in other words To which I answer They may be truly said to pray after the same manner though they use not the same words For our Lord Jesus Christ gave his Disciples a form or pattern to direct them how to pray and bid them pray after that manner that he had taught them Matt. 6.9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in Heaven And we find some of their Prayers recorded as Act. 1.24 25. Act 4.23 Yet in neither of these nor any other place do we read that they used that form of Prayer which our Lord Jesus taught them but their Prayers were put up to God in other words Now I would demand of these Informers Did the Apostles transgress the commandment of Christ and pray in other manner than Christ directed when they used not that form of words which are contained in the Lords Prayers but prayed in other words I suppose they will be ashamed to say the Apostles transgressed the command and prayed in other manner than he enjoin'd them If they should be so audacious as to charge the Apostles with the breach of Christ's command for praying in other words they may be refuted from that gracious answer which God gave to their Prayers by filling them all with the Holy Ghost after they had prayed to him Act. 4.31 If they will grant the Apostles did not pray in other manner than Christ directed though they used other words and so were no transgressors of Christ's command Then I reply Why then do these Informers persecute and persecute these Ministers as transgressors of this Act pretending that in their Meetings they pray in other manner than according to the Liturgy when all that is requisite to make a Prayer acceptable to God is found in these mens Prayers as well as in the Prayers in the Liturgy These mens Prayers are offered up to the same God by the same Mediatour by the help of the same Spirit for things agreeable to the Will of God and for the honour and glory of God as well as the Prayers prescribed in the Liturgy But besides what hath been said already there may be one thing more added which will exempt these men from being guilty of exercising any Acts of Religion in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England and that is this The Liturgy of the Church of England includes all those portions of the Holy Scripture which are appointed to be read for the first and second Lesion for the Morning and Evening Service throughout the whole year together with what is read for the Epistles and Gospels And whatever Religious exercise is allowed of by these by those portions of Scripture appointed to be read by the Liturgy for the Morning or Evening Service that Religious exercise is not performed in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England And if all those portions of Scripture be part of the Liturgy which I suppose none will deny it will be easie proving that there is nothing done at these Assemblies but what is agreeable to the Scriptures used in the Liturgy I will touch but upon one or two places On July the 18th for the second Lesson at the Evening Service is appointed to be read 1 Tim. 2. and there praying in houses and in every other place is allowed of as well as in Temples so it be done in an holy manner v. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting And June the 30th for the second Lesson is appointed Eph. 6 and there the Apostle alloweth of all manner of Prayer so it be in the Spirit v. 18 Praying always with all Prayers and Supplication in the Spirit So that all manner of Prayer at what time or place soever it be made if it be Prayer in the Spirit is allowed by the Scriptures appointed to be read by the Liturgy and so is not in other manner than according to the Liturgy Many more instances might be given to prove the Religious exercises of these men to be in such manner as agreeth with the Scriptures prescribed to be read by the Liturgy but I shall add no more Now let us consider whether these mens exercises of Religion be in other manner than according to the practise of the Church of England If they had no benefit by the former clause which as before explained is for their advantage though made use of to suppress them yet they have protection from the penalty of the Law as I conceive by this clause The practise of the Church of England To clear this let it be considered 1. What is the Church of England The best way to know this is to consider the Doctrine of the Church of England declared in the 39 Articles and there the Church is thus defined Art 19 The Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly administred according to Christ's Ordinance and in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same And if this be a true description of the Church of England which they that own the Articles I think should not deny then these Non-conformists are a considerable part of the Church of England For they are faithful men men that believe on the Lord Jesus Christ which I suppose is meant by faithful men in their Congregations the Word of God is preached in truth and purity the Sacraments are duly administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all things that of necessity are requisite to the same If these Non-conformists be not a part of the Church of England How and when and by whom were they excommunicated and cast out of the Church If any say they do not comply with the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church I answer 1. In that definition which is given of the Church in the 19th Article there is nothing mentioned of the Discipline or Ceremonies As Mr. Rogers observes in his Exposition of the 39 Articles dedicated to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury His words are these Some and they many of them very godly men add Ecclesiastical Discipline for a note of the Visible Church but because the said Discipline in part is included in the marks here mentioned both we and in effect all well-ordered Churches over-pass it in this place as no taken simply of the Visible Church 2. The Church of England is not founded upon the Ceremonies or the Discipline but it is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone And upon this foundation do these Non-conformist Ministers build as well as the Conformable Clergy and therefore are of the Church of England as well as they And if the Non-conformists be a considerable part of the Church of England how can these Informers swear their Religious exercises are in other manner than according to the practise
a love to these men you would pity them under their affliction Job 6.14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend Be it so that God hath a controversie with them it doth not become you to trample them under your feet Is 47.6.11 8 Arg. As they are Ministers of the Gospel your sin is exceeding great in hindring them in the exercise of their Ministry and persecuting them for Preaching the Gospel For 1. To misuse the Lord's Messengers and his Prophets is a sin that brings down wrath without remedy 2 Chr. 36.15 16. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers but they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of God arose against these men until there was no remedy 2e God will smite through the loins of those that rise up against his Ministers Deut. 33.12 Bless Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands smite through the loins of them that rise up against him and of them that hate him that they never rise again This is Moses his Prayer which he puts up for Levi when he was blessing the Children of Israel before his death v. 1.8 The tribe of Levi was separated by the Lord to bear the Ark of the Lord and to Minister to him and to bless in his name Deut. 10.9 And therefore what is here spoken of Levi belongs to all the Ministers of the Gospel what Moses prays for in the behalf of Levi that God will do to the Ministers of the Gospel and to them that rise up against them He will bless their substance and accept their works he will strike through the loins of them that rise up against them And what is that 1. He will give them a fatal stroke he will give them such a deadly wound that they shall never recover it he will break in pieces their power and strength The loins may signifie a mans strength Joh. 40.16 Lo now his strength is in his loins 2. He will not only punish themselves in a dreadful manner but he will visit this their sin upon their posterity from generation to generation persecuting the Ministers of the Gospel is a sin which God visits not openly upon the fathers but the children and the childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Exod. 20.5 The loins does signifie a mans posterity 1 Kings 8.19 Thy Son that shall come out of thy loins 3. The loins signifie sometimes the mind or understanding as 1 Pet. 1.13 Gird up the loins of your mind And if loins be taken in this sense the meaning is Lord give them up to a reprobate mind and that is a sore judgment and a very dreadful token of the wrath of God Rom. 1.18.28 And it 's usual with the Lord to smite the enemies of his Ministers with this judgment And it 's rare if ever such persons rise again that are thus smitten of God Now those whose loins God will strike through that they rise not again are such as hate and such as rise against the Sons of Levi that is the secret and the open enemies of the Ministers of the Gospel There are some that hate them but conceal their hatred these are secret enemies and there are some that manifest their hatred by rising up against them these are open enemies 3. The Ministers of the Gospel are Christ's Embassadors sent into the world to treat of peace between God and men 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though he did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God What injuries are done to an Ambassador of an earthly Prince he takes them as ill as if they were done to his own person If the Ambassador be reviled plundered imprisoned interrupted in the delivery of his message the Prince takes this as ill and will punish it as severely as if it had been done to himself So doth the King of Heaven who is King of Kings take all injuries done to his Ambassadors as done against himself 1 Thess 4.8 He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath given us his holy Spirit And what is said of despising is true of all other affronts and injuries which are offered to the Ministers of the Gospel the Lord takes them as done to himself Obj. If these men were Prophets or Apostles and could work miracles if then we should molest them we should think our selves worthy of death One might fear the wrath of God should break forth upon us but they are but ordinary men subject to the same passions and infirmities as other men are and therefore we can't think there is such danger in opposing them Ans 1. Ordinary Pastors and Teachers are of God's sending and appointing they are of divine institution as well as Prophets and Apostles 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers It is God gives and God sets Pastors and Teachers in his Church as well as Apostles Prophets and Evangelists 2. The Apostles and Prophets though holy men of God and guided by an infallible Spirit yet were but men subject to the like passions as we are Elias was an eminent Prophet yet is said of him Jam. 5.17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are Barnabas and Paul were eminent Apostles yet when the men of Lystra would have adored them as Gods and done Sacrifice to them they cryed out Sirs why do you these things we also are men of like passions with you Act. 14.15 They that despise the Ministers of the Gospel in those days would have despised the Prophets and Apostles had they lived in their days for they that were enemies to the power of Godliness despised the Apostles and Prophets then even as many do now the Ministers of Christ Take an instance of the Apostle Paul who though he was full of the Holy Ghost yet some thought and spake contemptibly of him 2 Cor. 10.2 Some think of us as though we walked according to the flesh v. 10. His letters say they are weighty and powerful but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible Many other vilifying expressions were given concerning this Apostle which I forbear to mention 3. A man may be a true Minister of Jesus Christ and yet be able to work no miracles John the Baptist was a true Minister and lived in the time when the gift of miracles was frequently given yet it 's said of him John did no miracle Joh. 11.41 And some that had the gift of miracles were destitute of true Grace Matt. 7.23 24. And therefore we should not decry a man as no Minister of Christ because he can't work miracles especially seeing working of miracles is now ceased 4. Our Lord Jesus would have every one
men in Gods account who walk in all his Ordinances and all his Commandments in a blameless manner Luk. 1.6 They were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless That evidence which is given of the righteousness of Zacbarias and Elizabeth may be given of these men they walk in all the Ordinances of God they have respect to all the Commandments of God and are blameless in their conversations They are baptized and baptize others in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost they often celebrate the Lords Supper they praise God in singing Psalms they keep holy the Sabbath day they pray to God in secret and pray in their Families they worship God in publick Assemblies as well as privately they are just sober temperate patient under afflictions c. 3. They visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and they keep themselves unspotted of the world and they that do so being sound in the Faith are Religious men and their Religion is pure and undefiled in the sight of God Jam. 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world They endeavour according to their abilities and their opportunities to do good unto all men And that is an argument that they are born of God 2 Joh. v. 11. He that doth good is of God 4. They train up their children and servants in the knowledg and the fear of the Lord and that is an evidence of a righteous man when he doth not only serve God and walk with God himself but teacheth his houshold to do so also Josh 24.15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Cornelius his piety was evidenced by training up his house in the fear of God Act. 10.2 A devout man and one that feared God with all his house God takes special notice of Abrahams piety in that he was careful that his children and his whole house should keep the ways of the Lord Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him If it be said Some think and speak otherwise of these Ministers which are called Nonconformists as if they were deceivers of the people and were not good men I answer 1. So did many among the Jews say of Christ and his Apostles Amongst the Jews there were differing thoughts concerning Jesus Christ Joh. 7.12 Some said he is a good man others said nay but he deceiveth the people There were as evil reports raised and as dishonourable speeches given out against the Apostles as there are against these men 2 Cor. 6.8 By honour and dishonour by evil and good report as deceivers and yet true 2. The Spirit of God foresaw that scandalous reports would be raised against righteous men and that they would be misrepresented in the world whereby many would be deceived and be ready to condemn the innocent and therefore he hath given us a sure rule to judg who is a righteous man He that doth righteousness he is a righteous man 1 Joh. 3.7 Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous These men approve themselves to be righteous men by their constant care to do those things which are just and right in the sight of God and men 3. Their adversaries that reproach them would be glad to be in their condition when they dye then they will wish that their last end may be like theirs If any say Do you know all those Ministers which are called Nonconformists that you know them to be righteous men I answer 1. With some of them I have had intimate acquaintance for several years and have fully known their Doctrine and manner of life and I am abundantly satisfied in what I have asserted that they are men of sound judgments of upright holy and exemplary conversations And Charity obligeth me to believe and hope the like of the rest although I have no personal acquaintance with them 2. If any Minister that goeth under the name of a Nonconformist be not a righteous man I plead not his cause but dislike and disown such a man as much as the Conformists do And as these Ministers are righteous men so there are many of those that come to their Assemblies I say not that they are all righteous that come to their Meetings for the Gospel is like a Net which draweth good and bad but this I say there are many righteous persons come to their Assemblies such as are of an holy blameless conversation well reported of for good works who have no other design in frequenting these Meetings than the glorifying God and the saving their own souls 2. Praying to God in the Name of Jesus Christ for things agreeable to his will and Preaching and Hearing of Gods Word are good works Prayer is a good work 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. I exhort therefore that first of all supplication prayer intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1. It is commanded of God v. 8. I will therefore that men pray every-where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting These words may relate to verse 3 where the Apostle had told us that praying for all men is good and acceptable in the sight of God And therefore commands that men pray every-where 2. Prayer when made by upright men is delightful to God Prov. 15.3 The prayer of the upright is his delight 3. God promiseth great blessings to them that pray to him as eternal life Rom. 10.13 Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved The giving of the Holy Ghost Luk. 11.13 Your heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Yea all good things Psal 31.10 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing And as Praying so Preaching of the Gospel is a good work For 1. It is commanded by God Mark 16.15 Go ye into all the world preach the Gospel to every creature 2. It doth great good to the souls of men It turns them from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God It is the great instrument of saving mens souls even that preaching which the world counteth foolishness 1 Cor. 1.20 It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 3. God promiseth to reward this work with a Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5.1 2 4. The Elders which are among you I exhort Feed the flock of God which is among you And when the chief Shepherd
we do but understand what is meant here by Offending one of these little ones which believe on Jesus Christ By Offending we are here to understand as I conceive whoso shall offer any wrong do any injury whoso shall afflict or trouble the least or meanest of those which believe in Jesus Christ And that this is the genuine sense and meaning of this place may be proved 1. From the coherence of the words with what goes before To offend here is opposed to receiving ver 5. Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me But whoso shall offend one of these little ones that believeth in me c. Now by receiving is meant all kind of benefits that are for Christ's sake bestowed on such persons as Grotius well observes Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae proprie hospitalitatem notat hic pro omni beneficiorum genere accipitur And offending being brought in by way of opposition to receiving as the particle But shews implyeth all kind of wrongs and injuries that are done to such as believe on Christ 2. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred to Offend is explained by Learned Authors in this sense namely to offer wrong or injury to a man Varinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exponit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Maldonate observes out of Chrysostome upon this place Scandalizare hoc loco non est ut alias malum praebere exemplum Sed injuriâ afficere Our Lord Jesus using this word of his Disciples being offended interprets their being offended to be their being scattered from him when Judas came with Officers and Soldiers to apprehend him they being afraid they should suffer also were scattered and dispersed one from another Matt. 26.31 Then saith Jesus unto them All ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad If Offending be taken for scattering abroad how doth this fall in with the practice of these Informers when they come with Officers and Soldiers and seize upon those that are Preaching the Word of God and scatter and disperse the sheep of the flock are not they guilty of offending those little ones that believe in Christ 3. This Interpretation that a man had better have a milstone hung about his neck and be drowned in the depth of the Sea than to offer any wrong or bring trouble and affliction upon the meanest of those that believe in Jesus Christ is agreeable to other places of Scripture which set out the greatness and danger of their sin who shall presume in their hearts to afflict or wrong any person though never so mean though a desolate widow though a fatherless child such as can't plead their own cause and have none other to plead for them Exod. 22.22 23 24. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child If thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry And my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless God is greatly offended with such as afflict others Mark the words Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child It 's not said widows and fatherless children but any widow or fatherless child It is not said if thou afflict them greatly but if thou afflict them in any wise It is not said if they cry mightily but if they cry at all unto me It is not said mine anger shall be kindled but my anger shall wax hot and I will kill you with the sword Now it 's an aggravation of our sin when those whom we afflict are gracious persons such as believe in Jesus Christ If Moses then told the Jews that if they did in any wise afflict any widow or fatherless child God's anger would wax hot against them and he would kill them with the sword Our Lord Jesus might well say whoso shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it were better for him that a milstone were hung about his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Now these Informers do not only offend and bring affliction upon one or two but upon whole Assemblies of those that believe in Jesus Christ And though they consider it not now yet at the day of Judgment when they must appear before Jesus Christ to give him an account of all things done in the body they shall wish that at such times as they went to break up and molest the Assemblies of the servants of Christ a milstone had been hung about their necks and they had been drowned in the depth of the Sea If any one shall not acquiesce in this Interpretation but shall contend for another sense of the words namely that by offending is meant causing to offend though this seems not agreeable to the context yet even this Interpretation will reach the Informers also For they cause many to offend by their practise As 1. They bring down Officers some of which are not satisfied in their Consciences to molest these meetings yet their Faith being not strong enough to withstand the temptation they are ensnared by these men to wound their own Consciences by sinning against the light of their Consciences 2. They lay a stumbling-block before the weaker Christians that frequent those Assemblies to say and do irregular things to preserve themselves from sufferings 3. By scattering and dissipating these Assemblies they expose weak persons to be led away by erroneous persons who lye in wait for such occasions as these are to draw them into their nets 3 Arg. Forbidding those to preach the Gospel who are called of God to that work is an exceeding great sin both against God and against man The greatness of this sin is set forth by the Apostle 1 Thess 2.16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Here are several things in this and the former verse that aggravate the sin of these Jews that did forbid the Ministers of Christ to preach to the Gentiles 1. They are ranked with those bloody persons that had killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets as being of the same race and of the same Spirit We do not read of any Prophet killed by those Jews that were then living yet the Apostle saith these Jews that forbade the preaching of the Gospel had killed their own Prophets because they were one Spirit with them that killed Christ who both killed the Lord Jesus Christ and their own Prophets 2. These Jews who forbade the preaching of the Gospel are branded with this note They please not God and are contrary to all men Erant vere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius saith on the place They were right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as another saith