dayes Christ the Law-giver to of and in the Church and his Doctrine of Free and Voluntary Contribution was denyed and covetous Practices commanded and allowed by men in the Apostacy were entertained and what spoil and havock hath been and is made upon the Deniers of these Selfish Idolatrous Antichristian Irreptitious Customs who is ignorant CAP. VIII Of the Statute against Mortmain MOrtmain is a French word and signifies a dead hand 't is in the common Law An Alienation of Lands or Tenements to any Corporation or Fraternity and their Successors with the Licence of the King and the Lord of the Mannor Lands saith a great Lawyer were said to come to dead hands to the Lords for that by Alienation in Mortmain they lost wholly their Escheats and in effect their Knight-Service for the Defence of the Realm Wards Marriages Reliefs and the like and therefore was called a dead Hand for that a dead hand yields no Service saith Sr Thomas Ridley in his view of the Civil and Ecclesiastical Law Austin the Monk brought the Religion and Doctrine of Papal Rome into this Nation to among the Saxons by little and little strange things came to be preached up as That the pardon of sins might be merited by good Works the Torments of Hell might be avoided and that Tythe was the Souls Ransom and that whoever desired Forgiveness of Sins and the Joys of Heaven should faithfully pay the same and that without the payment thereof these things could not be had The Deluded and Depraved People receiving this as a heavenly Oracle gave not only their Tythes for the satisfaction of their Sins to maintain the Popish Clergy to say and sing Mass to pray for their Souls for Obits and Anniversaries but their Lands also Hence Religious Houses so called came to be built and wonderfully enriched By this Satanical Stratagem and Delusion almost a third part of the whole Land was hooked into the aforesaid Houses and Clergy and there was no cry heard among the Ravenous Cormorants 'T is Enough but rather the Horsleeches Language Give Give Now that all the Land might not be swallowed up in this unsatiable Whirle-Pool a Statute against Mortmain that is against the Alienation of Lands to such and such Uses was provided It was saith Andrew Willet in his Synopsis of Popery a common practice in time of Popery so the Priests might be enriched they cared not greatly though all the Stock of the Patrons and Founders were undone the Statute of Mortmain faith he was made to restrain this pag. 309. King Henry the third in his great Charter to all Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Barons Sheriffs c. enacted thus If any from henceforth give his Lands to any Religious House and thereupon be convict the Gift shall be utterly void and the Land shall accur to the Lord of the Fee Edward the first enacted to the same purpose Henry the eighth confirmed this in the 23d year of his Reign enacting That Assurances of Lands to Churches Chappels Church-wardens Guilds Fraternities Commonalties c. made of Devotion as to the Uses and intents to have Obits perpetual or a continual Service of a Priest forever or for sixty or eighty Years were as Prejudicial to the Lords as if they were aliened in Mortmain so to be void Further this Henry enacted That all Monasteries Abbyes Priories and other Religious Houses of Monks Canons and Nuns c. with their Estates should be given to him and his Heirs forever the Right of Founders Patrons and Donors being saved as also all Lands Tenements Rents and other Hereditaments given for the Maintenance of an Anniversary or Obit Light or Lamps in Church or Chappel to continue forever To say no more herein that Statute against Mortmain prevented the spreading of that foul Leprosie of Encroachments and stopped the heady Current of Idolatrous days in that point CAP. IX Of Exemptions from the payment of Tythes THrough the Seed of Degeneration Ministers in Christian Churches became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of filthy Lucre Covetous such the old Saxons called Gitsors that is sore and eager getters the Popes Doctrine being entertained into a Nation that Nation was divided into Bishopricks Bishopricks into Parishes then the Pope having set up Parishes he enjoyned that a secular Priest Canonically instituted should attend the Service of each respective Parish and that where Tythes were not already settled they should be paid to the Parish Priest notwithstanding any custom to the contrary After People were brought to believe that Tythe ought to be paid they enjoyed that liberty of bestowing the same where they would on whom they would till Pope Innocent the third about the Year 1200. as hath been touched So they were called Free Offerings and Pure Alms but it was no matter of difficulty having perswaded People to pay Tythes to appoint the Receiver the Person or Persons to receive the same Now the Pope having brought in Tythes and appointed the persons that should receive them notwithstanding his general Decree yet he in favour to his chiefest Props and Cathedral Pillars frequently granted Exemptions to such and such Orders whereby they became freed of the payment of Tythes as to the Templers Cistercians Hospitallers and generally to all Lands held by Religious Persons and Houses upon this account who have bought the Lands of dissolved Monasteries c. their plea is That their Lands are Tythe free This Immunity so far as it concerned the rest of the Religious Persons Pope Adrian recalled and limitted it only to the Cistertians Hospitallers Templers and to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem as faith Sr. Thomas Ridley in his view of the Civil and Ecclesiastical Law 'T is a pregnant proof saith one that Tythes are of humane Institution and that from the Bishops of Rome also Seeing their Exemptions are in force and observed to this day yea and as I may say to aggravate the indignity of the thing among such as would be accounted to have come out of Italian Babylon and to be great sharers in Reformation Now for the satisfaction of such who desire some account concering the aforesaid Orders this is Knights of the Temple Knights Templers was an Order of Knighthood erected by Pope Gelasius about the Year 1117. at first they dwelt not far from the Sepulcher of Christ entertained Christian Strangers and Pilgrims charitably and in their Armour led them saith my Author thorough the Holy Land to view such things as were to be seen and to defend them from the Infidels at last they grew very Vicious and many of them fell from the Profession of Christianity to the Saracens Pope Clement the fifth suppressed the whole Order and their Substance was given to the Knights of Rhodes and other Religious Orders saith my Author Knights of the Order of St. John in Jerusalem was created for the defence of Pilgrims these Knights and Pilgrims were called Croises from the Sign of the Cross which they used to
the Land of the Philistins 1 Sam. 3.9 When it was scornfully demanded Is Saul also among the Prophets one answered But who is their Father As who should say Prophecy comes not so much by Man's Teaching as by God's therefore wonder not that Saul prophesies though not bred a Schollar 1 Sam. 10. Trap. on the Acts. The Seventy Elders were called of God without recourse to Heathen Education Prophane Arts and Sciences the Spirit the Word of Prophecy came upon them Numb 11. Eldad and Medad were called of the Lord the Spirit of Prophecy came upon them Numb 11.26 c. Joshua the Servant of Moses said My Lord Moses forbid them He said not Stock Stone Imprison Persecute Beat them with Staves Bibles as the Language of many in our dayes have been who would be accounted Ministers of the Gospel Moses answered Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lord's People were Prophets and that he would put his Spirit upon them Here was a precious Frame of Spirit Fervency for the Propagation of the Truth Samuel a Prophet was called of God contrary to the Will of Man 1 Sam. 3. Oded a Prophet was called of the Lord 2 Chron. 28. his Testimony from the Mouth of the Lord was effectual Ahâ—jah the Prophet was called of the Lord 1 Kings 11.29 14.26 If thou comest uncalled God will say unto thee Friend how camest thou hither The Calling is Null if it have not the Living God for the Author and Caller Wilson's Christian Dictionary Iddo the Seer was called of God 2 Chron. 9.29 Jehu the Prophet was called of the Lord the Word of the Lord came unto him 1 Kings 16.1 Jahaziel a Prophet was called of the Lord the Spirit of the Lord came upon him 2 Chron. 20.14 15. Elijah was called of the Lord made a Prophet by the Living Word 1 Kings 17.1 2. his Testimony was against Ahab and Jezebel for their Idolatry and worshipping of Images for the which they persecuted him calling him A Troubler of Israel 1 Kings 1.8 Elisha a Plough man was called of God 2 Kings 2.15 he reproved the Idolatry of Priests and People in his Age he cured Naaman of his Leprosie upon which Naaman testified saying I know that there is no God in all the Earth but in Israel Naaman offered him a Gift and urged him to take it but Elisha refused shewing forth another manner of Spirit than is in Man-made Ministers who speak much the Horsleeches Language Give Give 2 Kings 5. Micajah a Prophet called of the Lord concerning whom the King of Israel said I hate this Micajah for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but Evil One advised Micajah To speak well of the King as the Four Hundred Prophets had done Micajah answered As the Lord liveth what the Lord saith unto me that will I speak 1 Kings 22. shewing forth another Spirit than is in Man-made Ministers Men pleasers Huldah a Prophetess was called of the Lord the living Word came to her and she bare Testimony against the Backsliding and Idolatry of that time 2 Kings 22. Shemaiah a Prophet a Man of God called of God the Word of the Lord came to him 1 Kings 12. 2 Chron. 12. Azariah the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he preached true sound and wholsom Doctrine 2 Chron. 15. Hunani the Seer in the Word of Prophecy reproved Asa King of Judah for his Reliance upon the Arm of Flesh and for his Non-reliance upon the living God Asa imprisoned him for his Message 2 Chron. 16. Zechariah a Prophet was called of the Lord the Spirit of the Lord came upon him he reproved the People for that they forsook the Lord saying The Lord had forsaken them for the which they conspired against him and stoned him 2 Chron. 24. Thus they that are in the Flesh they swell against them that are in the Spirit Balaam was called of God he heard his Voice the Spirit of God came upon him he prophesied of the coming of Christ but by looking after Gifts and Rewards he went astray Numb 22 23 24 Chapters Miriam a Prophetess was called of the Lord Exod. 15. for Murmuring against Moses she became Leprous and was shut out of the Camp seven dayes Numb 12. Isaiah the Prophet was called of the Lord Isa 38.1 48.16 he bare Testimony against such Teachers as came by the Will of Man saying His Watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all Dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber yea they are Greedy Dogs which can never have enough they all look to their own Way every one for his Gain from his Quarter Isa 56.10 11. Who are called of God now they see and comprehend such as come by the Will of Man who have nothing but what they receive from Schools and Colledges Natural Tongues Arts and Sciences School-Divinity to be the blind and ignorant Watchmen seeking yea Extorting Gain from their Quarters from their Parishes watching for the Fleece more than for the Good of the Flock Trap on the Corinthians saith That Luther never found himself once tempted to Covetousness Among Man-Made Ministers herein few are Lutherans Jeremiah was called of the Lord when a Child without recourse to Heathen Education Jer. 1. he said Ah! Lord God behold I cannot speak for I am a Child The Lord said Say not I am a Child thou shalt go to all that I send thee and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak Here he is drawn from Man to the Mouth of the Lord. I will give you Pastors according to mine Heart saith the Lord which shall feed you with Knowledge and Vnderstanding Jer. â— 15 Such Teachers are of the Lord 's giving not of Man's sending He reproved their great Corruption as in the Civil so in the Ecclesiastâ—cal State saying A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bear rule by their Means and my People love to have it so Jer. 5.30 31. In the Light of Truth such as these are found out Again He testified against such as ran and were not sent saying They make you Vain they speak a Vision of their own Heart and not out of the Mouth of the Lord I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied but if they had stood in my Counsel and had caused my People to hear my Words then they should have turned them from their Evil Way and from the Evil of their Doings Jer. 23. In the Prophetical Dispensation such as ran for Self-ends not being sent of the Lord the Prophet's Testâ—mony was against them for his Testimony the People stroke him stocked him imprisoned him and sorely persecuted him The same is fulfilled in our dayes Ezekiel was called of the Lord chap. 1. he bare Testimony against such as came by the will of Man without a heavenly Call he prophesied That the Lord would deliver his
Flock from the Mouth of such and set up One Shepherd who should feed them This one Shepherd is known and the Shepherds that mind the Fleece more than the Flock are turned from Ezek. 34. Daniel through the virtue and influence of the living Word was made a Prophet he fore-saw the Messiah and his Kingdom and how the Saints should take his Kingdom and of the â—â—ishing of Transgression and of the putting an End to Sin and of making Reconciliation for Iniquity and of bringing in Everlasting Righteousness Hosea was called of the Lord the Word of the Lord came unto him cap. 1.1 he bare Testimony against prophane Priests saying My People are destroyed for lack of Knowledge because thou hast rejected Knowledge I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no Priest unto me Hos 4. And as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the Company of Priests Murder in the Way by Consent for they commit Lewdness Hos 6.9 Joel the Prophet was called of the Lord Joel 1.1 he prophesied of the Glory of the Evangelical Dispensation saying It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream Dreams your young men shall see Visions and upon the Servants and Hand-maids in those days I will pour out my Spirit Joel 2.28 29. So 't is the Spirit of the Lord that enables to Pray to Preach to Prophesie to bear a faithful Testimony for the Lord not acquired Heathen Arts Sciences and natural Tongues Amos a Herds-man and a Gatheres of Sicomore Fruit was called of the Lord to be a Prophet Amos 1.1 he rebuked Israel for that they would have had the Lords Prophets silent Amos 2.12 Amaziah said unto Amos O thou Seer flee into the Land of Judah there eat Bread and Prophesie there but Prophesie not any more aâ— Bethel for it is the Kings Chappel and it is the Kings Court Amos 7. Thus he who had the Letter without the Spirit would have limitted him that was in the Spirit the Key which opens and no man can shut And how man-made Ministers now and others in the Will of the Flesh have and do labour to stop the Testimony of Truth because not born by Artists Logicians Philosophers I need say little Obadiah was called of the Lord contrary to the Will of Man cap. 1.1 he prophesied That Saviours should come upon Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdom should be the Lords vers 21. Jonah was called of the Lord the Word of the Lord came unto him That he should preach Repentance unto Nineveh but consulting with Flesh and blood he steared his course to Tarshish a great Fish swallowed him up through Repentance he was delivered and sent to preach Repentance to Nineveh Jonah 1 2 3. chap. Micah was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he bare Testimony against such as came by the Will of man saying Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People Err and cry Peace Peace and he that puts not into their Mouthes they prepare War against him In the Living Word that came to Micah such Teachers are now seen preparing War against them that put not into their Mouthes that refuse to give them Tythe Easter-reckonings Midsummer-dues Martin-Mass-Calves Mortuaries Reek-pennies such they Sue recover Tribble Damages Imprison what spoil is made on this account very many Parishes in England affords Examples The Sun was gone down over such Prophets yea Night was upon them and they had no Vision nor Answer of God Micah 3.5 6 7. Now such as deny Revelation and Vision the Sun is gone down unto them Night is upon them Further saith Micah The Heads judge for Rewards and the Priests teach for Hire the Prophets divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us Micah 3.11 In the same Spirit now revealed such are now seen Nahum was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he spake of slumbering Shepherds cap. 3.18 In the Soul-quickning Life-restoring Word such Slumberers and Sleepers are now seen who are not kept waking to Righteousness nor vigilant for the good of their Flocks Habakkuk was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he prophesied of a comfortable Dispensation of the scattering of the Exhalations of Darkness and Ignorance saying The Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as Waters cover the Sea cap. 2.14 Zaphaniah was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he testified That the Lord would cut off the Names of the Chemarims that is Black coats with the Priests Zeph. 1.4 He said of Jerusalem That her Prophets were Light and Treacherous Persons that her Priests had polluted the Sanctuary and had done Violence to the Law cap. 3.4 Such as have no Call but of man will be found guilty hereof Haggai was called of the Lord he cryed out saying Is it time for you to dwell in your Ceiled Houses and this House lie waste cap. 1. Such are in Transgression who dwell in their own who cover themselves with the black Curtain of Self and natural Endowments and neglect the Dispensation of God where the building of the true Temple is Zechariah was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he bare Testimony against such as ran unsent saying Wo to the Idol Shepherd that leaveth the Flock the Sword shall be upon his Arm and upon his Right Eye his Arm shall be clean dryed up and his right Eye shall be utterly darkned cap. 11.17 Malachi was called of the Lord cap. 1.1 he reproved the Priests for neglecting the Covenant cap. 2.1 2. as man made Ministers now are justly reproveable for neglecting the new Covenant the Law written in the Heart the Spirit put in the inward Parts the great blessing of the Evangelical Dispensation John the Baptist was called of the Lord without recourse to Heathen Arts and Sciences spoiling Philosophy Luke 1.15 Luke 3.1 2. Christ Jesus the End of the Law the End of the Prophets in his prepared Body called not the Wise and Prudent Painted Oraters Subtil Sophisters Crafty Logicians and spoiling Philosophers but weak and contemptible Instruments as unlearned Fisher-men to preach the Everlasting Gospel that they might be in him what they were that they might be Work-men solely and wholely thorow his Power Virtue and Influence not thorow acquired Arts Parts and Sciences Mat. 4.18 c. Christ sent not Orators saith Augustin to work upon Fisher-men Andrew and others but by these Fisher-men he reduced Kings and Emperors to the saving Knowledge of the Truth Omnipotency being Agent faith one it matters nothing what like the Instrument be Of Fisher-men he made them Fishers of men they came to the Discipleship to learn of Christ before they came to the Apostleship to be Preachers of Christ they were taught and caught by him before they taught and caught others Unlearned Fishermen saith Jerom are sent to preach that the Faith of
Believers may not be thought to be gotten by the Power of man but by the Teaching of God Christ sent his Apostles saith Chrysostom as the Sun sends out his Rayes as the Rose sends out its sweet Odour as the Fire disperses its Sparks If you do not firmly believe saith Zuinglius that you may be taught of God without the teachings of men you are without true Faith De veritate verbi Christ said unto his Disciples Pray the Lord of the Harvest that he will send forth Labourers into his Harvest Mat. 9.38 He bad them not have recourse unto Schools and Colledges to natural Languages Arts and Sciences but to the Lord of the Harvest no other Fountain nor Well-spring he commended them to but to the Lord of the Harvest So the qualifying and sending of Gospel Ministers is the Lords Prerogative Royal. Fulke Augustin Marlorat Poole Bishop Jewel and many more which might be mentioned say on this Scripture That Ministers of the Gospel are sent of the Lord and are furnished and qualified by him for that Work and that all others are Intruders as Christ sent the Twelve so he sent the Seventy Luke 10. He said to his Disciples As my Father hath sent me even so send I you John 20.21 Bishop Vsher in Vindication of the Waldenses by way of Apology said God did chuse Fishermen that so he might not give his Glory to another the little Ones that asked Bread received the same but the Learned being busied about vain Contentions and Disputations were sent empty away Further Christ after his Resurrection bad his Disciples Wait for the Promise of the Father saying Ye shall receive Power after that the holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the outermost part of the Earth Acts 1.4 8. So that their Witness-bearing was an Effect of the Lords heavenly Appearance in them and among them And who run without this relying on their stock of Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences they will be found false Witnesses Without the concurrence of Spiritual Aid saith Spark the King 's Chapline the rarest Orators are but as sounding Brass and tinkling Cimbals Christ's Disciples were unlearned men but he gifted them and made them learned in Spiritual Learning before he sent them abroad insomuch that the Rulers Elders Scribes High Priest c. marvelled at the boldness of Peter and John perceiving that they were unlearned and ignorant men and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Acts 4.13 As Bishop Jewel said of Councils God is able not only without Councils but also against Councils both to defend and to enlarge his Kingdom in Apol. So I say Christ the same yesterday to day and forever is able to qualifie and accomplish and doth qualifie and accomplish for the Ministry such as are his Ministers without sending them to the bitter Waters of Heathen Wisdom Heathen Learning 'T is Heathen not Christian Education I speak against Further the Apostles chusing seven Deacons we read not that they enquired for men profound in Heathen Arts and Sciences but for men of Honest Report full of the holy Ghost and Wisdom Acts 6.3 So that the holy Spirit only qualified for that Work Paul was called of the Lord for the Gospel Ministry While untouched with the Finger of Heaven his Recourse was unto the High Priest to receive Commission from him but after the heavenly Touch his Cry was Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. While he had nothing but what he received at the Feet of Gamaliel he ran a fierce Carreer saith one to the zenith of Persecution at length a heavenly Siste gradum Saule caused him to run Retrograde and in his Apology before King Agrippa he ascribes his Call not to Gamaliel but to the Lord Acts 26. Acts 20. Gal. 1. 2 Cor. 3.5 6. A Call saith Aug. Marl. cannot be lawfull except it be of God As for Bishops Gospel-Bishops they are called of the Lord therefore Paul said Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over the which the holy Spirit hath made you Over-seers that is Bishops Acts 20.28 They are made such truly such by the holy Spirit Aug. Marl. testifies the very same Now if any bear that Name or pretend that Office without the Spirit such are Aposcopi saith Espeusaus rather than Episcopi By-seers rather than Over-seers Further Paul called of the Lord bare this Testimony saying How shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 Aug. Marl. said on this place This is spoken against them who go to the Ministry without a Call who run not being sent hereupon they do no good what they do 't is for their Belleys sake not for the Glory of God Poole on the same place speaks to the same purpose Further Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians said When he ascended up on High he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the Perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry Ephes 4. So that Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers Bishops Elders Deacons as truly such are qualified by the Gift of the Lord not by Natural Tongues Heathen Arts Sciences Endowments Accomplishments though Tongues may be and are useful in their place Gave Gifts to men saith the Apostle the Hebrew Psalmist hath it Psal 68.18 Thou received Gifts for men Christ received them that he might give them Gave Gifts to men the Psalmist adds Even to the Rebellious The Rebellious have a Gift to lead them out of the state of Rebellion or to leave them inexcusable if they continue therein Paul to Timothy and Titus setting down the required Qualifications of Bishops and Deacons mentions no Mathematicks Logicks Spoiling Philosophy but Gravity Blamelesness Sobriety Justice Holiness Temperance c. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. Were such men taken into holy Orders saith the Author of the Book called The Naked Truth and constituted Pastors the Church of Christ would be better edified though Plato Aristotle Euclid Scotus Aquinas were never known to them the holy Sciptures are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus If so why are Heathen Philosophers so much doted upon And all Scripture is given by the Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto every good Work 2 Tim. 3. Mark throughly furnished without Logick Spoiling Philosophy Pagan Ethicks Physicks Metaphysicks School-Divinity If throughly furnished without these what need of these The Ministerial Office may be better performed saith the Author by Grave and Conscientious men though they never saw University nor know any Language but their Mother-Tongue than by any Aristotelist Scotist Aquinatist with their knacks of Quiddities Qualities Syllogisms Enthimems Distinctions
from executing the Priests Office This implies that the Lord's Witnesses under the Evangelical Dispensation should be enabled to beget others into the healing Power of the Living God Paul told the Corinthians saying In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 Phil. 10. Now Man made Ministers beget others into dry partched sandy Forms without Power and persecute others for Non-Compliance thereunto Peter the Apostle gave a pregnant and lively Testimony for a Divine and Immediate Call saying As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 So Gospel Ministers minister out of the Treasure of God's Gift not from a stock acquired by Natural Languages Arts and Sciences Further saith Peter If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God If any man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth vers 11. So that the true Ministry proceeds from the Spring of divine Ability not from the muddy Lake of acquired Pagan Arts Parts and Endowments Nothing conduces more saith Aug. Marl. on this place to correct Murmurings then in considering that we minister not of our own but what the Lord hath given us Further 't is said I will give Power unto my two Witnesses and they shall Prophesie a Thousand Two Hundred and Threescore Dayes clothed in Sackcloth Rev. 11.3 Gospel Ministers saith Pareus on this place who are the Lords Witnesses are impowered and qualified by the Lord for the Performance and Discharge of their Work After three dayes and a half the Time of the Beasts Reign that ascended out of the Bottomless Pit and Locusts coming out of the Smoke Anti-christian Teachers bred and qualified in the Smoke of humane Wisdom Spoiling Philosophy Unsavory School Divinity whereby Kindreds Tongues and People are made Drunk I say after the Reign of the Beast and of the Locusts Antichrist and his Man made Ministry John fore-tells the Restoration of Witnesses and of their Call to the Ministry saying The Spirit of Life from God entred into them Rev. 11.11 So that the Succession of true Witnesses of the true Ministry after the Apostacy shall be through the Operation of the Spirit not through the Smoke of the Pit Spoiling Philosophy School Divinity and through the Operation of the Finger of the Antient of Dayes The Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign forever and ever Rev. 11.15 So that the Spirit of Life entring into men after the Beast and his Locusts Anti-christ and his Ministers have had their Day is to be the only Qualifier for the Evangelical Dispensation Most of the Ministers among the Waldenses were Trades-men as Merchants Fisher-men Taylors Shoe-makers Husband-men and these Waldenses antient Pratestants Witnesses against the apostatised Roman Church bare Testimony That it were lawful for any to Preach who were called of God Though Strangers to Natural Tongues Arts Sciences Philosophy such the living God is raising up to stand on their Feet and they must bear their Testimony in order to Season and rectifie the Nations though by the Sons of Belial under the Delusion of Anti-christ they be branded as Anti-magistratical and Anti-ministerial and Persecuted CAP. II. Of a Humane Call into the Ministry WHile the Primitive Faith was kept the Ministers of the Gospel were Stars in Heaven shining as Stars through purity of Doctrine and heavenly Spotless Coversation while Stars in Heaven fixt in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus they had the heavenly Key letting them into the royal Court of the Lords Presence they entertained no Wisdom in Church or School but what was Heavenly no Call into the Ministry but what was Divine Immediate contrary to the Will of Man Holy men of God as Peter said spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Yea and these in the Life of Righteousness Power of Godliness saw such as got the Letter without the Spirit the Scriptures without the Power and bare Testimony against them to be false Teachers Antichrists Preaching for filthy Lucre Gifts and Rewards Yea Paul spake of the Rise of Self-lovers Covetous c. who should have the Form of Godliness without the Power thereof Scriptures without the Spirit such said he are to be turned from 2 Tim. 3. John foresaw a great Star fall from Heaven to Earth then being in the Earth an earthly Key was thrust into the hand of his Mind even the Key of the Bottomless Pit out of the Pit arose a Smoke darkning Sun and Air Spoiling Corrupting and Depraving the Glory and Purity of the Primitive Church What was this Smoke Earthly Wisdom gushing as a heady Torrent into Church and School Traditions Errors Lyes strange Doctrines Superstition Idolatry Lacivious Poems Wanton Comedies Vain Tragedies Frivolous Fables Spoiling Philosophy Heathen Logicks Ethicks Metaphysicks As this Smoke steamed into Church and School the Pearl of heavenly Wisdom and the Pure Divine Immediate Call into the Ministry was lost in the Smoke Yea and John foresaw Locusts come out of the Smoke What 's that Swarms of Man-made Ministers bred and qualified in the Smoke of earthly Wisdom be they Garduates or Under-graduates if they have nothing but from Man so that since the steaming in of that Smoke the Call hath been of Man through Natural Languages Heathen Arts Parts Endowments Qualifications at Schools and Colledges yea and the Locusts have been so senseless and benummed as to plead against any other Call or Manner of Qualification The true Ministry was and is peculiar to the New man 2 Pet. 1.21 John 20.21 But the heavenly Capacitating Ability being lost through the Smoke of the Pit a Qualification without was set up in the place of it gained by Schools Universities Languages Spoiling Philosophy so Preaching is made an Art of the old Man by Antichrist Let none apprehend that I deny Schools of Learning for Schools teaching the knowledge of the Creation and of useful and necessary Things and Languages useful in their place I own but 't is the Lord of the Harvest that must send forth Labourers into the Harvest Universities cannot do that I might produce a Cloud of Witnesses shewing that after the Beast was risen out of the Sea and Earth Apostatised Christendom was become as Waters Kindreds Tongues People and Nations professing Christianity yet were made drunk with the Cup of Fornication Spiritual Idolatry no other Call into the Ministry was admitted but what was gained at Schools and Universities by Acquired Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences though in all or most of Ages as by the Waldenses Albigenses c. the Lord had his Witnesses bearing Testimony to the Virtue and Power of a divine Call and that without it all Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences were insignificant and insufficient In the dayes of King Henry the 4th the King Lords and Bishops agreed That no man within his Dominions should preach privily
or otherwise without special License of the Ordinary of the same place Was not this an Usurpation of the Prerogative of the Lord of the Harvest Before Henry the 8th's dayes the King nominated who should be Bishop of such a Diocess being presented to the Pope the Pope was to approve of him After the Popes Approbation he was consecrated by the Arch-Bishop in England In the Apostâ—es dayes Bishops were made by the holy Ghost Acts 20.28 Henry the 8th casting off the Pope then he and his Parliament Enacted That no Bishop should be commended to the Pope but that the King should nominate them and approve of them to be suffiâ—ient Ministers About the year 1547. Edward the 6th put forth Injunctions That none should preach except sufficiently Licensed King James Enjoyned That none should Preach except lawfully Licensed thereto by the King or the Bishop Fox Acts Mon. Queen Mary in the first year of her Reign Enjoyned That none should preach but such as were allowed of by her Authority or by the Arch-Bishop or by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge In the thirteenth Year of Queen Elizabeth 't was Enacted That none should be made Ministers or admitted to preach unless he were able to answer and render to the Ordinary an Account of his Faith in Latin that is he was to be a Linguist a Schollar Now how Peter and John unlearned and ignorant men could have passed such a Tryal let the wise in Heart judge Further Queen Elizabeth Enacted That none should be admitted to any Benefice or above the value of 30 l. per ann unless he were a Batchellor of Divinity or allowed of by the University of Oxford or Cambridge Now how Peter and John and others the Ministers the of Waldenses and Albigenses being most of them Tradesmen Non-Entes of no standing in Universities could have passed this Tryal I see not though called by the Lord of the Harvest to labour in the Vineyard In the Year 1644. the Parliament made an Ordinance to authorize the Presbyter Assembly of Divines for the Ordination of Ministers and gave them Rules for the Examination of such as were to be ordained by them as Whether they had Sworn and taken the Covenant What Degree they had taken in the Vniversity c Herein notwithstanding the swelling pretence of Reformation Christ the Lord of the Harvest was denyed In the Year 1653. Oliver Cromwell and his Council ordained for the Approbation of publick Preachers and appointed Commissioners for that purpose to judge of the Abilities of men before they were admitted to preach And how such were entertained who were sent by the Lord of the Harvest to bear witness against Man-made Ministers and their Unscriptural Covetous Practices 't is fresh in the remembrance of many Now you that plead for a Mediate Humane Call let me thus Reason with you Must the Aaronical Priesthood which typed out Christ and the Prophetical Dispensation which foresaw Christ allow of no Call but what was Divine contrary to the Will of man And must the Evangelical Dispensation the Substance the end of the Law the end of the Prophets the Glory of Dispensations lean upon the bruised Reeds of a Humane Mediate Call by Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences I have done when I have answered a few Objections Objection Acts 1.24 Answer This makes nothing for a Humane Mediate Call by the Will of man but against it The Apostles after the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ judged it expedient that one should be ordained a Witness with them of the Resurrection of Christ instead of Judas who was gone to his place they appointed two Joseph and Matthias men that had been conversant among them had seen the glorious and wonderful Works of Christ grew up in the Faith of the Gospel with them not trained up in Natural Tongues Heathen Arts and Sciences Logicks Spoiling Philosophy Pagan Metaphysicks for that purpose and the Apostles said Thou Lord which knowest the Hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen Acts 1.24 Mark this Whether of these two thou hast chosen So that the adding of him to the cleaven Apostles they ascribed it to the Lord's Call Choice or Election Obj. Moses was learned in all the Wisdom of the Aegyptians Acts 7.22 Answ 'T is true but his Aegyptian Wisdom was not his Call into the Work of the Lord nâ—ither his Aegyptian Philosophy Hieroglyphicks nor the Smaragdine Table of Hermes Trismâ—gistus could qualifie him for that notwithstanding his Aegyptian Wisdom yet when he was to be concerned for the Lord he was as I may say Mute the Lord said to him Go and I will be with thy Mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say Exod. 4.12 Here he is drawn from the muddy Lake of Aegyptian Wisdom to have his Dependance and Reliance upon the Mouth and Teaching of the Living God from whom he had his Call The Smoke of the Bottomless Pit saith the Book called The Naked Truth hath so blinded men as that it is grown up into a general Opinion that none are fit to be admitted into holy Orders but University Students and if he hath learnt a little to chop Logick he is presently deemed fit to divide the Word of Truth and is easily instituted into a Living and if he can bring some nice Metaphysical Speculations from Aristotle some Theological Distinctions from Thomas Aquinas then he is judged worthy of two or three Livings And thus University Youth and even Boys of no Experience saith this Author are made Spiritual Pastors the most weighty Office in the World Obj. Acts 13.2 3 4. Answ This makes nothing for a Humane Mediate Call acquired by Heathen Arts Sciences and Philosophy but against it the holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for tht Work whereunto I have called them Mark this Whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the holy Ghost c. Mark this sent forth by the holy Ghost Here both their Call and Mission is ascribed to the holy Ghost Further if Paul was not called before that he preached without a Call Acts 9.6 where Saul said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Here he was taken off from the Mouth of the High Priest to the Lord to know his Will and do it vers 15.20 Heavenly Wisdom being revealed his Idolized Magnified and highly Prized Arts Parts and Endowments fetched from Philosophers he accounted as Dung and Dross It is an Error saith Luther to say that a Divine is not made without Aristotle rather a Divine is not made except that be done without Aristotle Tom. 1. Fol. 10. The weighty Work of the Ministry saith Poole on this place is not to be undertaken without the Command and Mission of God None but such as are chosen and called of God can be fit to preach the Gospel Aug. Marl. on this place No kind of men are less capable of receiving the Doctrine of Christ than they that have their Mind
are Witnesses against the same Submit your selves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake 1 Pet. 2.13 I Answer If Obedience should have been given to all Ordinances of men without limitation Idolatrouâ— Consequences would have followed as Histories Ecclesiastical and Civil inform us Then had the Children of Israel been oftner found guilty of Idolatry through actual Obedience to the apostatized Kings of Israel and Judah Then had Shadrach Meshach and Abednego forsaken the living God and have worshipped the Golden Image of Nebuchadnezzar Then had Daniel committed Idolatry in making his application to the Heathen King Darius instead of the living God Then had the pure Current of the everlasting Gospel been stopped For the Apostles were commanded not to teach in the Name of Jesus Acts 4. Then had not the Woman that fate upon the Scarlet-coloured Beast been made drunk with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus For if these Saints and Martyrs had and should yield actual Obedience to the Ordinances of men they had and should cut off the occasion of Suffering for their Testimonies Then had not the two Witnesses Prophesied one Thousand two Hundred and Sixty Days cloathed in Sack-cloth I say Obedience is to be given to those Ordinances of man for the Lords sake which are of a Civil nature and concern for the punishment of Evil-doers and for the Praise of them that do well but when Civil Authority usurps the Power of Christ the Law-giver to of and in the Church and imposes Laws and Ordinances contrary to Truth and Conscience herein not active but passive Obedience is to be yielded The said Peter clears this point who the Rulers commanding them not to teach in the Name of Jesus answered boldly to this purpose They were to hearken to God rather then to men Acts 4. On this Scripture our Country-man Poele saith well We are bound by the Command of God to speak what we have seen and heard yea and the truly re-born of Water and of the Spirit are to contend for the Call Work and Wage of the Primitive Ministry when men do or would set up the contrary Polyearpus in the Morning of Christianity said We have learned to give that Honour to earthly Powers which is meet and which hinders not our Salvation Musonius said well If any one obey not his Father or his Prince commanding unlawful things he is neither Disobedient nor Injurous nor a Sinner herein When Julian gave orders to his Souldiers that were Christians to take up Arms against Christians they would not obey as Ambrose hath related Oh that the Professors of Christianity now would consider this How far they are degenerated how the Spirit oâ— Meekness Love and Gentlâ—ness is dis-throned and the Spirit of Envy Cruelty and Bloodshed is inthroned wherein such as profess Christianity fall by the Hands of one another as Leaves from Trees at the approach of Autumn Now you that reject and dispute against the Evangelical Ordinance of free and voluntary Contribution and violently intrude the Co-ercive exaction of Tythes and other things and that from the Laws Canons Decrees Decretals and Constitutions of men let me in soberness Reason a little with you Jacob in the Word of Prophecy fore-told of the coming of Shiloh saying Vnto him shall the gathering of the People be Gen. 49.10 Or as some render it To him shall the Obedience of the People be Or as the Septuagint renders it He shall be the expectation of the Nations Now you that plead for Tythes in Gospel-days and that from the Ordinances of man your gathering is not unto Shiloh nor your Obedience neither is your reliance upon him but your gathering and obedience is unto man your reliance is upon the Sons of men from whom you have your Tythes Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues Mortuaries Money for Funeral Sermons Burials Marriages Churching of Women Peter-Pence now called Reek-pennies Smoke-pennies c. Again Moses the man of God Prophesied of the coming of the great Prophet saying Vnto him shall you hearken in all things Deut. 18. who taught a free and voluntary Maintenance Now the before-mentioned things shew that you hearken not to him but to the Canons Constitutions Decrees and Decretals of men from whom you have received your manner of Maintenance Again Christ said Learn of me Matth. 11. But he giving no Lessons for the aforesaid you have learned them of men and plead for the same Again Christ said of the Scribes and Pharisees In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Matth. â—5 9 You are found in their Steps vain Worshippers making void the Gospel-Ordinance of free and voluntary Contribution preaching up the Commands Canons Decrees Constitutions of men from which muddy Lake you derive your Tythes and compulsary Maintenance Again Christ sending forth his Disciples said Go ye therefore and teach all Nations c. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Matth. 28. Consider this they were to teach all that Christ commanded them and nothing else not what apostatized Powers should command or impose Here the Decrees Canons Laws and Constitutions of men setting up that which Christ put an end unto and forcing a Maintenance are excluded Again the Apostle Paul preached that Christ should have Preeminence in all things Col. 1.18 If in all things then in the concern of the Maintenance of the Gospel Ministry Now such as slight the free and voluntary Maintenance of the Gospel and plead for Tythes and a compulsary Maintenance such would have man to have Pre-eminence such are Ministers of man Christ said to the Jews If you were of Abraham you would do the Works of Abraham So may I say If you were of Christ you would do the Works of Christ and be content with his allowance John bare record saying Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 John 9. And such as are without God they are Hetrodox Heretical yea Atheistical and such as stand to man's Maintenance and not Christ's they are in Transgression Did not Christ say that all Power in Heaven and in Earth was committed to him Is not he indued with Soveraign Power Was not he appointed of the Father to be Law-giver to of and in the Church Did not Paul foretell of a departure from the Faith an Apostacy and that the man of Sin should be revealed that he should sit in the Temple of God in the Church and shew himself to be God This is the great Antichrist Now they that deny the Gospel-Ordinance which was free and voluntary and plead for Tythes and for a compulsary Maintenance introduced by man such deny Christ to be Law-giver to of and in the Church And what is that Spirit that introduces a Maintenance contrary to the Gospel-Maintenance Of the man of Sin of Antichrist who is against Christ his Call Work and Wage and hath a Call Work and Wage of his own Do