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A76498
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An answer to a Quakers seventeen heads of queries, containing in them seventy-seven questions. Wherein sundry scriptures out of the prophets and apostles are cleared: the maintenance of ministers by tithes is by scripture fullly [sic] vindicated: several cases of conscience are resolved: several points of Christian religion are confirmed; parochial churches, and the practises of some things in these our English churches are throughly justified: the Grand Antichrist with the heretical antichrists are decyphered and parallelled. By John Bewick minister of the Gospel, and rector of the parish church of Stanhop in Weredale in the county of Durham.
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Bewick, John, d. 1671.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing B2191; Thomason E1038_1; ESTC R207858
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143,317
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191
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other places where his name is recorded and Exod. 20. 24. called his as namely Gods house Gods Church and the like and where his Rationall Church of holy people meet to remember him and to learn to be improved in all his holy wayes and service 3. Quest What scripture hast thou for sprinkling of Infants Answ I will tell thee 1. What the Scripture holds out touching sprinkling as no wayes condemning the use of it in baptizing and then I will 2. Tell the some scriptures injoyning the baptizing of Infants First know that though holy scripture requires that in baptizing a such an application of wtter unto the party baptized should be made as may expresse representatively or signifingly the vertue of Christs blood in washing a way sin yet seing it no where injoynes expresly that the manner of that application should be either by dipping and dousing in agreat quantity of water or by pouring or sprinkling a little water on the party baptized therfore the Scripture allowes that baptisme which is performed by Sprinkling as well as that baptisme which is donne by dipping I the rather thinke so because the Holy-â—hâ—st in those holy writings doth not make choice of the expression of dipping dousing or ducking to signifie the application of Christ blood but he have made choice of the word sprinkling to notifiy so much Thus the sprinkling of the uncleane with Hysop dipt Heb. 9. 13. 14 Numb 19 18 19 Isa 52. 15. Heb. 10 22 Heb. 12. 24 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 3. 21 in the water of purification did testifiy faith on Christs blood applying that blood for our clensing It was prophecyed of Christ that he should sprinkle many nations we are said not to have our hearts dipt but to have them sprinkled from an evil conscience Christs blood is called the blood of sprinkling and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ is an expression whereby the Apostle intimates our justification whereof baptisme is the representation Secondly know that I have these scriptures warrantizing me and other Ministers to baptise Infants or little Children Math. 28. 19 Psâ— 117. 2. Psa 148. 12 13 Acts. 2. 38 39. Rom. 15. 8. 9. 10 Our Saviour commandes his Apostles to baptise all Nations excepting none of the Nations no not infants who are in the Psalmists opinion a very considerable part of them He having in one Psalm said Praise the Lord all ye nations in another he doth call on Kings of the earth and all People to praise God and he recounts children among the particulars mentioned both young men and maidens old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord. Againe Peter exhorts the Jewes to be baptized because the promise was made to them and their children and to all that are a farre of even as many as the Lord our God shall call seing then the promises of Grace belongs to the infants of believing Parents therefore according to holy scripture they are to be baptised Againe the Apostle saith Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorify God foâ— his mercyes as he saith Rejoyce yee Gentiles with his people Christ discharged his ministeriall Office among those of the circumcision the Jews to confiâ—me the promise made to the fathers and that the Gentiles might have a portion in the same promise that so both Jewes and Gentiles might rejoyce together before God What Christ in discharging his ministry a-abolished in the Covenant made with the Fathers is abolished but that is still confirmed and to be in use what is therein specified and was not abolished either by himself or by any of his Apostles This scripture affords a double proof of the lawfulness of baptizing the Infants of believing Parents One is from the confirmation of signing those with the seale of the Covenant who where formerly signed The other is from Christs command injoyning Baptisme to be the seale of the Covenant and not exempting from it any Infant of believing Parents 1. God at the first making of the Covenant commanded that the Children of believing Parents or Parents in Covenant should be signed with the seale of the Covenant which command was not repealed by Christ the Lord of the house which is the Church but he confirmed the promises made to the fathers and 2. Christ himself commanded that Baptisme should be the seale of the Covenant and Infants not being exempt by him from the bond of the Covenant but being such as he would have brought unto him and of whom he hath told us that of such is the Kingdome of God are therefore to receiue the seal of the Covenant appointed by him which is Baptisme These Scriptures to name no more do justifiy the baptising of the Infants of Professional believers 4. Quest What scripture hast thou for the word Sacrament Answ The 28. of Math. v. 19. 26. Math. 26 27. 1 Cor. 11. 23. c. are scriptures which doe positively injoyne those holy institutions and actions which are called among the most of Christians Sacraments however some stiles them the seals of the Covenant and though the word sacrament be not in Scripture yet seeing what is thereby meant is fully set down in holy Scriptture and the word is not used by any true Protestant in their Theologically writing to signify any thing which disagrees from No men nihil hahet Criminis quod non perturbat sensum Religionis Hilarius lib. de synod contra Arium rope finem what the scripture asserts therefore none ought to blame this and other Theological terms used for explanation of some scriptural truths and never used to be additions of something unto the holy scripture which it mentions not nor to be perversions of the true sence meaning and intent of any part of holy scripture concerning any of the Ordinances and truths which it injoynes and conteines 5. Quest Hast thou heard Gods Voyce immediately from heaven as Prophets and Apostles did or Christs Voyce Answ Though I have neither heard Gods voyce immediately from heaven as did the Prophets and Apostles whome he extraordinarily inspired and sent with his immediate messages to his people nor Christs Voyce immediately as did the Apostles and Disciples who conversed with Christ while he lived on earth yet as it becomes the Ministery which I have received fom him in his ordinary way of mission I have in all these doctrines which I taught to his people communicated to them that very voyce or mind of God and Christ which was heard immediately by the Prophets and Apostles and have tighrly informed them concerning these for I have said no other things then those that the Prophets and Moses and Christ and his Apostles said and taught God in these Heb. 1. 1. 2 latter dayes hath ceased to speake any more as he did of old to the father by immediate voyces and other extraordinary
I say that then thou art like those people in Jeremiahs time â—ho would not obey his and other true Prophets voice Ier. 5 12 13. calling upon them to repent neither would they believe their threatnings but loved rather to hear the false-prophets and corrupt Priests who taught them lies and secured them in Ier. 7. 4. 8. Ier. 5. 31. Ier. 6. 10. their sins they loved to have it so but cared not to hear of the sinnes and to be taught the feare of the Lord the word of the Lord was a reproach unto them they had no delight in it Thou asks further touching thy self Or am I one of the foolish people who have eyes and see not have ears and hear not without the fear of God holding up such as bear rule by means Answ The foolish people of whom Jeremiah complains are therefore said to have eyes and see not eares and heare not Ier. 5. 21. and not to fear God not because they did hold up these their Priests who bare rule by giving unto them that due maintenance or meanes which was prescribed by God for the Prophet doth not speak of any such thing or of any such reason of that peoples foolishnesse but they are said to have eyes and see not to have eares and hear not and not to fear God because that people was such who took no notice of things apparent to their eyes and which was taught them by the hearing of the eare sufficient to convince them that God only was to be feared served and observed They might see the greatnesse Ier. 5. 22. of God in his workings in the world restraining the motions Psal 89. 9 and commotions of the mighty waves of the Sea they might see the goodness of God in his merciful workings towards themselves giving unto them the former and latter rain in season Ier. 5. 23 24 and reserving unto them the appointed times of their earthly incomes They also might have heard continually from the true Prophets and holy Levites mention of the Lord and abundant motives to feare or serve him only and yer they wilfully refused to regard and consider of it in their heart having an heart revolting unresolved to fear God and minde what was for their spiritual good Now if thou art one who is obstinate and resolved in heatt to shut thine eyes from minding Gods greatnesse and wonderful workings in the world and his goodnesse towards thy self and if thou art determined in heart to shut thine eares Act. 20. 21 from all holy perswasions tendred by his publick servants whose office it is to preach repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ then I pronounce it that thou art like one of those foolish people which in Jeremiahs time had eyes and see not and eares and hear not and which were without the fear of God And if thou art such repent in time least the Lord withdraw from thee as he did from Ier. 5. 25. and 29. them those good things which he affords thee and come to visit thee and to be avenged for thy being like a people who loved to cast off his feare or service and to continue in profanenesse Touching the Prophet thou asks Did not they look on Jeremiah as on one being deceived and was he not cast into prison and dungeon Did not the Priests and Princes say he was worthy of death Answ Jeremiah was a true Prophet of the Lord and he oft denounced judgements against the whole Land against Hierusalem and against the Temple therein but the false prophets to please the people prophecied otherwayes and the people believed rather the lies uttered by the false then the truths which were spoke by the true Prophets being very Ier. 5. 12. confident that evil should not come upon them and they finding that judgements threatned by Jeremiah was not speedily executed did continually mock him The Word of the Lord said he was a reproach unto me and a derision daily Jer. 20. 8. Thus the true Prophet was accounted as one who was deceived Moreover Jeremiah was falsely accused for intending to fall Jer. 37. 13 14 15. to the Caldeans and the Princes believing the accusation did cast him into prison And upon the Princes petitioning against him that he Ier. 38. 1 2 3 4 5 6. weakned the hands of the men of War and the hands of the people and sought not the welfare of the people but their hurt he was let down into a dungeon wherein he did sink in the mire Lastly we also read that the Priests and the Prophets and all Ier. 26. 7 8 9 10 11. the People having heard his threatning Sermon that God would make the Temple like Shiloh and the City a curse to all the Nations of the Earth they took him and said he should die and the Priests and Prophets spake to the Princes and to all the people saying this man is worthy to die for he hath prophecyed against this City By what is related thy three demands which concerne the Prophet are easily answered namely the people did look upon Jeremiah as on one being deceived he was cast into Prison and a Dungeon And the Priests and false prophets said he was worthy of death and the Princes petitioned that he should be put to death I list not to conjecture what thy ends should be in questioning these things concerning the Prophet but I am sure the questions are to small purpose either in dependency on or in referency to the things at first demanded in this thy fourth head of demands unto which thou hast now from me a compleat answer CHAP. V. Thy fifth Head of Demands is as followeth ARt not thou one of them that divines for mony and teaches for hire and if I will put in thy mouth thou will preach peace to me if I will not thou will prepare War against me Did not such bring the people all on heaps yea Hierusalem Did not God say night should come on such and was not Micah full of the power and full of the Spirit to declare unto them their sinne and transgression And is it not a sinne and transgression now answer me Answ The Prophet Micah Chap. 3. Ver. 11. condemnes such Prophets who divined for money and such Priests who taught for hire we have out of holy Scripture this account of them what they were Micah saith that these prophets Mich. 3. 5. were such who made the people to erre who did bite with their teeth who cried peace who prepared war against them who did not put into their mouth The meaning is they taught errours they did teare the true Prophets with their teeth in their railing evil language uttered through the teeth they flattered and soothed people in their sins promising them peace they sought to trouble them who did not entertaine and feast them and did not comply with them in what they said and applaud their sayings These