be asked profitably when they be asked sincerely yet these are the times wherein many men frame querieâ— to pick quarrels and in that respect better some silence then more strife If therefore I had answered none of his queries he had no reason to be querulous yet some I answered briefly because that was sooner done and by that all men may see how willing the wayward questionist is to be informed T.S. Did noâ— Paul and other Saints witness Jesus Christ to come whenas he lived in them Pag. 32 and was in them their hope of glory strength life peace W.T. A. Christ is come already in the flesh to us in the Spirit into us but is not come yet nor till the last day is to come in his power and glory Matt. 24.30 Of the Ministry and calling of Ministers T.S. I Judge those Ministers of Christ Pag. 32 who run not before they are sent of him and do abide in the Doctrine of Christ who have received that gift not by expence of money in a University but freely from the Lord by which they are made able Ministers of the New-Testament not of the Letter but the Spirit who preach him in words and own him by their works W.T. A. Thanks be to God that there are so many publike Teachers in this Nation to which this description may be justly applyed they having received a gift to be able Ministers of the New-Testament freely from the Lord though there were money expended in the University that they might receive it freely â—n God waâ— that is in the obedient serving of free grace and doing their own endeavor in reading meditating studying to shew thâ—mseâ—vâ—s 〈…〉 as Timothy was charged to do who had that gift freely from God 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. 2 Tim. 2.15 But how true his profession is that such men are precious in his eyes let his precious Epistle â—o â—ll the publike Teachers in this Nation shew As for the coâ—trary sort whom he describeth and judgeth not to be Ministers if his meaning were only to shew a dislike of men vitious in the Ministry there be Ministers enough that would join with him in that who yet cannot consent with him in saying such are no Ministers becaus even among men unquestionably call'd as te Priests and Levites were there hath still been a corrupt mixture But that any tell the people as he saith they do p. 33. that a heap of stones is the Churcâ— is I think his tale yet may the place where the Congregation meets which is not an heap of stones but is or should be a decent house be as properly called the Church as that place is called the Court where Tenants do at times meet together to wait upon their Lord when it is said that the Centurion built the Jews a Synagogue a Here this Writer comes and complains That the Elders of the Jews call an heap of Stones a Congregation for that the word Synagogue * signifies But he that complains without reason must go home again without relief T.S. Where is it written that one was made a Minister by ordinary call mother by extraordinary W.T. A. The thing is written Gal. 1.1 Act. 14.23 T.S. Is there so much as mention made iâ— either of those Scriptures of a Call ordinary or extraordinary and have you yet the confidence positively to assert that it is so written in these Scriptures Must your dreams and drâ—wsie meanings passe for Scripture W.T. A. Its wonder that this quick-sighted youth that speaks so much here and otherwhere of dreaming and drowsinesse should be so dull and obtuse himself as not to see that I said The thing is written and not the words are written Why doth he not awake himself and prove that those two Scriptures do not in their true sense and meaning lay before us a Calling of two sorts one from Christ immediately and so Paul was called himself which we call extraordinary because it was but of certain persons and but for a certain time and accompanied with extraordinary miraculous gifts this the first Scripture shews Gal. 1.1 The other from Christ mediately by the Ministry of men and so Elders were ordained by Paul and Barnabas as the other Scripture shews â—ct 14.23 this we call ordinary as being common to all Ministers and to continue in all ages of the Church Nor doth this make two doors into the Sheepfold as this caviller would collect but two ways of entring in by the same door T. S You say This distinction hath ever â—een us'd in the Churches of God Pag. 34 wâ—en it was never us'd among any of the Churches mentioned in the Scripturâ—â— W.T. A. I said so in an usual way of speaking yet not meaning to extend it to all that time wherein God hath had a Church which hath been from the beginning of the world but to declare only that it hath been of long and continual use in the Churches of God and so the word ver is ordinarily used viz. to signifie a long and yet limited term of time as 1 Sam. 27.12 Exod. 12.24 21.6 Besides that in the Scripture-Churches there was as hath been shewed this distinction in the ground and thing it self though not in the form of words W.T. Our gifts abilities and fitnesse for the Ministry which are Gods inward call were first tryed Pag. 35 and testimonials of our carriage were given T.S. Doth the Scripture anywhere say That gifts abilities and fitness for the Ministry are Gods inward call or that any of the Saints sought Testimonials in order to their being made Ministers or did Pauâ— Peter keep any Chaplains to try men W.T. A. 1. Is it anywhere said in Scripture that faith love and holy desires are inward Graces Is there not enough therefore in Scripture to gather that they are so when as we find there that such vertues are placed in the iâ—ner and hidden man of the heart that in opposition to outward and bodily things Ro. 7.22 10.10 1 Peâ—. 3.3 4.2 Coâ— 4.16 So it is in this case Paul describes the qualities of those that are to be made Ministers which are inward and whereunto are opposed other qualifications which are outward These qualities namely abilities for and strong desires to the Work of the Ministry are a Call because God plants them in the heart as pointing to putting them into a capacity for and as it were leading unto that Calling and they are an inward Call because they are seated in the inner man 2. Whatever Paul and Peter did in their own persons we are sure that Paul requires of Tâ—mothy to see that the Deacons be proved and for the same reason the Bishops and Presbyters also before they could use that Office 1 Tâ—m 3.10 why are the things required in Ministers so fully and distinctly prescribed Why is such a precise commandment given to lay hands suddâ—nly upon no man but that diligent search was to be made into those that were
yet he did not hide ink and paper there that he might not sin against God Psal. 119 11 Are the great things of the word and Gospel of God which are said to be the power of God a to convert the son rejoyce the heart enlighten the eyes b which are able to make wise to salvation c come to be nothing else but paper and ink was ink and paper sweeter to David then the hoâ—y and the hony comb Ps. 19 10 119.103 Doth not Christ say that the Scriptures testifie of him John 5.39 But if all the ink and paper in the world were brought into America would that without any thing else testifie of Christ to the poor Heathens there let quakers quake to think that by this word Christ will â—udge the world John 12.48 and ink and paper if there were no more never drew any â—aâ— to execution in a way of justice Doth this Writer and Railer on the Ministry of this Nation and that offers such indignity to Scripture think he hath nothing to answer for but the wasting of so much ink and paper I wish he may think of more Yet it may be granted that the Law works not without Gospel-grace nor the Gospel to salvation without the sanctifying spirit But it is notwithstanding without that grace and spirit an informing word d a convincâ—ng word e and the savour of death to death f none of which can be reasonably ascribed to a poor thing called ink and paper T. S. Was there not faith and was not Jesus Christ before the written word and yet must that be first believed or and be the ground of our faith W. T. A. To leave out his empty exclamations he may know that the question is not what men were to do before the word of God was written then they were to ground their faith upon it as it was delivered then though not written but what we are to do unto whom it is written The Word of God being now written I must first believe it before I believe in Christ for how can any rest his faith on the person testified of if he do not believe the testimony T. S. Is not the foundation spoken of Eph. 2.20 that Jesus which was both preacht and believed on by the Prophets and Apostles Pag. 20 W. T. A. The foundation spoken of in the latter part of the â— and expressed by the chief corner stone is Christ alone The foundation spoken of in the former part of the v. is if we speak of the essential foundation or the personal foundation Christ also whom the Prophets and Apostles preached and held forth as the sole foundation for believers to build up but if we speak of the doctrinal foundation it is the word of God delivered by the Prophets and Apostles The word of the Prophets and Apostles was the foundation teaching Christ himself the foundation taught so that to say we are founded on the Apostles and Prophets that is on their doctrine and that we are founded on Christ is upon the matter all one a for their doctrine was in sum Christ onely there is this difference the doctrine is the immediate foundation Christ the â—lâ—imaâ—e on that we build our faith on this our selves But the business in hand will be more plainly made out to those Christians whom I would assist by answering two questions 1. qu. How can the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles be called a foundation A. Because we are to build our faith upon that doctrine when Christ saith Upon this rock will I build my Church I conceive it is rightly understood thus upon this truth preached and manifested to the world to wit Thou art the Christ the true Messias and Son of the living God Will I as upon a Main ground-stone found the faith of all Believers b or I will cause the doctrine of this self same faith to be the foundation of my Church c This is agreeable to our ordinary manner of speaking which is Build upon my word this shall be done for you If a King shall speak such words to a subject he fals to building presently on that foundation such a foundation and infinitely above that in firmness and stability is the Word of God which faithful men therefore build upon as the people sometimes leaned and rested on the words of Hâ—zekias 2 Chron. 32.8 with Judg. 16.29 where the same original word is used 2. Qu. How doth it appear that this doctrinal foundation is spoken of or is to be taken notice of in this Scripture A. Because Apostles and Prophets are named and why should they be named but to point at their Ministry and the main part thereof namely the manifestation of Jesus Christ both to come and already come upon which manifestations Believers have ever built and so setled themselves on the Rock Christ This is it that Calvin marks He doth not saith he name Paâ—riarchs or Godly Kings but onely those that had the office of teaching and that were set over the Church for the building thereof 〈◊〉 therefore he concludes that the faith of the Church ought to be founded on this doctrine To conclude this I shall not deny that in these words The foundation of the Apostlâ—s and Prophets Christ is principally intended All that I contend for is that the doctrine and Ministery of the Apostles and Prophets is here also included and contained under the name of Foundation as that which is no way opposite but subservient unto the great foundation Jesus Christ for first our faith is built upon the word of God revealed to and by the Apostles and Prophets and then and in that way our persons are built upon the Son of God And thus were the Ephesians built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets to wit by receiving their doctrine by faith a and by being thereby put in as living stones into that spiritual Temple whereof Jesus Christ is the Foundation in regard of superstruction and the corner-stone in regard of coagmentation union and coalition of Jews and Gentiles T. S. Could you so confidenâ—ly give Paul the lye Pag. 20 who saith expresly Other foundation then Jesus Christ can no man lay W. T. Christ alone is the foundation revealed whereon to build my person The Scripture is but the foundation revealing whereon I build my faith I shall ever say that the only person the Church is built on is the Son of God but that I may build on that person I must have such an infallible revelation of him as I may firmly build upon T. S. Doth not Calvin conclude you to be a lyar who saith in terminis that the Apostle doth in that Scripture intend Jesus Christ to whom the Prophets and Apostles did bear witness * W. T. A. He cannot speak like a Christian that is Pag. 20 meekly or like a Citizen that is civilly he must speak like a quaker of whose Religion rudeness
Ministry which all gooâ— men that had an hâ—nd in removing of Bishops abhor than the taking away of Bishops had been absolutely the Devils work For as God is his Ministers best friend so is the Devill their greatest Enemy and other opposites are but his Ministers 2 Cor. 11.15 That lying Spirit it was that opposed Michaiah in the Prophets of Ahabâ— 1 King 22.22 that encountred Paul in Elymas the Sorcerer Act. 13.10 That hindred the same Paul once and again in his holy intentions 1 Thes. 2.18 It s he that casts as many as he can of them into prison and where Anâ—ipas is slain there Satan dwels Revel. 2.10 13. A lamentable thing it is that this Opponent and that Adversary should be so unanimous anâ— that this lâ—te Preacher should be a brazen faced Professor of his longings to have the Ministry abolished For these aâ—e his words What is the designs I must feare and tremble to act Is it to endeavour the rooting out of your Ministry And why fear and tremble at it Is your Ministry so precious a thing that it may not be pluck'd up under the same penalty as was in eating the forbidden fruit c. It may make other men tremble to see that a man living under the light of the Gospel should have so little knowledge grace and fear of God as to utter such words when those persons or Nations that seek to throw down the Lords Ministers which Ministers are in this Nation or in no Nation in the world as they do Giant like oppose themselves against heaven and Gods expresse ordinance Ephes 4 11 c. So they take the next and most effectuall course to ruine themselves 2 Chron 36.15.16 17. T. S. I shall note two things with which you falsly accuse me The first is that I inveigh against humane learning If a man say a tilestone is not fit to make a foundation must it presently be concluded he denies the use of tilestones W. T A I say he inveighs against it because he speaks contemptuously of it and of Vniversities in reference to Ministerial assistance as if it were ridiculous to say that a Minister hath any help for his work in that way when all that know any thing rightly know that humane learning in the hand of grace is a great help for the better understanding of heavenly things I granted to him though he runs on as if he had heard nothing of it that learning cannot make any a spiritual man but yet it makes a spiritual man a better servant But Quakers might be glad if there were no learning nor wisdom in the world for as long as there is any their folly will be made to appear to all men what he saies of tilestones shews that he never knew what it was to be a grounded schollar For though learning be not the ground-work of Religion yet it supplies many grounds which wisemen use to call grounds of learning whereof an holy mind makes good use for the justification of the things of God against the subtilties of ungodly men T.S. 2. You accuse me with seeking to justifie absurd Tenents To which I shall onely say that I seek to justifie no Tenents but such as the scripture doth justifie W.T. These are good words and shew that the scripture is more than Paper and Ink because it doth justifie Tenents But since he refers himself to that it seems as a Rule to judge things by let him shew where the scripture doth justifie these Tenents viz. That the Scripture is not the Rule of Saints that it is not the ground of Faith that the Infants of believing Parents are not to be baptized c. T.S. Whether doth not the Scripture testifie that Christ is the true light that enlighteneth every man that comes into the world and also that he that followeth that light shall not walk in darknes but shall have the light of life W.T. A. This is spoken to at large in my Answer to his Epistle already published and namely to the first Article of his charge against the Ministers of the Nation For present I answer thus Christ enlightens men more wayes than one to wit 1 By natural light Jâ—h. 1.4 and so onely he lighteth every man that commeth into the world Now he that hath that light and no more cannot in an ordinary way have life because he is without Christ Ephes. 2.12 From whom alone life is to be had 1 Joh. 5.11.12 2. By Gospel-light Now whosoever doth by the spirit of grace follow that light or follow Christ so enlightening him he shall have life Joh. 10.27 But this will do him little pleasure whose pleading is fix'd not on a light which comes from the word but which enlightens every man that comes into the world T.S. Whereas you coat Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard You might have found an answer if you had lookd a little further viz. in the 18. v. where it is written But I say have they not heard yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world W.T. A. 1. The Apostle shews in that Chapter that the time was now come wherein both Jews and Gentiles believing should be saved Rom. 10 11 12. But for this belief he declâ—reth hearing to be necessary v. 14. whereupon it might be objected How can this salvation be extended to all when this hearing is not extended to all This Objection is answered in the v. 18. wherein the Apostle shews that at the same time wherein God appointed to receive the Nations of the world together with the Jews into a saving state he ordained also the means and that the word of Salvation should be heard and received of them so that as the Sun in the Firmament yea the whole frame of heaven spoken of Psal. 19 1. Shines and in a sort speaks to all so the Sun of righteousnesse in the New Testament did by the Apostles shine and preach to all the world that is as it is expressed v. 12. to Jews and Greeks And so the word World is taken in the New Testament Matth. 13.38 1 John 2.2 viz. as opposed to that confinement that there was of the ordinances of God to the Jewish Church in the Old Testament-times the sound of the Gospel therefore went into all the earth or all the world that is all Nations of the world Rom. 16.26 generally yea it was to be preached to every creature a indifferently but that will not prove that it reacheth to every place particularly much lesse to every person individually 2. If this sound went into all the earth that is to Gentiles as well as Jews by the Apostles preaching that so men might believe and be saved then it follows that either that preaching and sounding forth of the Gospel was unnecessary or else they could not believe nor be saved any other way and if they could not