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
Spirit a pretended light but the inward light of the Quakers T.S. I wish eternall good tâ— your pretious Soul and rest c. W.T. That 's a good wish only I must minde him that he wish it really he must wish it in such a way as is like to attain that end which is not as he saith it is by abiding faithfull in the measure of light received for no man shall come to heaven by his own faithfulnesse though that be necessarily required but by faith in Jesus Christ Mark 16.10 Ephes. 2.8 To conclude together with him I thank God I can truly say that I most heartily desire that to him which he wisheth to mee whereof there being no hope but only this that To God all things are possible I doe therefore humbly pray that omnipotent God to enlighten his understanding with a better light then every man hath that comes into the world to sanctify his heart to awaken his conscience and by one happy means or other to lead him out of those dangerous delusions wherein he is detained and which are so preparitory to everlasting misery and to set him in the right Scripture path and way of life that so his precious soul may be saved in the day of Jesus Christ A Postscript A little to acquaint the Reader with some passages published by Thomas Speed in a late Pamphlet Entituled I know not with how good sense I am sure with little truth The Guilty covered Clergy man unvailed WHen Thomas Speeds first Reply was Printed I left it to all that had any sense of Religion to consider whether ever they knew so strange and ugly a thing brought to Bristol-fair I did not blame him * for bringing a Book thither at the Fair for to every thing there is a season but for bringing a Monster thither that is such an horrid spectacle as was never I think seen before either in Bristol or in England or in the Christian World I mean an Epistle written to all the publick Teachers of the Nation and that by one that was himself a late publick teacher wherein all reproaches are cast upon them and upon the same account on the Ministery all over the world since the Apostles time as because they are not infallible because they do not take upon them to Preach as the Apostles did by immediate inspiration because they sprinkle Infants because they take that maintenance that the nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers of the Church have provided for them and alotted to them and because many in that calling are not such as they ought to be At which enmity of Apostates none should marvell because Ministers stand so much in their way and the very end of the the Ministery is to keep Christians from being carried about by flatulent Seducers in this windy world Ephes. 4.11 14. But as one evill begets another so now very lately this mishapen-birth is followed with another like it self that is very deformed as the former but much more audacious as being prefaced and presented to the world with an addresse To the Parliament of England now assembled at Westminster And is a Parliament of England become so low a thing or is a Quaker so high a thing or the Ministery of England and all Protestant Churches so base a thing or is the whole frame of sound and saving Religion grown so despicable and so friendless a thing in this Englâ—sh Nation that such an empty and impious invective should be ushered and introduced with the prefixing of so great a Name and an application to so high and religious a Court and Convention and that also to so sad a purpose for the sum of that which their plain-dealing friend would preâ—â—â— them to is to suffer him and his complices and those whose faith they have overthrown or can overthrow to run themselves quietly and without any compassionate restraint into the hands of Satan and out of the Kingdom of Christ for to that issue Errour and Heresie comes as well as Drunkeness and Adultery 1 Tim. 1.20 with 2 Tim. 2.17 18. 2 Thess. 2 10 11 12. Gal 5.19 20 21. In this his last Reply there 's very little wherein the Religious and rational Reader that shall be pleased to take a view of what I have written formerly in Answer to his Epistle will require an account but yet he may expect some satisfaction in regard of a personal defamation wrapt up in this Quere T. S. I would demand of William Thomas whether he did not some yeers since receive of his Parishioners the Sixth part of all their increase for one year and whether he did not urge them to continue the same for one year more If this be true for which I can produce testimony out of his own Nâ—ighbourhood then I demand What shadow of a rule in Scripture he had for this and whether supposing the tenth to be his due it be not extortion to receive the Sixth W. T. Ans. 1. The urging that he speaks of for a second year is to my self and any other that I know absolutely unknown As for the taking of the Sixth part of their increase suppose it were true which he shall never make good yet what is there in it for he dares not say that I demanded it and it were foolish to say so for there 's no way to have it only he charges me with receiving it Now I thought he would have granted us voluntary contribution what must we have nothing neither by Law nor by love And is it extortion to receive Where did he learn that the meaning and the English of Extorting of Extorquere is to take that which is freely given 2 Both for the pretended receiving of this Sixth part and the Urging to have it another year my Parishioners and the Neighbourhood shall answer for me who hearing of this report were willing to meet together and consider what truth there was in it and thereupon have written and subscribed this Testimony Ubley Decemb. 15. 1656. WHereas a scandalous report is printed by Mr. Thomas Speed Merchant of Bristol against our Pastor We the Inhabitants of his Parish whose names are here subscribed do certifie and testifie that our Minister never received from us the Sixth part of our Estates It 's true that for one year when he had been some time absent from us in Prison and at London we concluded to give something more then ordinary * but it was voluntarily by our selves without his seeking or motion And having met together and viewed the note of what every one gave we judge that as for those from whom Tithes were due they were so far from giving the Sixth part that they gave no more or very little more then the Tenth though divers young people from whom Tithes were not due gave what they pleased Further none of us can say or do know that he urged the having of that which was given this year for another year only he desired to
have the value of the Tithes in money This is subscribed by 18 hands of the Parishioners and Neighbourhood He may produce the Neighbourhood if he have a mind to it that will witness the contrary I am sorry I have detained the Reader with a matter of so small moment whereunto notwithstanding in these dayes wherein every tale will serve the turn with many to make a Minister odious there is some need to speak I shall passe from this remembring only this Replyer how disingenuous he is that cannot be content to live in prosperity himself in the calling of a Merchant into which he is laps'd but he must also grudge Ministers that maintenance whether by right or by gift without which unless they should intangle themselves in the affairs of this life which the Apostle forbids 2 Tim. 2.4 they are not able to subsist Was it not enough for him to make sure he would be no Minister himself but he must be so cruel to that calling which yet shall certainly stand firm with God when all his wood and hay and stubble that he opposeth against it shall be burned up As for those small and weak things which in the afore named Reply he objects against me I shall make a brief return to some of them that thereby the Reader may judge of the rest T. S. If fasting and prayer cast out all evils and Devils which were the words that upon occasion I had spoken before then there 's perfection in this life for where there is no evill uncast out there 's absolute perfection W. T. Ans. 1. Men of understanding know and ingenuous men will acknowledge that such general expressions are to be taken Rhetorically rather then Logically that is according to their general intent rather then the words precisely taken as Mat. 5.39 40. Jam. 3.2 and so the meaning is that Fasting and Prayer is a special medicine for special maladies in so much that any thing that will be done will be done effectually in that way 2. To walk with him in his own way I answer further That all evils are said to be truly cast out when they are cast out in regard of their grosse acts their reigning power their wonted prevalency over us our greater greater degrees of victory over them In these respects it 's true that Fasting and Prayer casts out all evill but I deny what he infers viz. That where all evill is cast out thus there 's absolute perfection Briefly I did not mean that Fasting and Prayer casts out all evill absolutely from whence only that which he infers will follow but according to our capacity here on earth which is such as that though all evils be cast out in regard of their dominion yet In many things we offend all and this writer must rule his tongue a little better a great deal better before he be a perfect man Jam. 3.2 T. S. William Thomas in the close of the 13th page is made to confesse as much of the Light as ever I heard viz. Christ lighteth every man that cometh into the world though not by saving illumination yet by saving revelation that is by Gospel revelation that is fit to save them though divers receiving the revelation do through their own fault lose the salvation W. T. Ans. I shall need to say nothing to this but only let the Reader know how dishonest and false he is in making me say what I never said by leaving out that explication and limitation of it that was before his eyes for my words are these and they are but a relation neither Christ lighteth every man that comes into the world and then it followes that is into the Church or into the world collected into a Church as world is taken Mat. 13.38 though not by saving illumination c. So that I did not speak of every one coming into the world absolutely as the Quakers do but of such only as are gathered into a Church T. S. Vnto those words of mine Our duty is to be alwayes perfecting but it belongs to our wisdom to know that we can never be fully perfected till our souls be among the souls of just men made perfect I say unto these words he replies Doth that Author say in the future tense they should come at the last day or to those that shall be perfect Doth he not say they are already come to those already perfect W. T. Ans. And what of all this May it not be as well said that we are come already viz. by our heavenly calling and spiritual consociation to the Saints that are now in heaven as to an innumerable company of Angels that are in heaven Heb. 12.22 Besides that he saith not they are come to the persons of just men made perfect but to the spirits now where doth he find that Saints on earth are called Spirits Luk. 24.39 So that the spirits of just men are in true and plain meaning their souls separated from their bodies and put into a perfect state and condition in heaven But when he hath abused this Scripture he must abuse another viz. Isa. 44.25 and the Diviners must needs be mad because he hath no skill in Scripture and in Divinity To speak only of one thing more When I had said that Paul and Peter were instructed by immediate revelation which we are not so presumptuous as to expect He replies T. S. Poor blind man my heart is moved with pity to him I could even weep over him Hath he been preaching 39 years and yet never expected instruction by immediate Revelation W. T. Ans. Here 's a pang of effeminate zeal But must a man needs either preach the history only of what others did and spake which he objects or else be immediately inspired Cannot he distinguish between the revelation of the Spirit and the immediate revelation If he knows not yet others do that the influences of the Spirit are abundantly put forth in the use of means as to Timothy in reading meditating studying to shew himself approved 1 Tim. 4.13 15. 2 Tim. 2.15 of all which there had been no need if Timothy had done all his work by immediate inspiration Now by the assistance of this Spirit of God in the use of means and the continual study of Scripture with Prayer I have I thank God not without some fruit exercised the Calling of a Minister this 39. years Whereas he sayes he could even weep over the poor blind man drowned in ignorance a taking passage with quaking people I am very well assured that I have much more reason to weep over him but he especially over himself for another matter which his Book mentions †I mean his desperate resolution in chusing rather the portion of an Heathen Seneca when yet we may say must say of such honest Heathens that they were honest worshippers of Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 then of the Christians and Ministers that he names †who
and about which the contest arose between him and me Now that when there be two Antecedents coupled together the Relative may be of the singular number and refer to the latter is plain from those words of the Apostle Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which that is without which * holiness no man shall see the Lord b Or the Relative may refer to either of the Antecedents as in that of Tully in the Margin c But 2. I shall follow him in his own way and let him know that Grammer must needs be destroyed if such a Syntax as he exagitates will destroy it for Tully himself destroies it De Offic l. 1. Humanae societatis vinculum est ratio oratio quae docendo disceno c. conciliat inter se homines c. Here are two Antecedents singular having a Conjunction copulative coming between them and yet Tully will not let them have a Relative plural but the Relative is of the singular number and joyned with a verb of the singular number 3. I adde that this man who is so tender of his Grammer destroâ—es it himself page 46. of this Pamphlet where he saith what I writ proceeded from that deep sense I had of all that deceipt hypocrisie and abomination that raigneth in the midedâ—t of them Heâ—e are Antecedents more than a good many and yet he will not do his Grammer right by following them with a Relative plural But onely a Relative and a Verb singular And now I shall leave it to the sober minded to whom he appeals and whom it is a shame to trouble with so trifling a thing to judge and determine between us whether I had any cause to fear that sticking in the mire which this maundy man loves to mention or do need any such Apology as he would fain have for a fained mistake W.T. The Redemption and Righteousness of Christ by which we are Justified is not within us but without us against that you say you can say nothing We are not justified by a righteousness within T. S. SInce you are so confident I can say nothing against what you did so peremptorily assâ—rt I shall further offer to you by way of enquiry as followeth W.T. A. I may be confident still he can say nothing for to enquire is not to say but to hear what another man can say I did not say that he could not ask questions about it but that he could say nothing against it Yet his Qâ—eries shewing part whâ—t he would say if he knew how to stand to it I shall briefly answer them 1. Quest Whether Christ be separable from his righteousness If not whether he being within the Saints his righteousness be not there also And consâ—quently whether he that denieth the righteousness of Christ to be within the Saints doth not blasphemously deny Christ to be there also W.S. A. 1. Christ is not separable from his humane nature therefore by his good reasoning the humane body of Christ must be within Saints 2. I aâ—swer positively where Christ is in Person there is his righteousness also But that righteousness which justifieth us is not there inherently where Christ is by his Spirit And it is by his Spirit that he is in Saints not in his person Ephes. 3.17 Acts 3.21 2. Quest Whether Christ be not made of God to the Saints wisedome righteousness sanctification and redemption and whetâ—er is he so made to them within them or without them W.T. This is a * falacious and captious question for the the things mentioned are of divers kindes whereof some are within us and some are without us take them altogether and no man can say they are either within or without for they are both within and without But as for that righteousness whereof the Apostle speaks which is the thing now in question that I say is without us not within us Christ is made unto us righteousness by that perfect obedience of his which is not within us but imputed to us 3. Quest Whether Redemption and Righteousness must not be there witnessed where the Seat of Sin and uncleanness is And whether is that Seat of sin and uncleanness within or without W.T. A. It is enough that the sanctification of Christ be there where the seat of sin and uncleanness is The justifying righteousness of Christ is not there inherently but it is there efficaciously inasmuch as it is imputed to us to take off that guilt of sin and uncleanness that is in us and inasmuch as Christs obedience to the death of the Crosse hath not onâ—ly a meritorious but an efficacious work in it for the killing of that sin that is within 4. Quest Whether doth not the Scripture witness that Christ gave himself for his that he might redeem them from all iniquity and purifie them unto himself And whether is that redemption and purifying from their iniquity and pollution within them or without them W. T. A. This fourth Querie is answered in the third The Redemption of Christ in regard of the juâ—â—ifying and pacifying work is without them a in regard of the end effect and purifying work it is within them T.S. As for that Spirit that teacheth men to revile I doe abominate it c. W.T. A. Its a great matter for a man to know of what Spirit he is How he abominates that Spirit that teacheth men to revile let the Reader judge by this reviling Book yea by this reviling Page wherein he makes the Ministers of this Nation the successors of the Scribes and Pharsees in their bloody and Christ-killing way wherein there is the quintessence of reviling the aspersion and expressions being extreamly high and the charge abominably both false and foolish as not having in regard of the generality of the publick Teachers of the Nation any colour of truth 〈◊〉 reason in it T. S. I know no Seducers in the Nation but such as draw men from the light love and fear of the Lord to listen to theiâ— own fond dreams W.T. A. This is a right description of Quakers who have forsaken the ordinances of God and the Scripture rule to follow and to draw followers to their own fancies T.S. Stiling him who is the onely sure Teachers of the Saints a pretended inward light W.T. A. Stiling him I wonder who that is sure it must be either Châ—ist or the Spirit But if this inward light enlightens every one that comes into the world how can it be Christ 〈◊〉 any having lived in the world without Christ Ephes. 2.12 Rom. 15.20 Nor can it be meant of the Spirit for that was not poured on all flesh when they came into the world but when Christ came into the world Joel 2.28 and there are some still that are sensuall having not the Spirit Jude v. 19. It s true the Spirit is the sure Teacher of the Saints but no man calls the inward light of the