the same or greater wickednesses are committed and increase groans to the Lord in us to cause the light of his glorious Gospel to arise and shine upon them as also stir us up to thankfulness for the light of the Gospel he hath sent amongst us and whilst we have it to walk in it not loving darkness more than light But thus far will the light of Nature engraven upon the heart lead us with respect to the right Worship of God and I humbly conceive ne plus ultra not a step farther 2dly As there is a natural or moral Worship of God so is there that which is ceremonial or instituted which depends upon Divine Revelation and is nothing but the expression of the moral and internal Worship of God our love faith fear subjection of and to him in those external wayes that are of his own revelation wherein he hath said he will have us manifest and express them and as a great encouragement thereunto hath promised in our so doing to meet with us and bless us This is that which is most usually in Scripture called the Worship of God and Christ And this is that Worship whereunto I refer hearing the Word as 't is a Gospel-Institution to be practised by the Saints which was so plainly asserted in the Sober Testimony that there was no occasion for Mr. T. to trouble himself or the Reader with his guessing at the meaning of the Author did he not delight to multiply words but to have owned it if true or otherwise to have addressed himself to the confutation thereof That which I asserted was that Hearing by the Saints under the dispensation of the Gospel for of them and their duty is the question proposed pag. 13. is part of Instituted Worship Which when Mr. T. endeavours the confutation of I may be supposed to be concern'd in his discourses but till then the most partially addicted Reader will acquit me from any bounden service or attendance on them 'T is an easie way of answering Books though not much to edification to desert the main point to be impugned and divertise ones self and Reader with discourses that are but at best collateral thereunto and scarce speak a word to that which is the alone thing to be spoken to as Mr. T. in this matter hath done So that in what he saith not speaking to the thing in question in these two first Sections I am little concerned yet can I not but take notice of one thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we pass on which I cannot close with him in viz. That we worship God in hearing when we hear which he pretends to prove from 1 Thess 2. 13. which as thus crudely proposed I humbly conceive is very remote from truth There is more to be done than so I am apt to think that those who worship God in hearing must first come to it as to an Institution of Christ Which if a man doth nor he worships not God at all therein For persons to come to hear a Sermon out of custom curiosity lothness to undergo the penalties of the Land censures of others for company or the like not heeding it or coming to it as an Institution of Christ will hardly be accounted by the Lord as worshipping him being indeed not at all so 2dly That they set themselves to hear what is spoken as the Word of the eternal God receive it in meekness faith love giving up themselves to its authority and conduct which except we do we worship not God Jehoiakim in Jeremiah heard the Roll read but he takes his Penknife cuts it in pieces and throws it into the fire The Pharisees hear Christ preach Luke 16. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they blew their noses at him in scorn and derision Act. 7. you have Stephen preaching to the Jews who for a great while hear him with silence and attention bâ—t v. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were vexed so as if they had been cut with a Saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shewed their teeth and grind them like mad dogs against him To which many more instances might be added of such as heard the Word of God under such abominable passions Will Mr. T. say that such as these worship God in hearing what more absurd And yet if he deny it his Assertion falls to the ground That men worship God in hearing when they hear 'T is one device of Satan to undo souls and no mean one by miscalling things and appropriating those names and titles to them that do not belong to them to cause them to think that they have and do what they neither have nor do Some transient checks of conscience slight and superficial sorrow for sin assent to propositions of truth escaping the pollutions of the world saying their prayers going to hear he calls and would make poor hearts believe they are so the saving convictions of the Spirit Gospel-humiliation precious unfeigned Faith Evangelical Sanctication and Holiness worshipping God c. which if they do they have only this advantage that they go down with more pomp and state to Hell than those that know nothing of these semblances of Grace and Holiness 'T is a fond conceit that poor blind ignorant creatures flatter themselves with that their going to Church as they call it and joyning with the Preacher in the outward acts of praying and preaching supposing it to be according to the Institution of Christ is worshiping God and I am sorry to find Mr. T. by such expressions hardning them in this dangerous conceit Alas ye cannot thus worshâ—p God for he is a jealous God he is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Precious Mr. Burroughs in his Treatise of gospel-Gospel-Worship speaks excellently to this matter pag. 93. Though I do kneel down in prayer and present my body to hear the Word this is noâ— to worship God as a Spirit and yet he that worships him not as a Spirit worships him not at all And p. 109. Many people think it a very easie matter to worship God and so it were if Mr. T. his Assertion were true If it were nothing else to worship God but to come and hear a Sermon then it were the easiest matter in the world to worship God but there is more required in the duty of God's Worship than thou hast been acquainted with there is a power of Godliness in it And citing Josh 24. 19. he adds q. d. You think it is nothing to serve the Lord alas you cannot serve the Lord for he is a holy God and a jealous God you must have other manner of hearts than yet you have you must understand his Worship in another manner than yet you do until you understand God his Wayes and Worship you cannot serve the Lord i. e. you do not cannot worship him Nor doth the Scripture 1 Thess 2. 13. prove his Assertion but rather the contrary The words are For this cause thank we God without
Israelitish Apostasie God left not himself without a Witness reserved to himself a Remnant Of the self-invented Worship of that day Whether there be no such Worship to be found in England The duty of Saints with relation thereunto Of Mr. T. his rash judging THat God left not himself without a Witness in the height of the Israelitish Apostasie but raised up one or other to testifie for him against their self-invented Worship that he reserv'd unto himself a Remnant that clave to him and his pure Appointments is a seventh Assertion in the S. T. which Mr. T. also grants to be true Sect. 12. but yet hath somewhat to say hereunto 1. That self-invented Worship was bowing the knee to Baal 1 King 19. 18. Rom. 11. 3 4. Serving Idols 2 King 17. 12. Burning Incense to Vanity Jer. 18. 15. Going after other Godds to serve them and worship them Jer. 25. 6. 35. 15. Answ Very good Doth the Author of the S. T. deny that when the Apostacy of the Jews arose to its height it came indeed to this the beginning hereof being laid in the departure from that Principle That God is to be served according to the revelation he makes of himself not according to mans inventions his citation of the places now again mentioned by Mr. T. evinceth the contrary 2. O but there is no such self-invented Worship found in England Answ That there is not in every particular the same is granted I know not that they set up the image of Baal to worship it what they do in the chambers of their imagery God only sees openly they serve not the same Idols nor burn Incense to Vanity c. but that there is no such self-invented Worship to be found in England is gratis dictum and without proof All self-invented Worship being indeed such like it in its principle a departure from the fore-mentioned fundamental-principle of Religion being the source and spring from whence it issues forth A bowing the knee to Baal or yielding obedience to other Lords viz. the Instituter and Commander of that Worship which is invented a serving Idols in the setting up Man in the room of the Spirit of God and the image or form created and made by him in the place of Divine Appointments But 2dly 'T is to me a fond conceit to imagine that upon a supposition that the Ministers and Church of England are not guilty of such gross Abominations as the places mentioned intimate the Jews to be guilty of against whom the Prophets bear their Testimony Therefore none must bear testimony against present Abominations nor can they be justified in their so doing from these Texts Whereas had they been guilty of less wickedness than they were it had been the duty of the Servants of the Lord to have testified against them The doing of what was not commanded by the Lord as well as what was expresly forbidden is part of their Testimony 2 King 16. 11. 17. 11 13. We pretend not to be extraordinarily raised up and spirited to witness against present Abominations conceiving it not at all needful in the present undertaking Every Christian that hath tenderness to the honour and glory of God according to the capacity they are in being obliged to testifie for him against the Innovations and Will-worship of the day Whether that speech of Christ to James and John be most aptly applyed to this Animadverter and that generation he is become the Advocate of and who they are that call for fire to come down from Heaven upon those that will not imbrace their doctrines others will judge We have through grace otherwise learned Christ Whether it be bitter or holy Zeal for God that moves us by whom whether our language will be judged just reproof or unjust reviling will one day be declared I am sure Mr. T. hath adventured upon what doth not at all appertain to him in judging before the time And in this can we rejoyce that under all his Censures we have the Testimony of the Spirit of the Highest That in godly simplicity and from a principle of holy Zeal â—o God we are carried forth in this matter Though we dare not acquir our selves of fleshly mixtures which we too much discern to our abasement and grief in all our undertakings But what hath this Animadv to accuse us of 'T were as easie to have manifested if it had been so and we conceive he would not have spared us could he have done it wherein the bitterness of our Zeal did appear as to have said it was bitter to have shewed wherein our reproof was unjust as to intimate it to be so These are but words and I hope not spoken from a spirit of gall and bitterness towards us though perhaps some other will be apt to think they are so Sect. 12. The People of God of old not to hearken to the teachings of such as were not sent by the Lord. The Command of God touching their cutting-off Saints forbidden to hear them The false Prophets preached much truth though not the whole truth So doth Antichrist They were not called false Prophets meerly for their preaching falshood but because they ran before they were sent The present Ministers preach falshoods c. In what sense to be cut off Separation from the enjoyned false worship of old commanded 'T is a breach upon the Sovereign Authority of God called by the names of Adultery Whoredom Idolatry c. Upon what account so called Jer. 9. 2. Hos 3. 3. 1. 2. Rev. 14. 8. explained worshipping God at Jerusalem Non-separation from his Worship there no argument of the unlawfulness of Separation from the Church of England IN his 13th Section Mr. T. takes notice of what I offer in the eighth place touching the duty of the Saints of old viz. That they were 1. Not to hearken to the teachings of such as were not sent of the Lord though they pretended never so much to be sent by him This we prove 1. from the Command of God touching these false Prophets viz. to cut them off Deut. 18. 20. 2dly They are expresly forbidden to hear them Deut. 13. 3. Jer. 27. 6 16. To which the Animadverter replies 1. None are said in the Texts mentioned nor in any other he meets with not to be sent by the Lord who delivered the Truth of God but such as delivered falshoods inciting to Idolatry or contradictory to the message to the true Prophets Answ 1. If by the Truth of God he means the whole Truth of God 't is granted That never any false Prophet delivered the whole Truth of God nor do the Ministers of England as we prove S. T. p. 91. If he mean that all they delivered was false and erroneous there is nothing more false can be invented or spoken They knew and so did Satan that set them on work that so to have done had been immediatly to have miscarried in the design they were advancing Antichrist in his Ecclesiastical
the 5th Whether Officers instituted by Christ are not only Pastors Teachers Deacons and Helpers he replies I find not Helperâ— Officers instituted by Christ but others I find here mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11. Answ 1. Of helpers you may read Rom. 16. 3 9. 2. There are indeed other Officers mentioned of Christ's Institution in the places cited by him but they being such as are confessedly gone off the Stage we purposely omitted them Those mention'd are the alone knownstanding Officers in the Churches of Christ directions touching whose qualifications Election Office Work are laid down in the Scriptures To the 6th Whether the Offices of Arch-Bishops Lord-Bishops Deans Subdeans Prebendaries Chancellors Priests Deacons as the first step to a Priesthood Arch-Deacons Subdeacons Commissaries Officials Proctors Registers Apparitors Parsons Vicars Curats Canons Petty-Canons Gospellers Epistolers Chanters Virgers Organ-players Queristers be Officers any where instituted by the Lord Jesus in the Scripture He Answers Some are some are not See the Answer to Chap. 3. Answ To our Reply thereunto we refer the Reader for satisfaction in this matter To the 7th Whether the Calling and admission into theâ—e last mentioned Offices their Administration and Maintenance now had and received in England be according to the Word of God he replies This is answered before in sundry places Answ The vanity of his Answers we have already discovered To the 8th Whether every true visible particular Church of Christ be not a select company of People called and separated from the world and the false worship thereof by the Spirit and Word of God and joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel by their own free and voluntary consent giving up themselves to Christ and one another according to the will of God He answers The terms are so ambiguously used that in some sence it may be answered Affirmatively in some Negatively Answ We have already explained the terms and demonstrated the truth of the Question in the Affirmative in all the branches thereof To the 9th Whether a company of People living in a Parish though the most of them be visible Drunkards and Swearers or at least strangers to the work of Regeneration upon their souls coming by compulsion or otherwise to the hearing of publick Prayers or Preaching are in the Scripture account Saints and the Church of Christ according to the pattern given forth by him He answers If their Faith be right they are i. e. if I mistake not If they assent to the Doctrine of the Church of England if they own no other Doctrinals but what are right for as to true saving Faith the persons described are undoubtedly strangers to it 't is impossible but they should be so whilst they abide such Now I believe never man in the world gave such an account of Saints Saint Drunkard and St. Swearer and St. Whoremaster sounds but harsh in the ears of men of understanding they themselves will swear they are no Saints That external profession of Faith is sufficient to constitute a person a Church-Member Bellarmine indeed affirms it may be Mr. T. received his notion from him and is therein opposed by the learned Whitaker who cites that saying of August Collat. 3. cum Donat. The Church is one Body in which is both a Soul and Body the Soul is the internal gifts of the Holy Ghost i. e. the internal graces The Body is the external profession of Faith and Communion of Sacraments And Sutliffe one of their own saith better To the Church not only profession of Faith but also holiness is required If the persons characterized by us are not the Church of Christ the Bride the Lambs Wife as we have proved they are not they must be accounted Daughters of the old Whore and Babel spoken of in the Scripture To the 10th Whether in such a Church there is or can rationally be supposed to be a true Ministry of the Institution of Christ He replies It may But we have proved the contrary To the 11th Whether the Book of Common-Prayer or stinted Liturgies be of the prescription of Christ and not of mans devising and invention he saith The Worship or matter for the greatest part of the Common-Prayer-Book is of Christ though the method and Form of Words be of men Answ 1. Modestly spoken however The whole of the matter of the Common-Prayer-Book he seems to grant is not of God though the greatest part he thinks is 2. Sufficiently impertinent 't is the method and Form of words that is the Liturgie or stinted Service to these men are tied If these are not of Christ as he grants their Liturgie is not To the 12th Whether some part of the Worship used by a People be polluted the whole of the Worship be not to be look'd upon in a Scripture account as polluted and abominable according to 1 King 18. 21. 2 King 17. 33. Isa 66. 3. Hos 4. 15. Ezek 43. 8. Zeph. 1. 5. So that if their Prayers be nought and polluted their Preaching be not so to He answers No nor is any such thing said in these Texts Answ Let the Reader consult them and he will find that they condemn the whole of the Worship though they did somwhat that was for the matter of it right and of the appointment of the Lord as polluted and accursed because some part of it was so His talk of the Imperfections of Ministers in prayer is impertinent every imperfection in Prayer renders not the Prayer naught and polluted in that sence in which we affirm the prayers of the Church of England or their devised Liturgie to be so upon the account of its non-institution by the Lord and oblation to an Idol To the 13th Whether a Ministry set up in direct opposition to a Ministry of Christ which riseth upon its fall and falls by its rise can by such as so account of it be lawfully joyned unto He replies No but they are bound to leave this account if it be erroneous Answ 1. But they think it not to be erroneous And 2. Mr. T. was lately of their mind when he swore to extirpate the Hierarchy To the 14th Whether such as have forsworn a Covenant-Reformation according to the Word of God and swear to a Worship that is meerly of humane devising that have nothing of the essentials of a Ministry of Christ to be found upon them may be accounted of as his Ministers and be adhered to He replies No. Wherein he hath given away the Cause pleaded for by him The Ministers of England are known and we have evinced it in this Treatise to be persons of the Complexion intimated To the 15th VVhether such as shall do so be not guilty of casting contempt upon the Institutions of Christ and disobedience against his Roâ—al Edicts commanding them to separate from persons of the complexion intimated He saith They would be if they should do so wittingly and willingly Answ But if they do it ignorantly though their sin be not
is plain by the Temple of Solomon Like as the Clergie and Priests so also â—he People and Laity or else unless all such as be now addict unto avarice from the least to the most be first reclaimed as well the People as the Clergie and Priests Albeit as my mind now giveth me I believe rather the first that thâ—n shall arise a new People formed after the new man which is created after God of the which People new Clerks and Priests shall come and be taken thaâ— shall hate covetousness and the glory of this Life hastening to a heavenly conversation notwithstanding all these things shall come to pass and be brought by little and little in order of times dispensed of God for the same purpose And this God doth and will do for his own goodness and the riches of his great loâ—ganimity and patience giving time and space of repentance to them that have long lien in their sins to amend flee from the face of the Lords fury whilst that in like maâ—ner the carnal People and Priests successively and in time shall fall away â—e consumed with the Moth. But we have a more sure Word of Prophesie that the pompous carnal Church and Ministry the Whore and false Prophet with all their retinue shall be dethroned and for ever cease to be And then shall piety flourish and the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the waters do the Seas Then what shame will cover you that have not hearkened to Christs voice though he loudly calls you to come with him from Lebanon to look from the top of Amana and Shenir from the Lyons Dens and Mountains of the Leopards that you have not forsaken the Tents of false Worshippers Sect. 2. Counsel and advice to Saints separated from the carnal worldly Church 2. TO you that have heard and obeyed the voice of your Beloved in separating from the present Worship and Worshippers would I also speak a few words 1. Pray hard for the making the vision pâ—ain that you may understand how long it is to the end of these wonders The wise shall understand 2. Wait watch and pray for the glorious effusion of the Spirit according to the promise of the Father Antichrist's day is now even run out not the first fruits only but the full harvest of New-Covenant glories shall shortly be upon you 3. Get on the whole Armour of God that you may be fitted and fixed to accost the Prince of darkness and his Hellish Armado in their next and last attempt against the Saints when the Dragon will be wroth and go about to make war with the remnant of the Womans Seed that keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus 4. Condemn the world and worldly Church by those shines of holyness and that heavenly conversation shall be found amongst you 5. Take heed of degenerating into the Form mind the power of Christianity and Godliness Be not contented to have a Name to Live when Dead Take heed of the Temptation of the Day a Temptation to slumbring especially considering the Cry at Midnight which is a Ministerial voice or out-cry The Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him 6. Press after a Gospel-Spirit of Love and Union one with another Study to be of one Spirit of one Mind Wherein you differ for want of the same measure of Light bear one with another as becometh Brethren of the same Father Members of the same Body pray one for another and if any one be otherwise minded God will reveal this also unto him in due time Know not one another as Men only but as Chrâ—stiâ—ns Let the bottom of your Communion each with other be not the foundâ—tion of agreement in extrafundamental Principles which the Spirit of Antichrist leads to but blessed satisfaction that you are received beloved begotten again of God and bear his Image Study to forget the names of distinction that have been too much used in dayes past Neither Presbyterian nor Independant nor Anabaptist is any thing but if real Saints we are all one in Christ Remember the Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch The departure from Scripture words and appellations hath had no small influence into that Antichristian Apostasie that hath overspread the Nations Take heed of animosities and divisions one amongst another 'T is the Devils grand Maxime Divide Impera Divide and Rule Bear with and forbear one another in love Prefer your peace and edification before private interest Methinks such Discourses with a Pen dipt in Gall as drop from this Aâ—imadv should engage us to make it our study to be of one heart and one soul if we cannot in all things be of one Judgement and Opinion But whither sail I 'T is a pleasant Sea a sweet Theam the Lord bow the hearts of his People every one of them to an imbracement of it I must not expatiate 7. Hold fast that you have that no one take your Crown Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Sect. 3. An Appendix or Felo de se being a brief but faithful Collection of several passages in his former Writings opposite to what is asserted by him in his Theodulia LAstly to Mr. T. our present Antagonist would I speak a few words by way of Counsel and advice I beseech you Sir in the bowels of Christ 1. With a sober spirit to review your Theodulia and consider whether you will be able to justifie your undertaking therein What have you been doing but sadning the hearts of the righteous and gladding the hearts of the wicked Had it not been better you had let Baal have pleaded for himself since one had thrown down his Altar It may be in your retired thoughts you now begin to think so The design it self was bad but Sir how can you review the frame of spirit the gall and bitterneâ—s the reviling and reproachful language with which your Book is stuft from the one end thereof to the other against the VVayes and People of Christ whom you in your Conscience think to be so and hold up your face with confidence before God and his People I had once thought to have gathered into one heap the several parcels of scurrilous unsavoury scandalous and false expressions you were pleased to make use of but I found the dunghill would swell so big and the smell of it might be so offensive that after I had made some progress therein I forbore 2. Read with seriousness the Reply we have made to the Treatise mentioned You see Sir we have not writ after your Copy nor rendred reviling for reviling into your bosom we have otherwise learned Christ and commit our Cause to him that judgeth righteously The Lord the Lord God his Spirit Scriptures and People be judge betwixt us 3. Read twice ere you Reply once You know Sir whose Motto it was Festina lente sat citò si sat bene Too much haste to oppose Truth
these words They make an Image to the Beast Rev. 13. 14 15. i. e. erect an Ecclesiastical state of Government in a proportionableness to and resemblance of the Civil State This Ecclesiastical state of Government I assert to be the Image of the Beast by worshipping it I mean no more than subjecting bowing down to or owning of this Ecclesiastical-State which is no such direful expression amounting only to thus much A Christian Testimony against such as own subject to are partakers with the Ecclesiastical State and Government of the Church of England That there are some that do so Mr. T. will not deny nor can he that the Government of the Church is laid in a proportionableness to and resemblance of the Civil-State which I apprehending to be an evil 't is much to me a man of Mr. T. his sobriety should be offended at my bearing a Christian Testimony against it or interpret so sober a Title to be a direfull imputation c. I think not what he pleads for in the Treatise under consideration to be Theodulia or the Worship of God but am not provoked he so styles his Book because he thinks it is so yet have I as just cause to be offended thereat as he hath by the Title of the S. T. given him to be provoked Another stone of Offence in Mr. T. his way is That there are direful Predictions in the Epistle against hearing the present Ministers of England as if likely to meet with the same Judgments in the day of Gods wrath with the Antichristian Beast and seeming commiseration of such as joyn in Communion with the publick Church-Assemblies Answ And I am sorry these things are provoking to him Can he not hear sin condemned and the warning of God against sinners given forth in Scriptural expressions from the Prophecies thereof but his spirit must rise against them He will one day know that another frame of spirit had better become him and would have conduced more to his true peace comfort and interest than that which was upon him under the reading those Scriptural Predictions for such are those mentioned in the Epistle though as Mr. T. speaks one would rather think them to be some Enthusiastical dreams than the Warnings of the Lord in the Scriptures sounded forth by an unworthy dust Commiseration he also discerns in those lines but understanding the hearts of the Children of men he can roundly pronounce of it Audacter satis that I say not blaspheme that it is but seeming commiseration at the best this is an evil surmise a fruit of the flesh to be bemoaned and mourned over I can assure Mr. T. that they are not seeming but real Commiserations and that my soul is sorely afflicted within me because of the Wrath of the Lord that is like to be poured forth for the transgression and sinful complyance with the corrupt and superstitious Worship of the Nation after God hath from Heaven witnessed against it and so many of the precious Children of God have sealed a Testimony with their dearest Blood against it of the professing People of God in England upon them and I cannot but once more cry aloud to them and to this Animadverter to hasten their escape from the Tents of these false Shepherds and Assemblies lest being complicated and twisted together with them they share of the judgement is like to be poured forth upon them God is a jealous God and will in his jealousie plead with those that teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men and worshiâ— according to their Precepts And what I said then I say again now who knows not intimating as Mr. T. falsly suggests that it would be but my own darkness as touching the extent of the long-suffering of the Lord to such as continue disobedient to his voice but this may be the last Warning you may have from God For his Throne is like the fiery flame and his Wheels as burning fire a fiery stream issues and comes forâ—h from before him Dan. 7. 9 10. He seems to be risen up against an hypoâ—ritical people and a speedy riddance will he make in the earth However these things may seem to Mr. T. to be brutum fulmen like a great thunderclap without any thunder-bolt in it as he speaks which makes my very soul pity him especially they being as I said the Prophecies of the Lord levell'd against the very persons against whom I level them My prayers to God for him shall be that they may prove words of awakening and humbling and not of destruction and further â—ddition of misery in the day of the Lord which without faith and repentance come between if for nothing but for that slight contemptuous frame of spirit upon him in the reading of them they are too like to be He adds that I judge such Complyance a damnable sin If he mean a sin that in its own nature deserves damnation I do so indeed nor can â— do otherwise not having imbraced that novel distinction of the Papists between damnable or deadly and venial sins as if the merit or wages of all sin were not death judging it as I do to be a sin But if by damnable he mean irremissible like that of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which he intimates as if I judged and suggested the sin of Complyance in some to be I must crave leave to tell him That I detest and abhor the least thought of any such thing 'T is true in the event it may be irremissible like the sin against the Holy Ghost and so may the least vain word but that I judge it is so in its own nature is an Assertion of that nature that nothing is more false and untâ—ue And I cannot but wonder with what forehead this Animadverter could impute it to me Nor can I guess at his design in so doing not the occasion administred by me I have read the Epistle over and find not the least prints or marks of such an Assertion If any words may be wrested to such an intendment I do here solemnly disclaim and â—isavow it professing from my very heart that I believe quite otherwise Our God is a God ready to pardon to multiply pardons though you have turn'd aside from him he will heal backslidings and love freely therefore poor hearts be not deterr'd from looking to him But he goes on which must needs produce these wofull effects 1. An irrâ—concileable enmity betwixt the Sepâ—â—â—tists and such as hold communion with the present Churches and their Pastors Answ But what will produce this effect will judging their sin to be irremissible This is a Calumny I know none that doth so Will the pleading for separation from that which God calls aloud to separate from I hope better And wish this Animadverter takes not a measure of others spirits by his own God forbid that any should be returning enmity for love The Lord knows out of greatned bowels of compassion I write what I write and after all
ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Not to multiply words the Apostle with Silvanus and Timotheus chap. 1. 1. acquaints them in this verse 1. of the returns they were on their behalf making to God for the Grace was bestowed on them We thank God without ceasing 2. Particularly declares the ground and reason of this their thanksgiving which was their reception of obedience to the Gospel which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of God which because they ministerially brought to them he calls also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of hearing speech or report from them This he saith they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they tryed proved considered weighed in their spirits what was offered to them by the Apostles as learned Beza tells us the word signifies whereby it is saith he distinguished from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An entertainment that the Gospel did not every-where meet with being many times cryed out against run upon and violently opposed as were the Publishers of it without so much as soberly considering whether things be so or no nor here but by a very few the Rabble in an hurly-burly furiously assaulting the house of Jason Act. 17. 5. whither 't was like the Disciples were wont to repair And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having upon tryal found it to be of worth and weight they received imbraced it as Beza Zanchy c. on the place say the word signifies and that as the Word of God with reverence giving up themselves to his conduct How this came to pass he also asserteth it was from the effectual energy of the Lord upon their hearts by his mighty Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they were not able to resist As learned Cameron in Myroth Evang. ad Phil. 2. And Praelect and holy Bains on Eph. 1. 11. say And they being thus powerfully and effectually wrought upon to the imbracing the Doctrine of the Gospel as the Word of God they become followers of the Churches of God which in Judaea were in Christ Jesus i. e. as they had before done who were in Christ before them so do they gather together into a distinct Body or particular Congregation for the celebrating the Ordinances of God together and worshipping him according to his will Therefore we worship God in hearing when we hear of which the Apostle speaks ne gry quidem as Mr. T. well knows Yet is this the only Scripture produced for the confirmation of his Assertion They were so far from worshipping God in their bare hearing that had they done no more they had not worshipped him at all no more than the rest of them of Thessalonica with the Jews who although they heard the Apostles consorted not with them but afterwards persecuted and opposed them Act. 17. 4 5. who 't is to be thought Mr. T. will not say worshipped him at all He need never fear miscarrying in any cause he thinks meet to undertake if he can but beforehand assure himself he shall meet with such partially addicted Readers as will take such proofs as these to be cogent and convincing but Parvas habet spes Troja si tales habet Strong and confident Assertions without more clear and evident proof are not likely to lead the understanding of persons soberly inquisitive after Truth into obedience of them Sect. 2. Of Instituted Worship Mat. 17. 5. explained What ever is to be practised by N. T. Saints in respect of Worship is solely to be bottom'd upon the authority of Christ Luke 10. 16. considered O. T. Precepts with respect to Hearing how obliging Luke 16. 29. explained The intendment of Christ in the Parable evinced 2 Pet. 1. 19. opened VVhom we are prohibited from hearing in the N. T. Mat. 15. 4. explained 2 Tim. 3. 5. considered and opened Of the scattered Disciples Acts 8. 1 4. touching whom Mr. T. egregiously trifles and abuseth his Reader No hearing the present Ministers as gifted Brethren VVhether hearing of Preachers be a moral and perpetual Worship common to all times MR. T. his first Section being spent in the consideration of the word Worship and some distinctions about the Worship of God the second is designed to the consideration of the word Instituted And having learnedly told us that the Instituted Worship of Christ is such as is by Christ's Institution i. e. the Instituted Worship of Christ is the Instituted Worship of Christ He further acquaints â—s what a Civil Lawyer saith of Institutions viz. That they are preceptions by which men are instructed and taught which after some exeâ—plification by particular instances he applies to the Worship of Christ under the Gospel and tells us that 't is such that is by Christ's preceptions taught directed or appointed in the time thereof which may be meant he saith of the Natural Worship which belongs to God or Christ such as Prayer to God giving Thanks to him Hearing which yet in respect of some peculiarities are to be divolved upon the Scriptures of the New Testament yet not excluding the Old or the Light of Nature so far as the Worship is perpetual and general to all people and times as being either natural or moral Answ Very good Hearing it seems then as a Gospel-duty to be performed by the Saints in the time thereof is part of Natural Worship for hereof must he speak or he speaks impertinently the question being about the duty of these Sober Testim pag. 13. which not attempting the least proof of we are bound to take no further notice thereof than to avouch the contrary If the Animadverter thinks that because some things are consonant to the dictates of right Reason the Light and Law of Nature therefore as to be performed by Saints under the Gospel they are not meerly of the institution of Christ and to be performed solely upon the account of his Authority and Command he shall not have me for his Rival Nor will any sober Christian tender of the honour and glory of his Lord and Master Christ swallow down such an Assertion without better proof About this matter a worthy and learned person hath spoken excellently in a Catechise lately published called A brief Instruction in the Worship of God where in pag. 84. Q. 18. are these words VVhereas sundry of these things viz. Prayer Preaching c. of which he had spoken before as principal Institutions of the Gospel are founded in the Light and Law of Nature as requisit unto all solemn Worship and are moreover commanded in the Moral Law and explications of it in the Old Testament how do you look upon them as Evangelical Institutions to be observed principally on the Authority of Jesus Christ Answ Neither their general suitableness unto the principles of right Reason and the dictates of the Light and Law of Nature
the Sabbath Baptism Lord's Supper c. and I do so in this dispute Answ Egregie dictum excellently said indeed as if because we affirm that whatever is to be practised in Instituted Worship in the time of the Gospel is to be wholly bottom'd as to the Law and Precept instituting it upon some Commandment of Christ in the New-Testament therefore we assert that no use may be made of the Scriptures of the Old-Testament treating thereabout by way of prophecy or otherwise which is a Consequence this learned Animadverter will never be able to make good 'T is true many learned men do make use of some places of the Old-Testament to prove the morality of one day in seven or the seventh part of time not as I remember except Psa 118. 24 which some conceive by way of prophecy speaks of the Lord 's honouring the first day for the confirmation of the observation of the first day which they conceive Christ's resurrection on that day the practice of the Primitive-Church meeting together for the solemn Worship of God 1 Cor. 16. 2. Acts 20. 7. the appellation the Lord's Day which they judge is given to it c. is a sufficient warrant for their observation thereof in Gospel-times They plead not for Baptism or the Lord's Supper upon any other bottom than Gospel-Institution or their preception by Christ in the New-Testament Though 't is true as touching the subjects of the one and the other they judg they may by way of analogy argue somewhat from Old-Testament-Scriptures from which apprehension they see nothing so weighty in what is tendred by Mr. T. notwithstanding his brag and immodest Assertion pag. 18. Sect. 14. that such a way of arguing is irrational as if wisdom rested with him and he had the measure of it and a man could not differ from him but he must be a block or bruit to influence their departure That because the granting the Assertion would be disadvantagious to the Author and the Separatists therefore it should be in Mr. T. his opinion an unreasonable postulatum to devolve the question upon the Scriptures of the New-Testament I understand not He takes not a measure I presume of the reasonableness or unreasonableness of requests from their advantagiousness or disadvantagiousness to such contemptible creatures as we and should he do so he were much to blame as to infer from hence therefore I see no reasonableness in his Postulatum which is introduced not as the natural issue of any thing premised which he knows it is not but meerly for pomp and shew Sect. 3. The judgments of the Antients no sufficient substratum to build my practice upon in the Worship of God The opinion of the Antients â—hemselves in this matter None but the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures can satisfie the consciences of any dissatisfied in matters relating to Worship Our Faith not to be resolved into the Testimony of men which is a principle decryed by the Antients and Protestant Churches The consciences of none can be satisfied in what is written by the Ancients before they are assured 1. that what they read as or are told is theirs be indeed so and not counterfeited nor adulterated 2. That in their Writings they were as the Apostles and Prophets guided by an unerring Spirit The true use of the Testimony of the Ancients Congregational-Principles owned by them Of Councils and Schoolmen THe fourth Section is fronted with this The judgement of the Ancients not useless in this Controversie as if the Author of the Sober-Testimony had asserted it to be so which Mr. T. knows he no where doth This indeed the words of the Author not perplexing our selves nor the consciences of any with the judgments of men in generations past wherein they cannot acquiesce fairly intimate 1. That the judgment of none of the children of men though never so famous in their generation since the Apostles fell asleep is a sufficient Substratum to build my faith and practice upon in the Worship of my God In which we have the concurrence of the Ancients themselves Basil tels us that it is necessary and consonant to Reason that every man learn that which is needful out of the Scriptures both for the fulness of Godliness and lest they be inured to humane traditions Regul contract 95. p. 902. And Austin Epist 112. ad Paulin. saith If a matter be grounded on the clear authority of the holy Scriptures it is to be believed without all doubt but as for other witnesses and testimonies upon whose credit any thing may be urged unto us to believe it it is lawful for thee either to credit or not to credit them according as thou shalt perceive them of weight to deserve or not to deserve credit Origin saith Homil. 1. in Hierem. We must of necessity call the Scriptures to witness for our senses and interpretations without them are of no credit Famous is the saying of Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem Catech. 4. p. 15. We must not deliver any thing though never so small without the holy Scriptures neither may we be led away with probabilities and shews of words neither yet believe me barely saying these things unto you unless you also believe the demonstration thereof from the Scriptures for the security of our faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture 2dly That not the sayings or judgment of the Ancients but the clear Testimony of the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures is sufficient and efficacious for the satisfying persons that are dissatisfied in any thing relating to Faith or Worship Come to a poor soul under real scruples of spirit with respect to these and tell him this Father is of this opinion and that Father of that you do but oleum operam perdere when you have said all he remains as he was dissatisfied and so will do without evidence from Scripture More than these two things the Animadverter cannot righteously infer from the expression he discants on What saith he to these not a word more or less And I am apt to believe of Mr. T. that he is a man of greater modesty than to oppose them He tells us indeed that it may be of good use to satisfie mens consciences that no such separation as now is from the present Ministers of the Church of England was allowed of by the first Fathers and Writers what truth there is in this suggestion shall by and by be manifested He will not say surely of what good use he supposeth it to be that the faith of any is to be resolved into their testimony which it must be if what they say satisfie the scrupling conscience i. e. I must believe what they say is true because they say it else that they say it will never tend to my satisfaction which yet is an homage and duty that we owe to none but the Lord. A principle decryed and abhorred by the Ancients themselves The saying of Austin Epist 48. is known
make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the Mount i. e. To the type and example set before him to imitate to which he was not to add the least pin of his own 1 Chr. 28. 11. The pattern of the Porch i. e. of the Temple saith Vatablus which David received either by revelation or by the hand of the Prophet 1 Chr. 28. 12 19. Exod. 8. 27. 39. 1 5 7 21 26 31 43. other places instanced in the S. T. preach forth the same thing These were types of the heavenly Ordinances in the Church of Christ Heb. 8. 5. And type out that nothing of man is to be superadded thereto but all things to be done according to Divine Commandment To the same thing doth the Spirit of the Lord bear witness Exod. 40. 23 25 29. Num. 8. 3. Exod. 35. 10 29. 36. 1 5. Isa 29. 13. To which may be further added Deut. 4. 1 2 40. Now therefore hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I teach you for to do them Ye shall not add to the Word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that you may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God Thou shalt keep therefore his Statutes and Commandments which I command thee this day All which prove not only the obligation that lay upon them to conform to what was of the Institution of the Lord but the utter unlawfulness to add thereto or introduce any thing of their own in his service The ground of the acceptance of any Worship or Service offered to him being his Command and Institution and that with such evidence and brightness that it seems Mr. T. durst not look them in the face lest they shouâ—d have so reproved him as to have hindred his further advance in that good work and cause he was resolved having undertaken its defence to prosecute He only takes notice of two of these many places instanced in viz. Lev. 8. throughout which he grants speak of the investure of the Priests into their Office according to the Rites set down but whether any other might to these have been added to the sons of men he tells us not which yet he should have proved if he would have demolished and thrown down what it was his good pleasure to set himself against And he doth wisely not to approach too near this Scripture which stands with a two-edged Sword in its hand to defend the Truth opposed by this Animadverter No less than ten times viz. v. 4 5 9 13 17 21 29 34 35 36. The Commandment of the Lord is laid as the foundation of the whole of that procedure clearly importing that matters of this nature viz. things relating to his Worship are solely to be bottom'd on Divine Precepts and condemning and interdicting whatever of the like nature is offered to him on any other bottom Which Aaron's sons afterwards attempting to do Lev. 10. 1. perish in the flames of God's jealousie and wrath R. Menachem on Lev. 8. 36. hath these words In every other place it is said as the Lord commanded Moses but here because they added unto the Commandment he saith not so for they did not as the Lord had commanded and added moreover unto them strange Fire which he had not commanded them Lev. 10. 1. And Josephus b. 3. c. 9. saith thâ—s Nadab and Abihu bringing Sacrifices unto the Altar not such as were appointed by Moses but of that sort they were accustomed to offer aforetimes were burned by the violent flame that issued from the Altar that at length they died The other place he takes notice of is Isa 29. 13. which he refers to be discussed to the first chapter All the other places as was said are passed over in silence which manner of dealing is a great abuse both to the Truth and Reader To the Truth by waving the consideration of what is offered as the substratum upon which it is built To the Reader by pretending to answer to what is asserted by his Antagonist for the confirmation of Truth without advancing one step forward towards its confutation But perhaps he means not that where God hath given direction about any part of Worship it 's lawful to add any thing thereunto but onely wherein God hath not spoken and determined as touching the management of his Worship there the will of some of the children of men takes place and they may determine But if so 1. This is a most pitiful Petitio principii or begging the thing in question viz. That God hath not determined the whole of his Worship and Service but hath left somewhat to the wills of men relating to Worship as such to be determined by them which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the thing in question and will never be granted him upon those terms 2dly Contrary to that fundamental principle placed in the nature of man and implyed and fairly intimated in each Scripture before instanced in that nothing in his Worship and Service is acceptable to him but what is of his own prescription 3dly Diametrically opposite to Deut. 4. 1 2. these additions let them be of what nature or in what case they will are additions to the Word of Jehovah Isa 29. 13. with Mark 7. 7. being evidently doctrines and institutions of men which the Spirit there tells us must have no place in the Worship of God That the Jews had their Service more fully particularized in all things pertaining to it than we have if he mean things relating to Service or Worship as such is spoken after the rate that a great many other things in this Treatise are viz. with confidence enough but without proof There being nothing relating to Gospel-Worship as such but is determined by Christ and appointed in the Scripture When he sends forth his Apostles Mat. 28. they were to teach what he had commanded them nothing more or less And he being Lord and Master of his House whose House are we Heb. 3. 6. who dares be so bold as to intermeddle with the affairs thereof without his appointment or can do so without an incroachment upon his Soveraignty He was faithful as Moses who received and revealed the Ordinances of the then House of God that he left nothing relating to the Worship thereof as such to the wills of men But of this more hereafter Sect. 8. Of the apostasie of the Jews from Divine Institutions The aim of the Author in remarking it It s application to the Church of England Whose Investions are expresly forbidden Of things in themselves out of the casâ— of Worship indifferent 'T is not in the power of the Church to make that which is left indifferent by the Lord a necessary Worship The judgement of the Protestant Writers Of the decency and order is in the Ceremonies of the Church of England Of their being imposed by Publick Authority How they draw from God
such thing 1 Cor. 12. 28. speaks not a tittle to it For 1. The Church vers 28. is the Body of Christ vers 27. This Paul tells them the Church of Corinth they were and every Saint in the Church a Member in particular 2. 'T is such a Church amongst whom a Schism might be vers 25. as in the Church of Corinth there actually was which was the occasion of Pauls writing to them That there should be no schism in the Body But Schism is entirely in one Church amongst the members of one particular Society saith that learned man J. O. in his Treatise of Schism Besides 3. It will be hard to prove that in the Church catholick-visible as such Officers are set and placed as 't is vers 28 29. These were in the Church of Corinth which was founded by Paul Acts 18. 8 9 10. Probably Peter had been there for he intimâ—tes That at least some of them had gloried overmuch in him 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. Cephas i. e. Peter Prâ—â—hets Teachers Miracles Gifts of heaâ—ing Helps Governments diversities of Tongues were found amongst them as is known Some of these there is no question but they relate to a particular Church That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Teachers here are the same who are elsewhere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters Elders and Overseers Mr. T. will not I presume deny Arguments lie near at hand for the demonstration thereof were it needful These are placed of God in particular Churches relate to them as such Acts 14. 23. 15. 2 4 6 22 23 16. 4. 20. 17. 21. 18. Tit. 1. 5. Jam. 5. 14. Act. 20. 28. Nor am I singular in the application of this Scripture to the particular Church of Corinth Pareus hath these words upon the place Et quia c. And because he had said that the Church of the Corinthians was the Body of Christ c. manifesting his consent and harmony with us herein that Paul is not treating of the Church-Catholick-visible but of a particular Church of Christ viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church of God that was in Corinth Nor can this Scripture be meant of the invisible Church of Christ for in it God hath placed no Officers that I know of nor will the Animadverter say he hath 2dly If by the Universal Church-visible he mean the Elect of God redeemed sanctified justified by the spirit of the Lord and the blood of Jesus These are indeed called by the name of the Church in Heb. 12. 23. Eph. 1. 22. To which we may add Mat. 16. 28. Eph. 5. 25 26. That the word Church 1 Cor. 15. 9. is taken for the visible Church indefinitely I cannot subscribe to Possible by the Church of God he means First The Churches of God by an usual Figure there being in those dayes few or no Believers but were added to one Church or other as might easily be demonstrated Acts 2. 41 42. and Acts 4. 32. The multitude of Believers is a Paraphrastical description of the Church Acts 5. 11. The great care of the Apostles was to reduce them that embraced and believed the Gospel into a Church-state or that Order of the Gospel which however oppugned by Mr. T. will be found to be of the Institution of Christ As is evident from the Churches in Jerusalem Acts 7. Samaria chap. 8. Antioch Chap. 14 15. In Syria Cilicia Acts 15. 41. Phrygia Galatia Acts 16. 5 6. Macedonia Chap. 16. Thessalonica Chap. 17. Achaia Chap. 18. Ephesus Chap. 19. Asia Rev. 1. and 2. and 3. Rome Rom. 1. c. planted by them notwithstanding the utmost attempts of the power of darkness or great Red Dragon in the Roman Pagan Empire and of the Children of the Kingdom or the chief Priests Scribes Pharisees Rulers multitudes of People especially of the baser sort fit for any desperate design contradicting blaspheming opposing them herein When once we read of the Gospel preached and mingled with Faith in them that hear it the next news we frequently hear is that these Believers embody together for the worshiping God in the same numerical Ordinances the enjoyment of those priviledges and mutual performance of those duties which in a scattered individual state and capacity they were not capable of Though Secondly By way of eminency he might in that expression and no doubt he did so I persecuted the Church of God have his eye upon that famous Church of Jerusalem in the persecution and dispersion whereof he had it seems no mean hand Acts 7. 58. and 8. 3 4. As for Saul he made havock of Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he laid waste the Church entering into every house halling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force and violence dragging them along the ground both men and women he committed them to Prison And the very truth is this is the most considerable instance if not the only one of Sauls Persecuting the Church of God 'T is true Acts 9. 1. 't is said And Saul breathing out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord but that only imports the wrath and fury that was in his spirit against them and resolution to persecute imprison waste and destroy them the usual issue of blind zeal for the Tradition of their Fathers in other places as he had already done at Jerusalem For which end he procures Letters to Damascus to bring men and women disciples bound to Jerusalem that he should find of this Heresie there But Oh the wonder of Love Before he arrive thither Christ way-layes him speakes from Heaven to him converts him and sets him upon preaching up that very way and truth he was thus violently persecuting and setting himself against So that not the visible Church indifinitely taken but some particular Churches of Jesus Christ and in especial and by way of eminency that famous Church at Jerusalem is intended 1 Cor. 15. 9. That which Mr. T. mentions in the 5 th place That the word Church is taken for the Church Topical i. e. A particular Church of Christ or a company of Believers dwelling in this or that place giving no themselves to the Lord and one another according to his will walking to gether in the fellowship of the Gospel and meeting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same place for the worshiping God in the same numerical Ordinances according to the prescription will and institution of Christ Acts 8. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 1. Ephes 1. 1. and many other places Of which Chap. 4. of S. T. we assent to as true But that we should ever subscribe 6thly To that dictate of the Animadverter That Church in Scripture is taken for a Church of a Country or Nation and then it is put in the Plural Number as the Churches of Asia Galatia Judaea being so dissonant to truth and contrary to the express language of the Spirit of the Lord he could never imagine For the Churches of Asia Christ tells us expresly they were Seven
instituted Officers of his own none are to be heard as speaking in his Name by virtue of an office-power but those that are so instituted by him for if we may hear any one what need of such an institution That hearing them is contrary to Scripture-Rule we demonstrate in the subsequent Chapters in S. T. What Mr. T. further offers in this matter is nothing to the purpose God commanded the Levites to read the Law Deut. 31. 9. Yet Shaphan reads it before Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 18. which was an accidental part of Worship warranted by permission Answ 1. The reading of the Law by Shaphan was not an accidental part of Worship warranted by permission which Mr. T. doth ill so impose upon us it was commanded Deut. 6. 6 7 8 9. and 11. 18. 2dly Had Shaphan acted therein as a Church-officer as is the case of the present Ministers it had been his sin and utterly unlawful for any one to have attended on him in so doing Luke 10. 16. hath been considered in our Answer to Mr. T. his Exceptions against the Preface of the S. T. Sect. 2. where we have manifested That the Spirit of the Lord in it lifts up himself against what Mr. T. endeavours to support by it Nor doth John 8. 47. communicate the least mite of assistance to his assertion 'T is expresly and particularly spoken with relation to Christ The Jews brag'd that they were Abrahams Children vers 39. Christ labours to drive them out of that hold Vers 39 40 by manifesting to them that they did not the works of Abraham They tell him that God was their Father Vers 41. He labours to convince them of the contrary and amongst other things asserts that general Aphorism Vers 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is of God i. e. He that is born of God as 't is John 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heareth Gods Words i. e. subjects conforms to obeys them q. d. If ye were of God as ye say ye would believe obey the Word of God that I the Son of God the great Prophet of the Church preach to you Ergo It s lawful to hear Gods Word who ever brings it i. e. attend upon any Ministry though of evil Spirits unclean Frogs that come out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet Rev. 16. 13. quod erat demonstrandum The Apostle seems to be of another mind 1 John 4. 5 6. The next attempt of the Animadverter Sect. 3. is to dissipate what we offer for the confirmation of the Major Proposition viâ— That 't is not lawful to practise any thing being part of instituted Worship for which we have no warrant in the Scripture This I say is evident 1. From the nature of instituted Worship which consists in this that it be of divine Revelation This is true saith he of essential not of accidental parts of instituted Worship Answ 1. But we deny that there are any accidental parts of instituted Worship for if instituted i. e. commanded by Christ it cannot be accidental i. e. left to our liberty as what may or â—ay not be done without sin If accidental it may be a part of somewhat else but of the instituted Worship of Christ it cannot be And this was in effect told Mr. T. in S. T. but he is wise and resolves to take no notice of what he sees he is not able to make some kind of reply or other to His discourse of Jehoâ—akims hearing Jehudi read the Roll is not at all pertinent what may be thought to be of weight in it is already answered in the case of Shaphans reading the Law but now replied to 2dly From the Verdict of Christ who pronounceth all the Worship of man to be vain and fruitless and so unlawful that is bottomed on any thing but divine Revelation Mar. 7. 7. To which he answers This is true of those Actions in which the Worship of God is placed Answ Very good in hearing the present Ministers Mr. T. supposeth the Worship of God to be placed Let him produce an Institution for his so doing or his Worship by his own confession is vain sinful unlawful So that to what follows we need not say any thing The hearing the Law of God read was a part of Worship but whether in the Synagogue or in their own Houses was not so it related not to Worship as such at all being nothing but what was common to other actions to be performed by them in a Community Circumstances of Worship as such undetermined by the Lord to be appointed by men we deny and chalenge Mr. T. to make good These circumstances are such as without which the Worship of God is perfect or t is not if the first we need them not they are vain fruitless having without them a perfect Worship If the second the Worship God hath commanded as it comes out of his hands without humane additaments is imperfect but this is little less than blasphemy We assert 3dly If it be lawful to conform to any one part of instituted Worship without warrant from the Scripture 'T is also lawful to conform to another a third the whole This is granted saith Mr. T. and therein hath he yeelded the matter in controversie 'T is no more lawful to conform to any one part of instituted Worship without warrant from the Scripture than 't is to conform to the whole as our Animadverter grants but no man in his witts will say 't is lawful to conform to the whole of Instituted Worship without Warrant from Scripture Therefore But I add in S. T. That the asserting it lawful to conform to the whole of Instituted Worship without warrant from Scripture is the ready way to banish Instituted Worship out of the World This Mr. T. denies for this reason The Pharisees observed many Traditions from the Elders Mar. 7. 3 4. but this did not banish the Instituted Worship of the Passover out of the world Answ Egregie dictum and as became such a Doctor For 1st The many Traditions they practised from the Elders were but a part of their Religious Observances not the whole 2dly Had they practised nothing as a part of their instituted Worship but what they had received by Tradition from them they must most assuredly have banished the truly Instituted Worship of the Lord out of the world which except revealed by him is not his instituted Worship nor can it properly be so called We affirm 4thly That to assert it is lawful to conform â—o any part of instituted Worship without warrant from the Scripture reflects sadly upon the wisdom and faithfulness of Christ for either he was not wise enough to foresee that such a part of Worship was or would be requisite or had not faithfulness enough to reveal it though the Scripture compares him to Moses for faithfulness who revealed the whole will of God to the making of a pin in the Tabernacle Mr. T. replies It was neither for want
with respect to the way of entry into it is Antichristian a Ministry of Christ is to me such a riddle as needs an Oedipus to unravel I am sure the distinction is unscriptural We reade therein but of two Churches 1. The Woman cloathed with the Sun afterwards in the Wilderness the Bride the Lambs Wife with her Ministry Ordinances Worship though in a mean persecuted state called the Ministers of Christ Men of God Stewards of the Mystery of God Angels Pastors c. 2. The false Antichristian Church called Babylon the Whore the Mother of Harlots the Woman in pompous array outward splendour and glory drunk with the blood of the Saints Rev. 17. 2 3 4. her Worship called the Wine of her Fornication Abominations of the Earth her Ministry called False-Prophets Locusts as some think Rev. 9. 3. unclean spirits like Frogs Rev. 16. 13. And to one of these every called Christian Minister in the world must appertain if to the first they are of Christ if to the second of Antichrist 3dly That a Ministry of Priests ordained by Antichrist himself is not a Ministry of his Apostasie but a Ministry of Christ had need be attended with more evidence than a bare assertion it being so evidently false and untrue How there should be any Antichristian Ministry in the world if that were true I know not 4ly The Ministry of Luther was the Ministry of Christ but he received not his Ministry from Rome but his Friardom Mr. T. adds of his own If by being from Christ or Antichrist be understood of outward calling Ministers may be neither from Christ nor Antichrist and yet true Ministers he should have said of Christ as those that preached Christ even of envy Phil. 1. 15 18. Answ 1. That a man should be a Minister of Christ and not from Christ or externally called according to his appointment i. e. a Minister of Christ and not a Minister of Christ is somewhat a strange Assertion 2dly How doth he prove that those mentioned Phil. 1. preached Christ by vertue of an Office-power as Ministers and not as gifted Brethren 3dly If Ministers how proves he that they were not from Christ in respect of outward calling This he should have proved if he would have made good his Assertion his failure wherein exposes it to the contempt of the judicious Reader But our Animadverter delights in dictates without proof His next advance is to the consideration of the evidence we bring to prove the present Ministers not to be from Christ 1. Their names are foraign to the Scripture where read we of Priests as distinguished from Christians in the new Testament Deans Canons Petty-Canons these are only found in the Popes Pontifical whence they are derived To this he answers 1. That the term Priests is the same with Presbyters and that is sure found in Scripture Acts. 11. 30. Answ 1. Thus indeed Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. and before him Whitgift Answer to the Admonit say but in vain For 1. The words are never used to signifie the same thing but divers 2. The first Assumers of the title under the times of the Gospel never intended to signifie any such thing thereby They assumed it not meerly to distingush themselves from the people but as a note of distance amongst themselves 2dly The other names saith M. T. note not any Ministry different from the Ministry of Christ Answ 1. I stand astonished to hear Mr. T. say so if they do not those who bear those names are the Ministry of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is this the draught of that hand which was solemnly lift up to Heaven when he swore to extirpate them as none of Christ's Ministry 2dly Where read we of any such Officers of Christ in the Scripture who are not so called as Lecturers with respect to the manner of their doing the work of the Ministry but with respect to some place in the Church higher or lower then the residue of the Clergy 3dly The Author of the S. T. argues not the names are forraign to Scripture therefore the things as this Animadverter falsly pretends he asserts as fast as he can that both name and thing is so 4thly 'T is a shrewd sign that those Ministers came out of the Mint of Antichrist who bear the names wherewith he stamps his Ministers We add 2dly As their names are forraign to the Scripture so are their Offices Deacons attending tables we read of But Deacons praying preaching administring Sacraments by vertue of an Office-power an order of the first step to the Priesthood we find not Priests in the old Testament we read of in the New Saints are so called but an Office of Priesthood in men for the Ministry of the Gospel that are to be bounded by men in that their Office must preach what they would have them and cease when they would have them as in the case of the present Ministry of England the Scripture is a stranger to To which Mr. T. adjoyns 1. If they be appointed to pray preach and administer Sacraments they have this to say that Pâ—â—â—ip did so Acts. 8. Answ 1. The Church at Jerusalem to which he was related as a Deacon was first scatter'd 2. It appears not that he preached by vertue of an Office-power as a Deacon or in any other capacity then as a gifted Brother 3. 'T is most certain it was no part of his work as Deacon Acts. 6. 2. the attending on the Ministry of the Word is peculiarly distinguished from the attending Tables 4. His baptizing seems to be by the extraordinary and immediate call and impulse of the Spirit none of which can be asserted of these Deacons He adds 2dly The Deacons Office may be well conceived the first step to the Priesthood in that Paul requires of the Deacons that they hold the Ministry of Faith in a pure Conscience and tells us that they who have used the Office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree 1 Tim. 3. 9 13. Answ 'T is true Paul saith so but that thence this Animadverter should be able to inferre therefore the Deacons Office may be well accounted the first step to the Priesthood must be imputed to that acuteness of his whereby he is enabled to deduce quidlibet ex quolibet what conclusion he hath a mind from any premisses There being not a tittle more or less spoken by Paul of any such thing nor thought of in those dayes As for the name Priest he saith if the Saints as Saints may be termed Priests then may the Elders Answ 'T is true the Elders as Saints may be so called but not as Elders or in respect of their Office of drawing nigh to God nor doth the expression used by Paul Rom. 15. 16. prove any such thing Mr. T. proceeds As for that which is added that the present Ministry of England is bounded by men in their Office so as that they must preach what they would have them and cease when they
into the Jewish Synagogues c. we shall speak in its proper place Though we have no command to separate from the true Worship of God and the professors of the true Faith walking suitable thereunto yet we have express precepts to have no communion in Worship that is of the devising of man the Pope Antichrist with persons as members of the same Body and that have the very Lineaments of Satan the portraiture of Hell upon them with whom Christ doth not will not walk The Scriptures but now instanced in evince as much Rev. 18. 4. commands separation from a false Church false either in constitution or by apostacy The Church of England Rome is so as we have proved and the false Worship thereof of this we have already spoken Let the Reader seriously consider the Scriptures he will find it to be so In a word the Babylon mentioned our Animadverter will grant is the Roman Church Chap. 17. 1 2 3. The scarlet coloured Beast is th Civil Power not once represented under the notion of Beasts Dan. 7. 3 17. by which she hath ever been supported from the beginning The seven Heads are the seven sorts of Governments viz. Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Caesars Christian Emperors and the seven Mountains upon which Rome was built Rev. 17. 9 10. The ten Horns are the ten Kingdoms which her abominations and filthiness of her fornications did overflow of which England was one as is known and generally granted vers 12 13. The coming out of her is a separation from the whole of her Abominations Ministry Rites Inventions which if we do not we come not out of her she hath in the ten Kingdoms by the power of the Civil Magistrate that supported her erected and by external force and violence compelled persons to bow down to with respect hereunto she is represented as drunk with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus This is all we plead for from this Scripture We would not have the Institutions Inventions of this old Bawd and bloody Strumpet imposed upon us and subjected to as if from Christ Let the Animadverter or any one for him prove the Hierarchy of Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Chapters c. their Parish-Churches as such Organs Singing-Service bowing before Altars Candles there placed Copes holy Vestments Service-Book to be of the Institution of Christ and we are ready to stoop to them and own those that practise them but if they have no other foundation but what â—he Mother of Harlots compelled the Civil Powers to give them when she rid them at her pleasure and made them serve her Lusts to the muâ—thering of millions of the Servants of Christ in the Nations as most certain it is they have not as it would be the honour of the chief Rulers of the Nations to eradicate them they remaining as a badge of their old slavery to the worst of Strumpets So it s eminently the duty of the Children of God by virtue of express precept from this Scripture in the mean while whatever they may suffer to separate from them The Church of England i. e. the best and most enlightned amongst the chief of the Nation thought it their duty in dayes past to separate from the Doctrine of the Papacy and some of her Trinkets to cast over-board we plead but for separation from her Discipline and Ministry and the rejection of the rest of her fopperies that as we profess our selves Christians we may have not the Canons of Rome but the Laws of our dear Lord for our Rule and sole guide in this matter which one would think above many Mr. T. might permit one peaceably to do 1 Cor. 5. 12 13. Phil. 1. 5. Act. 2. 41. and 17. 4. were brought to prove it the duty of Saints as such to walk together distinct and apart from the world not to distinguish of the duties of Pastors and People nor to prove any written Church-Covenant which we were not treating of So that in what follows in this Sect. we are not at all concerned We have thrown no dirt upon the face of the Church of England as he is pleased to talk we only tell her what diâ—t and filth is there that evety body sees but her Admirers Nor are we solicitous touching his throwing dirt in the face of the separated Churches from the Writings of any railing false accusers God will plead their Cause and bring forth their Righteousness in the fit season The third Institution of Christ mentioned in S. T. is this That he hath intrusted his particular Churches with power for the carrying on the Worship of his House to choose Officers admit Members excommunicate Offenders Acts 1. 23. and 6. 3 5. and 14. 23. 2 Cor. 8. 19. Mat. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. The Ministers of the Church of England own not conform not to this Institution of Christ we manifest in the said Treatise Mr. T. his Reply hereunto is 1. The Election Acts 1. 23. was of an Apostle and that by Lot and contains no Institution of Christ we are bound to follow Answ 1. This last is Mr. T. his dictate which 't is fit should be rejected till he proves it especially considering that the Churches for some hundreds of years afterwards chose their own Officers 2. Though it was the Election of the Apostle yet he was I hope an Officer of Christ and that to the Churches 3. His being chosen by Lots doth not evince that he was not chosen by the Church they gave forth the Lots seems to be expressive of the way they took to manifest the person whom they chose What he hath said of Acts 6. 3 5. and 14. 23. is already answered The Election 2 Cor. 8. 19. being of a person imployed in service by them manifests that none are to do services for the Church but by their appointment Of Mat. 18. 17. we have at large spoken already and vindicated it from Mr. T. his Exceptions That 1 Cor. 5. 5. is more than Excommunication practised by the Churches of the Saints he cannot prove his turning Mat. 18. 17. also to another sence is an argument of his denial of any such Institution of Christ to be practised by the Churches in the World 1st That 'T is a Church-Act is evident from the words vers 4 5. The Church is to be gathered together for this end to deliver the Incestuous person over to Satan But no Church saith Mr. T. had power over unclean Spirits to command them to cruciat the Bodies of persons Therefore say we that cannot be here intended 2dly The Church comes together to do that which Paul condemns them that they had not done before stirrs them up to set about vers 2. Now it had been absurd to have condemned them for not doing that which they had no power or Authority to do 3dly That which he calls here a delivering to Satan he calls a purging out from among them the old leaven vers 7. 4thly To the working of
words therein contained because he saith When ye pray say Our Father 2dly That which is in Mat. 6. is a full Interpretation of Luke's expression and Christ's intendment viz. vers 9. After this manner pray ye c. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this purpose 3dly We no where find the Disciples either themselves using the form of words here mentioned nor in all their directions given to the Churches touching this important duty is there the least recommendation of the use of these words to them nor are they prescribed as a matter of duty upon any of them 4thly There are not the same words nor the same number of words in Mat. 6. 9. as in Luke 11. 2. So that if Christ enjoyns us to the use of the words he enjoyns us to sin for if I use the words recited by Matthew I sin against the injunction in Luke and so contraâ—ily 5thly Paul expresly saith We know not what to pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. which were scarce consistant with truth if Christ had tied us to the use of those words in Prayer 2. Impertinent â—estructive of the cause he hath undertaken the defence of upon supposition that Christ hath prescribed a Form of Prayer to be used it follows not that others may so prescribe and ordain but rather the contrary The prescription of another form by them casts on his the reproach of imperfection and insufficiency Our Saviour hath prescribed us a form of Prayer to be used as a form by the repetition of the same words therefore we may use it yea we must is an invincible Argument on supposition of the truth of the Proposition But our Saviour hath prescribed us such a form Therefore we may use another which he hath not prescribed hath saith a learned man neither shew nor colour of Reason in it But Mr. T. will prove That a form of Prayer prescribed and imposed is not contrary to Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 15. For 1st 'T is not said the Spirit helps our infirmities by suggesting the form of words but by making known what things we shall ask and by exciting in us groans and sighs that are unutterable Answ 1. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit helpeth as the Nurse the Child or as a strong man him that is fainting under his burden our sicknesses weaknesses infirmities Whatever the inabilities and infirmities of the Saints are he helps them in and under them which Mr. T. doth ill to apply solely to our inward weaknesses when the Lord doth not do so 2. Hath he never known an unapâ—ness of expression to be upon him in this and other duties in which he hath been holpen by the Spirit of the Lord 3. Is not such an unaptness one of our weaknesses to prevent which iâ— is pleaded forms of Prayer are prescribed which is directly to justle out the Spirit and put these forms in his place this the Spirit shall help saith the Apostle 4. Have not many of the Saints under the sense of their inabilitie suitably to express themselves lived in a dependance upon this promise and found the Spirit helping their infirmities indeed 5. Is it not as much our duty to wait for the Spirit to give us a Mouth and Wisdom to speak to God a door of utterance when before him as when we are speaking to men 6. The Assembly in their Annotations interpret it of the assistance of the Spirit in respect of words as otherwise But Mr. T. will prove the contrary because 1. It 's said the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groans unutterable Answ 1. Groans unutterable are either 1. such as my words and expressions cannot fully reach or 2. such whose vertue and excellency doth not consist in the number and flourish of words as the prayers of Hypocrites Mat. 6. 7. but in most lively feelings and pangs of the Spirit but that therefore we must not use words in prayer or that in so doing we may not expect the help and assistance of the Spirit is yet to be proved He adds 2dly That 1 Cor. 14. 15. is such a praying in the Spirit as may be 1. without the understanding of him that prayes or 2. others even such as he that occupieth the room of the unlearned cannot say Amen Answ 1. The first is not said Mr. T. doth ill to impose his own crude conceptions upon the Spirit of the Lord 'T is said indeed That his understanding is unfruitful viz. to others what he conceives they are not better'd by because brought forth in an unknown tongue 2. The words they speak in an unknown Tongue were from the assistance of the Spirit therefore call'd a praying in or by the Spirit so that this is so far from abetting what he produceth it for viz. that the Spirit doth not suggest words that it proves the contrary 3. A manifest evidence also that a form of prayer imposed is contrary to this gift of praying in the Spirit for had they been tied to the former the exercise hereof had been altogether shut out which being a Spiritual gift was to be coveted by the Saints chap. 14. 1. As for what he adds 1. That the assistance of the Spirit Rom. 8. is meant of secret private prayers not of publick is frivolous 'T is not to be imagined that God should promise his help in the managerie of private duties and not afford it in such as are more publick in the honourable performance whereof his glory is more eminently concerned 'T is 2. fond to imagine that it should be meant of raptures and extasies in Prayer 'T is a promise made to the Saints in general which they reap the daily fruit of to their own Souls and cannot be perswaded upon such easie tearms to let go their interest therein These Texts stand diametrically opposite to a form of Prayer which renders the assistance of the Spirit both as to matter and words useless both which are ready prepared therein We say in S. T. That the present Ministers own 8thly That wicked and ungodly persons and their Seed are lawful Members of â—he Church and if they consent not willingly to be so they may be compelled thereunto contrary to Psalm 110. 3. Acts 2. 40 41 47. 19. 9. 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. 9. 13. Which is so notoriously known to be according to the Canons of their Church and consonant to their daily practice that I wonder Mr. T. should enquire after the Law or Constitution of this instance and much more that he should say He knows not where to find it as he doth Sect. 8. He hath sure read Can. 112. 22 57. where he will find an abundant demonstration of the truth of what we have asserted He adds None of the Scriptures produced prove that persons may not be compel'd by pecuniary mulcts to come to Common-Prayer or the Communion Answ 1. And why pleads he onely for the lawfulness of Pecuniary Mulcts Doâ—h the Canon-Law extend no
Spirits and Principles Answ 1. That the word Earth is to be taken Metaphorically and points out the men of the earth or men of an earthy spirit or principle he will not deny 2. Precious Brightman expounds the expression much after the same rate His words are on Rev. 13. 11. He ascends out of the Earth as being both made more ample and great by the authority of earthly men and those of the Laity as they call them whom the earth doth chiefly signifie 3. The best Interpretation of Prophetical Expressions is from their actual fulfilling now take this second Beast for the Pope and his Clerly or his Hierarchy of England 't is notoriously known that men of such Spirits and Principles have elevated them to the state and dignity to which they are ascended Which is a full answer to his second Query The 12th Character minded is That they exercise the power of the first Beast or make use of the Civil Power for their supportment vers 13. M. T. replies To exercise the power of the Beast is not to make use of the Civil Power for its support but to act with the same Power the first Beast used in making war with the Saints Answ 1. The Power the first Beast used is the Civil Power it was the same Power the Dragon or Devil made use of in the Romane Pagan Emperors Rev. 13. 2. which was such This Mr. T. grants the second Beast acted with i. e. made use in persecuting the Saints which was done in order as he thought for his support so that Mr. T. acknowledgeth what he sets himself to oppose 2dly The mind of the Spirit in Prophetical expressions is best understood when the Prophesies are accomplished or in accomplishing Grant this second Beast is the Pope and his Hierarchy as our Animadverter is apt to think Have not they exercised the Power of the first Beast or made use of the Civil Power for their supportment in persecuting the Saints they have made use of no other They deliver the Saints over to the Secular Power to be burnt by it they â—ever did it themselves This from the beginning hath been the support of their Grandure and Empire as is known The same may be said of the Popish English-Hierarchy He adds 2dly But this is no evil to make use of the Civil Power for their support Answ 1. To have no other Basis or Foundation of their Hierarchy and Government but that is an argument 't is not of the Institution of Christ 2. To make use of the Civil Power in order to their own support and security in the Banishing Imprisoning the People of God is an Argument of persons being acted and influenced by an Antichristian beastly-spirit that they are members of that Beast or false Prophet whose proper Character it is so to do The 13th Character remarked is That they make an Image to the Beast vers 14 15. i. e. erect an Ecclesiastical State of Government in â— proportionableness unto and resemblance of the Civil State Mr. T. adjoyns If the Ecclesiastical State as it resembles the Civil be the Image of the Beast and to erect it be the Character of a false Prophet and this be so evil Then it is much more evil to erect the Civil State The Ecclesiastical State is rather the better and more desirable for this Answ Neither the one nor the other follows hereupon Not the first because the evil of the resemblance and proportionableness of the Ecclesiastical State to the Civil lies not in this That it is the resemblance of a Civil State that is evil but that Christ hath no where said it should resemble or bear a proportionableness unto the Civil State but the contrary No Civil State that ever was in the world though never so just and righteous was instituted as a Prototype and exemplar according to which the Churches of Christ were to be conformed To make any Civil State such is evil be the State never so righteous Not the second because the conformity and proportionableness of the Ecclesiastical Church-State to the Plat-form of Christ or the Rules given forth by him is that wherein its beauty and excellency lies It s being laid in a subserviency to the interest of Men or States renders it not so We add 14 That they compel all under the penalty of Death to worship or bow down to the Image of the Beast or Ecclesiastical Government in its Courts Canons Laws and Ceremonies devised by it vers 15. To this Mr. T. When did they thus compel them Answ 1. I am sorry Mr. T. his memory so much fails him as that he asks such a question He cannot sure forget what was done in Queen Elizabeths dayes to Barrow Greenwood c. and who were the cause of pouring forth of that blood 2. He knows that all are civily slain with respect to any Ecclesiastical promotion as they speak who cannot subject hereunto and who promoted that business 3. He cannot forget Mr. Prin Mr. Burton Dr. Bastwick and what they suffered in the Pallace-Yard and else-where for standing out against the Pope of Canterbury and opposing the Church-Ceremonies and how short it came of Death if upon some accounts it were not in it self more grievous Besides 4. Those poor men that by Writs of Excommunication have been cast into stinking Goals and there kept many years to the utter undoing of themselves and families as to the world some of them choaked to death there because they dare not stoop to their Hierarchical jurisdiction and sopperies All which with much more that might be mentioned are an abundant answer to his question The 15th Character instanced in is That they compel all to receive a mark either in their right-hand or fore-heads i. e. secretly or openly one way or other to acknowledge subjection unto this Beast without which they may neither buy nor fell being cut off from the Church by their Excommunications for their stubbornness vers 16 17. Mr. T. replies Do all great as well as small receive such a mark Answ 1. No thâ—ugh the gâ—ace of the Lord there are a Remnant that have not bowed their knees to this Baal But no thanks to the Hierarchy who as I said compel all i. e. some of all sorts as the particle frequently signifies and so our Annotators Brightman Mede expound the place 2. Those that do not when they are called thereunto are cut off from the Church by their Excommunications and no man by their Canon-Law is permitted to eat or drink buy or sell with them Iâ— which they speak like the Dragon indeed For the Bloody Dioclesian set forth the like Edict against the Christians That no man should sell or secretly give any thing to them except first they would burn Incense to the Godds Of whom venerable Beda thus singeth in the Hymn of Julian the Martyr Non illis emendi quidquam aut vendendi copia Nec ipsam haurire aquam dabatur licentia Antequam thurificarent
the Faith and Unity of the Gospel is not of the institution of Christ but that those modes and forms that are made an essential part of Worship which the Common-Prayer-Book forms are though using Notes in the Pulpit are not which are therefore impertinently and ineptly produced by our Animadverter not being necessary to the forementioned ends are not of the institution of Christ because in all Gospel-Institutions those ends were aimed at by him by which the Judicious Reader will easily perceive how little we are concern'd with his Argument That the Common-Prayer-Book-Service is as a polluted accursed abominable thing to the Reformed Churches is from hence evident that they will not touch nor meddle with it no more than with any thing that is most notoriously so Their expressions touching Popish Rites and Ceremonies of which not a few are retained in our Common Prayer-Book manifest as much Calvin cals them Filthy Dunghils Conrad Schlusselburg l. 13. p. 593. saith That the Adiaphorism of Rites Popish retained is the very Image of the Beast whose Mark Character and Name those Adiaphorous Rites are The third Angel who preacheth against the Image of the Beast and the receiving his Mark representeth the Preachers that withstand the rayl of Antichrist left behind in the Church of God The German Divines Thes de Adiaph Theol. Sax. p. 193. tell us That the retention of Popish Ceremonies under pretence that they be Adiaphora is a countermand to that precept Go out of her my People seeing hereby men do even return yea enter into Antichrist And Bucâ—r expresly avers That all things that are of the Romane Antichrist are abominated in Censur cap. 3. p. 460. What this Animadverter speaks further in this Section will receive a speedy dispatch Calvin speaks of the Prayers and Rites not their Imposition when he speaks favourably of them in Epist 87. which he abhorrd Maresius his Assertion amounts onely to a justification of forms of Prayer not our English forms much less their imposition So that notwithstanding what Mr. T. is able to say to the contrary The Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is not of the appointment of Christ and therefore those that Worship him in the way thereof worship him in a way that is not of his appointment Sect. 4. An Objection answered Nothing in the Instituted Worship of Christ that is a Circumstance thereof as such Of praying in a Form The unlawfulness thereof evinced Mr. T. his Arguments to the contrary answered Praying in the Spirit what it is What is meant by quenching the Spirit 1 Thes 5. 19. Forms of prayer imposed are necessary parts of Worship The Opinion of the Papists and present Ministers touching this matter THere is one stone of offence that lying in the way of our former discourse we endeavour in S. T. to remove 'T is this Object That the Liturgie or Common-Prayer-Book-Worship is no essential part of Worship but meerly circumstantial Praying 't is true is part of Worship but praying in this or that form is not so but meerly a circumstance thereof and therefore though it be true that the present Ministers of England worship God after the way of the Common-Prayer-Book yet it follows not that they worship him after away that is not of his appointment To this we answer That many things are supposed as the Basis upon which the weight of this Objection is laid which we cannot grant as 1. That there are some things in the instituted Worship of Christ that are meerly circumstances thereof as such which we deny Circumstances in the Worship of Christ attending Religious Actions as Actions we grant but Circumstances of Worship as such will never be proved To infer that because time and place with sundry things of the like nature are Circumstances in Worship therefore there are Circumstances of Worship as such is frivolous these things being the attendment of Religious Actions common to any civil actions of the like nature to be performed by the Sons of Men no action to be managed by a community can be orderly performed by them without such an assignment of time and place publick prayer being so to be managed as a Religious Action hath the circumstances before mentioned attending it and so it would were it a meer civil action to be performed by a community though it related not at all to the Worship of God To which Mr. T. Sect. 8. 1. 'T is not true that the Objection supposeth that some things in the Instituted Worship of Christ are but meer circumstances thereof as such Answ The naked meaning of the Author of S. T. in that expression is this That whereas the Liturgical forms of prayer are by their imposition made parts of the Instituted Worship of Christ the Objection supposeth that they are but meer circumstances thereof as such This was so obvious to any ordinary understanding that I cannot but fear our Animadverter did wilfully mistake our meaning whilst he makes it to be this that that particularity of action that is instituted by Christ is a meer Arbitrary circumstance which no Christian in his wits will affirm 2dly He tells us The distinction of circumstances in the Worship of Christ attending Religious Actions as actions and circumstances of Worship as such is an unnecessary nicety and intimates as if we were agreed in the thing Answ 1. If it be a nicety 't is such a one as cuts the throâ—t of his cause nothing is then to be subjected to or used in the Worship of God or Christ as a circumstance thereof there are no circumstantial accidental parts of Worship for which he hath hitherto pleaded nothing to be practised relating to it as such of an indifferent nature The whole of it being either commanded by Christ and so to be indisputably subjected to or else not of his Institution and so to be rejected how great a part of his tottering Fabrick he hath by this one concession shaken about his ears the Judicious Reader is able to discern We add in S. T. the Objection supposeth 2ly That it is lawful for Saints to tie themselves to a written stinted form of words in prayer This we say is not yet proved nor like to be That it is not needful that we enter into the debate thereof till it be proved that to pray in the form of the Common-Prayer-Book or imposed devised Liturgies is so We only briefly offer a few things that evince the unlawfulness of Saints tying themselves to a written stinted form of words in prayer Because 1st 't is a quenching of the Spirit in prayer 2dly A rendring useless the donation of the Spirit as a Spirit of Prayer unto the Children of God 3dly Directly opposite unto the many positive Precepts of Christ before instanc'd in of stirring up the gifts given to us of God 4dly If it be lawful for Saints to pray in a form 't is lawful 〈◊〉 because they have not the Spirit or that having the Spirit he is not a sufficient help to them
in their approaches to God If the first they are not Saints Rom. 8. 9. to assert the second is little less than blasphemy besides its direct opposition to Rom. 8. 26. To which Mr. T. pretends to answer Sect. 9. 1. 'T is no hard thing to prove it lawful to pray in the form of the Common-Prayer-Book if we suppose the Ministers and Common-Prayer-Book-Worshippers not to have the Spirit for then they do not quench the Spirit Answ 1. But upon this supposition they are not Christians for if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his are not Ministers and so to be separated from 2dly Our present enquiry is of the duty of Saints with respect to forms of prayer of others we are not now speaking which what Mr. T. saith Is wholly forreign to and greatly impertinent as he knows He adds 2dly We must prove it lawful for the Saints to use once a stinted form of words which will be done by this Argument That Prayer may be lawful to Saints in which neither is any thing done forbidden by God nor any thing omitted which God requires thereto But such may be praying in a form Therefore Answ 1. Were he able to prove a stinted form of Prayer lawful he will not carry the cause except he manifest that Liturgical forms are so 2. We deny his minor with which he deals very unkindly to leave it to shift for it self so soon as he hath brought it forth into the World And retort his Argument thus That Prayer is utterly unlawful to the Saints in which something is done forbidden by God and something omitted which God requires thereunto But in a stinted form something is done that is forbidden the Spirit is quenched undervalued grieved the form is rested trusted in rather than the Spirit something is omitted which God requires viz. the exercise stirring up and improvement of the gift given To what we briefly offer touching the unlawfulness of stinted forms of prayer Mr. T. answers 1. That the things offered are bottomed upon mistakes As 1. that praying in the Spirit Ephes 6. 18. Jude 20. is meant of extemporal unprescribed forms of words whereas it 's meant of praying by operation of the Spirit within not of prayer in respect of the form of words wherein it 's expressed Answ 1. To pray in the Spirit is to pray from the power and assistance of the Spirit who not onely forms requests in the heaâ—s of the Sâ—â—â—ts but also gives in apt words for the expressing those inward groans in a way of edification and comfort to the houshould of Faith and the assistance of the Spirit in both these they experience The expressions of praying allway with all prayer do not in the least intimate that the Apostle speaks of solitary prayers and if he did Saints are wont to use words when they draw nigh to God in their secret Chambers Ephes 5. 19. is so far from proving that Ephes 6. 18. is meant of solitary prayers that it totally enervates it Their speaking to themselves in Psalms is their speaking one to another for their mutual edification 2dly We say not that meditation and preparation to this important duty of Prayer is unlawful or that he who beforehand gives himself hereunto prayes not in the Spirit as Mr. T. intimates yet this we assert that no awakened enlivened Saint under the highest preparation for this duty dares say these words will I speak and no more nor can he do it without an high undervaluation and contempt of the love care and faithfulness of the good Spirit of the Lord to him who is often enabling him in a way of enlargement beyond the utmost thoughts of his heart 3dly Suppose it lawful to use a form of words in prayer the Spirit assists in the forming of groans within answerable to that form of words without I ask What if the Spirit should form in us requests beyond what are in words expressed in the form which sure he may do for however it be pleaded that 't is lawful to bind us to the form it will not be supposed that the Spirit is bound Must I pour them forth in words he helps me to or must I not if he say the first actum est perlisti there is an end of his stinted forms of prayer if the second there is an apparent slighting quenching of the Spirit in his motions and assistance he is ready to afford us A second mistake upon which he saith The things offer'd proceed is That the ability to express petitions in words extemporary is tearmed the Spirit of Prayer as if it were in every one that hath the sanctifying Spirit of God and they only for so the alleadging Rom. 8. 9 26. for it in the fourth Argument must infer now a man may have the Spirit and yet not have this ability he may have this ability and yet not have the Spirit Answ Crimen inauditum Caie Caesar Doth Mr. T. consider what he writes 1. We no where say that this ability to express our inward desires in prompt and significant expressions to the Lord as separated from the grace of Prayer or the sanctifying presence of the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Prayer En tabulas Let him direct us to the place where we so do 2. We grant there may be the grace of Prayer without the gift and the gift without the grace but say that when God calls forth his Children to the publick discharge of this duty he bestows the gift of Prayer upon them which if they have not they are not called forth thereunto When otherwise the Spirit of Adoption in them is abundantly sufficient to enable them to pour forth their souls to God so as that they need not the help of the Crutches of Forms as some speak 3. The Question is whether it be lawful for Saints to use a stinted Form of words in Prayer Of others we are not speaking Rom. 8. is produced to prove it is not lawful for them so to do The particular Answers he gives to the Arguments produced against such Forms of Prayer are of an easie dispatch To the first he answers 1. The quenching of the Spirit is not meant of the Spirit of Prayer more than any other exercise Answ Grant it it s meant as much of the Spirit of Prayer as any other exercise The expression is wholly Metaphorical The Spirit in his operations and motions is frequently called and compared to fire as is known the quenching of him is our resisting not giving up our selves to the obedience of those motions how we do this by stinted Forms of Prayer was but now shewed He adds 2dly The quenching of the Spirit is the act of him in whom the Spirit is quenched Answ Very true the tying of our selves to a prescript form of words in Prayer is our own act none can actually compel us thereunto hereby we quench the Spirit Yea but 3dly The hearer is stinted in all joynt Prayer
Answ 1. Not as he is when he ties himself to a Form of Words in Prayer 2. Not so but if the Spirit whose motions are regular and leads not to such confusions as Mr. T. talks of of all speaking together moves powerfully upon the heart of the hearer he ought after the other hath done to proceed further in that work according to the ability shall be given him and not to do so were his sin So that of these things there is not the same reason How the true motions of the Spirit of God are to be discerned from the stirrings of our natural affections is of greater import than in this haste to be spoken to caution and carefulness is herein to be used To the second he answers In some cases a stinted Form is helpful to the understanding memory affections utterance in Prayer Answ 1. To this we have already replied 2ddly The experience of many Saints is far otherwise 3dly The Spirit is given to help our infirmities in Prayer Rom. 8. 26. both as to matter and manner of expression the donation of the Spirit as to both these ends is by a Form of Prayer rendred useless direct me as to matter he must not for what I am to pray for is in my Prayer-book under my eye nor as to words for I am absolutely tied up to the use of those verbal expressions are in the Prayer before me To the third he tells us 1st That that of 2 Tim. 1. 6. is to be understood of his ability to preach the Gospel so is the improving the Talentâ— Mat. 25. 15 27. Luke 19. 13 23. Answ By the Gift given and the Talents we are to understand every gift and ability given to us of the Lord which we are bound to improve by virtue of the forecited Scriptures for to that end was it given us If God hath given the gift of Prayer for the edification of the Body of Christ to any one wo be to that man that shall neglect to improve it Mr. T. talks carnally whilst he calls the gift of Prayer a mean thing Spiritual Saints know it to be sublime excellent and glorious being in them the fruit of the Spirit of Adoption He adds 2dly He may stir up the gift of expression at another time who is tied to a Lyturgical Form Answ 1. The gift of Prayer is more than the gift of Expression as we have shewed 2. Gifts received are alwayes to be exercised when called to the work for which they are received We must offer of our own that God hath graciously given us when we offer to him not another mans 3. We are alwayes obliged to those Lyturgical Forms in every Church-administration except before and after Sermon and then we are not without a boundary as was shewed To the fourth he answers The lawfulness of Saints praying in a Form is neither because they have not the Spirit nor because he is not sufficient to help them in their approaches to God but because there is nothing in such praying done that is forbidden nor any thing that is required omitted Answ The falsity and vanity of this we have evinced but even now nor is there any thing further offered touching this matter that is worth the considering but what is already replied to What he hath spoken Chap. 5. Sect. 7. we have answered in our Reply thereunto 'T were easie to multiply Arguments to prove the unlawfulness of stinted Forms of Prayer were it needful As fifthly They are no where commanded by Christ or permitted Sixthly They are neither lawful for unregenerate or regenerate persons Not for the first because 1. They teach them to blaspheme belie and misreport God viz. to call him Father when they are not begotten again of him 2. They harden them in a way of sin and strengthen their vain confidences that they are in a saved state 3. They lead them forth to a plain mocking of God viz. In praising him for that he never bestowed upon them as regeneration the holy Spirit peace joy through believing c. Nor for the regenerate are they lawful for the reasons but now mentioned as also because the most exact Forms are not expressive of what they want They bound them where God hath not bound them Ask what ye will saith God Ask only what is in the Form saith the Formalist They hinder their spiritual growth divert the intention of the mind cool the fervency of the Spirit in the performance of the duty of Prayer with much more that might be offered were it needful We add in S. T. 3dly That the Objection supposeth that Forms of Prayer imposed are but meer circumstances of Worship and not parts thereof The contrary hereunto we say is evident That which is made so the condition of an action that without it the action is not to be done is not a circumstance of it but such an adjunct as is a necessary part thereof But Forms of Prayer imposed are so made by that their imposition Therefore Sacrificing of old on the Altar at the Tabernacle and Temple was part of the Worship of God that they were to perform this Worship only at those places being once commanded was not a circumstance of that Worship but as real an essential part thereof as sacrificing was The case is the same here Prayer is commanded so is the use of these Prayers which are as really by that command made alike parts of Worship To this Mr. T. replies That what is made so the condition of an action by virtue of Gods appointment as that without it the action is not to be done is thereby made a necessary part of Worship Not so when made such a condition of an action by virtue of mans precept as is the case of Lyturgical Forms which are therefore notwithstanding that imposition but meer circumstances of Worship Answ 1. What strange Circumstances and Adiaphorisms doth Mr. T. make which are so essential to Worship as that without them it may not be performed Andr. Frisias though a Papist speaâ—s better If it be Adiaphorus why is it not left to the Liberty of every one to use or not to use as he pleaseth for that is the nature of those things that are Adiaphorus De Eccles Lib. 2. Tract 13. in Epist ad Paul 4. fol. 542. 2. How bloodily cruel and sanguinary doth he make our Spiritual Fathers who deliver their own Children over to Satan yea imprison if not banish or hang them for trivial circumstances Strange paternal affections Yet 3dly There is indeed somewhat of Truth in what is asserted by our Dictator 'T is the Authority of God alone that can make any thing a part of his own Worship the imposition and commands of men make it a part of theirs Bowing the knee falling down is no essential part of Gods Worship but it was of Nebuchadnezzars when the Decree was once published neglect of Conformity to which had neaâ— cost the Three Children their Lives Worshipping at Dan
truth of the assertion we fully manifest in S. T. nor doth Mr. T. deny but that the hearing the present Ministers doth pour out contempt upon the Institutions mentioned he denies them to be the Institutions of Christ Sect. 5. tells us That 't is a gross error which is oft in the mouthes of the Seperatists that they may not hear with the world nor pray with the world whence it hath come to pass that some have left off praying in their Families unless Members of their Church Answ The first and second we have proved beyond what Mr. T. hath as yet been able to reply to 2dly The last I hope is not true God forbid that any that pretend to Christianity much more such as are so in truth should so far degegenerate into the Spirit of Heathenism as not to call upon God in their Families or cease to do their uttermost to convert their Children and Servants to the Lord and instruct them in his fear 3. That this is the consequence of the principle of Seperation or that 't is in it self a gross Error that 't is unlawful for me to hear with the world or pray with the world i. e. joyn with them in their Worship he may prove when he is able What follows hath either already been replied to or will be in its proper place so that we need not attend it here The second thing in the Minor Proposition incumbent upon us to prove we say in S. T. is 2dly That hereby poor souls are hardned in a false way of Worship what can be thought less supposing the worship in the Parish-Assemblies of England to be so as hath been proved when they shall see Professors that were wont to pray and preach together to prosess and protest against Common-Prayer-Book Worship and Priests to cry up or at least approve of as Mr. T. 't is thoâ—ght did Laws made for their ejection if guilty of no other crime than conformity to the Worship they now conform to and practise now flock to their Assemblies and hear their Priests What can they imagine less than that these persons thus acting in a direct contrariety to their former judgment and practice do now see they were mistaken and are begining at least to return unto those pathes from whence they departed and that these wayes in which they and their forefathers have walked are the good Old Way in which rest is to be found To which Mr. T. Answers nothing but what hath already been considered noâ— any thing that deserves our stay The 3d Particular asserted in the Minor Proposition it s said in S. T. is That hereby poor souls are hardned in their rebellion and blasphemy against God his Spirit and Tabernacle and them that dwell therein This is not to be questioned we every day hear stout words spoken against the Lord because of the practice of some in this thing what say the wicked less thanthat Religion is but a fancy that the professors thereof are but a generation of Hypocrites that will turn to any thing to save themselves that the Spirit by which they are acted is but a Spirit of Phanaticism and delusion Yea how do they bless themselves that they are not nor ever were of the number of such Professors and that because they see these for fear of Persecution desert their former principles strike in with their Assembly and Ministers To which Mr. T. adjoyns 1st Papists have thus insulteâ— over Protestants upon the return of any seeming zealous Protestant into the Romane Church yet the Answerer knows how to reply to such that mens instability shews their own weakness not the thing in which they have been zealous to have been good or bad Answ Very right and we know how to reply to the insulting of the Conformists upon the account of the return of any seeming zealous Professors to them but still we say that their return to them gives them too just occasion of insulting The contrary to which Mr. T. should have proved of which he speaks not one word He adds 2dly This Author doth not do well to call the Obloquies against his party speaking against Religion blaspheming God the Spirit Tabernacle and them that dwell therein Answ Sir the party I am through grace of are not mine but Christs the followers of the Lamb in opposition to the wicked profane world of no other party do I own my self to be 2. The Obloquies Blasphemies mentioned being such as are vented against the Institutions of Christ as we have proved them to be and such as conform to them by the Beast and his party may well be called Blaspheming God his Temple Tabernacle and them that dwell therein They are so called by the Spirit Rev. 13. 5 6. He adds 3dly It were very sad should we be afraid to do a thing because of Clamours Answ True if the thing done be our duty which if he supposeth in the present case he begs the question or continue in that which we cannot justifie because men will be hardened in their own way Answ Very right but if a man depart from that way which he once owned to be the way of God which he justifies in the Scriptures to be such and in so doing hardens persons to cleave to a way of Superstition Formality to their utter undoing and gives them just occasion to open their mouthes against the Institutions of Christ reviling blaspheming them and those that walk in them this is not justifiable nor will it be found matter of joy to us at the end of our dayes that we have administred such occasions to them It remaineth then that inasmuch as the hearing the present Ministers pours out contempt upon the wayes and Institutions of Christ hardens persons in a false way of Worship Rebellion and Blasphemy against God it s utterly unlawful for Saints to be found in the pâ—â—ctise thereof Sect. 2. A 10th Argument proving the unlawfulness of hearing the present Ministers 'T is not lawful to go to the places of false Worship All Monuments of Idolatry to be abolished proved The judgment of the learned Mede Cotton Ainsworth Robbinson 2 Cor. 6. 17. 1 John 5. 21. Jude 23. 1 Sam. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 20. 14. 26. explained THE 10th Argument against hearing the present Ministers is in S. T. thus formed God calls his People out of and strictly chargeth them not to go ro the place of False Worship Hos 4. 5. Amos 4. 4. Therefore 't is unlawful for the Saints to attend upon the present Ministers of England The Reason of the Consequence is because we cannot go to hear them without we go to the Places and Assemblies of false Worship as the Common-Prayer-Book-Worship hath been proved to be To which Mr. T. replies Sect. 7. 1st This Argument is bottom'd upon this Opinion That all Monuments of Idolatry all Temples Altars Chappels dedicated by the Heathens or Antichristians to their false Worship ought by lawful Authority to be rased and
respect to the power of God we deny the consequence of the Major Proposition God can if he please by the ministration of Angels good or bad effect that for which the Word is preached but it doth not therefore follow that we may attend the Ministry of these especially the latter of them 2. If of a may be of credibility with respect to Institution i. e. I have ground to expect it will be by virtue of the promise of God for the blessing of his own Institution and making it effectual for the end intended we deny his Minor which he will be able to make good when he proves that the preaching the Word of God by the present Ministers is a Divine Institution upon which the Lord hath promised his blessing for the making it effectual for the ends for which he hath instituted the preaching of the Gospel which we have already disproved 3. This Argument may be righteously retorted against himself That preaching the Word of God in which by virtue of any Institution of the Lord or promise of his Blessing and Presence thereupon I may not expect should be effectual for that good for which preaching the Word was instituted by him is not to be attended But this is true with respect to the preaching the Word of God by the present Ministers Which will be taken for granted till what is offered in this Treatise to prove it be enervated and the promise of the Presence and Blessing of God upon their so doing as his own Institution be produced Which as yet we have not met with Therefore He goes on Arg. 9. That is not unlawful lawful he means the neglect of which may be the occasion and reason of a mans condemnation But the neglect of hearing the present Ministers may be the occasion and reason of a mans condemnation Therefore The minor he proves thus The neglect of coming to the Light may be the reason of mens condemnation John 3. 20. But the neglect of hearing the present Ministers is a neglect of coming to the Light for they hold forth the Light Therefore Answ 1. We deny the minor of both Propositions The coming to the Light John 3. 20. is believing in Christ the true Light John 1. of their not so doing Christ complains John 5. 40. That the neglect of hearing the present Ministers should be a refusing to believe in Christ is not easily demonstrated 2. There are others that hold forth the Light in the Animadverters sense i. e. preach the Gospel beside and at another rate than the Prelatists and their Dependanâ—s whom if we hear by his own Argument we neglect not to come to the Light 3. The present Ministers hold not forth the pure Light of the Gospel they obfuscate darken it by humane Traditions and Ceremonies 4. We may more justly argue those Teachers that oppose and hinder the holding forth the Light or the fruitful faithful preaching of Gods Word may be the occasion and reason of mens condemnation and so not to be owned and joyned with But the present Ministers of England do so Therefore The Major will not be denied the Minor is for the most part Mr. T. his own in his Fermentum Pharisaeorum p. 7. and is generally known to be true I would gladly be informed how those that are disaffected adversaries to and do oppose fruitful faithful and godly preaching which Mr. T. affirms the Teachers of England do can be said to hold forth the Light His tenth Argument follows Arg. 10. We may go to them as Teachers of us who have the words of eternal Life John 6. 68. But the present Ministers who teach the Gospel of Christ have the words of eternal Life for it contains his words and is the power of God to Salvation from the matter of it Rom. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Answ 1. By the words of Eternal Life he means the Doctrine or Matter of the Gospel in which sense we deny his Major That because a man hath read the Scriptureâ— and got a Systeme of Divinity into his head without one drop of the Spirit or inward experience of the things he notionally understands therefore he is fit to be a Teacher of the Gospel and must be attended will not in hast be believed by such as have acquaintance with the Mysteries thereof John 6. 68. proves it not being spoken of Christ who was in the bosom of the Father sent into the World commissionated by him to preach the words of eternal Life 2. That the Gospel from the matter of it is the Power of God to Salvation I must crave leave to enter my demurrer against 't is the energie or powerful working of the Spirit of the Lord with it which makes it to be so upon the account whereof the words of Christ are by Peter said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of eternal Life which to affirm that any of the Sons of Men have as Christ had to whom the Spirit was given without measure is little less than blasphemy without which the matter of the Gospel or the Glorious-Truths contained therein operate not to the salvation of any for want whereof 't is to some the savour of death unto death a stumbling-block foolishness not profiting them at all In it lies the whole of its energie and power its mightiness to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ is said to be through God 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Sect. 2. Arguments for hearing the present Ministers refuted Personal quâ—lifications to be heeded in hearing The case of the Beraeans Acts 17. 11 12. examined It s impertinency to the matter in hand manifesteâ— The Ministers of England forbidden to preach in Christs Name The weakness of Mr. T. his reasoning from Luke 9. 49 50. Mat. 7. 22 23. discovered In hearing the Ministers we hear not Christ Luke 10. 16. considered Of their preaching the Gospel of Peace The reception of gifts how to be improved Of the interest of Saints in Gospel-Ministers Forbidding men to hear the present Ministers no glorying in men These are no Stewards of the Mysteries of God THE eleventh Argument Mr. T. advanceth to prove the lawfulness of hearing the present Ministers is thus formed If we ought to hear the Word of God as Gods Word we ought to hear it at any time from any person without consideration of the personal qualifications of them that deliver it But the Word of God is to be heard as Gods Word and not as the words of men 1 Thes 2. 13. Therefore Answ We deny the consequence of the first Proposition That we hear the Word of God as Gods Word i. e. with reverence and godly attention is our duty of which the Apostle 1 Thes 2. 13. that in hearing we ought to have respect to personal qualifications we have proved abundantly in this Treatise He adds Arg. 12. They may be right hearers of the Word who may hear them as the Beraeans did Acts 17.
odious with Ministers and People whereby they were necessitated to joyn in Communion by themselves Praecurs Sect. 12. p. 48. Because it is manifest from Acts 2. 41. 46. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3. 12. 13. Persons were Baptized before they brake bread together therefore the taking any without Baptism to the Lords Supper will but strengthen men in their opinion that their Infant Sprinkling is sufficient Therefore he sees a nececessity of desisting from that enterprâ—se of admitting persons of different perswasions touching Baptism into their communion ibid. p. 49. The Christian-Church-constitution of Volunteers is better ibid. Sect. 11. pag. 431. In the Worship of God it was wont to be accounted a certain Rule that Gods Worship should be observed according to his appointment and no otherwise ib. Sect. 16. p. 66. My opposing the Bishops began with the soonest And for my non conformity Reasons were given with some of the first I justifie not the Ceremonies ibid. Sect. 21. p. 89. It is true our English Prelatical Divines do account Baptism sufficiently administred that is so done yea though it were by a Popish Priest or a Midwife ibid. p. 91. However for the Tenet of the Peoples governing by Vote I know no reason why they he speaks of those called Independants should be called a Sect rather than their opposites The Excommunication which â—he Scripture speaks of is no where made a part of Government or of the Elders Office any more than the Peoples In Antiquity its apparent out of Cyprian That the People had a great hand in Elections Excommunications Absolutions ibid. p. 93. No one Country City or Tribe together were gathered by the Apostles or other Preachers into the Christian visible Church but so many of all as the Lord vouchsafed to call by his Word and Spirit 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men Ergo Not the whole Nation And afterward to Mr. B. Question Hath he not commanded to disciple Nations He answers Yes to make Disciples of all Nations by preaching the Gospel to every creature but no where by Civil Authority to gather a whole City Country or Tribe and to draw them into a National and City-Covenant together â—bid Sect. 22. p. 97. Jeroboams Sacrificing and keeping a Feast at another time thâ—n God appointed Ahaz his forming an Altar after the pattern of that of Damascus Nadab and Abihu their offering strange fire keeping Holy Dayes to Saints he condemns as Will-worship Full Review of the Dispute conceâ— Infant-Baptism p. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Which are meant only of the Elect and true Believers of every Nation are applied to a National Church consisting of a great part of either ignorant persons that know little or nothing of Christianity or persecutors of Godliness profanely despising the Word and hating the Godly ibid. pag. 27. God forbad Infants under eight dayes old to be circumcised in that he appointed the eighth day to be Circumcised Now if this be a forbidding to Circumcise before as I acknowledge it is and so do many Protestant Divines as Paraeus Com. in Gen. 17. 11. then that is forbidden which is otherwise than God appointed ibid. p. 81. And p. 180. He reckons the Cross in Baptism amongst Popish usuages such as Bell Baptism Baptizing of Dead persons I said it is a carnal imagination that the Church of God is like to civil Corporations if persons were admitted to it by birth nor is it to the purpose to prove the contrary that Mr. M. tells me the Jewish Church was in the like civil Corporations for I grant it was the whole Nation whereas the Christian Church hath another constitution ibid p. 265 266. If Christ did say to Judas that his Body was broken for him and his Blood shed it will be hard to avoid thence the proof of Universal Redemption I think it the safe stand most likely tenent that Judas went out afore the Lords Supper p. 291. ibid. Christ is the Head of the visible Church in giving them Officers outward order direction ibid. p. 294. But all these are alterd now the Church is not National no one High-Priest Temple Sanhedrim ibid p. 334. I know that our Army hath done so much for the setling the Church as that the Anti-Prelatists Congregations had been either none or much oppressed if they had not broken the force of the opposite party Nor dare I be so unthankful to God or them as not to acknowledge the great Mercy and benefit we at this day enjoy thereby however Mr. B. fret at our Liberty and jibe at the Instruments ibid. p. 383. A not commanding is a plain forbidding Mr. Collings provoc pro. ch 5. Nothing is lawful in the Worship of God but what we have precept or president for which whoso denies opens a door to all Idolatry and Superstition and Wil-worship in the world which Mr. T. approves of ibid p. 408. Of divine Institution there is no reason can be right but what is from Gods own appointment though it may seem right to us it should be so In things positive our reason is deceivable and Gods appointment is only to be attended ibid p. 461. And now Sir though I might to these Collections which are diametrically opposite to the main principles of your Theodulia the very basis upon which that Fabrick stands have added many more as you well know yet am I willing to spare you not knowing but the Lord may give you to see and bemoan your evill in gladding the hearts of the Wicked sadning the Righteous or confirming them in crooked paths who have turn'd aside thereunto which notwithstanding your natural temper and heâ—ght of spirit with which we are sufficiently acquainted that will pâ—oâ—pt you to say something in a way of self-justification is not impossible for God to do If you write in Answer to our Reply and to the purpose you shall receive a Return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a spirit of meekness and christianity If we meet therein wiâ—h meer dictates without tender of proof impertinent citations of Scriptures without the least attempt to minifest their congruity with the assertion they are introduced to prove and a parcel of passionate railing expressions in the stead of the words which the Wisdom that is from above and the Spirit of our dear Lord teacheth which we too often meet with in your Theodulia you have your Answer Farewell FINIS