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A90808 The holy scripture clearing it self of scandals: or, An answer to a book written by Richard Farnworth, who is commonly called a Quaker, bearing this title, Truth cleared of scandals. In this answer, you have the substance of a dispute at Harliston in Staffordshire, between Richard Faruworth [sic] and the author, in the yeer 1654. Written by Tho. Pollard, a member of the Church of Christ, gathered in, and about, Leichfield. Whereunto is added, Certain considerations and queries concerning those people called the Quakers; with desire of an answer. As also, a postscript, manifesting their folly in pretending a necessity of using the terms thee and thou to a single person. / By Henry Haggar, a servant of Jesus Christ, and of the congregation of his saints. Pollard, Thomas, fl. 1655.; Haggar, Henry. 1655 (1655) Wing P2775; Thomason E857_8; Thomason E842_10; ESTC R206619 43,888 64

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Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ O then what will you do that speak reproachfully against the Gospel of Christ But let me tell you it is not all your sayings that can put off or defer the Lord's coming and at that time shall the wicked be turned into hell and all the people that forget God Psal 9.17 with Psal 11.6 Then thou Farnworth saidst I called the Bible a History Now let the Reader minde how this hangeth together first he said I set up the Letter and made it one with the Spirit and now saith I call it a History Now Reader I will declare what I spake when I proved what I said all along by Scripture He said unto me That is Letter and that I had nothing to do with it being ignorant of the mystery Then I said What will you call this a History yet this I say That if there be a mystery in the Scripture then there must be a History wherein it is kept which doth declare of it read Ephes 5.31 32. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church Compare this with Col. 1.21 And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and unreproveable in his sight vers 22. Whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfil the word of God vers 23. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his Saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory vers 26 27. Again God manifest in flesh is a mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 and the bringing in of the Gentiles into the Church to be of Christ's body is called a mystery read Ephes 3.3 4 5 6. and the word declares it Dear Friends minde the design of these men that do not onely destroy the Ordinances of Christ but Gospel-Order also as God is a God of order in all the Churches of the Saints and we finde that Christ came into all his Offices when he was on earth in an orderly way 1 John 5.6 This is he that came by water and bood even Jesus Christ not by water onely but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness Now this must needs be the coming of Christ into his Offices for we know that his coming into the world was as a man and born of a Virgin but his coming into his Offices by water and blood is witnessed by the Spirit And first we will see how Christ came into his Prophetical Office and that is plain he came by Water and the Spirit bears witness to it see Matth. 3.13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John to be baptized of him And there you may further minde when John said I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me Jesus answered and said Suffer it to be so now for it becometh us minde not he onely but us that is to say all that will be followers of him What is it that becomes us to do To fulfil all righteousness Then he suffered him And see how the Spirit witnesses this orderly coming of Christ into his Prophetical Office v. 16. And when he was baptized he straight way went up out of the water minde that no Font nor Bason for that could not contain him as is well known And to the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him And further see how the Father commendeth this righteous act in these words Thou art my well-beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Here the Lord so fully declares him to be his Son in whom he is well-pleased as is not declared in the Scripture that ever he said so before though I grant that he were his beloved Son before though not so declared unto us till this obedience to this Ordinance And see Matth. 4.17 From that time Jesus began preach and to say Repent for the kingdom of God is nigh at hand See Christs second Office that is his Priestly Office and that he came into by his Blood Heb. 9.11 Christ is become an high Priest for ever of good things to come not by the blood of others but by his own blood vers 12. and this the Holy Ghost signified v. 8. And read Heb. 10.14 15. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified whereof the holy Ghost is witness to us And his third Office namely his Kingly Office he came into at his Resurrection Matth. 28.18 All power is given to me in heaven and in earth And by vertue of this Authority he sends out his Apostles to teach all Nations baptizing them But you Farnworth and all those with you that go about to destroy order that will not come into the Prophetical Office as Christ came into his I dare be bold to say you are no Ministers of Christ but of Antichrist for you are self-called and not by the Church of Christ and speak visions of your own heart instead of the wholesome words of Christ Surely you would call Christ and his Apostles Water-men and outside-Washers if they were now on earth But you say You have the baptism of the Spirit and therefore the other is nothing to you Methinks you should grant that Christ had more of the Spirit 's baptism then ever you had and yet we finde it kept him not from Water-baptism but he layes a necessity of it Suffer it to be so now for it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness And we see Peter speaking to Cornelius and his houshold whom the Spirit was fallen upon as on the Apostles at the beginning Act. 11.15 yet this did not hinder them from Water-baptism but rather fitted them for it for saith Peter Act. 10.47 Can any man for bid water minde that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them to be baptized Without question if Peter were now alive you would say he were an Hypocrite and one that rested in the Letter but indeed you shew your selves to be no Messengers of Christ no not qualified as the Priests under the Law for they were such as could have compassion of the ignorant and of them that are out of the way but where is your pity and tenderness towards any that are not so black-mouth'd as you to rail against the Scripture and Ordinances as you do O poor Creatures this I say of you That ye be objects of pity and not of punishment for I believe That Christ will never account such worty
THE Holy Scriptures Clearing it self of Scandals OR AN ANSWER To a BOOK written by Richard Farnworth who is commonly called a QUAKER bearing this Title Truth cleared of Scandals In this ANSWER You have the substance of a Dispute at Harliston in Staffordshire between Richard Farnworth and the Author in the yeer 1654. Written by Tho. Pollard a member of the Church of Christ gathered in and about Leichfield Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Whereunto is added Certain Considerations and Queries concerning those people called Quakers with desire of an Answer As also a POSTSCRIPT Manifesting their folly in pretending a necessity of using the terms Thee and Thou to a single person By Henry Haggar a servant of Jesus Christ and of the Congregations of his Saints Printed at London by J. C. for R. Moone at the seven Stars in Paul's Church-yard neer the great North-door 1655. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader THe LORD hath been pleased to bring us into the World in such an Age that if we throughly weigh our Mercies they have been and are very great Surely we may say in this Nation That we are p●rtakers of such Blessings and high Favours that the Generations past have not enjoyed 〈…〉 If we call to minde the dayes past what Superstition instead of a pure Worship our eyes beheld and what Tyranny was then exercised in forcing Men's Consciences to such a Worship that was so exceeding contrary to the Word of GOD. O that we were so sensible as we should who it is that hath wrought such a deliverance for us surely we may say This is the LORD 's doing O that every Soul that partakes of this Mercy by being delivered from such Tyranny that I say this godly resolution were in us as was in the Prophet David Psalm 71.6 My praise shall be continually of thee And Psalm 145.2 Every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever O I say if we consider how many snares have been laid to insnare poor Creatures with but we may say Hitherto hath the LORD been with us and hath broken the snares and set us at liberty yet my dear Friends the great Enemy of our salvation will be working and if he cannot carry on his designe by Instruments that are openly profane or in a superstitious habit he can present himself in a shew of glory and pretend high things and surely that day is now come upon the earth that Paul speaks of 2 Cor. 11. of a subtil people that was endeavouring to beguile the Corinthians as the serpent beguiled Eve and from what minde the simplicity that is in Christ but saith Paul vers 13. For such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and no marvel for Satan himself is tranformed into an Angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers also be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their work But as Paul saith to the Churches of Galatia so I say to you chap. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed and John saith in his 2 Epist. 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God-speed O I say with the Prophet If any speak not according to the Scripture it is because they have no light in them And Reader whosoever thou art that perusest this small Treatise labour for an impartial Spirit if any thing be to thy satisfaction herein let GOD alone be glorified I have desired plainness of Speech and to speak the words of Scripture to answer him whom thou wilt finde is an opposer of the Truth as it is in JESUS and the LORD give thee understanding Farewel Thine in the work of the Lord to my poor power Tho. Pollard The Method observed in this BOOK is as followeth 1. YOu have the unsoundness of Richard Farnworth's judgement laid down in six Particulars as he at the meeting stood by to make good and these I desire the Reader to observe 2. You have an Answer to those things he charges me with in his Book where the Reader may see that this poor man is full of lyes that instead of being free from sin he too much takes delight in it 3. You have that Scripture answered that they so dwell on against that Ordinance of Water-baptism 1 Cor. 1.17 4. To make their folly manifest you have that Cavil answered about the term Thee and Thou to single person Which say they is a sin to use any other but by the Scripture in all ages you will as it is plain finde it to be no such thing as is proved 5. You have a discovery of the Church of Christ how it cometh to Mount Sion Heb. 12.22 And what perfection I own and how attained 6. You have what he saith in his Book he owns proved to be lyes and not according to Truth 7. You have his folly manifested and the holy Scripture counselling you to shun the way of such men 8. Some Queries propounded with a desire of an Answer And Reader for your better satisfaction you have the testimony of three faithful Witnesses that these six things Farnworth did utter and also what is laid down in his Book that I here say he speaketh falsly of me they are my witnesses and upon what ground I then spoke you have it laid down and witnessed and for all the rest of the company there was out of Gospel-order Lawrence Spooner Vrsula Spooner Richard Clewly The Holy Scripture clearing it self of SCANDALS FIrst you have in this Book the unsoundness of Richard Farnworth's Judgement in fix Particulars laid down which being weighed will discover that those Principles in his Book that he saith He holds are not really according to the Rules of Truth owned by him but laid down on purpose to deceive First Richard Farnworth said He was a man wholly free from sin and not subject to any one temptation Now dear Friends let us first make search into the Scripture to see if any of the Lord's people have so boasted of themselves to be in such a condition while they carried about with them an earthly Tabernacle And first we will take notice of Job for it 's clear that he had more ground to have boasted of perfection then any of these men if we minde what the Lord said of him unto Satan Hast thou considered my servant Job how there is none like him in all the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil Job 2.3 Yet though the Lord had so said of him let us see what Job saith of himself read Job 9.20 If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall
I said then that eminent Apostle John had And therefore thou dealest wickedly to say I brought it in to plead a continuance in sin surely that light which thou sayest is in thee is darkness else thou wouldst not have spoken thus falsly but having treated on this before I pass it by Again I said Where was your proof that you was in this condition Then he laid his hand on his heart and said I witness this Then I said to the people That to trust his own bare testimony without Scripture we should leave the word of God and trust the word of a man and so bring our selves under that curse Jer. 17.5 Cursed be he that trusteth in man And also said as Jeremiah saith in that 17 chap. The heart is deceitful And therefore it was good for us to try our own and others by the Scripture Read Prov. 28.26 Then thou Farnworth saidst I told thee of a Church in the world Answ Yea Christ had a Church in the world though not of the world but gathered out of the world and for the gathering of it did not the holy Ghost say Act. 13.2 Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And I am sure that Paul makes this good by many Scriptures that he was a Planter of a visible Church But thou sayest in thy book That the Officers and Overseers of the Church of Christ were invisible and why because made by the holy Ghost which is invisible And here the Reader may plainly see thy folly for as I have already proved a visible Church so I will prove visible Officers as what was Paul and Barnabas but visible men else their enemies could not have persecuted them And read Acts 6.2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them By which it is plain this Church were made up of a visible company And the Apostle said unto them Look you out among you seven men of honest report full of the holy Ghost And the saying pleased the multitude and they chose Stephen with others who are said to be full of the holy Ghost So that it is a clear Truth That visible men were here found in this Church made visible Officers But Farnworth take heed of scorning so clear a Truth But one thing Reader I pray you observe if it be so as Farnworth saith That the Officers of the Church of Christ be invisible then by his own grant he is none because he is a visible man And here is his folly made manifest And also he denying a visible Church you may as plainly see from whence he is sent and whose errand he goes on not of Christ's errand for then his work would he do but it is plain he is of his Father the Devil who was a lyar from the beginning else he would never say that Christ had not a visible Church and say all Ordinances ceased when Christ ascended and that the Scripture would never bring a man to the knowledge of God and say that all Ordinances contained in the Scripture are carnal Again Farnworth saith in his Book That I said the Letter and the Spirit was inseparable I do not so wonder of his taking boldness to lye of me that dare so impudently lye of Christ and of his Word and Ordinances as he hath done But to answer to this thou chargest me with this I then said unto thee as I now say That the Word and Spirtt were one or inseparable and this I said I will prove by the word of God 1 John 5.7 For there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And further when I said this then thou Farnwarth pulledst out thy Bible and not before and laid it on the ground and saidst to the people If that be Spirit and Life it would rise it self I told thee at that time That what was contained in that book which it declared of and held out to us was Spirit and Life And here Reader take not my words but the words of Christ John 6.63 The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life minde that which Christ spake they are and compare this with Job 12.48 The words saith Christ that I have spoken minde that the same shall judge you at the last day which word is established in heaven and written for our learning and is a perfect rule for us to walk by and see what Paul saith Rom. 15.4 For whatever were written ofore time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And minde what Paul said to the Church Act. 20.32 at his departure Now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to make you wise to salvation and to build you up to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified And Paul commends Timothy that from a childe he had known the holy Scripture and which is very observable Paul presseth Timothy to continue in the things he had learned 2 Tim. 3.13 14 15 16. For saith he evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived And Farnworth it seems you have not learned to distinguish between Law and Gospel for I demand of thee where any of the words of Christ or his Apostles are called Letter see what Paul saith 2 Cor. 3.6 Our sufficiency is of God who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter that killeth but of the spirit that giveth life Now I am sure if Paul the other Apostles were alive you would call them Pharisees and outward Jews Ministers of the Letter and call Christ a Water-ma 〈…〉 r outside-washer as you call me for I am sure that they that carry on this work they have their rules from Christ and they are the onely wise men And this I say That for Baby-sprinklers and Tythe-takers and Parish-men we own no such thing and therefore let them runne in your number and ranke as men refusing and rejecting the holy Commandments and Ordinances of Christ as you do onely this I believe that many of them do what they do ignorantly but I fear you do wilfully speak against Truth But O you Scorners how long will you delight in your scorning to call the Holy Scripture a dead Letter and carnal as you do But to all of you that are contentious and do not obey the Truth of what ranke soever you be or by what name so ever called see your portion Rom. 2.8 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that is contentious and doth not obey the truth And see what Paul saith 2 Thes 1.9 where he speaks of some men that shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power and minde who they are vers 8. Them that know not God and obey not the
take heed of such an opinion that will be judge himself in his own cause and will not be tried by the Scripture accounting it dead and carnal and of no use to bring men to Christ As when I asked Farnworth how he would witness the truth of what he affirmed in that he denied the Scripture he laid his hand on his heart and said I witness this Now minde this delusion as I said before what Jeremiah saith Chap. 17.9 1. The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it 2. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool Prov. 28.26 And now dear friends let us take counsel of the Lord to try the spirits whether they be of God for many false prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 And vers 6. We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us and he that is not of God heareth not us Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error From whence we may honestly argue that if they and they onely be the friends of God that walk in obedience to the commands of God then they must needs be enemies that oppose But the first is clear Joh. 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you with Joh. 14.23 If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him And 1 Joh. 5.2 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous And further dear friends let us embrace that advice that Peter gives 2 Epist 3.17 18. Beware lest you being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness And to prevent you from falling his counsel is But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Now is the hour of temptation for if these be not wicked errours I know not what is I mean these which are laid down to your view which Farnworth did stand by to vindicate if his own testimony may stand O then what need have all the Lords people to be upon their watch now Satan by his instruments is sifting poor souls out of the Truth if he can It is high time to look to our foundation that we be built on the Rock Christ that you be firmly knit to him and made one with him and then the gates of hell shall not prevail against you And you strong Christians help the weak Lambs of Jesus Christ that they may grow in that good way of Christs commandments that the Saints of old have walked in O be stirring up one another by way of remembrance of the good path of Christ which discovers fully all the by-paths of iniquity Oh I say let there not be a want of care among you in your several Societies to watch over one another lest any be entangled by these seducing spirits and overcome I say by these that throw aside all the Laws and Ordinances of the Lord Jesus as they were delivered to the Saints and ought now by us to be observed for you know what the Scripture saith of them that turn from the way of Truth It had been better for them that they had never known it then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2.20 21. O then I say to all you that are employed in the Lords work whether by Office or Gift that are faithful Stewards diligent in feeding the flock of Christ remember what the Lord saith to such When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 And saith Daniel Chap. 12.3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever And if these men be so forward in pulling down the Ordinances of Christ you have greater encouragement to follow Christ in his way 1. You have his own presence promised Matth. 2820. in the work 2. See your reward after the work Joh. 10.27 28. Fourthly Farnworth affirmed that Christ had not a visible Church in the world and scornfully said to me What a Church in the world I answered Yea in the world though not of the world but gathered out of the world And 1. See what Paul saith 1 Cor. 1.2 Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call on the Name of Jesus Christ Reader pray you minde this must needs be a visible Church 1. Because this Epistle is directed to a visible place Corinth 2. It is as clear that here were men and that under this general term brethren vers 10. I beseech you brethren by our Lord Jesus that you all speak the same thing and that there be no division among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgment 3. Paul makes mention of housholds vers 11. the house of Cloe and Stephanas vers 16. 4. He speaks of persons by name as Crispus and Gaius and others By all which it is clear this poor man is much beside the Rule of Truth Again see what Paul saith unto the Churches of Galatia Chap. 1.1 Vnto the Churches of Galatia And mind Rom. 16.1 Commend unto you Phebe our sister which is a servant of the Church at Cenchrea Minde how full the Scripture is to prove this thing and makes manifest the blindness of this mans understanding that will thus oppose the Truth that is so full of wintnesses And how doth the holy Ghost write to the seven Churches in Asia And how I pray you Farnworth will you answer that place in Acts 8. when Steven was stoned and the Church at Jerusalem all scattered 1. This must needs be a visible company because they were visibly scattered 2. They were at Jerusalem which was a visible place the Scripture is full for 3. See whither they were scattered some into Judea and some into Samaria And Saul he made havock of the Church vers 3 But here we may see your subtilty and cunning craftiness whereby you lie in wait to deceive for if you can bring poor souls to this That God hath not a visible Church in the world then you may easily perswade them to throw aside all the visible Rule of Scripture and so make all Doctrine and Church-Discipline of none effect and thus you would put out the eyes of poor souls and then bring them to see with your eyes and then your words they may quickly learn which are onely thus to say they must hearken to a light within but if the light in thee be darkness how great is that darkness And here thy darkness doth appear in denying a visible Church which is so plainly proved But Reader by these men the Rule of tryal to try the Spirits withal is thrown away and become of no
use to these men except it be for advantage But dear souls consider first that the heart is deceitful and he that trusteth to it is a fool And then to have no other judge in thy own case but thy self as this is their principle how doth it open a door to loosness And many poor souls have been so far misled as to say That which men call sin doth as highly honour God as that which men call prayer or holy performances I say these things I have heard uttered by mouth and have seen in print and if this be not sad and dangerous I know nothing But to you of the Church of Christ that are by these men called Pharisees and outward Jews and branded with reproach see what Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.20 If when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God for even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps And in Chap. 4. vers 14. he saith If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happie are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified And further friends let us call to minde how sweetly the Lord hath appeared to us in the use of Ordinances and then I hope you will take heed of entertaining such an opinion that is so wicked as to overthrow all the Ordinances of Christ that belong to his Church O but labour for oneness of spirit and you will be terrible to all your enemies as an army with banners Fifthly Farnworth affirmed that all Ordinances ceased when Christ ascended and gave the Spirit But dear friends let us not take the thing for granted upon his bare word because he saith so but let us be like the Bereans search the Scripture to see if the thing be so And first we will minde the commission and the time when Christ gave it and that is clear it was after his resurrection as the last chapter of Matthew witnesseth at large If so then it must be that this commission was given when Christ entered into his Kingly office and this his own words make good for now saith Christ All power is given into my hands in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all nations and baptize them And the continuance of these Ordinances is plain in the last verse Lo saith Christ I am with you alway to the end of the world Now this is to me so strong an argument that surely it will make a gracious heart tremble to deny it 2. If this be true that Farnworth affirms then see how short a time Ordinances were to be of use in the world Read Acts 1.1 The former treatise have I made O Theophilus of all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up after that he through the holy Ghost had given commandment unto the Apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them fourty days Pray ye minde it seems then by this mans judgement that Ordinances were to be of use but fourty days which is very corrupt And further then the end of the world should have been if this he saith be true when Christ ascended two great absurdities 1. To 〈◊〉 that Ordinances were of use but fourty days 2. Then it must follow also that at Christs ascension should be the end of the world and so all the promises of the Spirit had been nothing worth But minde dear friends what Christ saith to his Apostles Tarry at Ierusalem and go not out thence till ye have received power from on high and when the holy Ghost is come upon you ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and in all the uttermost parts of the earth Acts 1. at large By all which it is plain if the Scripture may be heard to speak for it self that the Apostles were not so fully fitted for that great work to preach the Gospel to every creature until Christ ascended gave the Spirit Read Acts 2.3 4 5. And Christ told them Ioh. 14 26. the Father he would send the Comforter which is the holy Ghost and this is his work He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Then minde If it be the work of this Spirit of Truth that cometh from the Father and the Son to bring to their remembrance what Christ before spake to them then it is plain that the commission is one part of what Christ spake to them before his ascension Yea there is much wrapt up in it that the Spirit was to inmind the Apostles of and not them onely but all those now that carry on the same work by the same rule for one and the same end namely To glorifie God to be useful to his Church and to all men Now we will see how the minde of Christ was when he was gone to heaven and we shall finde he was of the same minde to maintain Ordinances as well as when he was on the earth and for this see a plain text of Scripture Acts 9.6 And the Lord said unto Saul Arise and go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do And as the Lord sent him into the citie minde the end the Lord had in sending Ananias who told him as he had received from Christ what Saul must do and this was one thing that Ananias told him as it is plain Acts 22.14 15 16. first that he was chosen of the Lord that he should know his will and see that Just One and should hear the voice of his mouth for saith he thou shalt be his witness to all men of what thou hast seen and heard And now why tarriest thou arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord. By which it is plain that Christ was of the same minde to maintain Ordinances in his Church after his ascension as before But when I instanced these Scriptures Farnworth said that this was not Water-baptism that Paul was baptized with but the Baptism of the Spirit as many can witness But I think no sober man will be of this mans judgement for 1. Consider if it were the baptism of the Spirit it were too high for Ananias as he was a disciple to carry on and without question we should have found Ananias answering Paul as Iohn confesseth in another place I indeed baptize with water but there is one coming after me he shall baptize with the holy Ghost 2. It would be very absurd to give that to men that is Christs proper and peculiar right But it is no wonder to finde these men thus dealing with Christ himself that will thus wickedly speak against his Ordinances But
the Gospel for their rule and direction in the worship of God as thou Farnworth dost say falsely that say you own the worship in the Spirit but by your denying the rules you are Pharisee-like that say and do not Secondly Thou sayest Thou ownest the Church of Christ. Answ But here thou lyest in thy saying Christ hath not a visible Church and so thou shuttest thy self out both of Church and Ministery of Christ by thy own grant as being a visible man Thirdly Thou sayest The teachings of Christ thou ownest And here thou speakest a lye also as is evident by thy calling the Ordinances carnal which Christ taught his Disciples Mat. 28. Mark 16. Fourthly Thou sayest Thou ownest the baptism of Christ Answ But here thou lyest also for believers to be baptized is by Christ's Commandment and he gave himself and example to us herein and this thou callest an image and idol Fifthly Thou sayest Prayer in the Spirit thou ownest And Reader minde for this man to pray for himself c is perfect and freed from all acts of sin and past the eternal judgment as he saith then I say by this we may see that prayer is useless as to himself and for his prayer for me I do not desire it neither do I beleive it is his judgment to pray for others by his wicked censuring all men that go not his way But this I further say That by his fruit he brings forth it is made evident that he is a stranger to the Spirit of Truth for this Spirit it leads into Truth then it doth not lead out of the Truth I demand of thee Farnworth where ever the Spirit of Truth did or doth contradict the written word But to ask thee such a Question who art as it is evident possest with a Spirit of error I do not look for satisfaction from thee And now Saints you having briefly a discovery of this man's folly let us labour to take Solomon's counsel Prov. 23.4 Cease from thy own wisdom with Prov. 3.1 My son forget not my law but let thy heart keep my commandments Vers 5. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding It is high time for the Lords people to be continually upon their watch now Satan is thus transforming himself like an Angel of light that we be not overtaken with his devices but this I hope dear friends you well know that it becometh the Lord's people to speak the things which become sound doctrine that so we may stop the mouthes of all our adversaries for now is that day come that Paul speaks of 1 Tim. 4.3 For the time will come when they will not endure wholesome or sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from hearing the truth then minde what such come to they shall be turned unto fables And it is the Apostles counsel to the Hebrews chap. 3.1 2. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God and for your direction herein minde vers 13. But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceit fulness of sin For vers 14. we are made partakers of Christ How if saith the Apostle we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end For as it is plainly laid down in this Chapter That the unbelieving Israelites came short of temporal Canaan so without question will it be with all those now that turn back from the holy Commandments delivered unto them For the just shall live How by faith but if any man draws back What follows my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 And he that once puts his hand to the Lord's plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God And it is worth the observing how Paul tells the Romans chap. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to whom to every one that believeth minde that for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith and saith Paul as many as walk according to this rule peace be unto them And let us minde Paul's counsel Rom. 14.19 Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace and things where with one may edifie another And as Paul advises the Church Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue it there be any praise think on these things those things you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you And as Paul said to the Church at his departure Act. 20.32 so I say to you Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified And to thou Farnworth and the rest that walk up and down and live idly without a calling if you would observe the Scripture for your rule you would see what Paul saith 2 Thess 3.10 For even when we were with you this we commanded you that if any would not work he should not eat O see thy folly in going about to deceive which thou art not called to by God nor man according to the rule and what would be the condition of all people in our Nation if this were generally practised Certain CONSIDERATIONS and QUERIES Dear Brother in the Lord OUr neer relation that we have one to another in the bonds of the Gospel doth engage me to manifest my unfeigned love unto Christ and unto thee in answering thy desires in propounding some Queries by which we may examine and try the Spirits of these men who say they are Jews and are not that so they may be found liars and their falshood and folly may be made manifest and all that yet fear the Lord may beware of giving heed to their cunning-devised fables lest they be led away with the error of the wicked and so fall from their own stedfastness and to that end my desire is that they will consider their cunning craftiness wherewith they lie in wait to deceive by handling the word of God deceitfully sometimes denying it to be of any authority at all and sometimes confessing it to be indeed a declaration of the minde of God but nothing comparable to that light which is within them yet other times they will make use of it for their own ends that so they may as Paul saith by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And therefore that their snares may be broken and poor souls delivered I shall commit certain things in the first place to their
according to these Scriptures John 1.9 chap. 8.12 7. Whether did he not declare it and make it manifest to the sons of men both by his words and actions more then ever any man else could do according to these Scriptures Joh. 12.49 50. Whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me so speak I and as the Father gave me commandment even so do I chap. 14.31 Again All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you chap. 15.15 8. Whether did not the Apostles of the Lord declare and testifie the same things to others that they heard and saw and learned of him according to these Scriptures 1 John 1.3 That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you and Acts 20.27 Paul saith He had not shunned to declare unto them all the counsell of God 9. Whether we came to know any of these things that Christ or his Disciples did or whether we can know them but by the holy Scriptures or how can we know that either Christ or his Disciples were ever in the world but by the holy Scriptures consider and judge If these things be so 10. Then whether is there not a greater light shining to us in the face of Jesus Christ through the New Testament which he hath sealed with his own blood then we can possibly expect to come from the heart or brain of any man now living or to live untill Christ himself shall again appear 11. If a greater light now shineth through Christ by the New Testament then ever hath or by men or Angels can shine to the sons of men then whether is it not folly and madness for any man now to refuse this light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ to walk by the light and dictates of his own heart which is deceitful and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 even as a man should light a candle to walk by when the sun shineth in his full strength 12. Whether may we not now according to Paul's directions Gal. 1.8 9. account all men or Angels accursed that refuse the light of the glorious Gospel thus shining unto us and chusing rather to walk by another that is to say by the light within them Lastly if the spirit of truth when it cometh into a soul shall lead him into all truth then whether may we not safely conclude that they have none of the spirit of God which err from the truth of the Gospel as it was once delivered to the Saints and under value those words of Christ which himself who had the spirit without measure said They are spirit and they are life and if they were not so to any man it was because they believed not John 6.63 64. For how can we know that the dead shall rise and come to judgemens but by the holy Scriptures of Truth This much by Henry Haggar a Servant of the Lord JESUS CHRIST and the Congregations of his Saints with a desire of an Answer by any who will or can POSTSCRIPT ALthough there is much spoken in the former part of the Book in answer to the vain conceit impudedent practise of these foolish men in using the term Thee and Thou to all single persons whatsoever by which they break the Commandment of the Lord which is That we give no offence to Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God Therefore I thought it fit to put down these following lines to make their folly manifest First They affirm that the word Thee and Thou is onely proper to a single person and none else in which they belye the Scriptures and deceive themselves and others as appeareth thus Deut. 25.17 18. Remember what Amalek did unto Thee how he met Thee by the way and smote the hindmost of Thee when Thou wast faint and weary c. Thus you see plainly the word Thee Thou is as well proper to thousands as to a single person see also 27.9 10. Secondly That the word or term You was used by Christ and that to a single person is evident Luk. 22.31 where Christ saith Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have You that he might sift You as wheat but I have prayed for Thee that Thy faith fail not Here we see that the Lord Christ used the word You as well as the word Thee to a single person by all which it is evident that it is no sin nor yet an improper speech and therefore the people of God may and ought to use it upon occasion and they which do affirm it to be a sin do blasphemously conclude that Christ was a sinner And thus is their folly made manifest Henry Haggar FINIS