light and rule 3. There is another Law which is internal spiritual and eternal The Law of the Spirit of Life as sayth the Text For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath â—reed me from the Law of sin and death and this is also calâ—ed the Law of Faith and the perfect Law of Liberty and under this are all Saâ—nts and 〈◊〉 Believers of the second and third we shall 〈◊〉 somthing That the Mosâ—ical Law of the Decalogue commonly called the Moral Law was onely binding to the Iews not to the Gentiles unless as they became Proselytes and imbraced the Iewish Religion these Arguments confirm it A Law is always binding unto those to whom it is promulgated and made known not to others Now the Law of Moses was promulgated to the Jews or seed of Abraham according to the flesh not to the Amorites Canaanites Persians or other Nations who neither knew Moses nor believed in or worshipped the God of the Hebrews For he sayth You onely have I known of all the Nations of the earth thereâ—ore I will punish you for all your iniquityes and therefore the Proâ—het prays that God wouâ—d pour out his fury upon the 〈◊〉 then that knew him not and he suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways for he did not deal so with other Nations neither had the Heathen knowledg of his Law Therefore was the Law obligatory to the Iews to whom it was given not to the other Heathen Nations that neither knew the Law nor the Law-giver That Law by which 〈…〉 to be judged is obligatory and binding unto him but the Gentiles were to be judged by the internal Law in their own consciences not by the external and written Law of Moses Therefore it was that Law not the other that was obligatory and binding unto them This appears clearly in that of the Apostle For as many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 unto them which 〈◊〉 needs 〈…〉 was the â—aw Moral of Moses and therefore they were a Law unto themselves and were 〈◊〉 by the work of the â—aw written in their hearts 〈◊〉 practice of the Apostles in not declaring the whole 〈…〉 to the Gentiles that were converâ—â—d to the Faith but onely enjoyning a branch thereof 〈…〉 as the Text withâ—sseth For it seemed good tâ— the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than thesâ— necâ—ssary things and there as a necessary thing he enjoyâ—â— avoiding of Fornication which is a branch of the Morâ—l Law now if the whole had been obligatory by Divine Right as is the Moral Law to all that are under it they could not not would have but enjoyned a part and have suspended or omitted the rest It is undenyably true that men are to be convinced by and from those Principles that they allow and not from those they allow not Therefore if the Gentiles had been under the Law of Moses or ought by divine Right to have been under â—t Paul and the other Apostles that preached 〈◊〉 tâ—em would have laboured to convince them from those 〈◊〉 and have urged against them the testimony of the Laâ— and the Prophets as they did against the Iews or have pressed upon them the receiving and obeying of the Law oâ—Mosâ—s but in their practiâ—e there is found no such thing but otâ—erwise for when Paâ—l came to Athens amongâ—â— the Ethnick Philosophers he told them not of the Law of Mosâ—s but took an occaâ—ion from that inscription 〈…〉 unknown God to preach Iesus Christ unto them and to reveal unto them him whom they knew not This Law Mosaâ—cal or Moral was never given intentionally of God that any should be justified or made righteous by it but that sin and wâ—ath might â—e revâ—aled all mouths stopt and all men made thereby guilty before God Which is clear 〈…〉 〈…〉 God long before the Law was given had decâ—eed and deâ—laâ—ed to justifie man by faith and therefore the Law could 〈◊〉 disannul the decree and promise of God made before and 〈…〉 not justifie any 〈…〉 years could not 〈…〉 The Law in its tru and proper end justifies not but 〈◊〉 reveal wrath and discovers sin For we know that what 〈…〉 the Law saith it sayth to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may 〈◊〉 guilty before God Therefore by the deeds of the Law 〈◊〉 shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledg of sin and it is the Law that worketh wrath For the Law being spiritual doth condemn whatsoever is carnal and not of its own nature that thereby sin might become 〈◊〉 And it is this Mâ—ses that ouâ— Saviour told the Iews did accuse them to the Father though they trustedâ—n him Though the Law Moral was and is a Ministry of condemâ—nation to those that were or are under it and so is glorious yet is there a Ministâ—y of condemnation of greater glory which is the Gospel by which men under a Gospel 〈◊〉 are convinced of higher things than the Law could convict them of Which appeareth thuâ— The Law only condemned men 〈◊〉 not doing whatsoever was written in it and did not condemn them for no◠〈◊〉 in Iesus Christ for the Lâ—w is not 〈…〉 And therefore was there need of a greater and clearer light to make manifest that infidelity was sinfull and damnable and so we â—ee 〈◊〉 convinced not only by the Ministry of the Law as he 〈…〉 I was alive without the 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Commandement came sin revived and I died but also by the Spirit of Christ in the Ministry of the Gospel Saul Saul why persecuteâ—t thou me And he said who arâ— thou Lordâ— And he answered I am Iesus whom thou persecutest wherein it is maniâ—eâ—t he was convinced of his infidelity and enmity against Christ The Goâ—pel therefore being that tru and pure light that convinceth men that not beleiving in the Lord Iesus is sinfull and 〈◊〉 which no light preceding did or could effect 〈…〉 more glorious than all other lights that went 〈…〉 〈…〉 that light is come into 〈…〉 rather than light because â—heir 〈…〉 and therefore the Father judgeth no man but hath giveâ— all judgment unto the Son and he comâ—in flaming fier to render 〈◊〉 to all those that know not God and obey not the Gosâ—el of Salvacion So that men are condemned under tâ—e Gospel for not beleiving as well as under the Law â—or not doing and â—erein appeareth the Ministry of the Gospel more glâ—â—ious then that of Moses That to a 〈◊〉 Beleiver the Spirit of Christ is his Ruler and Conductor and the Goâ—pel is interpreted by that
truly said to be sanctified for acquired learning by it self and of its own nature is nothing else but sin and therefore remains so still and cannot truly and properly be said to be sanctified no more then sin But if by being sanctified they mean that the providential wisdom of God doth order it or make use of it for the good of his People I opose it not so that it be understood that that good flows not from the nature of acquired knowledg it self but from the Wisdom and goodness of the Spirit of God who maketh all things work together for the benefit of those that love him who are the called according to his purpose And so no more can properly in this respect be predicated of it then of sin it self which in that case though not as an entity for Non entia ad modum entium concipiuntur is said also to work for the good of Gods Saints Again if it be objected That though Learning be not effectuall to the understanding of the mystery of the Gospel yet it is prevalent to the compleating of the literal and historical knowledg thereof To this I answer Though it may conduce to the gaining of literal and historical knowledge yet this is not ad idem because it profiteth nothing for Truth it self bears record It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing and men are made able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life So that all literall and historicall knowledge gained by mans power is but like the principle from whence it Flowed fleshly earthly deadly and destructive Consectaries Then all those that the world cryes up for learned from this principle of Humane Learning are but with God called and accounted un-discipled un-taught as Peter witnesseth clearly where speaking of the Epistles of Paul he saith in them some things were hard to be understood which they that are untaught and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Whereby it is manifest that by the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which though usually rendred in the English Translation heedlesly the unlearned yet properly signifies the undiscipled or untaught and therefore commonly in the Latine is turned indocti which points forth the same significantly for the word that signifies unlearned or unletter'd is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is Homines illiterati idiotae He intends those that were undiscipled and had not the Teaching of the Spirit and yet in the strength of naturall reason and carnall wisdom wrest the word to their own destruction So that all that knowledge which flows from the naturall mans acquisition which the world calls wisdom is foolishness with God and though the wisdom of God which stands only in the teaching of â— is Spirit be accounted foolishness with men yet this foolishness of God is wisâ—r then the wisdom of men Then all those expositions and interpretations of Scripture that have been are or shall be made by the force and power of human learning and mans innate notions of wit and reasonâ— are no more then earthly sensual and divelish destroying all those that rely upon them or trust in them And all preaching or expounding from this principle is damnable both to speaker and hearer If the blind lead the blind they fall both into the ditch Then are not the most that pretend to preach seeing they do it but from this principle those that take away the key of knowledge and enter not themselves neither suffer those that would come in to enter and therefore a most heavy wo belongs unto them and will fall upon them Therefore when men teach and affirm that without human learning none can be able Ministers of the New Testament and condemn those that speak only out of the teaching of the Spirit and have little or no human learning at all and make use of little or none but lay it aside do they not plainly shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from men and neither enter themselves nor suffer others that would Then if the quintessence of all humane learning were as a Magisterial extract monopolized in one man yet were it no fit qualification for a Minister of the Gospel for flesh and blood revealeth not these divine things unto men but the Father which is in Heaven Queries Whether of two men the one having a great measure of acquired learning but not the infused and experimental the other the infused and experimental but no human learning are fitter to be chosen to the Ministry Whether any be fit or able to judg of the Spirit in another that have it not themselves or to give approbation or witness to others of that which they have not experienced in themselves and consequently whether a Nation or Commonwealth can justly set up persons to judge of the Spirit of God in others and to give them licenses to exercise those gifts of the Spirit that have not experienced the work of this Spirit in themselves or not Whether or not all that much magnified naturall Reason which we think dignifieth us above and distinguisheth us from brutes and all that human learning which we conceive exalts and rectifieth Reason be the fruit and effect of the forbidden tree and is a spurious and adventitious faculty which man wanted in his innocency and was instilled into him by Satan in the fall Whether all that knowledge that a naturall man hath by nature and from the first Adam and all that which by the same power he can attain be not the same hellish and serpentine wisdom by which the Divell ruleth his kingdom or not And whether all the horrible and strange tenets sprung up in all Ages with the jars and disputes about the things of God arise not from this smoak of the bottomless pit of Satans malice stirred up in the Region of mans carnall wisdom and human learning 2. Concerning the Law By this word Law I understand a Light discovering what should be done and what ought not to be done commanding the one and prohibiting the other and this according to the tenor of divine Truth I find to be threefold 1. Internal and impressed upon the souls of all men naturally and therefore commonly called the Law of Nature which the Apostle makes clear in these words which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another And under this law were and are all men even as they are men 2. Externall as that of the Decalogue commonly called Moral ingraven in the Tables of stone given unto Moses and obligatory unto all the seed of Abraham according to the â—lesh and all the Iews were under this Law and it was their
Spirit his Rule and Guide and no Law besides whatsoever which is evident from these grounds Because if he be Christs he is led by the Spirit of Christ and if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and it is this 〈◊〉 that teacheth a Believer all things and leads him into â—ll truth 〈…〉 for he is taught of God And this is that Spirit that 〈◊〉 all things yea even the deep things of God which every Beleiver receiveth in some measure and 〈◊〉 the Spirit of the world that he may know the things that are freely giâ—â—n to him of God So that this Spirit both searcheth out and teacheth those deep things that no Law could ever discover or finde out And it is as clear that the Gospel is his Rule wherein his way is perfectly painted out The 〈◊〉 shall livâ— by Faith and without faith it iâ— impossible to please God and whatsoâ—ver is not of Faith is â—in and the life that a Believer now lives is â—y tâ—e faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him Thâ—refore faith being the way â—e should walk in and the Rule he should go by it is maniâ—est the Law is not his Rule because not of Faith That which teacheth a Believer to deâ—y all ungâ—dly 〈◊〉 and not to be conformable to this present evil world but to be perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect and holy as he is holy and to serve him in holiness and righteousness without fear all the days of his life that same is his Rule and his Guide but it 〈◊〉 clear that the Gospel and Grace of God â—eacheth 〈◊〉 things and thereâ—ore they are his Rule and Guide for the Scripture sayth Let every 〈◊〉 that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity for the grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodly lusâ—s and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and therefore is the grace of Gâ—d in he Gospel that teacheth these things the Rule and Guide of a Christian That which discovereth to a Believer the fruits of the flesh and likewise of the Spirit is his Rule and Guide but the Gospel 〈◊〉 this clearly and not the Law as sayth the Apostle now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery â—ornication uncleanness lasciviousness 〈◊〉 witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heâ—â—sies â—â—vyings murders drunkenness and such like But the fruits of the Spirit are love joy peace longâ—suffering gentlenesâ— goodnâ—ss faâ—â—h meekness temperance against such there is no Law That which discovereth that to be sin and sinfull which the Law did nor is the Rule and Guide of a Believer but the Gospel teacheth that infidelity is sin and that he which beluveth 〈◊〉 is condemned already and this the Law neither did not could do and therefore the Gospel not the Law is the Believers Rule and Guide And â—urther that which 〈◊〉 those things which the Law did and others higher and deeper is the Rule of a Believer and this is the Gospel not the â—aw for it sayth Ye have board that it was sayd by them of old time thou shalt not commit adultery but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hâ—â—h committed adul 〈…〉 Whether â—ught the Gospel to be preached as 〈◊〉 ghest and chiefest Light for discovering the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 or not seeing we now live under a 〈…〉 Whether are all holy and godly actions of Sainâ— dutye or priviâ—edges and do flow from an inward 〈◊〉 of Divinâ— love rather than from an external precâ—pt of â—ear oâ— rewaâ—d or not Whether Faith Repentance and all other Graceâ— mentioned in the Gospel though in form of speaking layd down as requisite duâ—yes be not free gifts and gracious mercyes And if they be free gifts and graces why do men press them legally and not hold them out freely and Evangelically Whether do men that press Faith and Repentance as conditions or qualifications build upon the principles of Calvâ—â— or Arminiâ—â— Of the calling and enabling of 〈◊〉 That Christ by his Spirit maniâ—esteth the mystery of the Gospel unto such as in his own purpose and decree he hath separated for the Ministry and sends them â—orth in the power and evidence of the same Spirit and all that men have done in appoinâ—ing and seâ—â—ing up of a Miâ—istry is of man and not of God oneâ—y those that have had experiâ—nce of the same truth have somtime used to give their eviâ—ence or wiâ—nels to the truth in others which was not their calling but a testimony from others that such were already called And no humane power hath any legal right to forbid or hindâ—r that such may not speak what God hath revealed in them and unto them It â—s plain that God chuseth Instruments and they not him 〈…〉 veaâ— his Son in me that I might preach him among the heathen immediatâ—y I conferred not with flâ—sh and blouâ— Neither went I up to Ierusalem to them that were Apostles before me No he was an Apostle not of man nor by man but by Iesus Christ neither was he taught it but by the revelation of his Spirit and so are all those that are truly called of God for there is nothing but Christ by his Spirit onely that maketh men able Ministers of the New 〈◊〉 not of the Letter but of the Spirit for men as men are not sufficient to think any thing of themselves but their sufficiency is of God For though there be diversityes of gifâ—s yet it is the same spirit that gives them and though there be differences of administrations yet it is but the same Lord that doth administer in them all and though there be 〈◊〉 of operations yet it is the same 〈◊〉 that worketh all in all and one Spirit that giveth out all these as it pleaseth And as he calleth them enableth them and setteth them apart so he onely sendeth them forth and the authority they have is only from him not from man For in the same manner that he was sent which was in the power of the Father and not in nor from the power of man so sent he them and therefore sayth pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth Labourers into his Vineyard It was not to pray Princes nor Magistrats Bishops nor Presbyters 〈◊〉 nor Congregated Churches to send forth Labourers but the Lord of the Harvest onely Unless we should a fly imagine that the Lord of the Harvest that hath ordained the Wheat to be gathered into his own Barn and is that dear loving and provident Father that taketh care for all his nay though a mother may forget her childe yet will he not forget his should take no care of besowing planting watering
your eys and give you spiriâ—s to discern in what Principle ye stand Was ever the Spirit of Christ in his Saints in any Age a spirit of persecution Or were the Saints accusers of their Brethren by casting upon them any odious Titles Or did they complain of others to any secular Power or labored to punish or imprison any that followed not them and their way Nay doth not Christ teach them not to forbid such And is it not the Rule that Saints should not speak evil one of another for in so doing they judg the Law and fulfill it not And did not God so lead out their spirits that being reviled they did bless being persecuted they did suffer and being defamed they did intreat Nay is it fitting to bring a railing accusation against the Devil No but to refer it to the Lord that he may rebuke him Now whether it be so with you or not let your Consciences and carriage speak Did ever the Spirit of Christ teach you that any actions dutyes performances or any holy exercises of yours were well-pleasing unto God that were not the fruits and effects of his Spirit inhabiting and working in you No although you should give your bodyes to be buâ—ned and your goods to feed the poor without the Principle of Divine Love which is Christ working the same in you it would profit you nothing Where is your Charity Where is your Love Doth all that you act in the way of his worship flow from this Spirit Try your selves Examine your selves know you not that Christ Jesus is in you except you be reprobates Must not every Plant which the heavenly Father hath not planted be rooted out And if your Religion and way of worship were of God it would stand without any assistance of man or worldly power that the Gates of Hell could not prevail against it for his Kingdom being not of this world is not upholden by the power or principles of this world but by the Almighty Word of his spiritual power But doth the house of your holiness stand founded upon this Rock of Ages or upon the sandy foundation of mans power and self-righteousness and therefore when the rain descendeth the windes blow â—nd the flouds beat it falleth and the fall of it is great And you that call your selves the Ministers of the Nation did ever the Spirit of Christ teach you to derive your Calling and Mission from man or the power of men Is it not the Lord of the Harvest onely and none but he by his own will and spirit that sendeth forth Laborers into his Vineyard Had you your Mission from him or from Rome from his spirit or from the vain and fruitless imposition of the hands of Bishops or Presbyters who apishly imitated the Apostles action without their spirit gifts or power Is not the calling of a Minister as was Pauls from God immediatly and neither of man hor by man Consider into what Places you have thrust your selves even whither the Lord hath not put nor placed you Nay have you not run when he never sent you Those that are his Disciples chuse not him but he chuseth them and ordaineth them to bring forth fruit But do you not pretend to chuse him to make a Trade of his service when you go and are sent to Academyes to be fitted for that end and to Bishops Presbyters gathered Churches or the power of the Magistrat to borrow authority and thereby to procure a fat Porsonage or Augmentation and then you set up shop to sell and vend your wares as though now you had served a sufficient apprentiship and were Masters of the Craft or Trade when yet God hatâ—â— neither chosen fitted nor sent you forth in the power and demonstration of his Spirit And this appears by the fruits of your pretended Ministry being empty dull dead liveless and onely like teaching of the Scribes and Pharises for indeed men do not gather Grapes of Thorns nor Figs of Thistles and so by the fruits of their Doctrine the tru Ministers are known from the false and so are you Dare you presume to â—ver that you are Christs Ambassadors and know not the Message that you should deliver but have it to frame and hammer out by your study cogitations devices and the working of your carnal wit and corrupted Reason or to scrape and gather up out of this and that Author Father Schoolmen Modern Writers this and that Expositor Commentator and the like Is this to be made able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit Those that Christ sends forth have that Unction that teacheth them all things that they need not to ask or inquire of vain Idols that have eys and see not ears and hear not mouths and speak not neither have any spirit of understanding in them at all but they are all taught of God and have received in some measure of that spirit which leads into all truth and need not take thought what they shall answer for it shall be given them in that hour for it is not they that speak but the Spirit of the Father in them and out of their bellies do flow fountains of living waters While in the mean time your broken Cisterns of wit learning and carnal wisdom can contain no water Can you be his souldiers when yâ—u have no weapons but what are carnal and not those spiritual ones of Christ that are mighty in him to the pulling down of strong holds and the laying low of every imagination that stands up against him and his power The Lord in mercy open your eyes to see your own emptiness and want of furniture to fight conquer and stand in this spiritual and great warfare otherwise none are sufficient of themselves to think any thing of themselves but every Ministers sufficiency is of God Did ever Christ teach you to preach for hire or to make Contracts how much you must have for exercising that Ministry the necessity of which is laid upon you if you be called of God even to preach in season and out of season and woe be unto them that do it not And yet it is your cry No publike maintenance no Ministry Oh hypocrites how can ye escape the damnation of hell Or hath he taught you to remove from place to place where you may have more mony or a greater benefit This is only to preach for hire not for the love of the truth nor out of your sensibleness of the necessity incumbent upon you With what faces can or dare you exact Tythes or pay from poor Labourers by the compulsory power of a worldly Law who perhaps never received any benefit from your Ministry or cry out for a publike maintenance to be established by the Magistrate Is there any other maintenance for a Gospel-Ministry but what those freely give that feel and
others might more willingly receive them and their Doctrin 3. When Timethy was left at Ephesus and Titus in Creet to set things in order and ordain Elders in particular places this was but to appoint such as God had alreadâ— called and gifted to remain at such partâ—cular places and to give their Testimony and witnes that they were so called which either they did by extending of the hand when divers so called and gifted were present or nominated or else that divers being proposed the believers of that Church did by extending the hand manifest which of them they desired to be over them in the Lord and then these they confirmed in those places and prayed that God might prosper them in that work To feed the flock of Christ which he hath purchased with his own bloud and these are the Pastors that should feed the flock not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde and not as being Lords over the heritages Not but that they are called before this and this but a witness from others that they are so called If it were in the power of Magistrats Academyes Presbyteryes or Churches to send forth Ministers then this would be a continual and standing power to propagate this Tribe by a way of carnal generation as that of the Lâ—vites who were born Priests or to the right of the Priesthood and so no age or generation need be without as hath been and is practiced in the Kingdom of Babylon to this day who all claim it by Succession and a carnal way of propagation Bishops from the Pope Presbyters from them and the Independent and baptized Churches from the Presbyters so that heer would be a perpetual Ministry set up by man whether ever God sent any or not When the mystery of his Truth hath been hidden from ages and generations and is onely manifest to the Saints according to the times and seasons that the Father hath put in his own power And so all along the time of the Apostasie these Locusts have swarmed out of the bottomless pit and covered the face of the Earth to devour the Fruits thereof and would continue so still though the Father of light never sent them but the Prince of darkness Consectaryes Then for a State or Common-wealth to set up and appoint a National Ministry from any judgment of men Ministers or Churches is to take unto themselves the power wisdom and right of the Almighty and to set themselves in his Throne and so to be like the Scribes and Pharisâ—es thieves and robbers stealing and attributing that honour unto themseves which is due to the Lord of the Harvest who onely 〈◊〉 Labourers into his Vineyard This is but to set up a câ—rnal Image of a Ministry a Picture without 〈…〉 their trust in him Then those that have entred into the Sheep-fold not by the 〈◊〉 but climbed up some other way the same are thieves and robbers and the Sheep neither know nor hear their voice nor follow them And he that cannot evidence his Calling to be immediatly from and by the Spirit of Christ both by the witness of the same Spirit in his own Breast the power and authority of the speakings of God in him and by the Seal of his Ministry the Conversion and Confirmation of Souls is nothing else but a thief and a robber a deceiver and an 〈◊〉 and nevâ—r was sent of God but came of himself and had 〈…〉 but from the Devil and Man Then are 〈…〉 and Commissions from men to authorize others 〈◊〉 and râ—â—ch vain corrupt and abominable and men that pretend to derive their power from these are 〈…〉 And if any thing be not of him it will fall of it self for that which is crooked cannot be made straight Queryes I desire to know from whence the National Ministers have their Calling or Ordination If from Man who gave him that Power and wherein consists it If from God when and how did they receive it and wherein stands the Power of it Are not they Theeves and Robbers that steal and robb Christ of his honor And do not these so when they hold that being bred in an Academy and furnishd with such Arts and Learning as are taught there and to be Ordained by Bishops Presbyters or Churches is the true Calling and Ordination of Ministers If this be not to rob God of his Honor what is it then Do these that call themselves the Ministers of the Nation seek Authority Counsel Countenance and Protection from God only that sends forth true Ministers and bids them not be afraid of those that can kill the body and can do no more but of him that can throw both body and soul into hell fire or from Men and Magistrates Why do these men if they be ordained of God and sent out in the Power of his Spirit persecute condemn and scandalize others for witnessing that there is no other Calling but what in the power of that Spirit when it is certain That no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Iesus accursed Of the wages and maintenance of Ministers That the Ministers of the Gospel have allotted and allowed them a maintenance by the Gospel Order is evident Because The Labourer is worthy of his hire and the Lord hath ordained that they which Preach the Gospel should Live of the Gospel And he that is taught in his Word should communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Gal. 6. 6. But it is as evident that this maintenance ariseth not from Tythes and Oblations as to the Levites under the Jewish Ministry Nor by the power of a compulsory Law made by a Commonwealth or Nationall Power in giving or setling a National Maintenance But from the free Gift and Contribution of those individuall persons wrought upon by that mans Ministry to whom they are to communicate their temporal things and the proportion such as God shall move their spirits to bestow Because the Jewish Ministery is now fulfilled and ended which was but the pattern of the Spiritual and now we have no other High Priest but Christ and all his people being members of his mysticall Body and stones in his spirituall Building do not pay Tithes in him who received them of Abraham in whose loyns according to the flesh Aaron and his sons were And therefore the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law Secondly our Saviours command to his Disciples when he sent them into the World was not that they should have Lands and Livings Lordships and Dominion Tythes and Augmentations but only food and rayment and therewithall they were to be content And they were to provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in their purses nor scrip for their journey neither two coats neither shooes nor yet staves for the workman is worthy of his meat so that they were to bargain or
contract for none but only to receiv that thankfully of those whose hearts God stirred up to give it freely Thirdly when our Saviour was ascended and the Spirit was descended upon the Apostles and other Believers they did not force nor compel those that were converted to give them so much or so much out of their estates but those that freely would sold them and laid the money down at their feet then distribution was made according as every man had need and while their goods were unâ—old or not brought into the common purâ— they might every one have don with their own as they listed as the Apostle told Ananias and Saphira so that they witnessed that they had no other warant to receive wages by but only what was freely given unto them Fourthly this Rule was not so strict neither that a Minister of necessity must receive it or else offend against the Rule but it was so indifferent that Paul did refuse it in the coasts of Achaia and said that none should rob him of that boasting in those quarters and adds the Reasons why he did so which was not that it was not lawfull for him to have taken what they freely offered as it seems he did in some other places but that he might cut off occasion from those which desired occasion that wherein they gloried they might be found even as he and that he might make the Gospel of Christ without charge for the necessity of preaching it was laid upon him as it is upon all those that are truly sent and therefore whether he received any thing or nothing a wo belonged unto him if he did not preach the Gospel If it be objected That in those days the Magistrates were Heathen and so took no care for those that were Christians yet now in our Nation the Magistrates are Christians and therefore ought and may make a law and appoint wages and maintenance for their Ministers I answer if suppositions were Apodictical proofs then many would make ready conclusions and the way to knowledge would be very facile for it is easie to suppose that all the Magistrates in a Commonwealth inferior and superior are all Christians nay the whole body of the Nation it self because they have a national worship and are all promiscuously called by that glorious name but there is a vast difference betwixt names things being so and being called so It is one thing to suppose and another to prove and but weak from the denotation to argue to the thing as though Iudas might truly be concluded one of the true Disciples of Christ becaus he is called one of the twelve No external forms do not demonstratively prove the verity of internal principles For he is not a Iew that is one outwardly neither is that circumcision that is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew that is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Therfore when the supposition is proved then it may be answered in the mean time ex suppositis suppositio sequitur Again if some of the Magistrates were truly Christians yet Christs kingdom being not of this world but a Spirituall one they ought not to intermeddle with carnal constitutions in his spiritual things which he makes good by his own Spirit Wisdom and Providence and not by the counsel or wisdom of the Princes of this world which comes to nought and his servants are to wait upon him by a simple believing and to walk by faith and not by sight Moreover if they were Believers they might every one of them in his single condition give to him that taught him what proportion of his own good things he had an heart to bestow but not to set down a law to judge over the conscience of his brother because these things ought to be done out of a principle of love and not from the law of an externall command If they were all Christians it was never yet that I could see proved that they had power to settle a maintenance for the Ministery of the Gospel and the contrary to me appears an undeniable truth and that from these grounds 1. Because the Rule of Christ and the practice of his Apostles were only for a free voluntary contribution from the free will offering of those whose spirits were wrought upon by that particular Ministery to which they should contribute now for Christians to pretend to have power to make a law for the maintenance of his Ministry and the good of his cause and walk contrary to the Rule of Christ himselfe to me seems strange that it should be accounted lawfull 2. There is no Magistrate hath any power to make a law of those things he perfectly understands not for how can a right judgment be given where the intellect is not clearly formed Now it no where appears that the Magistrates have the spirit of discerning to know the Ministers of Christ infallibly from the ministers of Satan therefore might as soon maintain advantage the one as the other 3. As was said before it crosseth the way of providentiall confidence and simple believing and waiting upon God and so cannot be lawfull for them to do Consectaries Therfore for a Magistracy by a compulsory law to settle a maintenance for a National Ministery by Tiches Augmentations or in any other way is to act against the ordinance of Christ and to make the Commandements of God of none effect by the traditions of men And therfore they should learn to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Then for Ministers to be bred at the Academies and get Orders Licences or Seals from human authority thereby to get fat Benefices and rich Livings is to make the Ministry a meer Trade and to go contrary to the command of Christ and the practice of the Apostles To make bargains with the people to have so much and so much for exercising their Ministry is to preach for pay and not for Christ To press the Magistracy to provide for them is to distrust the promise providence of God and to flie to the arm of flesh and therefore they are doubly accursed both for making the arm of flesh their refuge and withdrawing their hearts away from the living God Hear ye this I pray you ye Heads of the house of Iacob and Princes of the house of Israel that abhor judgment and pervert all equity They build up Zion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity The Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for mony yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us No evill can come upon us And when the Ministers preach and cry out If Tythes be taken away and
from every brother that walked disorderly and if any did not obey his word in that Epistle they should note such an one have no company with him that he might be a shamed 3. For that of the Angel of the Church in Thyatira it contains a very high great mystery more then mans wit can conceive by the letter yet it is clear that they should not have suffered her but what was it they should have restrained or resisted her withall not with carnall weapons for the Saints wear not such but with spirituall which were mighty and powerfull in Christ 2. Those rebuked there were such as had her doctrine and those threatned were such as had committed fornication with her and therefore by suffering her was to have embraced her doctrine but those that had it not nor had known the depths of Satan they were not reproved not threatned at all but exhorted only to hold fast untill Christ should come Consectaries There is nothing in the Gospel either in doctrine or practice that is distractive or destructive to the civil power nor any way hurtful or injurious unto men And therfore whatsoever doctrine or practice is destructive to Magistracy or tends to break the peace or injure any man the same hath no ground in the Gospel and is an evill that the Magistrate hath power to restrain and punish All the liberty that Christians have or can claim of or from the Magistrate is onely negative and permissive that they should not forbid hinder them to declare the things that God hath revealed in them and commanded them to utter nor prohibite them the way of their worship and serving of God The Magistrate hath an unquestionable power to restrain and punish every word and action of man that tends to the disturbance of the civil State or to the prejudice of others and is bound to uphold nothing of Christian Religion either with the sword or with mony or maintenance and therefore those that require pay from the State to uphold their Religion ought in that point so far to be restrained as to be denied it and none allowed them Then whatsoever a mans opinion or way of worship be if he live peaceably amongst men both in word and work and faithfully and obediently toward the Civil power the Magistrate ought without respect to his judgment or way of worship to protect and defend him and not at all to intermeddle with him in regard of either Queries If the Magistrate not having infallibility of judgment do by law establish one or more forms or Religion compell men to conform therunto may not one or all those be idolatrous and erroneous and some way not allowed by law be the onely way of truth in Christ Can a Magistrate drive more into heaven then the Father hath determined to draw thither or can he be wiser then the Spirit of Christ to teach and direct men the way to eternall life Doth any form of religion necessarily entail the grace of God upon those that walk in it Or can any form keep out the Spirit and Grace of God when it will enter Doth any power of the Magistrate really and truly change the heart though it make the tongue confess and the person in external worship conform to the Form and Religion established Is it not against the law of Nature and the light imprinted in us to do that to another we would not have done to our selves to compell another when we would not be compelled If any out of tenderness of conscience lowliness of mind or love of the truth desire further satisfaction in the particulars handled herein I shall be willing as far as the Lord in mercy shall enable me either by conference or otherwise to give them what content and assistance lies in my power If any one be unsatisfied with the truths herein contained and judge them unsound or erroneous and so have a desire to confute them or argue against them I only intreat them plainly and fully to make it manifest out of what principle they speak whether from the Spirit of truth or from the ground of Human learning and Reason and according to the presence of the Lord with me they shall receive a responsion FINIS Zach. 4. 10. 〈…〉 Iohn 6. 63. 2 Cor. 1â— 1. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Psalm 40. 2. 〈…〉 2 Cor. 1. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Gal 3. 28. 2 Tim. 3. 5. â— Iohn 3. 14 15. Iohn 4. 21 22 â—3 24. Mark 9. 38 39 40. â—mes 4. 11 12. â— Cor. 4. 12. Iude 9. 1 Cor. 13. 3. 2 Cor. 13. â— Matth. 15. 13. Matth. 16. 18. Iohn 18. 36. Matth. 7 24 25 26 27. Maâ—tâ— 9 36 3â— 38. Gal. â— 1. 11 12 John 15. 16. Matth. 7. 6. 10. 29. 2 Cor. â— 6. I Iohn 2. 27. Heb. 8. 11. Iohn 1â— 13. Mattâ— 10. 19 20. Iohn 7. 8 3â— Psalm 115. 5â— 7. Jer. 2. 13. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 2 Cor. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 9. 16. Mic. 3. 11. Position 1. Position 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 3. Matth. 11 25 20. â— Cor. 1. 19 20 Argum. 4 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29. Argum 5 Rom. 7. 8. Jam. 3. 15. Object 1. Solution 〈◊〉 8. 2â— Obâ—ect 2. Solutiâ—â— â—ohn â— 63. 〈…〉 Consect. 1 2 Pet. â— 16. Acts 4. 13. 〈…〉 Consect. 2 Maâ—â—h 15. 14. Mat. 23. 13. Consect. 3 Mâ—t. 16. 17 Query 1 Query 2. Query 3. Query 4. Position 1. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Posicion 5 Arguâ— 1 Rom. 8 9 1â— 1 Iohn 2 27. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Aâ—gum 3. Luke 1. 75. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 4 〈…〉 Argum. 5. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 2 Pet. 1. 18 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Argum. ◠〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 4. 〈…〉 Object 1 〈…〉 1 Tim. 4. 14. Acts 13. 3. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 2. Luke 5. 13. Mark 1. 41. Act. 3. 7. Act. 5. 12. Mat. 19. 13 14 15. Act. 1â— 3. Act 〈…〉 Tim 4 14 Act 8 1â— Argum. 3. Act. 8 2 14 15 1â— 17 〈…〉 â— Tim. 1. 6 7. Acts 2. 4. 〈…〉 Acts 8. 12 1â— â—5 〈…〉 Acts 11. 15 â—6 17. Argum. 4. Acts 9. 2â— 29. Gal 1. 18 2â— 23. Argum. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. 6. Mar 9. 38. Rom. 56. 21. 1 Cor. 16. 10 2 Cor. 8. 23. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Thes. 3. 2. Acts 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. Argum. 6. Col. 1. 26. Acts 1. 7. Rev. 9. 3 â— Consect. â— Iohn 〈…〉 6 10. 〈…〉 Consect. 2. 〈…〉 Qâ—ary 1. Query 2. Query 3. 1 Cor. 12. 3. Position 1. Argum 1. 1 Cor. 9. 6 â— 8 9 14. Position 2. Argum. 1 Hâ—b. 4. 14. Hâ—b. â— 6 9 12. Argum. 2. 〈…〉 Argum. 3. Acts 4 34 35 36 39. Acts 5. 4. Argum. 4. 〈…〉 1 Cor. 9 15 16 17 18. Object 1. Solution Argum. 1. Rom. 2 28 29 Argum. 2. Joh. 18. 36. Matth. 6. 33. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Argum. 3. Conset 1. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Consect. 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Matth. 6. 32. Consect. 3. Query 1. Query 2. Query 3. Query 4. Position Argum. 1. Rom. 2 14 15. Argum. 2. Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1. Pet. 2. 13. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Position 2. Argum. 1. Mat. 20â— 20. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. Mat. 12 38. 3â— Argum. â— Argum. 3. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 4. 〈…〉 Argum. 1. Acts 1â— 26. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Position 3. Argum. 1. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 1 Cor. 10. 18. 〈…〉 Argum. 2 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Argum. 3. 〈…〉 Argum. 4. 1 Cor 11. 19. Mat. 18 â—◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Dan 2. 34. 1 Cor. 1. 25 Iohn 6. 44 Argum. 6. Ezek. 18. 31. 11. 19. Object 1 Solution Heb. 7. 12. Object 2. Rev. 2. 20. Solution 1 Cor. â— 4. 5. 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2 Thess. 3. 6. 14. Rev. 2. 22 24 25. Consect. 1. Consect. 2. Consect. 3. Consect. 4. Query 1 Query 2. Query 3. Query 4. Query 5. Request 1 Request 2.