that of George Bateman to Mr. Ledgard pag. 25. 26. aâ— also their casting away their Bibles Wâ—â— Strickland told Mr. Archer If he had never Read the Bible it had been better for him How constantly doe the Scriptures passe under no better name from them then the Saints conditions Davids Moses Isays Pauls conditions and a declaration of the condition of them that spake them forth Confut. This Position is so grosse that we hope it will never sinke into any Christian heart but will be a confutation to it selfe in the thought of any sober minded Christian yet we shall propose these things 1. That when the Word of the Lord came to the Prophets Samuel Isay Iâ—remiah c. it cannot be understood of the Word that was made Flesh the Lord Iesus but must necessarily signifie that minde or message of the Lord contained in those words or Scripture Writings as 1 Sam. 15. 10. Then came the Word of the Lord to Samuel saying It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King Isay 38. 5. then came the Word of the Lord unto Isay saying Say to Hezekiah c. I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares Ier. 14. 1. The Word of the Lord that came to the Prophet Ieremiah concerning the dearth Iudah mourneth and the gates thereof languish It s a grosse absurdity to say this word of the Lord was Christ and it is as much to say they were the experiences of those Prophets or their conditions but they were the word of the Lord by these Prophets spoken to the Persons therein concerned 2. As for the Phrase in the New Testament the Word of God it is cleare both Christ and the Apostles in their mention thereof doe understand that which they Spoke Preached or Wrote and not the Person of Christ of the Father or Spirit So Christ speaks to the Iews Marke 7. 13. making the word of God of none effect by their Traditions which word can be understood alone of that fifth Commandement ver. 10. Honour thy Father and Mother Luke 11. 28 Blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keep it which plainely hints a word spoken written or engraven c. not the eternall word the Lord Iesus Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God where the word Preached or the Scriptures of the Apostles which we now have is plainely called the Word of God 3. As for those Writings of the Prophets and Apostles that they are the word given forth from the living God and of authenticall and undenyable authority over every conscience good and bad we could fill Pages with the proofes and evidence thereof but the Reader may observe we are speaking of the Scriptures in reference to these mens cavills and no further And so shall leaving so plaine so Funâ—mentali a Principle rather fall upon their owne notion of the word of God calling it A declaration of the conditions or experiencâ—â— of them that spoke them 1. This is fully to take away the very Foundation of the Faith of Saints which is onely built upon the authority of God not upon any experience of the best Saints or the declaration of it Luke 24 25. O fooles and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken where Faith is bottom'd upon Scripture authority as Acts 18. 28. Apollos mightily convinced the Jews shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus is the Christ Acts 28 23. Paul perswaded them concerning Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Propheâ—s Now be this Law and the Prophets what they will if they fall any thing lower then the truth and word of God they can be no bottome for the Faith of Saints and Paul takes a weake argument to convince them by And yet that those were not the conditions of those Prophets or the experience of things fulfilled in themselves is as cleare as the day to any not grossely ignorant and especially from 1 Pet. 1 10. 11. 12. Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who propheâ—ied of the grace that should come unto you Searching what or what manner of time the shirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when iâ— testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have Preached the Gospel unto you And as in this its cleare that they spoke not forth their own conditions and experiences so also the Apostle sends the Saints to a word of Prophesie as a more sure foundation of Faith then the most glorious experience or enjoyment in the World 2 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 2. This is to make the Scripture lose his authority save onely when we experience it or where it is fulfilled in mens soules and so doth make voyd every command and Promise and all wicked men that can experience little of it shall be left excusable before God at the last day because not having the Scripture fulfilled in themselves according to the Quakers Doctrine it had no authority over them This is the most pleasant Doctrine for desperate Atheists that can be Whereas John 12 48. He that receiveth not my words hath them not fulfilled in him yet the words that I have spoken they shall â—udge him at the last day 3. This at once nulls and destroyes the Divine Authority of the whole Hystoricall and Propheticall Part of Scripture together with all the threatnings of Scripture of Hell and iudgement unlesse they say the Sainss have those threats of Hell fulfilled in themselves and that condition of Dives in Hell is the condition of Saints as also the promises therein of mercies yet to come their futurity denying their being the already experiences of the Saints 4 Consider what impossibilities contradictions falshood doth this woefull Doctrine bring upon most parts of Scripture wherein such things there spoken of were not could not be the conditions of either God that gave the Word or the Prophets and Apostles that Published it In the close of this consideration we disire to mind you of the reproachfull earmes this people every where give to the Written Word though the Spirit Rom. 15. saith These things were Written that we through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And the holy Ghost still referres to the Written Word Luke 20. 17. John 15. 25. Heb 10. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 17 because it is Written Be yee holy as I am holy where the Spirit of God doth evidently put an authority upon the Written Word which is the same in signification and thing with the word Scriptures of which see how glorious things the holy Ghost reports thereof how sleightly soever the Quakers esteeme thereof 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise to salvation All Scripture is given by inspiration from God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproffe for correctiâ—r for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Position 14. The Spirits are not to be tryed by Scripture Proofe
death Rom. 7. 23. 24. And shall sinfull man be equall with God he whose righteousnesse is but raggs drosse and dung whose goodlinesse but as the Flower of the Field Isay 64. 6. Phil. 3. 7. 8. Isay 40. 7. Whose Breath is in his Nostrils Psal. 144. 4. Whose station is lower then the Angels Psal. 8. and the best of whom is so farre from being just with God as that he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9. 2. 3. If they affirme he is so from some worke of conversion since he was Borne 1. Then the worke of conversion is to make new gods 2. And growth in Grace shall be the growing of God and so God shall be lesse or more God according to the different degrees of Grace on the soule But the Blasphemy is so horrid that to name it is enough to make true Saints loathe it and abhorre this pretence of Naylers to an holinesse justice and goodnesse equall unto Gods As for the other Attributes powerfull omni present c. we send them to Gods Challenge of Iob. in Iob 38. Where wast thou when I layd the Foundations of the Earth ver. 4. Canst thou binde the sweet influences of the Pleiades and loose the bands of Orion Canst thou bring forth Mazaâ—â—th in his season Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sonnes ver. 20 31. to chap. 40. 9. Hast thou an Arme like God Canst thou Thunder with a voyce like him 4. If equall then the same God or another other there can be none but he that was before all time T is a contradiction if another so many Saints so many Gods if he be the same then God wanted something of his infinite perfection which he receiveth by Naylers being god c. These things we should not mention but that Saints might be warned of such devilish Doctrines the very smoake of the bottomelesse Pit Position 2. That there is no distinction of Persons in the God-head Proofe George Fox layes downe such a Principle as you may see in their Booke called Sauls Errand to Damascus pag. 12. with other ascertions of the same kinde knowne to some of us Confut. We hope we need not say much to the confuting of so knowne an Heresie raked up out of the dust and which the Saints have ever loathed as pulling downe one great Pillar of their Faith the Personall Deity of Christ being the maine ground of the infinite value of his merits and the Personality of the Spirit being so fully evidenced by the Divine Attributes appropriated to him in Scripture But we referre you to these unanswerable Scriptures Heb 1. 3. Mat. 3. 16. 17. 1 Iohn 5. 7. Mat. â—8 19. Isay 6. 1. 3. compared with Iohn 12. 39. 40. 41. and Acts 28. 25 c. Position 3. That the soule is a part of the Divine Essence Proofe One of us W. C. had this positively asserted by Coll. Benson and Captaine Ward at Kendale and discoursed the controvercy with them Confut. Let the Christian Reader consider 1. That if this could be so then should the Essence of God be divided into so many finite beings or parcels as soules 2. Yea and by this Doctrine that Essence of God which is infinite in him should come to be finite when it becomes a soule in man The Heavens of Heavens are not able to contain him and the finitenesse of our created spirits who doth not know 3. How shall the All Creating Essence of God become a Creature and who understands not the Creation of soules Gen. 2. Heb. 12. 9. 4. If this be so then shall a part of God be sinfull which how blasphemous unlesse men most wretchedly dare deny that there is a sinfulnesse in any soule 5. And then shall God hate himselfe burne in wrath for ever against his owne Essence and it lye under damnation for evermore for so is the state of thousands of soules How horrible iâ— any of this to be ascerted of him in whose presence is fulnesse of joy Psal. 16. and that is God blessed for ever Rom 9 5. 6. Hereupon when Jesus Christ gave himself to death for the soules of men either he dyed for himselfe and for the Essence of God or else he dyed altogether in vaine What soule not grossely Apostatized dare vent such things Position 4 That Christ is in every man and in the reprobates he is held under corruption Proofe * One of us received this assertion from James Nayler in conference with him wherein he extended the in-dwellings of Christ to Indians that never heard the Gospel 2. Those whom they call Reprobates Devils they usually tell notwithstanding that they Crucifie Jesus Christ within them As is cleare in a Letter one of us hath Read from John Aâ—dland to Edward Brigs an holy humble Saint in Westmerland whom God was pleased to deliver out of their snares with which for some time he was entangled And in ordinary experience it is very much apparant Confutation 1. 1. If so then either Christ Personall or els he is in them by his Spirit we rather suppose they understand Christ Personall and our reason is because Mr. Higgison in his Booke pag. 5. which he offred the Supreame Power to make good in his Epistle affirmes it to be their Doctrine That Christ as Man dwells in them which is so grossely Blasphemous and horrid a contradiction to the Personall Ascention of Christ Acts 1. 9. and his sitting at his Fathers right hand till the restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. that it needs no further confutation If Christ dwels in every man by his Spirit Then 1. Are the fruits of the Spirit in all men Gal. 5. 22. the fruits of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meâ—knesse temperance Are these in Turks Indians Papists Drunkards whoremasters Atheists c. 2. Where the Spirit is it is a quickning Spirit Ephes. 2. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 6 9. yee were such and such but now yee are sanctified by the Spirit of our God but it is most apparent that there is no such quickning in all Nay the whole world lyes in wickednesse 1 John 5. 19. If they shall affirme as they have done that the Spirit of God is in such kept under by corruption then it is so either first for want of will in the Spirit of the living God to get the Mastery over sinne Or secondly for want of Power Not for want of will For the will of the Father Christ and Spirit are all one which will is To destroy the works of the Devill wheresoever the Spirit dwels 2 Cor 3. 17. where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty and so not kept under corruption For the Apostle comfortably concludes that sinne shall not have Dominion over those who are implanted into Christ because they are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. Nor can he secondly be kept under for want of Power 1 John 4. 4. You overcome the World because
in his Answer to Mr. Ledgard pag. 21. affirmes If the promises there named be fulfilled in any man then what need have such of Scripture teaching without them when they have received the same spirit within them by which all true Scripture was written Pap. 22. If any soule be once made one with God who dare deny but that all * true Scripture is fulfilled in them and that such soules have no need of any to teach them Farnworth in one of his Books p. 29. minde the light within here is your teacher this light obeying it and here is your condemnation this light disobeying it See James Nayler in a Book of his called The Glory of the Lord shining out in the North pag. 2. All people cease from your outside lights and returne to the light of Christ in you and this light is not a Chapter without you in a Booke and this light did the Apostles every where bid to take heâ—d to till the day dawned 1 Pet. 1. 19. Let the Reader observe the palpable blindnesse of the man in the grosse mis-interpretation of so plaine a Text What need we the teachings of men saith another in a Paper of his in the hands of one of us William Strickland walking up the streets in Kendale naked except that he had a shirt on published the said Principle one of us both heard it and saw him in that immodest garbe Miles Bateman affirmed the same before the whole Congregation at Kendale And George Fox pretended he had all from within though his jugling was presently discovered a Concordance being sent to him from Yorke to help his Memory Miles Hawd in the same Congregation affirmed That whosoever did referre any man to any light but that which is within him is a Deceiver And being by one of us admonished to take heed of such Blasphemy and urged with Christs referring to the Scriptures and Pauls referring to the Doctrine he had Preached before Gal. 1. 8. he Blasphemously and in much heat of spirit repeated the same againe John Andland affirmed No need of outward teaching in discourse with us as Newcastle Confut. 1. This is clearely to make Scriptures uselesse for as they are a light without so there is no taking in of them but by Hearing or Reading the Spirit going along therewith And are the Scriptureâ— uselesse Then why doth Christ command the Jewes to search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. Paul commands Timothy to Reade the Scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to Reading 2 Tim. 13. 15. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable c. and so not uselesse Col. 4. 16. the Apostle saies When this Epistle is Read amongst you cause it to be Read to the Laodiceans and that you also Reade that from Laodiceâ— Luke 4. 16. Christ himselfe stood up for to Reade the Scriptures 2. Wherefore were the Apostles sent forth if outward Teaching be uselesse or needlesse Mar. 16. 15. Mat. 10. 7. As you goe Preach Goe Preach the Gospel to every creature Mat. 28. last Goe teach all Nations And let the Reader observe they did not onely goe to Preach for conversion but for the building up of Saints as Acts 14. 23. they returned againe to Lystrâ— and Iconium and Antâ—och confirming the soules of the Disciples Acts 15. 36. Let us goe againe and visit every City wherein we have Preached the word of the Lord ver. 41. they went through Syria and Cilicia confirming the Churches And why left they Elders in every Church but for the building up the body Acts 14. 24. Acts 20. 17. Ephes. 4. 11. 3. The great worke of Christ at his Ascending to his Father was to send forth Officers for the perfecting of â—â—ints for the worke of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ as is most undeniably proved Eph 4. 11. 12 and to continue to the end of all things till all the Saints even those yet unborne be come to a perfect stature 4. The Apostles in pursuance of the will of Christ Ordained Elders in every City Acts 14. 23. who are Officers for the teaching the house of God labouring in Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17. Set downe qualifications of Pastours 1 Tim. 3 Bishops and Deacons to Tit. 1. 5. For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest Ordaine Elders in every City 2. Tim. 2. 2. Commit that thou hâ—st heard to faithfull men able to teach others Now let every Christian judge to what end doth Christ send forth his Apostles and other Officers if outward teaching be needlesse what folly nay what sinne had they been guilty of to hazard nay to ruine themselves 1 Cor. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 4 8. 9. 2 Cor. 11 â—3 if outward Teaching were needlesse To what purpose should Christ so eminently engage by Promise to goe along with them both in their successe and sufferings Mat. 28. last Luke 10 16. 1 Thes. 4 8. he that despiseth despiseth not man but God if outward Teaching be needlesse For they can but speake to the eare as appears by the fruitlesnesse of their labours often and the worlds resisting them Acts 7. 54. Acts 13. 45. the Jews spoke against the things spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming And though it were necessary the word of God should be first spoken to them yet they put it from them Acts 28. 24. How cleare is it from Scripture assertion and example That Faith coms by Hearing and not by minding a light within as Rom. 10. 14. 15. Gal. 3. 2. Acts 13. 48. Ephes. 1. 12. 13. And lastly though we might much more yet we shall adde but this the Lord was pleased eminently to seale to their outward teaching as to his owne Ordinance by those â—aire Epistles Ministred by them and written by the spirit of the living God viz. the multitudes of men converted from darkenesse to light by their Ministry and from the power of Satan unto God 2 Cor 3. 3. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Acts 2. And we dare appeale to the experience of the Saints in England whether the Ministry in England have not full and undeniable seales to their Ministration in the witnesse of Christ thereto in making them fruitfull Fathers to beget many soules to conversion by the Gospel Position 13. That the Scriptures are not the Word of God but a declaration of the conditions of them that spoke them forth Proofe Iames Nayler being asked by the Justices in Westmâ—rland whether he beleeved the written Word to be the Word of God answered I know no such thing See Mr. Higgisâ—â—s Booke pag. 78. and this Passage one of us also heard Farnsworth in his Booke called A discovery of Faith pag. 6. cryes out against Ministers because they say The Letter is the Word and the foure books Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Gospel pag. 12. A Paper one of us hath from them hath this passage in it they say the Letter is the Word which is false To this purpose is
Miles Hawd in the Congregation at Kendale asserted that he that referred to any light without was a deceiver In a Paper of theirs one of them reckons this up as one of the Errors of the Priests as he â—alls them they professe the Scripture to be the rule and the touchstone to try withall A Book called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. sayes the worlds touchstone is without them and they try the living by the dead the spirit by the letter the Saints touchstone is within whereby they try the spirits whether they be of God or no which evidently demonstrates they allow no tryall of the spirits by the written word Confut. â— Heare what the spirit saith Isay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this it is because there is no light in them 2. This is to withdraw the soule from the judgement or determination of God whose revealed will the Scripture is as above is shown 3. This is to open a gap unavoydably to all Satans delusions as you may see by the short Relation of the Quakers Shaken in the case of Iohn Gilpin and we can no otherwise look upon this then the very Hold Satan hath to keep this people under his delusions by cousening them thus to stop their eyes against the light Iohn 3. 20. for what else shall be the Touchstone but the Word of God 4 And how strong are the perswasions of errour how fully doth Satan pretend in the soule to be an Angell of light and wherein shall man distinguish The Bereanâ— searched the Scriptures whether these things were so Acts 17. 11. trying the Apostles themselves by the Written Word 6. And Christ himselfe leaves the very proofe of himselfe to be the Messias to the Scriptures Iohn 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have â—â—â—â—â—all life and they are they which testifie of me Position 15. That there ought to be no sinse meaning or exposition given or studying of the Scriptures Proofe Their common expression is to him that opens or shews them the interpretation of any Scripture Cursed is he that addes or the plagues are upon thee for adding to the Scripture John Audland a few days since being for his Rayling and Publique disturbance called before the Magistrates and there pleading against the Ministry alledging that Text Ier. 5. 31. The Priests heare rule by their means One of us laboured to convince him of this ignorance in that grosse mis-interpretation for by means he understood by their maintenance shewing that that Text doth most evidently hold this sence That those Priests bare rule by the means of the false Prophets The said I. A. presently cryed out Thou addest thou addest The same man having called another of us Deceiver was asked Whether he heard him Preach any thing contrary to the truth the day before telling him withall he Preached that which he had Prayed and studied the Scripture for presently the said Audland as if studying the word were enough to convince a man to be a deceiver cryed out there thou shewest thy selfe One of their Papers in the hands of one of us wickedly rayles thus Away with all your conjuring studying away with all your stage play Preaching And t is their knowne and constant Principâ—e Though their grand master Fox was not able enough in this point but discovered his Imposture by his Concordance to the Bible sent him from Yorke to Kendale Confut. As to this let the Reader consider Neh. 8. 8. Ezra Read in the Booke of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sence and caused them to understand the Reading Luke 24 27. Christ began at Moses and all the Prophets and expounded therein all things concerning himselfe Marke 4 34 He expounded all things to his Disciples Acts 28. 23. Paul expounded and testified the Kingdome of God out of the Prophets Act 8. 30. to ver. 35. Philip expounds the mende of the holy Ghoâ—â— in that Prophecy of Isaiah to the Eunuch who Read it and yet without Interpretation knew not the meaning of it Christ sends the Pharisees to study the meaning of Scripture in stead of cavelling Mat. 9 13. Goe learne what that meaneth And Peter tells you in the writings of Paul there are many things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they doe also other Scripture unto their owne destruction But to say there is no sense or meaning in the Scriptures shewes so grosse ignorance nay such senselesnesse in these people that this may suffice And for the studying of the Word reade the command of Christ for searching it Iohn 5. 39. of Paul 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to Reading Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly in all wisedome Tiâ—ethy must be nourished up in the Word of truth and of that good Doctrine to which he had attained 1 Tim. 4. 6. must give himselfe wholly 1 Tim 4 15. to Reading Exhortation Doctrine that his profiting might appeare to all 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy selfe approved unto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth 2 Tim. 3. 15. From a childe thou hast learned the holy Scriptures c. out of which the man of God must labour to be throughly furnished unto all good works Position 16 They cry downe Baptisme with Water and the Lords Supper aâ— being but types and shadowes ceasing upon the appearance of Christ within them Proofe A Booke called Severall Papers set forth by A. P. pag. 19. thus The worlds Baptisme is without them the Saints Baptisme is within them the worlds Communion is without them taking a little Bread and Wine c. which is carnall the Saints Communion is within Compare this with George Batemans answer to Mr. Ledgard pag. 29. disputing with him about Baptisme c. sayes That Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. Christ when he was in the flesh left them as types of another nature and this pointed at Christs appearing in the spirit and as the types under the Law ended when Christ appeared in the Flesh so these types viz Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord for of them he speaks there end when Christ appeares in spirit To which adde that of Farnsworth in his Pamphlet entituled A Discovery of Faith pag. 11. All your Baptisme such as are invented from the Letter the carnall minde invents them these are for the Fire for they are the workes of the Flesh Reade him also pag. 13. Confut. What soule that lives under the Kingdome and Scepter of the Lord Iesus will not abhorre these opinionâ— that destroy and wholly take from the Saints these two greaâ— Mysteries
We shall but briefly therefore propose 1. That our Lord Iesus appointed his Dsciples to Baptize with Water Iohn 4 2. Mat. 28. last 2. The Apostles practised it quite through the Acts Acts 2. 41. Acts 18. 12. 13. 16. 36. Here is Water what hindeâ—s but I may be Baptized reade ver. 38. Acts 9. 18. Acts 18. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 14 15. 16. And for the Supper of the Lord see the Institution Mat. 26. 26. 1 Cor. 11. 23. where it is an Ordinance established to continue in practice till our Lord Iesus come againe ver. 26. which comming cannot be meant of that comming in the spirit which these men speak of for so he was come already to them being already saints And as this Text doth fully cleare their continuance in the Churches till the last day so where Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord are called types in Scripture to cease upon the comming of Christ in spirit we demand a Text What a plaine addition is this to the Wâ—rd of God by those who so frequently curse the Ministry in their explications and applyings of texts as if they added to the sayings of the Prophecies of that Booke And how apparantly doth this Principle speake their teaching in stead of Gospel-Doctrines and the commands of Iesus the fond imaginations of their owne braine and divinings of their owne heart But we tâ—ust we shall need to adde no more to the satisfying of those who have eaten of the Flesh and drunke of the Blood of the Lord Iesus and been Baptized into his Death and found the power and vertue of these blessed Ordinances What soule that is not under the strong delusions of Satan dare cast off as so sleight things or blaspheme with so vile reproaches as these men doe those sacred Institutions which the Lord Iesus left to his Churches as such eminent memorialls of his blessed love Position 17 That there is â—â—â—ediatâ— Câ—ll Call to the Ministry Proofe This was asserted by Thomas Willan of Kendale in the Publique Congregation there on a Lecture day in the hearing of one of us W. C. the said T. W. according to the custome of that Generation to Prophesie lyes in the name of the Lord pretending to the man that Preached he was sent of God to speak to him then the said Minister demanded Whether he was sent by a mediate or immediate Call upon which proposall being bassled in the proofe of his owne immediate Call which he pretended to with a lowde voyce cryed downe all mediate cals to the Ministry as not of God and t is one of their common exceptions against the Ministers of the Gospel as being sent forth by the Ordination of men not considering the Institution of Christ for such proceedings Confut. That a mediate call since the time of those Apostles who being to be witnesses to the world of all that Iesus said and did were to be such as had accompanied the Lord Iesus in the dayes of his Flesh Acts 1. 21. and received their Call from Christ immediately being inspired by the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1. 21. and able to evidence their Call and confirme the Gospel they committed to posterity by infallible testimonies of mighty signes and reall miracles 2 Cor. 12. 12. is the way of the Gospel for sending forth its Ministers is apparent to whomsoever shall reade those texts Acts 14. 23. When they had Ordained them Elders in every Church c. 1 Tim. 4 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee that was given thee by Prophesie and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Titus 1. 5. For this cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldest Ordaine Elders in every City 2 Tim. â— 2. The things thou hast heard of me that commit thou to faithfull men able to teach others In Titus 1. and 1 Tim. 3. chapters the Apostle at large leaves direction for the qualification of such as should from time to time be Ordained to the Office of Elders in the Churches in a mediate way for to prescribe Rules to an immediate call is impossible But how confident soever these men are against this mediate call to Ministeriall worke yet as we dare oppose the above-written word of the living God against all raylings and revilings as enough to crush in pieceâ— all gaine-saying plâ—as so there hath been so much and so convincingly on every hand written in defence thereof that we dare not question the establishment of all sober spirits in that truth and shall adde no more to overturne the gaine-sayings of this besotted people Having thus gone through the more grosse Positions which are the very foundations and principles that support this Antichristian Rabble we shall presume to stay the Reader with some of their principles of lesser value which though as the Reader may observe are of inferiour note yet this sort of people lay no lesse weight upon them then to place the greatest part of that great Diana of their imaginary perfection in the observance of them and even to damne all that oppose them therein and cry downe the Ministry of the Gospel because of their non complyance with them in these so rotten principles We could have given proofe sufficient that these principles that follow are clearely and fully owned by them but they are so evidently the very markes and distinguishing badges of their Irreligion so constantly practised by them and so plainly known to all that know this sort of men that we shall once for all satisfie the Reader We shall not need to produce any evidence but onely stand upon the Confutation Principle 1. Not co-salute any Confut. THe commands of our Lord Iesus and his Apostles may be a sufficient answer to shew the folly of this Principle which they stand so much upon and for which they so often call the Ministery Priests and Anti-Christian c. Let the Reader seriously consider that full Scripture Mat. 5. 47. If you salute your brethren onely what doe you more then doe others doe not even the Publicans so In the verse before our Lord Christ commands the duty of love to all men and in the same way of commanding doth also impoâ—e the duty of salutation not onely of some but all of Friends but Enemies If yee salute your brethren onely what doe you more then doe the Publicans which how fully it speaks to the snarpe reproofe of Quakers that salute none but one another we beleive their consciences will as câ—earely tell them if they be not seared as any observing eye may presently see Mat. 10. 12. When yee come into an house salute it The Apostle Paul almost in every Epistle especially Rom 16 is full of such commands And for the practise of the Saints see 1 Sam. 25 14. David sent messengers to salute Abigails Husband 1 Sam. 17. 22. David came and saluted his brethren Acts 21. 18. when Paul had saluted them he declared c. where you fully see the practiâ—e of Paul â—e first saluted