dispose them to sundry vices and so also lessen and destroy the hope and benefit of such their labors 4. You covet Tythes Glebes Augmentations c. before they are yourss Therefore you covet that which is anothers for certainly these belong to some body before they be given you else also the giver gives you that which was none of his to give 5. You covet all these things without purpose of rendering for or in lieu of them any price or compensation of equal value nay or any value at all 6. You covet more then is requisite unto necessary food and rayment and the rest uses of life which you ought not to do seeing ye both begg and receive these things as meere Almes or charitable reliefe section 89 T. L. Whether all the Apostes did follow handy labor or rather were not maintened by the Churches among whom they labored Answ I have shewed before that Paul Silvanus and Timotheus so Barnabas also did not only use handy labor themselves but commanded and exhorted other Pastors and Elders also to do likewise and that in most vehement sort And though true it be that Paul had power as he saith to forbear working and to give all his time to the Ministery yet did he chuse working rather as preferring it before not working And this he did as one cause thereof to propose himselfe an example to others By like he did even then foresee that in after times there would creep in by fair words and the Magistrates power such Teachers into the Churches and obtruders or that such men should pretend to be ministers of the Gospel as should have hearts exercised with covetous practices and who would take upon them this office chiefly for gifts and rewards And therefore against this sort of men it seemeth he thought it meet and necessary to fence and shut up the office of the Ministerie by injoyning thereunto and as it were annexing handy labour well knowing that now very few would be forward to undertake this office to which no outward priviledges were annexed but such as should be moved thereunto of zeal and good will And indeed this is one good Criterion by which the false Teachers may be known and distinguish'd from the true section 90 T. L. Whether Paul did not yeeld up his right and wrought with his hands on extraordinary occasions viz. to avoid the shew of covetousness to ease the poor and distressed Churches and by his example to win authority to his command concerning labour Ans If Paul did well to use handy labour for these ends and reasons Why is it then that none of your Tribe do think him a pattern worthy their imitation herein Now Paul's ends and reasons for using bodilie labour we shall here collect and rank together 1. That he might have to sustain his life and supply the wants thereof Here was he led by necessitie of nature 2. That he might not be chargeable unto others Here he discovers his Noblenesse of mind and Christian amplitude 3. That he might make the Gospel without charge Herein did his wisdome appear since to have over-burthened such as entertained him might probably have frayed them and others from imbracing the Christian Religion and have brought them into misliking and wearisomness towards the Planters thereof 4. That he might make himself an example unto others Here was his Fatherlie care and the propertie of a good Overseer and Planter of the Gospel 5. Because as he had freely received his Ministerie so he might also freelie give the exercise and benefit thereof here is his justice seen He would not again sell for money or price that which himself had freely received 6. Because it was more blessed to give than to receive Here was the happinesse of his choise with Mary he chose the better part Are not these ends reasons and motives all both for nature full of weight and worth and also for durance of time perpetual Do they not alike obtain and hold in all times and places indifferentlie Are they any part of the old Law Are they typical and so out of force and use with Christians section 91 T. L. Whether the main grounds of Paul's forbearing to receive maintenance from the Corinthians and Thessalonians were not fear of giving offence to the one that were very proud and of burthening the other that were very poor Ans 1. Those were neither the only nor yet the main grounds of Paulâ—s forbearing to receive maintenance of the Corinthians or Thessalonians as the Reader may easilie perceive by reading the places themselves where mention is made of Paul's working and forbearing to take maintenance viz. 2 Cor 11.7,8,9 1 Thes 4 11,12,13 2 Thes 3.7,8,9,10,11,12 In these two last places the Reader shall find other ends and inducements for Paul's and others working besides these here surmized in the Query viz. 1. That we might not be chargeable to any of you which yet doth not necessarily imply them to have been proud or poor 2. To make our selves an ensample to you to follow us 3. For we hear there are some among you that walk disorderly not working at all not working at all was disorderly walking 4. And to work with your own hands as we commanded you that ye may walk honestly towards them that are without and that ye may have lack of nothing Ans 2. But what do you say to the Elders and Pastors of the Church at Ephesus mentioned Act. 20.17 Were they also with their Churches poor or proud And yet even unto these did Paul in sad and solemn manner commend his example of handy working not doubting to tell them that so labouring they ought to support the weak finally enforcing such their duty and his advice with the unquestionable authority of the Lord Jesus who said It is more blessed to give than to receive Ans 3. There are the same ends reasons and motives why Ministers of the Gospel should now also work for their livings if not otherwise hindered and with-held therefrom by their travels and other imployments to which they be called and commanded of the Lord as in the Primitive times so called if not far greater for there be now as proud and as poor as were then for ought appears to the contrary Certainly in this one thing at least do the times that now are even far exceed those in which the Apostles lived namely in disputes controversies objections and criminations moved about and grounded upon the idleness and avarice of them who are called Christs Ministers and therefore were there no other reason but this this alone were enough if they more regard had to their own authority or the honour and success of their Ministery than to luxury of food and rayment and other carnal respects to drive them to cut off such occasion as afore is said by working with their hands and abstaining from taking even voluntary contribution abundantly more ought they for the cause above-said forbear to sue at Law to distrain
from the right patern and fouly misse of your mark For 1. The men that you suffer to preach in your meeting houses they be such as are known to have been ordained or approved for this office of preaching by man 2. Such Preachers are Pastors or Ministers falsly so called of several Churches so named and not of one 3. They first have the leaves of the Teacher of that Parish where they are to preach 4. They bring along their Sermons with them ready prepared and so do but reherse what before they had invented and composed Now all these things to omitt many other were quite otherwise in the Churches of Christ of old time where due order was observed Will ye give liberty of speech or prophesying to any one in your Assemblies that is not made Minister by or according to man That speaketh forth that which God revealeth unto him No you appropriate the use of speaking as it were a Monopoly to your selves alone you may speak what you will none may controule you without danger of great harme and imprisonment section 67 T. L. Whether to be hated for this very cause because we professe our selves Ministers of the Gospel c. Ans We do not hate you because you do profess your selves Ministers of the Gospel nor yet at all Although we do not doubt but ye are hated of the Lord for this your Blasphemy c. Rev. 2.9 Ye do indeed profess your selves to be Ministers of the Gospel but oh how short do ye come of approving your selves as such 2 Cor. 6.4.5.6 7.8.9.10 Where 's your much patience while ye cannot endure to hear a man speak in your Assemblies though moved of the Lord thereunto Where your afflictions who cruelly vex and persecute others even the Saints of the most high doing you no harme at all where your necessities and distresses who live at ease in the flesh fareing dilitiously every day and vie with the great men of the world in gay apparel and sumptuous buildings where your stripes and imprisonment do you not cause both these almost every week to be infflicted on others even the Innocent where the tumults ye sustain labours watchings fastings where the pureness knowledge long-suffering kindness Holy Ghost love unfeigned c. Do you not both cause others to suffer the former and of the later are not ye wholly voyd Now then is it any way likely or consentaneous to any sound reason that ye who call your selves Ministers of the Gospel and Successors to Paul in this office be such as yee avouch your selves to be seeing not onely none of the things aforesaid which Paul sustained ye likewise suffer but contrariwise by your means and malice ye do even cause the same things to be suffred of others and that most wrongfully Blush then and be ashamed any longer to arrogate to your selves this name when as ye do suffer none of all those things that alwayes did accompany the same where it was truly owned section 68 T.L. Whether our calling to the Ministery be not that which doth provoke your spleen and bitterness against us Ans Your calling to the Ministery doth no whit provoke us but your hypocrisie but your deceit your covetousness pride gluttony luxury crueltie and the rest of your vices Yet do not these neither so provoke us as at any time to pull you hale you stock you stone you imprison you rifle your goods c. Neither ever did we so much as desire that anie of these things might be done unto you at least not since the time we were called Quakers our witness is on high T.L. Whether many scores and hundreds of Ministers of the Gospel such as are we have not laid down their lives in the very flames for living godly in Christ Jesus Ans What stout Martyrs your brethren have been in times of persecution is sufficiently known to all English men whose ages do number fortie yeers or upwards for in such mens remembrance for fear of the Bishops Apparitors or other small trouble impending they shipped themselves by scores for another land as is also before touched But these things not so willingly do I remember as well knowing that they who so fled away were of the verie best of your number Those you call Ministers of the Gospel in the Quaerie were not such as ye are save in name of Religion and certain Tenets but were at least in spirit and frame of minde as far unlike you as you are like them who so made them lay down their lives in the very Flames as the Quaere hath it Do not you likewise persecute men for living godly in Christ Jesus as these also did Blush to deny it Do not you and your disciples yet far out-strip in wrong and barbarous cruelty all the generations of persecutors that ever were of old time Those executed their malice for the most part by Process at Law with shew of Order and Civility You or your learners with your well liking at least doubt not to commit all manner of harm and savage crueltie not only without anie legall Process but without any Law it self yea clean contrary to †The Instrument of Gouernment Law You make them to suffer by whom partly you reign You make them poor by whose means you are rich You cast them in prison by whose bonds and travels you injoy your liberty I say these things have ye done partly in vote and partly in fact as is well known Tell us now ye that are yet alive or ye that have gone before us if ever like unkindness to this ye have seen with your eyes or heard by report of others section 70 T.L. VVhether you durst appeal to the Tribunal of heaven who are persecutors in heart word deed you or wee Ans O singular impudence O boldness not to be matched Provokest thou us to heavens Tribunal for tryall of such a question as almost all both men women and children on earth can judge and determine and that without danger of erring Does not almost everie citie town and village in the Nation ring and resound of scoffs taunts clamors against them that be called Quakers Is there ever a Prison in England in the which are not some of our friends detained VVhat Judge is there VVhat Justice that hath not had an hand in condemning of our friends to some kind of punishment Many other things I here might recount but I am even grown weary to mention them And now to bring the matter home to your own doors Is there anie one grievance or injurie that our friends do suffer but it pointeth unto you as the cause thereof and is to be charged on your account And this may you not your selves deny while ye dare not but confess of your manie and infinite accusations informations subornations testifications abominations countenancings and abettings c. whereby all these wrongs and afflictions have befallen our friends And if there be haplie any such among you so