether it be or not is left to the judgment of the judicious Reader to determine I am weary in pursuâ—â—g him in his impertinencies He grants a Communion is proved in that Sacrament 1 Cor. 10. 16. but vers 17. and 1 Cor. 12. 13. prove the Communion to be rather with all Christians Of which yet there is not one word in either of the places In vers 17. He speaks of the Church of Corinth that was one bread one body The other Scripture speaks nothing of Saints Communion one with another in this Ordinance 1 Cor. 11. 33. Acts 20. 7. he confesseth prove That it should be administred when all the Communicants Church or Brethren he should say are come together Whether its administration to one alone be not diametrically opposite hereunto as also to the very first Institution of this Ordinance Mat. 26. 26. let the Judicious judge Though it be said Act. 2. 46. that they brake bread from house to house it doth not follow there was none beside the Minister and the sick man the words import the contrary We manifest further in S. T. That they own 7thly a prescript form of Words in Prayer that a ceremonious pompous Worship devised â—y man and abused to Idolatry is according to the will of God and may lawfully be used under the New Testament Dispensation contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. John 4. 23. Deut. 12. 32. Jer. 51. 26. Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. By this prescript form of Words this ceremonious pompous Worship the Common-Prayer-Book Collegiat-Worship and Service is intended This I say is devised by man the owning whereof is contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. Deut. 12. 22. abused to Idolatry The owning hereof is opposite to Jer. 51. 26. It is Ceremonious and Pompous the abetting whereof is adverse to Joh. 4. 23. as is the owning of a prescript Form of Words to Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. To which our Animadverter replies 1. He should have told us what part of the Common-Prayer-Book was abused to Idolatry Answ The whole of it is so being Worship not appointed by the Lord and used in that Church that is the most Idolatrous Church in the world What he hath said in this Chap. Sect. 3. or in Chap. 3. Sect. 4. We have already answered His great out-cry of our abuse of Jer. 51. 26. produced to prove it unlawful to use any thing in the Worship of God abused to Idolatry will soon be evinced to be an empty sound Vox praeterea nihil 1. We have for our Companions in this Exposition persoâ—s not contemptible for wisdom and holiness who make conscience of applying Scriptures and abusing the Reader 2. Of all men Mr. T. iâ— the most incompetent for the management of this charge who most egregiously perverts Scriptures in this Treatise contrary to former Interpretations given by himself to them and to the plain intendment of the Spirit therein As we have in part manifested and may do further in our Appendix 3. He egregiously abuseth the Reader in this very passage whilst
he bears him in hand that we expound the words of a prohibition to the Jews That they should not use the stones of Babylon to build a Temple to God at Jerusalem because abused to Idolatry which we do not Nor was it likely they would ever have gone about to do so Babylon was too remote for them such a prohibition had been altogether needless and vain But 4. That Chap. 50 and 51. are one entire Prophesie that reacheth farther than the Destruction of Literal Babylon even to the ruine of all the Scripture calls so is evident For 1st This Prophesie relates to the restauration of all the Tribes Israel as well as Judah vers 4. 5. which to this day hath not been fulfilled The ten Tribes represented by Israel being in a dispersed state ever since they were carried away Captive by Salmanasser 'T is true Judah after the 70 years Captivity did return but what is that to Israel when this Prophesie is accomplished they must also be brought to their habitation which is again repeated vers 19. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation and he shall feed on Carmel This Carmel was the portion of the half Tribe of Manasseh belonging to the ten Tribes Jos 19. 2dly When God doth this the iniquity of Jacob shall be sought for and there shall be none vers 20. 3dly He will then make use of Israel as his Battle-Axe and weapon of War to destroy and break in pieces Kingdoms and Nations vers 20 21. 4thly The Deliverance and Vengeance here prophesied of is the issue of the groans and cries of the Inhabitants of Sion against Babylon vers 35 36. But against Literal Babylon the Children of Israel were not to cry but the contrary Jer. 29. 7. 5thly Many material passages in this Prophesie are applied by the Spirit of the Lord to Mystical Babylon as Chap. 50. 8. Rev. 18. 4. vers 29. Rev. 18. 6. Chap. 51. 6. Rev. 18. 4. 6thly The Babylon mentioned in this Prophesie and the Babylon spoken of in the Revelation is one and the same Babylon differing at most but as Type and Antitype Babylon is a Type of the City and Seat of Antichrist saith the Learned Ainsworth on Psal 137. v. 1. This is evident to the eye of the understanding Reader from the ensuing Scheme Jeremiah's Babylon Jer. 50. 8. Remove out of the midst of Babylon And 51. 6. Flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his soul be not cut off in her iniquity for this is the time of the Lords vengeance he will render unto her a recompence Jer. 50. 29. Recompence her according to her work according to all that she hath done do unto her for she hath been proud against the Lord against the Holy One of Israel Jer. 50. 39. The wild beasts of the desart shall dwell there and the owls shall dwell therein and it shall be no more inhabited for ever neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Jer. 51. 7. Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lords hand that made all the earth drunken the nations have drunk of her wine therefore the nations are mad Jer. 51. 8. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed howl for her John's Babylon Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her Sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues for her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Rev. 18. 6 7. Reward her even as she hath rewarded you double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her again How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much sorrow give her Rev. 18. 2. Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit a cage of every unclean and hateful bird Rev. 18. 22. The voice of harpers and musicians shall be heard no more at all in thee and no crafts man shall be found any more in thee vers 8. she shall be utterly burnt with fire Rev. 17. 2. With whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication And 18. 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornications Rev. 14. 8. Babylon is fallen is fallen Rev. 18. 2. Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen vers 9. And the Kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewail her saying alas alas for in one hour is thy judgement come vers 11 15 19. The sum is the Prophesie not being confined to Literal Babylon but eminently relating to Mystical Babylon or the false whoâ—ish Church in the Revelation the not taking a stone of her for a foundation having no respect to the Jews not using the stones of Babylon in building the Temple which it is not like they had the least intendment to do points out the duty of the spiritual Jew or Christian Believer in his departure from the Antichristian Church not to introduce any of her things once abused to Idolatry into the Worship of the House of God which we cited this Scripture to prove Mr. T. proceeds and tells us 2dly That external words and gestures are not contrary to John 4. 23. Answ Nor do we say they are this we affirm That a form of words enjoyned the Ceremonious pompous Worship of England managed and carried on in our Collegiat Churches and Chappels with outward pomp and state is so That which he saith in answer hereunto viz. That this Text excludes the Legal shadowy-Worship of the Law establisheth what we say For if a pompous shadowy-Worship once of the Institution of the Lord be excluded by this Scripture much more that which is so and of the devising and establishment of Antichrist In what he saith 3dly That we conceive a form of Words prescribed and devised by man to be contrary to Mat. 15. 9. and 28. 20. Deut. 12. 31. he openly prevaricates For though as commanded in the Worship of God it be so yet we rather refer those Scriptures to the whole of their humane devices in their Worship and Service viz. Surplice Organs Cross in Baptism c. that have not the least foundation in Scripture and are therefore contrary to them What Mr. T. dictates That if no prescript form of Prayer devised and imposed by penal Laws to be used by man for thus he must speak if he speak pertinently may be used then conceived forms of Prayer may not be used I desire him not to attempt the proof of because t is such an imposible task that he will never be able to make good That Christ hath commanded a set form of Prayer Luke 11. 2. Mat. 6. 7 8. is first false For 1st If he had done so it were utterly unlawful to use any other than the
Soveraignty over the Subjects of his Kingdom with respect to Worship be granted by him to any of the sons of men absolutely or conditionally If the first tâ—en must the Church be governed by persons casting off the yoke of Christ trampling upon his Royal Commands and Edicts for so its possible it may fall out those that attain this Headship may do as its evident many Popes of Rome the great pretenders hereunto have done If the second let one iota be produced from the Scripture of the Institution of such an Headship with the conditions annexed thereunto and we shall be so far from denying it that we shall chearfully pay whatever respect homage or duty by the Laws of God or man may righteously be expected from us But this we conceive will not in hast be performed and that for these Reasons 1. The Scripture makes mention of no other Head in and over the Church but Christ Ephes 1. 22. 5. 23 29. 2 Cor. 11. 2. To this Mr. T. answers 1. We use not the title of Head but of Supream Governour yet that title being given to Saul 1 Sam. 15. 17. and others 1 Cor. 11. 3. Ephes 5. 23. Exod. 6. 14. and may be used Answ 1. What We Mr. T. means when he saith We use not the title of Head I know not 't is the usual form of the present Ministers to stile the King in their prayers Under Thee and Thy Christ Supream Head and Governor But 2dly Head of the Church is a title nor to be given to any in that sence in which it is given to Christ this Animadverter grants I ask Hath Christ onely an Headship of influence to his Church communicating vital Spirits unto the true Members thereof Hath he not also an Headship of Government over it If he assert the first he knows he is departed into the Tents of the Antichristian Papal Shepherds who allow indeed such an Headship to Christ alone The second they divide betwixt him and the Pope as Mr. T. seems to do betwixt him and the King If the second be owned by him than none of the Children of men have an Headship of Government over the Churches of Christ they are not so the Supream Governors thereof as to give forth Laws and Institutions of their own for the Saints to conform to For this title of Head is not to be appropriated to any in that sense in which it is given to Christ as saith our Animadverter Besides 2dly If the Kings of the Earth are the Supream Governors of the Churches of Christ they have this Supremacy over them by grant from Christ and that either absolutely or conditionally if the first then whoever ascends the Throne of worldly Ruledom hath a right of supremacy over them though they themselves be such as have cast off the Yoak of Christ are trampling upon his Royal Laws and Edicts If the second let us see the proof thereof from Scripture with the conditions annexed to this their supremacy and we are satisfied This we told Mr. T. before but he was not pleased to take notice of it That because the Scriptures mentioned by him attribute â—he title of Head of the Tribes to Saul and the Man is called the Head of the Woman Therefore the Governors of the World may be called the Head of the Churches of Christ when that title of Head of the Church is given to none but Christ in the Scripture is such a piâ—iful non-sequitur as Mr. T. will not surely without blushing review Sir Saul was constituted by the Lord King over Israel a Man to have superiority over the Woman with allusion hereunto they are called their Head by the Spirit of the Lord But where is the Scripture constitution of the Superiority Kingship of any over the Church beside Christ Amongst whom he saith He will have no such thing Where is it that any have this title of Head of the Church ascribed to them by the Holy Ghost This must be proved or you must acknowledge the impertinency and invalidity of their present arguing the best of it is whether you will be so ingenuous or no 't is but a Fig-leaf covering that every eye can discern your nakedness through it We say in S. T. 2dly If there be any other Head of the Church besides Christ he must be either within or without the Church The latter will not be affirmed Christ had not sure so little respect to his Flock as to appoint Wolves and Lyons to their Governors and Guides in matters Ecclesiastical nor can the former for all in the Church are Brethren have no Dominion or Authority over each others Faith or Conscience Luke 22. 25. Mr. T. replies Though all in the Church are Brethren yet all are not equal nor doth Luke 22. 25. prove it Answ 'T is enough for our present purpose that all in the Church are thus far equal that being all brethren none may exercise any Ruledom or Authority over the rest without their consent nor any such Ruledom as to command in case of Worship where Christ is silent which is at least asserted Luke 22. 25. and Mr. T. may confute it when he is able Of this Scripture we have spoken at large Chap. 4. and of Rom. 13. 1. Heb. 13. 17. frequently and have fully removed out of the way what is here repeated touching the Laws of Rulers and their obligation upon Conscience nor need we add more We say further in S. T. 3dly If any other be Head of the Church but Christ then is the Church the body of some others beside Christ but this is absurd and false not to say impious and blasphemous To which Mr. T. Particular Churches in respect of that ministration and government which their Governors afford them may be said to be the bodies of their Governors Answ Boldly ventured however 1. The Church is frequently said to be the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12 27. Ephes 5. 30 32. Col. 1. 18. 2dly Is no where said to be the body of any other not of Peter Paul much less of Nero Domitian the Supream Governours of the Empire at that day By what Authority Mr. T. takes the body of Christ and joyns it to another Head besides himself I am yet to learn 3dly The Church is call'd his Body upon the account of that glorious nearness and union is betwixt Christ and them the reception of Spirits life from him their absolute indisputable subjection to him Is the Church the body of any other with respect hereunto beside Christ Where is it so called Is it united or in subjection to any other besides Christ as the Woman is to the Man upon the account whereof she is call'd his body Ephes 5. 28. his I say not anothers That Mr. T. should assert That upon the same account the Church may be called the body of some other beside Christ We add 4thly There was no Head of the Church in the Apostles dayes but Christ That upon any
c. that never entred into the heart of Christ the judicious Reader will easily from what we have already offered discern the impertinency of Ezra 6. 7. and 7. 13. Dan. 3. 29. and 6. 26. to the present design 'T is true as he saith Christianity alters not civil Relations or Estates 1 Cor. 7. 24. And 't is as true that if in the time of my infidelity I have been the servant of men that are my Political Masters with respect to Worship though I am whilst I continue their servant to perform faithful service to them with respect to things Civil yet am I not to own them or subject to them as my Lords Governours with respect to the Service of God therein one only being my Lord and Master viz. Christ 2. I say not that all the Kings of Israel were Types of Christ but that the Kings of Israel were so i. e. some of them nor do I restrain the word Israel to the ten Tribes but to the twelve headed by David Solomon a pair of eminent Types of the Messiah That Christ and the Apostles yeelded subjection to Civil Powers with respect to things sacred of which this Animadverter must speak or he speaks impertinently is a gross mistake unworthy so learned a person We say in S. T. 3dly That the Kings of Israel were Heads of the Church is false God was its alone Head and King Hence their Historian saith Their Government was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when they would needs choose a King God said They rejected him to whom even as to their Political Head a Shekel was paid yearly as a Tribute called the Shekel of the Sanctuary True indeed as they were a Political Body they had visible Political Governours but that these had any Headship over them to make any Laws introduce Constitutions of their own framing in matter relating to Worship will never be proved To which Mr. T. replies 1. That the Church of Israel was different from the Kingdom of Israel is one of the proper opinions of those who would establish from that example an Ecclesiastical Independent Government in the Church distinct from the Civil Government of the State Answ 1. 'T is no matter whose opinion 't is if Truth it ought to be imbraced 2. That there is a real and formal distinction betwixt the two Societies Church and Common-wealth is at large proved by several As Mr. Gillespy in his Aarons Rod Blossoming b. 1. c. 3. The Assembly in their Jus Divinum Hear their Reasons p. 88 89. 1st The Society of the Church is only Christ's and not the Civil Magistrates it s his House and he hath no Vicar under him as is abundantly proved by Mr. Rutherford in his Divine Right of Church-Government Chap. 27. Q. 23. Pag. 595 to 647. 2dly The Officers Ecclesiastical are Christ's Officers not the Magistrates 1 Cor. 4. 1. Ephes 4. 8 10 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 3dly These Officers are elected and ordained by the Church without Commission from the Civil Magistrate by virtue of Christs Ordinance and in his Name Acts 6. 3 4. with 14. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 14. with Acts 13. 1 2 3 4. 4thly The Church meets not as Civil Judicatories for Civil Acts of Government but as Spiritual Assembles for such as are spiritual viz. Preaching 5thly Should not these two Societies be acknowledged to be really and essentially distinct from one another several gross absâ—rdities would follow As 1. Then there can be no Common-wealth where there is not a Church but this is contrary to all experience Heathens have Common-wealths yet no Church 2. Then there may be Church-Officers elected where there is no Church seeing there are Magistrates where there is no Church 3. Then those Magistrates where there is no Church are no Magistrates And if so then the Church is the formal constituting Cause of Magistrates 4. Then the Common-wealth as the Common-wealth is the Church and the Church as the Church is the Common-wealth 5. Then all that are Members of the Common-wealth are because so Members of the Church 6. Then the Common-wealth being formally the same with the Church is as Common-wealth the Mystical Body of Christ 7. Then the Officers of the Church are the Officers of the Common-wealth the power of the Keys gives them right to the Civil Sword and consequently the Ministers of the Gospel as such are Justices of the peace All which how absurd let the world judge He adds 2dly That Solomon and other Kings did exercise power over Ecclesiastical persons is evident because he deposed Abiathar Answ 1. Who denies it How this proves the power of the Kings of Israel as Heads of the Church to innovate in Worship which is the thing to be proved I know not Hic labor hoc opus est And Mr. T. hath more wit than seriously to attempt it 2. Solomon deposed Abiathar not as High Pontifee or Head of the Church for male administration in Church-affairs but as King of Israel for treason against the Common-wealth in the business of Adonijah Ergo Solomon was the Head of the Church of Israel risum teneatis amici Of 2 Chr. 29. 30 and 30. 2. which he produceth to prove That the Kings of Israel had power in Ecclesiastical things we have already spoken What follows in this 14th Sect. is not worthy our spotting paper with the repetition of 1. He grants That God was the alone Head and King of the Church of Israel with respect to power Legislative to assign what Faith Worship Judicatories and what other things were necessary for that Congregation all which solely appertained to him which is all we need contend for The Kings of Israel had not any Legislative power with respect to these he grants from the power of these Kings then it cannot be argued that any have power now to innovate in matters of Faith and Worship they are not Heads of the Church invested with authority to introduce Constitutions of their own framing in matters relating to Worship as such nor had the Kings of Israel any such Authority Jam sumus ergo pares nec ab uno dissidet alter 2. What he talks of Kingly Government we are not at all concerned in All that we assert in S. T. is that Josephus saith Their Government was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Theocracie that when they choose a King they rejected God 1 Kings 8. 17. which when he attempts the confutation of we may attend him 3. That a Shekel was yearly paid to the Lord Ex. 30. 13. which continued to the destruction of Jerusalem Josep l. 7. c. 28. of the Jewish Wars he grants that it was paid to him as their Political Head he denies Now though this be not of any moment as to our present concern therein yet the truth thereof is easily demonstrated 1. It was paid to the Lord in token of their thankfulness for his delivering them from the Egyptian yoke which he did as their Political Head 2. None were
they make the hearts of the Righteous sad we affirm and 't is generally known and felt amongst such whose hearts the Lord hath made tender So that till Mr. T. proves that by lies is not meant devices of their own they have by his coâ—fession the character of false prophets upon them Which renders his heap of perhapses and conjectures frivolous The dirt he casts upon the Churches of Christ he will one day find will rather tend to his own disparagement than theirs and that herein he hath reproached the Tabernacles of God Till he prove that the Pastors of the Congregational Churches have by introducing practising humane devices and such as have been abused in the Papacy in the Worship of God made the hearts of the Righteous sad which 'tis universally known they have not done he will acknowledge that his reflection upon them is impertinent and not at all to his purpose All that he hath as yet said amounts not to the least mite of proof cannot at all be called so That the insinuations of the Author of S. T. against the Ministers of England would have proved the Teachers of the best Churches in the Primitive times to have been false Prophets is untruly said These made not the hearts of the Righteous sad by prophaning the Ordinances of Christ introducing subjection to the inventions of men which is known to be true of the present Ministers The seventh Character mentioned is That they mix the Word of God with their Dreams Jer. 23. 25 29. The answer Mr. T. intimates Sect. 7. that he hath given to this before is already replied to We add 8thly as an eighth Character of false prophets That they come in Sheeps clothing having the Horns of a Lamb but are inwardly ravening Wolves and speak like Dragons i. e. pretend to the holiness and meekness of Christ and Saints but are inwardly full of raven and cruelty yea terrible in their Edicts and Laws stirring up and making use of the powers of the World to persecute kill and destroy the Saints Mat. 7. 15. Rev. 13. 11. which second Beast is no other than the false prophet mentioned Rev. 19. 20. This Character we say is upon the present Ministers Upon this Generation of men all the cruelties that the first Beast hath exercised upon the Saints for these 1260. years is to be charged They now press a rigid conformity to the infringing the liberty of the Saints Mr. T. replies 1. Outward holiness and meekness inward ravenosity and cruelty is not a signal Character of false prophets Answ Christ saith it is and 't is fit we believe him before Mr. T. for having cautioned his Disciples to beware of them he tells them in what manner they will come to them what is their signal character and property They will come to you in Sheeps-clothing which the Apostle phraseth they shall be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11. 15. but inwardly they are ravening Wolves which if not their character and property had in vain and to no purpose been mentioned by Christ The second Beast and the false prophet Rev. 19. 20. we say are the same by it is understood Antichrist in his Ecclesiastical State or the Antichristian Clergy their character is Rev. 13. 11. That they have the Horns of a Lamb and outward semblance to the meekest of Lambs the Lord Jesus but speak like Dragons are cruel in their Edicts and Laws Doth Mr. T. disprove what is herein affirmed by us doth he attempt it nothing less He confidently tells us That this did not shew them false prophets Answ But this is made the character of the second Beast which is no other than the false prophet as say Mede Brightman And therefore what shews them to be the second Beast shews them to be false prophets Which if Mr. T. will confute he must prove the second Beast Rev. 13. and false Prophet Rev. 19. not to be one and the same Which it's manifest they are by a serious comparing what is said of the second Beast Rev. 13. 13 14 15 16. with what is said of the false Prophet Rev. 19. 20. 1. The second Beast is a worker of miracles Rev. 13. 17. so is the false Prophet Rev. 19. 20. 2dly The second Beast deceives them that dwell on the Earth Rev. 13. 14. so doth the false Prophet Rev. 19. 20. 3dly The first and second Beast are helpful one to the other Rev. 13. so are the Beast and false Prophet Rev. 19. 19 20. As to what follows 1. I say not that all the persecutions of the Children of God that the Antichristian Civil State or powers of the World hath exercised is to be charged upon the present Hierarchy and Ministry of England but upon this Generation i. e. Persons that have appertained to the same Hierarchy Yet 2. whilst the present Hierarchy and Priests of England are as 't is known they are pressing rigid Conformity to the ruining as to the outward man of the Saints are walking in the steps of their Progenitors they entitle themselves to all the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus that by the perswasions of those that possessed the same Seats before them was poured forth by the Civil Powers of the World that upon them may come as it will undoubtedly do if they repent not all the blood that was shed from the beginning to this very day A manifest demonstration that the Lineaments of the second Beast or false Prophet is visibly to be read and found upon them Sect. 4. A 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th Character of false Prophets each applicable to the present Ministers Ezek. 22. 26. 8 34. 4. explained Ecclesiastical Shepherds therâ— meant Rev. 13. 11. explained Of the obscurity of the Revelation Rev. 13. 13 14 15. opened THE ninth Character of false Prophets mentioned is That they put no difference betwixt the holy and prophane Ezek. 22. 26. Of this the present Ministers we say are deeply guilty Drunkards Swearers living and dead are their dear Brethren and Sisters i. e. the children of them all are admitted to the Font and they themselves to the Lord's Table Our Animadverter replies 1. This is a charge against the Priests of the Law accusing them of neglecting to discern between clean and unclean persons or offerings but is no character distinguishing a false Priest from a true Answ Whether it be or not let the Reader satisfie himself from the serious review of the words compared with Jer. 15. 19. Ezek. 44. 23. However 2. This is nothing saith he to our Ministers who are not now to count any wan or creature common or unclean Acts 10. 15. 28. Answ 1. That the Lord hath not as great care that his New-Testament Churches be not polluted by the admission into them of persons morally unclean as that the Sanctuary and Congregation of Israel of old was not by the entrance thereinto of persons legally so is this Animadverters dictate of which we expect his proof at his
themselves considered But this is but one Doctors opinion retracted by him de Sac. Euch. l. 4. c. 29. where he asserts that which is contrary thereunto should two or three more be remarked of the same mind with him they amount but to a few in comparison of the generality of mankind otherwise minded The Minor Proposition viz. That the present Ministers of England act in the holy things of God by virtue of an Office-power received from Idolaters and offer up to him a Worship meerly of humane composition once abused to Idolatry with the Modes and Rites of Idolaters we do in S. T. demonstrate Three things are in this matter argued and evinced 1st That the Romish Church are Idolaters their Worship in the complexion thereof Idolatry This we prove at large and our Animadverter grants it to be true 2dly That the present Ministers of England act by virtue of an Office-power from this combination and Assembly of Idolaters This they themselves will not deny Succession from hence being one of the best pleas they have for the justification of their Ministry This we argue at large in S. T. and Mr. T. after a great many words grants their succession from Rome But adds 2dly That this is not one of their best pleas they have for the justification of their Ministry Answ 1. When they or he for them produce a better it shall be considered this is what they especially plead an Argument 't is one of their best pleas in their account however our Animadvertâ—r thinks otherwise Nor indeed 2dly Do I see how their Episcopal Ordination can be justified without it He conceives 3dly That they will deny that they act by virtue of an Office-power received by succession from the combination of Idolaters in the Church of Rome Answ 1. The derivation of their succession from the Papacy they deny not This their succession pleaded for is a succession of Ministry That they should be so absurd as to acknowledge a succession in respect of their Ministry from them and deny the reception of their Office-power from them which is nothing more or less than their Office of Ministry I cannot imagine What follows in this Sect. hath already been replied to and therefore we shall not further trouble the Reader therewith We say in S. T. 3dly That the present Ministers offer up to God a Worship meerly of Humane composition as the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship hath been proved to be once abused to Idolatry being the Worship of that Church whose worship is so the whole of it being taken out of the Popes Portuis with the Rites and Modes of Idolaters viz. their Holy Vestments Bowings Candles Altars which are the Rites of the Idolatrous Church of Rome and were introduced from thence by Austin the Monk cannot be denied And hence conclude That the present Ministers acting in the holy things of God by virtue of an Office-power received from Idolaters and offering up to him a Worship meerly of Humane composition once abused to Idolatry with the Rites and Modes of Idolaters are deeply guilty of Idolatry What Mr. T. replies hereunto Sect. 14. hath for the most part already been removed out of the way 1. The Forms of Prayer in the Service-Book by their Imposition are made an essential part of Worship as we have proved as such they are not agreeable to Gods Word not of Divine but meerly humane composition 2. Had these Forms never been in the Mass-Book being made by their imposition a part of Worship they had been superstitious Idolatrous being an open violation of the second Commandment 3. I wonder at the forehead with which 't is affirmed that the Rites and Modes used in the Church of Rome that are Idolatrous are not observed and used What thinks he of bowing at the Altar the Name of Jesus which Dr. Willet acknowledgeth to be superstitious Idolatrous Synops Papism the 9th gener Contro p. 492 493. as do our Protestants generally kneeling at the receiving of the Sacrament the Cross in Baptism These are some of the Rites used in the Papacy and as so used Mr. T. will not I presume deny them to be Idolatrous 4. The learned Muccovius proves what he asserts That the sacred Rites of Idolaters though they be things in themselves indifferent are †So say our Divines generally to whom Zâ—nchie Junius Pelican Calvin Beza Farrel yea Lyra though a Papist Pezelius Mollerus Zegedinus Danaeus Zepperus Sadael not to be retained because all conformity with Idolaters is to be avoided from Lev. 19. 19 27 28. 21. 5. Deut. 14. 1. The things there interdicted were in themselves indifferent the ground of their interdiction was because they were the sacred Rites of Idolaters as say Salmasius Herodotus l. 3. Maimonides Treat of Idolatry chap. 12. Sect. 7 11. Vatablus Fagius c. I cannot upon this occasion but remind the judicious Reader of what the learned Zanchy writes touching this matter to Q. Eliz. l. 1. Epist p. 431. 'T is not honest saith he that those things which have a long time been used in idolatrous Worship if they are things in themselves indifferent should be retained in the Church with the hazard of the Salvation of the Godly The brazen Serpent which was appointed by the Lord and indeed for the Salvation of Israel because the Isruelites abâ—sed it contrary to the Word of God was by the good King Hezekiah taken away who is greatly praised for it how much more should things and Rites indifferent instituted by men when they decline to Superstition and other abuses be removed which Mr. T. may answer at his leisure Sect. 6. A third Argument proving the Ministers of England Idolatâ—rs That worshipping God in by or before the creature respectivè or with relation to the creature is Idolatry WE advance in S. T. a third Argument to prove the Ministers of England Idolaters which is thus formed Adoration in by or before a creature respectivè or with relation to the creature is idolatrouâ— such as so adore or worship God are Idolaters But the present Ministers of England do adore or worship God in by or before a creature respectivè or with relation to the creature Therefore The major proposition we say is generally owned by Protestants it being the very same Maxime they make use of and stop the mouths of the Papists with in the point of adoring God mediately by the Creature The truth of the minor proposition their bowing and cringing at the Altar their kneeling at the receiving the Sacrament do evince That their kneeling is an adoration or worshipping God before the creature respectivè or with relation to the creature is manifest Nothing being more certain than that the Elements are objectum a quo or the motive of their kneeling which if they were not there they would not do Didoclavius p. 755. tells us That Genuflexion is Idolatry which Maccovius assents to Loc. Com. p. 861. To which Mr. T. Sect. 15. 1. The Author of S. T.