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
the Servant of Jesus Christ Though I must crave leave to add that these Animadversions of his will be no joy of heart to him in the day of the Lord when all our works shall be tryed by fire of what sort they are because they will be found hay and stubble in that day 'T is an Argument Mr. T. is an utter stranger to the Author of S. T. else he would never have expected such a returnal from him In sect 1. of this Preface he inveighs against Prefaces and expressions which tend to create prejudice and partial propensity to one part more than to another which he would have prohibited and restrained severely In which that I am not in the least concerned I must profess my self to be wholly a stranger not being conscious to my self of any such Preface or expression used by me and do heartily wish that all such might be forborn that have a tendency to forestall the judgment of any being desirous that what I write may be impartially and candidly weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary where if it be not found weight I desire it may be rejected not having as I know of espoused any private opinion nor imbraced what upon Scriptural evidence to the contrary I cannot more chearfully lay down than ever I assumed it And am so far from such a temper of spirit as to return any that shall labour to convince me of my mistakes for I am a man and subject to them obloquie for their love and pains that I shall thankfully acknowledge both in such a Christian undertaking and profess my self their debtor With what severity or under what penalty Mr. T. would have such procedures interdicted and restrained and who shall be constituted of the Committee of Tryers touching expressions and prefaces of such a tendency because he hath not expressed himself I cannot divine I hope he is not sanguinary in this dictate and desire There are I presume he thinks Laws enough by penalties sufficiently severe interdicting the writing and preaching of the men of his seeming indignation and he hath more pitty to persons under heavy strokes and burdens than to have them encreased If it be as he intimates towards the close of this his Epistolary Preface the Epistle to the Reader prefixt to the S. T. he thus inveighs against as guilty of the wretched design mentioned he knows there is nothing therein new nothing but what is usually done by persons writing lesser Tractates nothing to forestall the judgment of any is thereby intended And some think that this Animadverter is in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doing more in a few lines to ballast the Reader to his perswasion thâ—n the Author of the S. T. hath done in his whole Epistle Qui alterum incusat probri ipfum se intueri oportet Towards the end of sect 1. he intimates and sect 2. plainly expresses that some personal exceptions have been entertained against him and such aversness to his later Writings found in the spirits of a great number of those that seem to be inquisitive after Truth that they have not found such reception as such Arguments were deemed to require which he attributes to his writing about a point that few can concoct That this is the ground of their prejudice many of them who are persons of the complexion intimated is a mistake of the Animadverter which a little enquiry might easily deliver him from My small acquainrance amongst such as do not only seem as Mr. Tombs out of the abundance of that charity which he frequently condemns â—is Antagonist for the want of speaks but are really inquisitive into Truth gives me ground to say That not those for the most part who cannot but such as have well concocted the point he mentions which if I mistake not is the Baptism of Believers upon a manifestation and declaration of Faith received are the persons chiefly of the prejudices intimated And 't were well if the non-reception of his late Writings amongst persons of such a denomination as he speaks of did put him upon a review of them the frame of spirit in which he writ them together with the temper of his spirit and actions in dayes past that he may see from whence he hath fallen and repent I am very apt to think that the present undertaking of the Animadverter is not like to meet with better entertainment than the fore-mentioned amongst persons inquisitive into Truth Especially considering how opposite to former sayings of his this undertaking of his is The Tables are easily to be consulted with where in legible characters the mind of Mr. Tombs in his Book intituled Fermentum Pharisaeorum being a Sermon preached at Lemster in Herefordshire Novemb. 24. 1641. on Mat. 15. 19. ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons April 19. 1643. to be printed when Reformation began to be countenanced is to be read contrary to what now he seems to plead for Hear him speak Having in pag. 17 18. in his third use of his Doctrine raised from the words viz. That however they think of their actions they in vain worship God who teach for doctrines Mans precepts P. 2. S. 2. He takes occasion to admonish Ministers to avoid the way of those Pharisees who taught for Doctrine mans Precepts and pithily expostulates the case with them Sect. 14. And P. 18. Sect. 15. he saith 4ly From hence we may take occasion to admonish the people to take heed of such Pharisaical Teachers as teach for Doctrine the Commandments of men Our Saviour Christ having manifested the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees in this thing bids his Disciples lâ—t them alone telling them that they were blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch Mat. 15. 14. And elsewhere Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Lake 12. 1. And surely people have need to take heed of such Teachers sith Superstition as it is a pernicious evil so it easily insinuates into peoples minds and sticks fast in them under shew of Antiquity Decency and Gravity I know this will be interpreted as if it were a heinous thing to perswade people to withdraw themselves from the Ministers of their Parish though never so negligent or corrupt But let Bishop Bilson answer for me Primo populus ipse deficiente Magistratu Christiano deserere falsos et improbos pastores jure divino potest coercere vero minime Declinare et derelinquere eos possunt cogere aut pnnire non possunt Vis vindicta gladio alligatae extra privatorum sortem ac caetum collocata sunt Unde Paulus Rom. 16. observate eos qui dissidia scandala contra doctrinam quam edocti estis faciunt declinare ab iis Oves meae inquit Dominus noster vocem meam audiunt sequuntur me Alienum autem nequaquam sequentur sed fugient ab eo Idem Cyprianus reliqui Episcopi consulti rescripserunt
Epistl 1. ep 4. Soperemini inquit Dominus a taberuaculis hominum istorum durissimorum nolite tangere ea qua ad eos pertinent ne simul pereat is in peccatis eorum Propter quod plebs obsequens praeceptis Domini Deum meturus à peccato praepofitó seperare se debet nec se ad Sacrilegi Sacerdotis Sacrificia misare quando ipsa defectu sidelis Magistratus maxime habeat potestatem vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes vel recusandi indignos Thus far he in open defiance of his present undertaking But to proceed in Sect. 2. and afterwards we have an account notwithstanding his late discouragement in writing why he still follows that employment and in particular of his engaging in the confutation of the Treatise under consideration which may be reduced to these heads 1. The expectation of hâ—â— giving account of the Talents committed to him by hâ—s â—ord and Master which being restrained from publick preaching he thinks he ought to make use of this way Answ That a strict account must be given to the Lord for the improvement of Talents received is undeniable The Parable Mat. 25. 14 to 31. evâ—nceth as much The consideration whereof should quicken us to our duty the most exact and diligent performance of it imaginable that we have not at the last the most direful judgment of the wicked and slothful Servant ver 26 28 30. past upon us But every use of our Talent is not a faithful improvement of it for God Wisdom parts c. are Talents given by him many have used them against him and smitten him if I may so say with his own weapons nor had they been in a capacity of doing so much against him had they not received so much from him Whether Mr. T. hath in his present undertaking been improving his Talent according to the mind of Christ I humbly beg him in his more retired thoughts to consider That none can so improve their Talents without the blessed supplies of the Spirit of Christ this Animadverter will not deny 'T is impossible any duty or service should be accepted of God without these 'T is one end for which he is sent from the Father and the Son to in-dwell in the hearts of Believers to enable them hereunto Rom. 8. 26. How little of the Spirit of the Lord in those Magisterial and Dictator-like expressions manifesting too much of a spirit of pride and self-fulâ—ess with an horrible contempt of what is opposit to the mind of this Animadv together with those reproachful biting passionate words that without any just cause given do ever and anon drop from him he will upon a review be able to discern I am not able to foresee We are â—oo apt to judge partially in our own causes and of our own actions but the day will declare it Should I muster up the many expressions of this nature scattered almost from the one end of this Book to â—he other and represent them at once possibly it might somewhat startle this Animadverter of his being restâ—ained from publick preaching I have nothing to say but only this That if Mr. Tombs supposeth himself to be called forth by the Lord to the work of preaching the Gospel I see not now at least whilst not under corporal restraint he can answer the obligation is upon him by such a call by a total neglect of that duty either publickly or privately notwithstanding the interdiction of any Our retreat in such cases to the old Apostolical Maxime Act. 5. 29. Whether it be lawful to obey God or man judge ye being suitable and warrantable Nor is it I believe justifiable to improve Talents given in one work or duty with the neglect of another to which we are as equally obliged by the reception of them He adds as a second Reason of this undertaking his meeting with the Book under consideration and another entituled Prelatical Preachers none of Christ's Teachers which manifesting that the seeds of most rigid Separation were sown and spread themselves amongst many out of the greatness of his love and design to do them good and for the publick peace of the Nation he conceiv'd himself bound to pluck up such roots of bitterness and the rather because some that had known him to be for Believers Baptism have been ready to think him for Separation also Answ That he met with the Book under consideration I readily yeeld him being informed that in some heat of spirit about two years before the publishing his Theodulia he threatned the Refutation thereof But that the seeds of Separation are roots of bitterness is as warmly said as weakly proved in his following Treatise The word though it sounds ill in the ears of the world is of a middle signification denoting neither that which is evil nor good in it self as Mr. T. well knows A twofold Separation we read of in the Scripture 1. A wicked and unlawful Separation which is a causless departure from the People and Appointments of Christ as not able to bear their spirituality strictness purity and glory in contempt of Christ's Institution and meerly for the satisfying their lusts Jude 19. This is the Separation that is condemned in the Scripture Do either of the Tracts mentioned undertake the defence or vindication of it Are there not Principles laid down and asserted therein wholly opposite hereunto 2dly A warrantable lawful Separation enjoyned by Jesus Christ which is a peaceable departure from a Church or People not rightly constituted according to the mind of Christ the pattern exhibited by him or degenerated therefrom beyond a possibility of recovering their first state purely for the enjoyment of the Ordinances of God in power and purity This is the Separation no other pleaded for in the Papers mentioned Which â—â—ch poor worms as we are apt to think there is ground enough in the Scriptures for 1. 'T is of old prophesied of Num. 23. 9. Isa 52. 11 12. 62. 10. 2dly Commanded by the Lord Prov. 4. 14. 9. 6. 14. 7. Eph. 5. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Act. 2. 39. Psa 45. 10. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Rev. 18. 4. 3dly Practised by the Saints not to mention them of old Gen. 4. 26. Exod. 19. 5. Deut. 7. 6. 33. 28. Numb 33. 52. Exod. 24. 12 15. John 15. 19. Rev. 19. 7 8 9. which the Epistles of the Apostles to the Churches justifie who writ to them as Saints separated from the World and the Worship thereof What the Animadverter hath done in order to the plucking up the seeds of this Separation is afterwards considered He that is successfull in such an undertaking oâ— desires to be so had need do more than â—ent his passion in some biting satyrical expressions against the men of his contest or dictate to them as if Wisdom only rested with him and all others were to hang on his lips for Indoctrination whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without controul were to be submitted But Christ's School knows
1 4. it was no sin to hear them they were not the strangers meant John 10. 5 c. I must crave leave to inform him of what he cannot be ignorant that he trifles and abuses his Reader egregiously 1. Christ did not only chiefly but solely enjoyn his Disciples to hear his Apostles and those that afterwards were sent by his appointment in his Name as acting in the ministration of the Gospel by vertue of an Office-power The instance of the scattered Brethren Act. 8. 1 4. is not at all to his purpose they were indeed to be heard but not as Ministers of the Gospel acting by Office-power in the promulgation thereof which they were not nor pretended to be but as gifted Brethren or private Christians receiving abilities from the Lord for that work and duty they were now providentially called unto 2dly Mr. T. knows that the Author of S. Test. is for the liberty of Prophesying though he seems to suggest the contrary in these expressions Nor did I ever think nor any man in the world in his wits that those scattered Brethren Acts 8. 1 4. were the strangers mentioned John 10. but some others as is proved in the Treatise under his consideration Those in Acts 8. were to be heard as was said as gifted Brethren not as Officers of Christ which they were not What this makes to proving the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers to which good service it seems transiently designed is not easie to understand who preach not so whom we cannot hear as such except we would put out our eyes and renounce our understanding when they avouch they preach as Ministers and we see them daily in the exercise of that which suppose an Office-power as Baptism and breaking Bread for the doing of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things must he speak to who considers Mr. T. his Papers for want of what is more material But perhaps Sect. 3. doth the business where he flourisheth on the head of it as if he were resolv'd to come up close to the matter in hand and demonstrate by irrefragable Arguments that Hearing as a duty incumbent upon the Saints in the time of the Gospel in the way appointed by Christ is not a meer positive or ceremonial Worship But perhaps saith he the Author means by instituted Worship such as is meerly Positive or as we use to speak Ceremonial such as Baptism and the Lord's Supper c. In which he hath almost hit the white of the Author's intendment and meaning as plainly expressed as he knew how which is this That however Hearing may put on the endument and property of Moral Worship yet as practised under the New-Testament it solely appertains to Positive Worship or the Institution of Christ and whoever performs it not as such I am apt to conceive worships not Christ at all therein What saith the Animadverter to this Why this Author seems to me very inconsiderate But seriously Sir I was well aware knew and well considered of what I writ in this matter He seemeth to me very inconsiderate is a pitiful Argument to evert the Assertion impleaded by Mr. T. it being not much to the purpose what seems to him or me to be considerate or otherwise These matters will be judged by others whether we will or no. As for what he adds 't is of no more weight than what went before That hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons He must 1. except Adam to whom at first it was no duty so to do except he make God the Preacher and then he altars the state of the question and afterwards 't is more than probable he preached to his Family not they to him 2. Except the time of ignorance God winked at when he sent no Preachers to the Gentile world but suffered them to walk in their own wayes 3. He had need to qualifie his Assertion a little better else it will not be found weight I am apt to think that hearing all Preachers and an indefinite Proposition as Mr. T. his is is equipollent to an universal is neither part of moral nor instituted Worship The Romans had their Flamins and Arch-Flamins from whence the pattern of Bishops and Arch-Bishops Baal had his Chemarims our forefathers in England the Druides who in their solemn acts of Worship were clad in a white-garment you may call it a Surplice from whence 't is probable that rag had its original all Preachers yet the hearing of them no part I hope of moral Worship Yea the Devil was once a Preacher and of the Gospel too till Christ silenced him Luke 4. 41. yet I very much question whether should he do so again as 't is not impossible our Animadverter would assert it lawful to hear him There were also Preachers of the Circumcision whom Paul thought it no part of the Worship of God to hear the duty of Saints lying in the direct contrary part by vertue of the Apostolical Injunction Phil. 3. 2. So that 't is evidently a mistake of Mr. T. to say that hearing of Preachers is a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times and persons Whereas 4. the very truth is Though hearing the Word of God whenever and however it shall please him to dispense it be a moral and perpetual Worship yet hearing these or those Preachers appointed by him to dispense it is purely of Sovereign Institution It being free to the Lord to have sent his Word alway by the hands of his Angels as sometimes he did to his Children as well as otherwise which had he done it had been so far from being our duty to attend upon Men-Preachers that it had been our sin to have heeded any other than these Angelical ones I must desire the Animadverter by the way to correct one passage of his it being a gross mistake wherein he seems to intimate that I make the hearing the present Ministers such an instituted Worship of Christ as is meerly positive and adds that herein I seem to be very inconsidèrate Which I confess I should be if I did so Mr. T. knows I am so far from making it such an Instituted Worship of Christ that I say 't is no Worship of Christ at all either moral or instituted to hear them and exprofesso prove as well as I can the contrary which that it is not satisfactory to Mr. T. I cannot help Some men will be satisfied with little except what hath the countenance of Authority on its side However I never said that hearing the present Ministers is any part of the instituted Worship of Christ which had I believed to be so I had done very wickedly to have opposed it He adds that should it be granted me that the whole of Gospel-Institutions were to be devolved upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament yet would it be to the disadvantage of my self and the rest of the Separatists who use many places of the Old-Testament about
asserted so it gives us light into the intendment of the Spirit of the Lord in the rest instanced according to the measure whereof they are to be interpreted Nor can it be otherwise the holy and wise God having given forth Laws for his People to walk by they must needs be perfect and compleat To accuse them of Imperfection as to the end for which they were given forth and they were given forth for a Law and Rule to walk by is to accuse and charge the infinitly holy and blessed God with Imperfection That a People having a perfect Law revealed to them to conform to should not be indispensibly bound so to do is the first-born of improbabilities and absurdities But Mr. T. will prove the contrary we attend his dictâ—tes He tells us 1. Our Lord hath determined the contrary Answ But this is nothing to the purpose We say not that they were so bound to the observation of these Laws that God could not dispense with them that he sometimes did and at last at the least as to one part of them that emiâ—ently related to instituted Worship he hath wholly removed and taken out of the way but so bound that it was not lawful for any of the sons of men to add to or deâ—â—act from them The case of the Disciples plucking the ears of Corn and David's eating the Shew-bread is not at all to the business Christ who was present with the Disciples waâ—râ—nting the action who is Lord of the Sabbath and might have done so had they on that day done some greater work than the plucking the ears of corn And this he asserts as one part of the plea he makes for them Matth. 12. 8. The Animadverter will never be able to make good this consequence Christ the Lord of the Sabbath dispensed with his Disciples when they brake a Law of the Sabbath though indeed the plucking the ears of Corn was no breach of any Law of the Sabbath but of the Tradition of the Elders who by their corrupt glosses had nefariously added to the Law granting for Argument-sake that they had done so Therefore the people of the Jews were not bound to conform to the Laws given to them by the Lord for the management of their Ecclesiastical and Civil Affairs without addition or diminution And as for the matter of Shew-bread and David's eating it it was 1. A case of necessity an extraordinary case which the Lawgiver might dispense with under such a circumstance and yet the people of the Jews bound to conform to his Statues and Judgments without addition or diminution 2dly 'T is evident that David did nothing but what the Law of God permitted him to do 'T is true Christ saith Mat. 12. 4. that it was not lawful for him to eat But that is to be interpreted that out of the case of necessity as David's case at present was it was not lawful for him so to do or that by the Ceremonial Law or Law of the Priesthood which by the Law of God ought to give place to works of mercy and necessity it was not lawful But that it was not absolutely forbidden him is evident 1. The Priest when he comes to him makes little or no scruple of his taking the Bread so be the young men that were with him were legally clean 1 Sam. 21. 4. 2dly David tells him as the case stood the Bread was in a manner common v. 5. for Ceremonies ought to give place to Charity by the Law of the same Lawgiver that instituted them Yea 3dly Our dear Lord in the place mentioned by Mr. T. Matth. 12. 5. tells us that the practice both of his Disciples and David was according to the Warrant and Law of God v. 7. But if ye had known what that means I will have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not have condemned the guiltless Which is a citation out of the Prophet Hos 6. 6. The meaning seems to be that in cases of real necessity some Ceremonial Institutions should give place to Moral Duties Now how weakly doth Mr. T. argue God did in the Law in some cases dispense with the violation of some particular branches of the Ceremonial Law therefore the People of the Jews were not indispensibly bound to the observation of it The question not being what God did or could dispense with who was the absolute and supream Lawgiver but what the duty of the sons of men was with respect to the Law where there was no such dispensation and whether they were not bound without additions and diminutions of their own solely to conform to it So that Mr. T. his Argument is no better than A Baculo ad Angulum and altogether inconclusive of what he would prove thereby But it may be what follows is more to his purpose Let that be considered He tells us that as for additions to Laws Ecclesiastical the Assemblies keeping other seven dayes besides those prescribed in the Law of the Passover 2 Chron. 30. 23. and to Civils the Ordinance of David 1 Sam. 30. 20 25. shew that in both some additions might be by the Prince c. Ans 'T is true indeed the Assembly in Hezekiah's time did over and above the seven dayes prescribed by the Law of the Passover keep also other seven dayes and 't is as true that this Animadv openly prevaricates in the cause he is pleading For 1. This was an extraordinary case not to be reduced to ordinary practice nor of force to enervate a general Rule 2dly This was no Institution or positive Law nor was there any Injunction laid upon the People for the observation of those Laws but the People might if they would or otherwise observe them and therefore cannot properly be said to be an addition to the Laws Ecclesiastical it being no more than any agreement of men amongst themselves to keep a day or dayes of Thanksgiving or Humiliation which had there been it had been abominable wickedness Mr. T. himself saith in his third part of the full review of the Dispute concering Infant-Baptism c. That Jeroboams Sacrifice and keeping a Feast at another time than God appointed is condemned as Will-worship p. 3 4. The Ordinance of David 1 Sam. 30. 20. is to as little purpose instanc'd in by this Animadverter 1. It was a Military Ordinance made by David when in a wandring state driven out of the borders of Israel 2dly Some refer the words v. 25. to David as if he alledged an old Law and Custom as if it were written It is both now and hath been ever So Vatablus who renders the words that was observed from that day and above i. e. from the beginning of the World to that day Some say it was a Statute from Abraham's time so Grotius acquaints us who asserts that Eschol and Mamre Gen. 14. 24. abode by the Carriages yet Abraham will have them receive a part of the spoil 3dly This Ordinance is no more than a particular exemplification of what
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
besides the Church of England but of the Church of Rome the Basis upon which her pompous Worship is built which being removed would fall to the ground and perish with its own weight Yea but Thirdly The Ceremonies of the Church of England are for Decency and Order To which I shall onely say what one said of the like speech of the Monks of Burdeaux when they affirmed That the Signs added to Baptism were an Ornament to it We Reply saith he to them Num igitur sunt c. Are they wiser than Christ Jesus who hath ordained his Sacrament in so great Purity and simplicity and who knoweth better than all the men in the world what Ornament was sittest for it If it be but the Covenant of a man when it is confirmed no man abrogateth it or addeth any thing to it What arrogancy is it then to add to the Institution of Christ What the Animadverters private thoughts of the Ceremonies of the Church of England are with respect to their Decency and Oâ—der I know not as wise men as he think the contrary The Ceremonies which have been abused to Superstition as the Ceremonies of the Church of England have been can never serve for Order or Comeliness say the Divines of Germany who stood against the Ceremonies then enforced And for the Surplice one calls it A Player-like apparel Gualt in Hos 2. and Calv. Instit Lib. 4. Cap. 10. Sect. 29. A vain Vizard Another Baleus in Declar. of Bon. Arti. p. 100. A pretty Toy And Dr. Taylor Act. and Mon. p. 1659. An Apish Toy Another Baecon p. 1. Cathe p. 486. Histrionical Scenical and Scorner-like As for their being 4thly Imposed by Publick Authority So were the Jewish Inventions Jeroboam imposeth them upon the People who are so far from being excused upon that account that they are condemned for their fearful and slavish subjection to him Hos 5. 11. and elsewhere But Fifthly Their Inventions were such as drew them to serve other Godds and forsake the Lord. Answ If he means that they were by these immediately influenced to the rejecting the true God that made the Heavens and the Earth he talks like himself confidently and without proof This indeed they did draw them to a rejection of Divine Appointments and casting off that Obedience and Subjection they owed to God and so do the Inventions and Ceremonies of the Church of England No Innovation in Worship but is a stealing from God that Obedience and Service that is alone due to him and giving it to another viz. the Innovator In time also God gives them up in a judicial way as a punishment of this their departure from Divine Institutions to the Inventions of man to blindness of mind and strong delusions Thus he dealt with Israel Isa 6. 9 10. and 29. 10 13. So that they at last grew so sottish as to fall down before the stump of a Tree yet without the utter rejection or denial of the true God whom they worshipped through that false Medium They sware by the Lord i. e. Worshiped him when they sware by Malcham Unto what blindness of mind God hath given up many of the Pleaders for and Conformers to the present Inventions and Ceremonies I had rather leave to the silent thoughts of the Reader than express And what in time as a punishment for mingling the Worship of God with the Inventions of men and departure from Divine Institutions befel the Synagogue of Rome in respect of their Icolatria or Image-worship and the Church of England in dayes past and now in their falling down before the Sacrament of which in its proper place we must speak is known to all And I heartily wish that the review thereof might make us to tremble to provoke the Lord to jealousie by the works of ourhands But he adds None of the Inventions of men mentioned in the places cited are such as can be charged upon the Church of England for that I take to be his meaning nor are any threatned by the Lord or did he contest with the Jews upon the account of any Customs of the Nations but such as were Idolatrous and of this he saith Let all the Texts alledged be viewed Answer And we are contented they be reviewed only we crave leave to premise 1. That this Animadverter doth not deny that the Ceremonies of the Church of England at least some of them are derived from the Customs of the Nations nor indeed that mediately through the Church of Rome from whom we immediately received them they are so can be denied The Surplice Durandus indeed thinks Rational Lib. 3. Cap. 1. was borrowed from the Jews It was rather as we said from the Heathen Priests who were clad in white in their Ministration The Riâ—g in Marriage the Cross in Baptisme the distinction of the Priests from the Roman Heathen Flamins and Arch-Flamins and many of their Feasts as Eostar or Easter Epiphany c. smell of the same Forge which is directly contrary to many Precepts of the Lord in the Scripture Lev. 20. 23. Deut. 12. 30. So will I do i. e. not unto Idols but unto the Lord aâ— the next verse manifests Hereupon the Hebrews say Thou mayest not enquire or ask concerning the way of the service of an Idol how it is although thou serve it not for this thing occasions to turn after it and to do as they do Maimon Tract of Idol Cap. 2. Sect. 2. Not only the Worship of false Godds but false or Idolatrous Worship of the true God is here forbidden and all imitation of Idolaters is condemned 2 Kings 17. 15. Jer. 10. 2. Psal 106. 35. 2dly That this Animadverter supposeth That the Introduction of the Inventions of Men into the Worship of God is not Idolatry That such Ceremonies are not Idolatrous which we cannot yeild him it being the making an Image to our selves contrary to the second Commandment Nor am I singular in this opinion August de Consens Evang. Lib. 2. Cap. 18. Vasq de Adorat Lib. 2. Disput 1. Cap. 3. Dr. Bils against Apolog. p. 4. p. 344. assert That all Will-Worship is flat Idolatry And Mr. T. will yeeld That what is Praeter mandatum beside the Commandment is Will-worship 3dly That a departure from one or more of the Institutions of God to the embracement of the Customs of the Nations is in Scripture called a forsaking of God 2 Kings 17. 15 Deut. 28. 20 with 15. Isa 1. 4. which cannot be interpreted of their casting off the whole Worship of God which they did not for they continued to sacrifice to him to tread his Courts and made many Prayers they observed the New-Moons Sabbaths c. vers 11 12 13 so that totally they had not rejected him and his service but turning aside to the Inventions of men and mixing them with the Worship of God he saith They had forsaken him which that the present Ministers and Church of England have done we have evinced in Chap.
4 and 5 of S. T. And now let the judicious Reader consider the places produced Deut. 32. 18. Jer. 23. 27. and 9. 13 14. and 15. 6. Ezr. 9. 10. Jer. 16. 11 12. and 19. 4 5. and I doubt not but he will say that they are not grosly abused as Mr. T. speaks when applied though we did not do so to the imposition or use of the Ceremonies in the Church of England 'T is true the Jews are in some of the places mentioned accused with worshipping of Idols but the great thing that is charged upon them is their departing from the Appointments of the Lord which had they not done they had never worshiped those false Godds who yet so far as I am able to discern were not strictly the Object of their Worship but false Mediums through which they worshiped and went to the true God as others do through the Common-Prayer-Book-Service as great an Idol as ever was in the World and as much the invention of man as the Calf in the Wilderness or the Calves at Dan and Bethel Sect. 9. Of the confidence of the People of the Jews under their Apostasie that they were the People of God Their Persecution even to death of such as testified against their Innovations The Church and Ministers of England guilty of such Innovations as the Prophets Christ c. condemned the Jews for Our bearing Testimony against these hath no tendency to the infringment of the Peace of the Nation The way of ridged Conformity no Basis sufficient to support the Nations Peace The saying of Cyril The unjust Accusations of Mr. T. against us WHat I remark in the fifth place touching the People of the Jews that notwithstanding their Apostasie they remained confident that they were the People of God and persecuted and put to death the Prophets and Servants of the Lord that bore their Testimony against their Innovations Mr. T. grants to be true Sect. 10. But intimates 1. That the People and Teachers of England are not guilty of such Innovations as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles charged upon the Jews Whether they are or no let the judicious Reader judge from what is offered in the foregoing Section To which we shall only add that Mal. 1. 6 7. may most truly be spoken of them They call God indeed Father and Master but they fear and reverence others as such whose Canons and Constitutions they are bound to yeeld Canonical obedience unto They despise his Name by offering polluted bread upon his Altar a service not commanded by him that hath been polluted defiled by Antichrist Nor can they be cleared from that imputation of Christ Mat. 15. 9. Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Which that they do Mr. T. himself in his Fermentum Pharisaeorum yet speaketh and every one knows So that by this Animadverters confession we do well to bear our Testimony against them 2dly That our witnessing against them tends to infringe the publick Peace Answ This was an accusation managed in every day against the witnesses of Christ The Prophets infringed the Peace so did Christ the Apostles c. It was thought therefore not to be for the safety of the Nations to suffer them to live And Mr. T. doth what he can by such wicked and unchristian intimations as these to irritate the present Rulers to proceed against us in like manner Which through the grace of the Lord is a small matter to us who would not account our lives dear â—o our selves so we may finish our work and testimony for Christ with faithfulness and joy What peace these expressions will in the review of them administer to Mr. T. I know not I am sure they will be bitterness in the latter end For our parts where is the person that can testifie ought against us as the disturbers of the peace of the Nation Are there any in it that do more covet and desire the introducing what may and will most assuredly be a Basis to support its continual peace and welfare The way of rigid Conformity will never do it as some hundreds of years experience manifest To this Animadverter I shall only further say as Cyril of old Cyril Epist ad Cleric Constan in Concil Ephes p. 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are we Enemies to Peace In no wise we rather will pull it to us with violence so that the true Faith withal may be confessed If ouâ— Testimony do not eventually rectify any thing we cannot help it 't is no other than what the servants of God yea Christ himself his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servant met with The people would go on in their superstitious practices say what they could in the Name of the Lord unto them yet were they bound to testify against them This is our comfort that our judgement is with the Lord and our reward with our God That this Animadverter accuseth us of being guilty of Calumny and our practice as proceeding not from holy zeal but evil passion we are not much conceâ—ned 'T is a small matter to be judged of mans day we must shortly stand before an higher Tribunal whither we can chearfully appeal and heartily wish that Mr. T. had manifested less passion and more holy zeal in this Treatise than I am able to discern then would he have had greater cause of rejoycing in the day of Christ Sect. 10. Of the false Prophets that were amongst the Jews To whom the Ministers of England bear a great resemblance manifested in 6 particulars Isa 9. 15. and 28. 7 8. Jer. 23. 11. Zeph. 3. 4. Hos 9. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 1. explained To prophesie lies in the Name of the Lord what Ecclesiastical Canons against the practice of the present Ministers To do violence to the Law to be a snare of a fowler What they import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or false Teachers who they are Damnable Heresies what and why so called Denying the Lord that bought them what it imports The Plea of the Animadverter for the Church and Ministers of England not much better than what was or might have been made use of by Jeroboam himself WHat I mention in the 6th place touching the false Prophets that were amongst them of Old who ran before they were sent and prophesied smooth things to them in the name of the Lord according to the desire of the heart of them and their Rulers upon the account whereof they were in great esteem amongst them Mr. T. grants But intimates 1. That the Ministers of England are not such as the texts produced describe and therefore those that accuse them as if they were such are false accusers Answ But Ne saevi magne Sacerdos Have a little patience and we doubt not but to manifest that they bear a very great resemblance and likeness to them 1st Did they run before they were sent Jer. 14. 14 21. and 23. 21. i. e. pretend to come and act in the Name of the Lord when he never commanded them nor
their yoke and burden Reas 2. Because the determination of the whole of God's Worship to the Jews did bring in many things which were unprofitable weak and made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 18 19. And if God had so determined to us he had commanded things unprofitable weak c. Therefore Answ 1. The will of God was the ground and measure of those things the Apostle calls unprofitable c. which had they been more so upon the account thereof they ought to have been submitted unto the unprofitableness and weakness of any thing being no ground for its rejection when commanded by the Lord. 2dly This Animadverter is not so much of Gods counsel as to be able to say what had been if the whole of Gospel-Worship had been as it is determined by the Lord. That there is some part of Gospel-Worship instituted he will not deny Is this unprofitable weak If not what necessity is there that what he supposeth not to be instituted had it been so should be liable to such a crimination 3dly What is most weak contemptible and unprofitable in the eye of man is usually made the power of God to them that are saved 1 Cor. 1. 18 23 24 25. 4thly These supposed accidentals of Worship non-determined of God are left by him according to Mr. T. his dictate to be determined by Governours If the determination of the Lord would have rendred them weak and unprofitable doth their determination make them efficacious and profitable Are they wiser stronger than God or being determined by them may we reject them as unprofitable weak and good for nothing To what purpose disputes he then for them 5thly If God hath left them to be set down by Governours to whom obedience is due as saith the Animadverter 't is out of love and faithfulness to us that he hath done so that it should be greater love and faithfulness in him to us to leave them to the determination of men with a necessity of our subjection to them when determined than to do it himself is absurd to assert But 6thly The observances instanced in by Paul Heb. 7. 18 19. were not accidentals of Worship they were necessary and essential parts thereof such things wherein the greatest part of the Instituted Worship of God amongst the Jews did consist which are called weak and unprofitable c. not with respect to the determination of God as if his determining them made them so which were impious to imagine nor in respect of the end for which they were instituted by the Lord which it was impossible they should be he never failing of his end nor mistaking in the choice of means proper and suitable thereunto but with respect to the great works of Justification Sanctification c. accomplished and wrought by the Melchizedechian Priesthood of the Lord Jesus as the Apostle speaketh and in this sense all the Worship of Christ that is determined by him is weak unprofitable makes nothing perfect viz. in it self or with respect to Justification and by this Animadverters Argument it had therefore been a greater demonstration of love and faithfulness in the Lord to us to have determined no part of Instituted Worship Reas 3. The things God determined to the Jews about the Circumstantials of his Worship were but shadows of good things to come which were not fit to be continued or to be supplied with any other Christ being come who was the Body or Substance Colos 2. 16 17. Heb. 10. 1. Therefore Answ 1. What was fit or not fit for God to do Mr. T. is too bold to assume the confidence to determine He never made him or any of the Sons of men his Counsellor 2. Not the circumstantials of Worship only but the greatest part of the instituted Worship of the Lord amongst them was a shadow of good things to come The Sacrifices Passover Ordinances of the Priesthood c. were eminent Types of Christ who was the Substance and Body of them yet no accidentals of Worship but that wherein the Worship it self did consist But 3dly Mr. T. will never prove That if God determine the whole of his Worship under the Gospel he must introduce such things as are such shadows of good things to come as the Jews Observances were The determination of the whole of the Worship of Chriâ—t asserted by us secures us we find by experience from such things which the asserting a liberty in men to determine what they please under the notion of accidentals of Worship exposeth us to witness the Cross in Baptism Surplice Hood Tippet and a hundred such ridicuâ—ous trinkets invented by them and yet except he prove this his reason is irrational and ludicrous Let us see if there be any more weigâ—t in what follows Reas 4. Such Ordinances were carnal to endure only to the time of Reformation which is this time of the Gospel Heb. 9. 9. Therefore it 's part of Gods love c. that neither the same in particular nor other are precisely determined to us by God Answ 1. The Jewish Ordinances are called Carnal or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Justifications or Righteousnesses of the flesh because in their own nature they reached only to the outward man saith Piscator because they did sanctifie only to the purifying of the flesh vers 13. say our Annotators These were to continue but untill the time of Reformation as the Apostle saith even to the times of the Gospel but that no other Ordinances that in their own nature I speak not of what is done by the blessing of the Lord upon his own appointments reach only to the outward man and the purifying of the flesh are of the appointment of Christ whatever others say Mr. T. upon second thoughts will not assert it But 2dly These Ordinances were carnal and vertually â—bolished at the death of Christ actually taken away and removed when the Temple was destroyed by Titus Vespatian the same Ordinances in particular are not determined by the Lord but that no other Ordinances are is a slip of Mr. T. his Pen or it may be a Typographical error which he will not justifie 3dly When this Animadverter proves that it was not an act of rich love and faithfulness in the Lord upon the cessation of the carnal Ordinances of the Jews to institute de novo and precisely determine a more simple or spiritual Worship or that because these then ceased therefore it could not be an act of love in the Lord so to do i. e. When he shall make good his Inference he may be supposed to say something but till then an ordinary capacity will be able to discern that he doth but trifle His 5 6 7 Reasons are not worth the mentioning concluding only That New-Testament-Believers are released from Jewish Observances which we assert and own as well as he And when he shall be able to manifest that any thing else can Logically or Rationally be deduced from them I will be his bondman Reas 5. For
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
act as Ministers of Christ when they prophesie for the edifying the Body of Christ by vertue of any Office-power so that they need not any such Election What follows is a Rhapsody of words that the ingenuous Reader knows proves nothing introduced to cast the â—dium of Irreligion-upon the men of his Contest The best is the Nation knows him to be at least in this matter a false Accuser He tells us 3dly That it may be doubted whether Christ be meant by the Door John 10. 1. Answ But why it should be doubted when Christ expresly tells us v. 9. that He is the Door I cannot tell That the Door v. 1 v. 9. is not the same Door is not probable and less probable that by the Door v. 9. should be meant the Scriptures of the Prophets who although they foretold of Christ yet can in no sense that I know of be said to be the Door through which he entred But this he is unwilling to abide by He adds 4ly That if the door be the same Joh. 10. 1 9. the entering in v. 9 cannot be entring into the Ministry by the lawful election of a particular Church for then it would follow that every one that so enters in shall be saved but that is manifestly false Answ 1. But if by saved he mean everlastingly saved this doth not at all follow he knows right well that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not alwayes to be restrained to such a signification 2ly The whole expression he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture seems to intimate no more than this that he may expect the blessing of God with him the defence of God upon him in his Ministry that thus enters into it according to his mind according to Deut. 28. 6. So the Assembly Beza c. interpret the words which I think is so far from being manifestly false that nothing is more true Of immediate Calls to the Ministry and the wayes whereby men may prove themselves to be so called I shall not now turn aside to speak nor in what sense I asserted that persons receiving Commission immediatly from Christ to preach the Gospel will never be made good without the working of miracles it not being pleaded as I know of that the present Ministers have any such Commission nor do they pretend to it Of Petrus Waldo and other Reformers I think as honourably as this Animadverter They were worthy and eminent witnesses for Christ in their day no small part of their Testimony was against the Abominations pleaded for by Mr. T. in his Theodulia They admited nothing into their Church but what is written in the Bible no Decrees no Epistles Decretals nor the Legends of the Saints nor the traditions of the Church They held that the Preaching of the word of God is free to every man that hath received abilities from the Lord for that work That the Priests Vestments are little worth That no day a man may cease from his labour except the Lords day and not the feasts of of Saints Zanchy introduceth a certain Orthodox man speaking thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and afterwards adds the Churches are to be reformed according to the best form a better from of the Church cannot be invented than that which Christ and his Apostles in the beginning of the Church did constitute and appoint And afterwards all Doctrines of Worship and Discipline are to be examined not by the Lesbian rule of humane judgment but by the Touchstone of the Divine Word Zanch. de ver Eccl. reformand ration Johannes Gerson affirms That the authority of the Primitive Church was greater than now it is for it is not in the power of the Pope or Council or Church to change the Traditions taught by the Evangelists and Paul as some dream de vit Spirit animae Budaeus saith Canonum canities vel caries potius nulli jam usui est sed velut anus delira è foro explosa est de ponte enim jam diu comitiorum paracleti dejecta est disciplina Canonica ut annis sexaginta major atque etiam sexcentis de Translat Heclerismi lib. 2. And afterwards Navis nobis disciplinae à servatorâ— relicta est Ecclesiae conditore quae Cantico Ministerio instrumento miraculisque instructa fuit ab ipso aut ejus auspiciis These were some of the Witnesses of Christ in their day whom we honour as such that bear their Testimony against what Mr. T. thinks good for the present to espouse to himself 5ly This Animadv speaks of the proof of our Assertion that those that receive authority to preach the Gospel mediately from Christ have it from some particular instituted Church of Christ to whom power is solely delegated for the electing their own Officers according to Acts 6. 5. 14. 23. as weak and impertinent He tells us 1. That though this should be granted yet power may be given to others to choose send and ordain Preachers for the unconverted who are and may be heard as Ministers of the Gospel Ans 1. This we deny the Keys being given to the Church by Christ Mat. 16. 19. with 18. 17 18. we cannot conceive how any can legally choose or send forth persons to act by vertue of an Office-power in the preaching of the Gospel but the Church 2dly We never yet understood that Interrogations were sufficient Answers his may not for all this is no evidence that it may He adds Yea may not some others ordain Elders for particular Instituted Churches Answ 1. Without the Churches consent Election c. they may not 'T is true Titus was left by Paul in Crete to ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1. 5. but that he might do this without the choice election and concurrent act of the Church as a Diocesan Bishop as some fondly imagine is a fancy that as it hath over and over been confuted by many Godly Learned so Mr. T. will never be able to make it good 2ly Should it be granted which yet is most false contrary to the practice of those times and many years after that Titus ordained by himself without the knowledg counsel and approbation of the people Elders it doth not in the least follow that any persons may do so now For. 1. He had express warrant and direction from the Apostle to do what he did 2. He was an extraordinary Officer an Evangelist not limited to a certain Church the continuance of which office we have no direction for in the Scripture 3. The officers that were to be continued in the Churches are said to be Elders or Bishops which were not names of distinct officers but of the same Tit. 1. 5 7. to be confined or limited to oâ—e particular Congregation not having or exercising jurisdiction over many Phil. 1. 1. Acts. 14. 23. 20. 17 28. Tit. 1. 5 6 7. so that this instance makes little to his purpose When he proves his suggestion that there are any
to be Brethren and Members of all the Churches in the world Gal. 3. 26 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 12. 12 Eph. 4. 4. They make them to be Brethren only of those particular Churches to whom those Epistles are directed as the serious reading them will evince 2. Were what he saith true He would reduce the brotherhood to a narroer compass than we either do or dare For if his notion be true only those that are baptized into Christ can be so accounted but Mr. T. thinks that only such as are baptized at years of discretion are thus baptized into Christ Therefore only such are Brethren and then I am sure the Ministers of England are not to be so accounted Thus frequently doth he wound to the heart the cause he undertakes the management of with his own sword We add in S. T. Secondly We cannot as things stand perform the duties of Brethren to them according to Mat. 18. nor will they or can they in the state in which they stand to us What Mr. T. hath answered to Maâ— 18. in his answer to the Preface Sect. 15. we have refuted in the Vindication thereof Sect. and have evinced a Congregational Church is there meant 'T is no Argument of hatred as Mr. T. according to his wonted candor suggests that we cannot perform the duties of Brethren to them 1. They are a Church of such a Latitude that 't is almost impossible we should do so 2. We are in no Church-state together 3. Should we reprove them we could do no more therefore we cannot perform the duties of Brethren required by that Scripture which indoctrinates us in case of non-repentance to bring it before the Church we know no Churth to whom we may complain The Parochial Assemblies have no power to deal with them The Bishops Court is no Church of Christ yet thither must we appeal if any where and we have little encouragement to do so it consisting of persons altogether â—â— vicious and deboyst as those we are to complain of We say further in S. T. Thirdly If we acknowledge the best of them for Brethren we must acknowledge the worst of them For 1. They are all members of the the same Church 2. They profess themselves to be one Brotherhood To which Mr. T. pretends a Reply in a Rhapsodie of words little or not at all to purpose He tells us 1st Of a twofold Communion Private or Publick and that the worst of the present Ministers are to be accounted as Brethren in respect of private Gospel-Communion i. e. we are to restore them as Brethren open our hearts to them according to Gal. 6. 1. Mal. 3. 16. Jam. 5. 16. I industriously omit his Scoffe of Pharisaically minded reputed Saints which he must shortly account for to him who will reckon with men for their hard and reproachful words to his Children And to what may be thought of any moment in this his Answer we Reply Answ 1. His distinction of Private and Publick Gospel-Communion is impertinent as is his discourse of the lawfulness of holding private Gospel-Communion with them 'T is of Communion with them in preaching c. that we are treating which he accounts Publick Communion 2. Not one of the Scriptures produced but condemn what he would have them justifie The Brethren Paul speaks of Gal. 6. 1. were Members of a particular instituted Church Gal. 1. 2. Such as had received the Spirit Chap. 3. 2. The Sons of God by Faith Vers 26. Baptized into Christ putting him on Vers 27. Sons into whose hearts God had sent forth the Spirit of his Son crying Abba Father Chap. 4. 6. Heirs of God through Christ Vers 7. Such as knew God were known of him Vers 9 c. Mal. 3. 16. Speakes expresly concern-such as feared the Lord in opposition to the proud and them that work wickedness such as those mentioned Jam. 5. 16. which Mr. T. knows in his conscience cannot be affirmed of the worst of the present Ministers Certainly the forementioned Characters fit not the drunkards swearers adulterers that are known to be of that Tribe Nor 3. Am I able to make any tollerable sence of what follows that concerning this it follows not if we acknowledge the best of them as Brethren we must also acknowledge the worst of them he having asserted and introduced the Scriptures but now requoted to prove it that concerning this The worst of the present Ministers are to be accounted as Brethren 2dly As touching publick Gospel-Communion he tells us It consists in hearing them praying with them receiving the Lords Supper c. Answ Very well How proves he that with respect hereunto we mâ—y own them as Brethren Why 1. Judas might be heard as an Apostle was perhaps a Communicant at the Lords Supper It 's therefore lawful to hear and joyâ— in the Lords Supper with the worst of the present Ministers Answ 1. Of the case of Judas that is repeated usque ad naâ—sâ—am we shall have occasion to speak hereafter At present we shall only say 2. He was an Apostle sent forth by Jesus Christ which the present Ministers of England are not 3. He was a visible Saint carried it so well that but immediately before his betraying his Lord the Disciples seemed rather to suspect themselves than him which cannot be affirmed of visible Drunkards 4. That he received the Communion is uncertain If he did they were in a Church-state he was a visible Saint no actual crime or evil could be laid to his charge so that this instance makes not aâ— all for Communion with the worst or best of the Ministers of England who are not in a Gospel Church state c. He further tells 3dly A mixt multitude made acclamation to Christ yet our Lord justified their joyning together in their praying and praising God Mat. 21. 16. Luke 19. 39. Answ 1. This was but one act 2. Out of a Church-state 3. From an extraordinary impulse of Spirit 4. They joyned with the Disciples were not the mouth of the Disciples to God and therefore reacheth not at all our present Casâ— 5. Mr. T. Can never prove this Consequence valid The Disciples sing Hosanna to Christ and others a mixt multitude by an extraordinary impulse of Spirit sing so to Ergo It 's our duty to joyn with the present Ministers as Brethren in praying preaching receiving the Sacrament c. which yet he must make good or confess he hath hitherto proved nothing He adds 4thly 'T is no sin to joyn in the true Worship of God wâ—th any if we have no command to withdraw from that Service because of their presence nor power to exclude them and yet bound to the duties then performed Believers might prophesie and hear it though unbelievers came in 1 Cor. 14. 24. Answ 1. This Animadverter takes for granted what we deny First That the true Worship of God is performed in the Parish Assemblies All praying and preaching is not the true Worship of God The offering
it is Is not the Discipline of their Church from the Canon Law with what forehead can he deny it Whence is the Hierarchy Ecclesiastical decrees Episcopal jurisdiction Procurations Dispensations Pluralities Non-residencies Popish-retained-Ceremonies their Excommunications by a Commissary Ordinations Absolutions Degradations Visitations Offerings Courts Silencing of Godly Preachers disquieting the Lords people for Non-conformity if not from the Cannon-Law These things are notoriously known to be from them So that Mr. T. grants the present Ministers may lawfully be separated from But this might be a slip of his pen before he was aware That it is our duty to separate from persons acting from an Antichristian Power Office or Calling we prove 2ly 'T is unlawful to attend upon the Teachings of Antichrist therefore upon the teachings of such as act by vertue of a power derived from him To this Mr. T. replyes If by teachings of Antichrist be meant the teachings of the present Doctrine of the Church of Rome and the power derived from him be meant the English Bishops Ordination it is impudency to say they derived their power from Rome Answ 1. We are not yet speaking of the Ministers of England to separate from those that act from an Antichristian power be they Ministers of Germany Holland if they so act in their Ministry they are to be seperated from and that because we may not attend upon Antichrist in his Teachings or Ministration doth Mr. T. deny tâ—is He saith indeed if they preach truth we may attend upon their Ministry though they so act Answ But this hath been often said without the least proof and as frequently replyed to and its inconsutilousness in its applâ—cation to the present Ministers who preach Popish Errours and are interdicted the preaching all truth manifested 'T is an assertion most derogatory to the Dignity and Authority of our Lord and King and not to be born by his Loyal Subjects Hath not he Servants enough of his own to do his work to preach his Gospel but he must be beholding to the greatest enemies he hath in the world to send forth Servants into his Vineyard 2dly The present Ministers of England deny their power from the Papacy or they do not if they do not it had been my mistake not impudency to say they did If they do as most certain it is they do and they themselves acknowledge it and plead it the Impudency is rather in Mr. T. to deny it I add in S. T. 3dly Christ calls his to separate from every thing of Antichrist Rev. 18. 4. 14. 9 10 11. Therefore from his Ministry or such as act by vertue of an Antichristian power To which our Animadverter replies 1 Rev. 18. 4. may be understood of a local departure from Babylon when her judgment of destruction from the Kings of the Earth draws nigh Answ 1. And who can hinder Mr. T. from making conjectures his it may be is no proof that it is However the ground of the Lord 's calling them out of Rome should it be granted him that by Babylon were meant the City of Rome is plainly intimated to be lest they should partake of their sins Not their dwelling in Rome but their complying with the Antichristian Ministry Worship thereof their abominable Rites and Ceremonies is that which is loathsom to the Lord. 2dly 'T is true God calls not his People to depart from every doctrine the Pope teacheth there is some truth remaining amongst them which is to be cleaved to because truth much less a rejection of the Bible These are but vain words empty flourishes this Animadverter knows full well that these things are not affirmed by those with whom he hath to do 3dly To a departure from her by forsaking Communion with her in Worship and leaving subjection to her Government he grants this Scripture may be extended which is all we need contend for The Worship of Rome and England are much the same as we prove The Church-government in use amongst us by Arch-Bishops Bishops issues from the same sourse and spring as is known Therefore a separation from the Worship and Ministry of England lawful by the Animadverter's confession 4thly When God commands to come out of her he must be interpreted to come out of every thing of her viz. that which is truly hers whatever hath not the stamp and authority of God upon it for the reason why the Lord would have his forsake any thing of hers is because it is hers and hath not his own Image and Superscription 'T is ridiculous to imagine that God should command a separation from her Worship and Government and not from her Ministry when this is a main part of her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church-Government He adds 2dly By the Beast and his Image Rev. 14. 9 10 11. is meant some Empire or State which promotes Idolatry the Roman Papacy the worshipping of which is undoubtedly the acknowledging of its power and subjection to their Idolatrous Decrees and Edicts The receiving his mark is a profession of our being the servants of the Pope to subject to his authority and after the citation of Mr. Brightman and Mr. Mede speaking to this purpose he saith which doth evince that the worship of the Beast and his Image is not retaining every usage of the Papists though superstitious and corrupt but acknowledging the universal Monarchy of the Popes adoring Images the Host c. Answ 1. But what doth evince that this is all that is intended by worshipping the Image of the Beast Mr. T. would bear his Reader in hand as if he had produced somewhat for the confirmation of his Assertion when he hath not said the least word tending thereunto The very truth is 2ly The Beast mentioned Rev. 14. 9 10. is the same with the Beast mentioned Rev. 13. 11. or the false Prophet Rev. 19. 21. or Antichrist consider'd in his Ecclesiastical State composed of head the Popes and members the rest of the Antichristian Clergy whether at Rome or elsewhere for as the learned Mede saith the Pope alone maketh not up the Beast except the Clergy be joâ—n'd with him since the Beast doth signifie a company of men composed of a certain order of members like as the Beast hath not one man alone the Image of the Beast cannot be a dumb Image 't is expresly said to be a speaking one viz. the Ecclesiastical policy that in its Cannon-Laws upon which both that of Rome and England is founded breatheth forth nothing but Excommunication against such as shall disobey them upon which they are deliver'd over to the Secular Power here with us though not to be burned yet to perpetual Imprisonment The worshipping the Beast and receiving the mark is subjection to an Antichristian Ministry and Church-polity from which it is the duty of the people of God to separate and if we prove not the Ministers of England to be so we acknowledg this Argument to be null and that notwithstanding any thing in it
already answered We add 9thly The Popish Priests wait not the Churches call to the Ministry but make suit to some Prelate to be ordained Priest and giving money for their Letters of Ordination so the Priests of England Mr. T. replies To offer a person's self for ordination is in some case a duty 1 Tim. 3. 1. Isa 6. 8. Answ 1. The Scriptures produced prove not his assertion Isa 6. 8. is sufficiently remote from any such thing there 's not the least mention of Ordination therein it s only a testimony of Isaiah's readiness to obey the voice of the Lord in going forth to bear a testimony for him against an untoward rebellious people 1 Tim. 3. 1. only tels us that he that desires the office of a Bishop desires a good work i. e. as say our Annotators is inwardly moved by the Spirit of the Lord thereunto which he may do and yet I hope wait the Churches call thereunto Besides 2ly Should this be granted it signifies little till he prove that it 's the duty of any with the neglect of the Churches call to this Office to seek ordination thereunto from an unscriptural Prelate which is that we charge upon them which Mr. T. knows they do He tells us 2dly Giving money for their Letters of Ordination is only Wages to the Register for writing Answ 1. Be it so that they give money for their Letters of Ordination is all that is asserted by us which Mr. T. grants they do 2. 'T is well if there be no Simony as it 's call'd found amongst them 3. If provision be made against the Registers exacting over-much by the Canons of the Church of England he informs us that the same provision is made by the Popish Trent-Council The Parallel in this particular holds good We say 10thly The Popish Priests are ordained to their Office though they have no Flock to attend upon So the Priests of England Mr. T. replies The Priests of England are not to be ordained without some title according to Can. 33. even the Trent-Council hath made some provision thereabout Answ 1. Mr. T. doth well to consociate the Canons of the Church of England and the Church of Rome in the Trent-Council together they are in not a few things near of kin 2. However I cannot but stand astonished at his confidence in telling us that the Priests of England are not to be ordained without some title according to Can. 33. when that Canon saith expresly That they may if a Fellow or in right as a Fellow or to be a Chaplain in some Colledge in Oxford or Cambridg if a Master of Arts of five years standing that liveth of his own charge in either of the Universities if to be shortly admitted either to some Benefice or Curatship then void or if the Bishop do after his admission into the said office keep and maintain him with all things necessary till he prefer him to some Ecclesiastical Living 3. But it may be the Animadverter by title means some one of those things mentioned To which I shall only say that if so he doth openly prevaricate pretends to answer to what he speaks not one word such Titles are supposed to be without a Flock to attend upon What he adds of Ministers being necessary for Armies c. is nothing to the purpose This proves not that they may be ordained Ministers without a Flock to attend upon which they may have and by them be sent forth for the works mentioned for a season We know it hath been the practice of the Churches so to do 2. Privâ—te Brethren may act for the supply of the services mentioned and frequently have done so nor indeed do I conceive how any can act therein in any other capacity Which is not incongruous to Acts 23. 2. as this Animadverter suggests which speaks not a tittle of their ordination to the Office of Ministry which they had before but only a solemn commending of them by Fasting and Prayer to the Blessing of the Lord by the Church in the Service they were now setting upon in which they testified their consent by the laying on their hands as say our Annotators To the 11th Parallel viz. That the Priests of England must swear Canonical Obedience to their Ordinary as the Priests of Rome Mr. T. only saith That 't is true at their institution into Benefices they do so but it is so bounded that it is not intolerable 't is nothing like that which is required of the Papists Answ 1. The Parallel herein betwixt the English and the Popish Priests is acknowledged which is all we affirm 2. That the Oath is tolerable that 't is nothing like the Oath of Canonical Obedience tendred to the Popish Priests is only affirmed by Mr. T. without proof that was the copy and pattern of this as he cannot be ignorant The 12th Parallel touching their leaving their Benefices for advantage-sake without consent of the People The 13th touching their special Licence to preach without which they must not from â—he Prelates though thereunto before ordained The 14th touching their subjection to be silenced by the Prelates betwixt the Ministers of England and Rome he grants to be true nor saith he any thing by way of reply that deserves the taking notice of To the 15th viz. the Popish Priests are not of like and equal power degree and authority amongst themselves but are some of them inferiour to others herein as Pastors to Archdeacons Archdeacons to Lord-Bishops Lord-Bishops to Arch-Bishops so the Priests of England Our Animadverter replies 1. Inequality is judged to be in the Elders of the Primitive Churches by the inscription of the seven Epistles to the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia Answ But this rather proves there equality to each is a several Epistle directed whereas had there been one Arch-Bishp or Superintendent over them one Epistle had been sufficient and had been no doubt directed to him He adds 2dly It hath been in some sort in all well-ordered Churches and is necessary to setled order Answ These are his dictates which he is not at leasure to prove The Church of Rome in the Apostles dayes of Corinth Ephesus were as I remember well-ordered Churches yet cannot be manifest any inequality amongst their Elders No Superintendent Lord-Bishop or Arch-Bishop as I read of 2dly What thinks he of the Church of the Waldenses were they well-ordered Churches They were from the beginning without this Superiority of Elders one above the other The like may be said of most or all the Reformed-Churches The Churches of Helvetia reckoning up the degrees of Arch-Bishops Suffragans Metropolitans Deans Subdeans tell us plainly they are not sollicitous about them That the Apostles Doctrine touching Ministers is sufficient for them cap. Confes. Helvet poster c. 18. And afterward there is one and the same equal Power and Function in all the Ministers of the Church and though in process of time one was chosen from amongst the rest to preside in
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
express ones self in variety and suitableness of expressions to the Children of men is a gift given by the Lord and that not to every one that to be able so to do to God should not be a gift of his is absurd Rom. 8. 26. speaks not solely of the gift but of the grace Prayer which sometimes meet in the same subject but are distinct There may be the gift where there is not the grace of Prayer and on the contrary I say not p. 62. That the gift of prayer is the donation of the Spirit as if I thought this could not be where the Spirit did not indwell though indeed none but such can be in the acceptable exercise of that gift I account not the gift of Prayer to be a gift proper to Ministers i. e. exclusively to others but affirm that all Christs Ministers have the gift of Prayer and ought to use it which the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship shuts out of doors as unnecessary and therefore is not of Christs appointment To this our Animadverter replies 1. That Ephes 4. expresses not Ministerial gifts Answ This is evidently his mistake they are expresly mentioned v. 7 8. He adds 2dly If they are implied it 's questionable whether they are ordinary or extraordinary Answ They are ordinary for they are such as are to continue with the Ministry to the perfecting the Body of Christ 3dly If ordinary whether the gift of Prayer as he means were one Answ This must be one if the exercise of the duty be for the edification of the Body of Christ v. â— 11 12. To imagine that Christ doth not continue to dispense this gift unto his Gospel-Ministers for the foresaid end is injurious to his faithfulness to love and care of his Children to conceit that better provision can be made than he makes by the bestowment of his gifts for that end and such as shall exclude the exercise of them is derogatory to his Wisdom and blasphemous He adds 4thly That though the Apostles said Acts 6. 4. We will give our selves continually to prayer and Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1. Exhorts that prayers be made for all men yet we read not that it 's made the Ministers work to express the necessities of the Church in the publick Auditory Answ 1. But this is not to the question whoever they are that are called forth to this work they are to do it according to the abilities the Lord hath given them But 2dly if it be not the Ministers work whose is it whence is it that they who repute themselves such exclude all others and monopolize this work unto themselves 3ly2 Christ and his Apostles used no forms of prayer before or after their preaching he grants and I am sure there is not the least tittle of direction touching the composing and imposing any for the future hence it follows not that either way of praying I conceive he means by stinted prescribed forms or otherwise is lawful but that devâ—sed and imposed forms of prayer are utterly unlawful for who shall dare to prescribe where Christ is silent upon his free-born Subjects What he further adds That the one way of Worship he must mean that of imposed stinted Liturgies if he speak pertinently shuts not out of doors the other is notoriously false But 4ly Christ hath given to his Ministers gifts for the edification of his Body amongst the rest the gift of Prayer which they are bound to improve when ever call'd to the discharge of that duty as we prove from 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Ephes 4. 11. Prov. 17. 16. Luke 19. 20. The exercise whereof is shut out by the Common-Prayer-Book-Service This Mr. T. should have disproved The reading of a Prayer cannot possibly by a man of the least understanding in the things of God be supposed to be the exercise of this gift Reading is not praying nor any where so called in the Scripture As for Women we assert if they have the gift of Prayer when ever call'd forth to the performance of that duty they are bound to the exercise of that gift which is a sufficient Answer to what follows though persons are not bound to be alway in the actual exercise of this gift yet when call'd to the performance of the duty of prayer for which it is eminently given of God they are obliged to be improving it their not being so is a napkening up of their Talent and Mr. T. may prove the contrary when he is able 'T is added in S. T. That it will not in the least take off the weight of the Argument to say That liberty is granted for the exercise of this gift before and after Sermon For 1. the whole Worship of God may according to these mens Principles be discharged without any Sermon at all and is requently in most of the Assemblies of England 2. Those their prayers are also bounded and limited by the 55. Canon and that both in words and matter for they are enjoyn'd to pray in that form or to that effect as briefly as conveniently they may which will by all sober persons be accounted a boundary notwithstanding Mr. T. his confident Dictate to the contrary 3. We had alwayes thought that Christ having given gifts unto Men did require the use of those gifts whenever persons were called to the performance of that service to which they were designedly given by him by virtue of the forementioned precepts When Christ hath given a gift of Prayer unto his Children and charged them to stirr up the gift given them and not to napkin their Talent we had verily thought that whenever they had been called forth to the performance of that duty he did really intend and expect that they should be found in the exercise of the Gift given To the first and last of these Mr. T. is wholly silent what he saith to the second we have already removed but of the way Mr. T. adds yet further The Common-Prayer-Book-Worship may further the duty of exercising the gift of Prayer and therefore may lawfully be used Which he proves thus That form may be lawfully used for Worship which may be a means to further any positive Duty charged by Christ to be performed by the Saints But such may be the Forms of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Church of England Therefore The Major he proves thus That which requires a Duty requires the Means conducing thereto The Minor thus The Common-Prayer-Book directs what things are to be prayed for by reason of the brevity of the Colects the Responds the frequent use the plain expressions help the memory and cloqution wherein the gift of Prayer consists Answ 1. A Papist may say as much and as truly for their Books of Devotion their Whippings Pilgrimages Mr. T. knows they do so They are means they tell us tending to the furtherance of positive duties To which our Divines answer as we do Mr. T. That only those things are to be accounted a means of furthering any positive
to preach the Gospel ought to improve those abilities in their so doing and are therein to be attended Mat. 25. 15. Luke 19. 13. 1 Cor. 12. 7 8 28 29. Ephes 4. 11. But the present Ministers have received abilities to preach the Gospel and ought to improve their abilities in that work Therefore Answ 1. The Major is not absolutely true 'T is the duty of those who have received gifts from God to improve them and to be attended in their so doing but both the one and the other is to be done lawfully Because a Friar hath received gifts from God a Drunkard Idolater it doth not therefore follow that he is bound to exercise these gifts in a false Ministry or that I am bound to attend upon persons of such a Character in the exercise thereof 2. Nor do the Scriptures produced in this Argument or 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. in the following Argument which is comprehended in this and requires no other answer speak any such thing They relate to persons in and of the Kingdom of Heaven in a regular Gospel-Church-State and the improvement of gifts in a regular orderly way according to the appointment of Christ 3. This Principle lies at the bottom of this Argument That gifts received make a lawful Minister and we are bound to attend upon such as such who have received gifts from God be they never so wicked and scandalous in their Conversation which Mr. T. upon second thoughts will not assert 4. As to the most of the present Ministry the Minor may be righteously denyed They preach not the Gospel nor have they received gifts so to do His 18th Argument is for substance the same with this and hath received its Answer We proceed to his 19th Arg. 19. Every Christian hath an interest in every Preacher of the Gospel so that no Minister is to be accounted as peculiar to any party of Christians so as to be impropriated by them that the ability of every one may be used by any though not their proper Minister nor persons regularly ordained as is evident from 1 Cor. 3. 22. Acts 18. 24 25 26. Therefore â—he present Ministers may be heard by any Saints while they teach the Gospel though such irregularities as are objected against them were granted to be in them or their Ministry Answ 1. Every Christian hath an Interest in every Gospel Minister and may lawfully hear him is true But Mr. T. must prove the present Ministers to be such else he himself will acknowledge the Argument is invalid 2. Grant Apollos was not sent forth to peacâ— the Gospel by virtue of Office he might be heard as a gifted Brother which we have proved the present Ministers cannot 3. It doth not follow that because the Saints at Corinth had an Interest in every Minister Therefore 't is lawful for Saints to hear the present Ministers Arg. 20. The sum of his 20th Argument is Preferring one Minister of the Gospel before another because of our party and way is glorying in men forbidden by the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21. 4. 6. But to forbid hearing the present Ministers of England though Ministers of the Gospel and â—ying men to hear those only who are their elected Ministers is a preferring one Minister of the Gospel before another Therefore Answ We deny his Minor Because 1. The Ministers of England are not Ministers of the Gospel 2. We tie not persons to hear only those of our own way as he calls it Such as fear God act not as Ministers of the Gospel from an Antichristian Call walk orderly let Saints hear None as I know of will interdict them so to do I am sorry Mr. T. should discover his nakedness so much that every Argument almost should be a meer petitio principii a sorry begging the thing in question or build upon some monstrous notorious mistaâ—e in the review whereof he will surely be ashamed Thus fares it with him in his 21th Argument Arg. 21. Those Ministers who are the Ministers of Christ who labour among the Saints and are over them in the Lord and admonish them that are Elders that rule well especially those who labour in the Word and Doctrine who are their Rulers or Guides who speak to them the Word of God are to be esteemed honoured remembred for their works sake 1 Cor. 4. 1. 1 Thes 5. 12 13. 1 Tim. 5. 13. Heb. 13. 7. and therefore much more are to be heard But the present Ministers of England are the Ministers of Christ Therefore Answ The Minor is denied wherein the Animadverter pittifully beggs uâ— to grant what he should have proved That the Ministers of England are the Ministers of Christ which no one in their right wits will suppose he proves by this Argument The Ministers of Christ are Stewards 〈◊〉 â—he mysteries of God who labour in the Word and Doctrine who â—peak unto us the Word of God But the Ministers of England are Stewards of the mysteries of God for besides the begging of what we shall not grant him viz. That the Ministers of England are Stewards of the mysteries of God which none can be but those who are put into the Office of Stewardship by the Lord of the Family which we challenge Mr. T. or any one for him to make good with relation to the Ministers of England It invelops and wraps up in it this absurdity That whoever labours in the Word and Doctrine is a Minister of Christ Of which we have frequently spoken and beg Mr. T. for the future not to impose thus crudely upon us without proof 2. That they are over the People of God in the Lord i. e. by virtue of Divine appointment which we have disproved 3. That they are Elders who being only in and over a particular Church of Christ as we have proved they cannot be 4. That they are Elders who rule well whereas they have no authority to rule at all that is a flower that grows only in their Lord-Bishops Garden intrusted mostly in the hands of an Antichristian Officer call'd a Chancellour 5. That they labour in the Word and Doctrine which as touching the generallity of them is false who labour only in their Ceremonies and Service-book 6. That they are their Rulers and Guides which they cannot be but by their free consent as hath been shewed which they never had nor sought after Arg. 21. Retorted It may more justly be Argued Those Ministers who are not the Ministers of Christ nor Stewards of the Mysteries of God who labour not among the Saints nor are over them in the Lord nor admonish them who are not Elders that Rule well nor labour in the Word and Doctrine who are not legally their Rulers and Guides who speak not to them the pure Word of God but the Traditions of men 't is unlawful for Saints to hear But this is all true concerning some of the present Ministers and some what of it concerning all of them Therefore What he saith of denying the