Christ it is whom they owne or acknowledge in the flesh they reply that it is no other but Christ in their flesh Christ in them disowning and denying that there is the man Christ who is a man different from other men and who is the Mediator between God and man whom God raised from the dead who ascended into 2 Tim. 25. pag. 5. heaven and is now sitting at Gods right hand making intercession for his Church who shall come againe to judge the quick and the dead at the last day This Christ they deny and speak very contemptuously of him and of that body of flesh which he had on earth and hath now in heavenly glory A printed paper of theirs called the sword of the Lord drawn hath this blasphemous jeering expression your immagined God beyond the stars and your carnall Christ is utterly denyed and testified against by the light These men led by the lying spirit of Antichrist deny that Jesus is the Christ and they confesse 1 Ioh 2. 2â— 2 Iohn 7. not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh Thus both the Papal Antichrist and his confederated instruments and followers and the hereticall Antichrists with their associâ—tes and disciples have not abode in this doctrine of Christ that Chriâ—t is come in the flesh 2. It is also â— Doctrine of Christ that the holy Scriptures are the written word of God given by inspiration 2 Tim 3. 15. 16. Psal 119. 93. Rom. 1 16 and are sufficient to direct and inform in all things absolutely necessary unto salvation and that God by its precepts doth quicken his people and that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation Christs doctrine doth magnifie the excellency of holy Scripture The Papal Antichrist Pope and Popelings deny that the holy Scriptures are sufficient for edification in things of salvation without traditions and some of them have reviled the holy Scriptures calling them a Dead letter and blasphemously the word of the Devill as Protestants whom they call hereticks alledged it and one of them said that the Church had vid. Tilen loc com 2. Sec. 35. been better provided for if there had never been any Scripture Some hereticall Antichrists Quakers and others in our dayes speaking from the spirit of Antichrist have vented the like venemous breath against the holy Scriptures saying that they are insufficient for guidance in things belonging unto salvation in comparison of the light within them and those Inspirations and Revelations which they imagine that they themselves have They do not acknowledge that the holy Scripture are the declaration of Gods minde but they call them the declaration of Saints conditions intimating thereby that they being not to us of this present generation but that they only concerned the Saints of former ages This conceite thwarts the holy Scriptures yea and some of these hereticall Antichrists have licked up the Popish slavering Rhetorick in calling the holy Scripture a dead letter and some of them have said that some Rom. 15. 4. paâ—t of the Scripture is the word of the Devill and serpents dust not considering that though these words which were originally uttered by the Devill are recorded by Gods Pen-men in the Scriptute yet being now recorded by these Pen-men of God who have related the true history of what the Devill spake these words are now the words of the God of Truth namely his true relating the Devills words Moreover some of these hereticall Antichrists have said that it was no great matter if all the Bibles in England were burned and that it had been better for one to whom one of them spake if he had never read the Bible It is evident by what is writ as it might be also if we would in other points parallel the great Antichrist and the petty Antichrists that they both have transgressed and have not abode in the doctrine of Christ Thirdly Both the Papall Antichrist and the hereticall Antichrists are deceivers The Papall Antichrist comes saith one Apostle with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth 2 Thes 2. 9. 10. that they might be saved The hereticall Antichrists or false teachers bring in privily said another Apostle damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them and many shall 2. Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be spoken evil of and with fained words they shall make merchandise of Christians Both these sorts of Antichrists are deceivers and do manifest themselves to be so for they do not hold the forme of sound words but do delight purposely and affectedly to use cloudy and obscure expressions thereby to confound the understandings of simple men from apprehending aright the truth yea and their pretendings to extraordinary holiness and strictness in their conversation and religion beyond truth is but a crafty deceite under a meer shew of religion It were an endlesse labour to recount all that cunning craftiness and those deluding fallacies and subtill wiles and cheating tricks for insnaring soules and all those depths of Satan which they have used for gaining and for retaining those Proselites which they have gained It is enough to know that the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists are deceivers because the holy Scripture hath branded them with that name Fourthly both the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists have not God nor Christ both these sorts of Antichrists do pharasaically and arrogantly appropriate only to themselves Rev. 2. 9. and their followers the name of the Church of holy ones yet both are in reallity no other then of the synagogue of Satan Their transgressing and renouncing through their Apostacy the doctrine of Christ is a sufficient evidence that they have not God and Christ in communion neither have they their favour in this world and without repentance they shall 2 Thes â— 11. 12. not have any communion with God and Christ in glory for God hath sent on them strong delusions that they should beleive a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Fiftly As they have not God nor Christ in Communion so believers are not to hold communion or any intimate conversation with any of them The Apostle injoynes Receive 2 Epist Iohn 10. him not into your house neither bid him God speede They are not to afford any intertainment or incouragement to any Antichrist what ever not entertainment I suppose least thereby such gaine occasion of seducing by Antichristian doctrine from the doctrine of Christ nor incouragement lest thereby they be pâ—rtakers of his evil deedes Thou hast now a full answer to thy question and therewith a true discovery from holy Scripture who is the Antichrist and who are the Antichrists of whom it speakes in briefe according to it He who is an Antichrist is one who transgresseth the Doctrine oâ— Christ
of 2 Cor. 1. 20 God He also is the Undertaker to bring a number to the Father who shall fully close in with the terms of the Covenant Wherefore he the Messenger of the Covenant raised up of old the Prophets to speak of it his Spirit being with them in their preaching it Yea and he himfelf came and by preaching 2 Pet. 1. 10 Joh. 5. 15. Mat. 16. 28 Heb. 9. 14. made it know All things saith he that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you And by shedding his blood he ratified this Covenant and he appointed that his Apostles in their time and his Ministers which were to succeed them in all after times even unto the end should preach to people the mercies and the duties of this Covenant and He promised that he would be always with them He therefore works in whom he pleaseth By his Word the Spirit of Faith to 2 Cor. 4. 13. Rom. 10. 17. Rom. 1. 4. Rom. 6. 17 Jer. 32. 40. Phil. 4. 13. 2 Thes 2. 17 believe and close with the Covenant For faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And he worketh also the Spirit of holiness thankfully to yield obedience sutable to this holy agreement and to do all what they do in believing in returning to God and in sincere obeying of his Will from Principles and strength received from Christ establishing them in every good word and work Now if thou would seriously close in with the terms of the everlasting Covenant I in Christs stead beseech thee then do not refuse to hear the preaching of his Ministers who by office are to attend on this service to acquaint people throughly with the everlasting Covenant least by refusing to hear them Luke 7. 30. Act 13. 46. thou reject the Counsel of God against thy self and render thy self unworthy of everlasting life But apply thy self to believe the Word of the Lord taught by his servants and repent of thy sins and become obedient to Gods heavenly truths and holy Will and then the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of Heb. 13. 20 21. the Sheep will make thee perfect in every good work to do his Will working in thee that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ To whom be glory for ever and ever 5. The Prophets words in Isa 55. 5. are these Behold thou shall call a Nation that thou know'st not Nations that know not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for he hath glorified thee These words are the words of God the Father touching Christ his Son the David mentioned verse 3. He saith He hath given him for a witness to the people namely to testifie and teach the truth of his Promise and of his Will and to be a Ioh. 12. 49. 50. Heb. 5. 9. Leader and Commander to the people This Witness this Prince of Life this Captain and Author of salvation to all that obey him is he of whom it is said verse 5. Thou shall call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that know not thee shall run unto thee This Nation and Nations are the Gentiles whom he did not formerly regard nor look after neither did they regard nor look after him but these upon their Psal 18. 44. Call as soon as they hear of him will readily and speedily run to him to yield him Obedience Now if thou who art by nature a sinner of the Gentiles will own the Prophets words out of good experience that Christ hath effectually called thee to the knowledge and acknowledgement that he is thy Leader and Commander thou must then run unto him as did the converted Gentiles of whom the Prophet speaks to obey him But if thou reject his Ministers whom he hath set to watch for thy soul refusing to hear them and to practise what they teach from his Word Hâ—b 13. 17 then thou dost not out of good experience that Christ is thy Leader and Commander own these words of the Prophet Isa 55. 5. 6. The words of the Prophet Isa 55. 8. For my thoughts are not as your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord are a Reason for assuring penitent men of the persormance of the Promise of Mercy and of abundant pardon made unto them and besides they are spoke to encoutage the wicked to forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and to return unto the Lord. For God here assures repentant sinners that his thoughts in pardoning sin is not as theirs Man is usually so straitned in his bowels that he with much ado is brought to think on pardoning freely his Offenders but God hath most vast and large thoughts of pardoning freely and fully such who having offended him do repent and return unto him exercising a new course of life conformable to his own revealed Will in his Word Now except thou forsake thine own evil wayes which are unrighteous and thy evil thoughts which are sensual and earthly and return to Gods wayes which are righteous and to his thoughts which are spiritual and heavenly resolving to walk according to his Will revealed in his Word thou will never out of experience own these words in the Prophet That Gods thoughts are not as your thoughts nor your wayes as Gods wayes for thy continuance in sin will either harden thine heart to think that because God doth not presently punish sin he is therefore such an one as thy self or it will indispose thee to hope for pardon seeing Pardon and Mercy is promised only to such who confess and forsake their sins or it will provoke God to with hold Mercy for your iniquities separate between Psal 50. 21 Prov. 28. 13 Isa 59. 2. you and your God and your sins hides his face from you that he will not hear Would thou experimentally own these words of the Prophet Isa 55. 8. Would thou find Gods thoughts of Mercy towards thee and his acts of pardoning thee to be beyond all that thou can imagine and think of Oh then forsake all thy sinfull wayes and courses whatsoever and do not resolve to rob God do not continue in despising the publick preaching of his Word in the congregation of his people and forsake all thy haâ—d thoughts and hard speeches which thou hast had hast spoken and at any time hast writ against any Ordinance of the Lord and against his Ministerial servants repent of these and turn to the Lord and he will have Mercy on thee and our God will abundantly pardon thee Thou hast now a full Answer to thy third Head of Demands CHAP. IV Thy fourth Head of Demands is this ART not thou one of them that bears Rule by thy means which the Lord sent Jeremy to cry against Jer. 5. which was an horrible filthy thing committed in the Land and the people loved to
had threatned them to be destroyed by a Nation mighty and ancient whose language was unknown to them and not understood by them ver 12 14 15 16 17. 8. For their revolting and rebellious heart in forsaking the true God and serving strange gods 9. For their foolishnesse in not considering either Gods greatnesse his mighty power manifest in the world nor yet his special goodness manifest towards themselves to be hereby moved to fear him verse 19 20 21 22 23 24. 10. For their crafty circumventing others unlawfully getting their states from them And 11. For their not judging aright in matters of judicature the Lord saith shall I not visit for these things and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this verse 26 27 28 29. These are the sins recorded for which God doth threaten to visit that people but paying unto Priests their due maintenance or means was no sin for what God hath commanded to be done and had not repealed it was a Duty and the not doing it or the not paying maintenance to the Priests had been a sinne so also the lawful rule of the Priests was no sin because it was appointed and not reversed in Jeremiahs time I say as these was no sin so the Prophet could not and doth not threaten either the Priests for receiving due maintenance from the people or the people for paying it unto them neither doth he nor could he threaten the Priests for exercising that orderly government which by appointment was charged their Tribe to observe Fifthly I now come to answer thy demand concerning my self and concerning thy self and concerning the Prophet Touching my self thou dost ask Art not thou one of them that beare rule by meanes Answ 1. If by the word meanes in this thy demand thou understands that maintenance or portion of temporal livelihood which God and the Laws of my Nation allots me then I must tell thee that as there is no man on earth neither worldly nor Church-rulers nor any other of any other sort of men who can subsist in it altogether without any temporal maintenance or meanes as thou calls it for substract from any food and man raiment and other necessaries befitting him to have for the discharge of his calling in which God hath placed him And he will soon be disenabled from performing both the acts of it and from continuing among men in acting as a man so I acknowledge that while I tread upon the earth I am and must be in the condition of all mortals just as the Prophets were of old subject to like passions as Iam. 5. 17. other men I am not exempt from that ordinary state sufferings and way of temporal living in the world to which God hath subjected all men All men are Gods beggars a company of indigent creatures depending on him daily and hourly both for the having and for the continuing unto them that temporal livelihood which he thinks fit to distribute to every several man in his station and therefore though I and other Ministers shall stand in need of all temporal things which are necessary for our temporary subsistence as we are men and for the performance of our calling as we are Ministers ruling in the Church of Christ yet neither thou nor any other can justly blame us more then your selves or other other men for having maintenance or meanes in our temporal condition And it is a very false conceit that we rule in the Church by maintenance or meanes because we cannot without maintenance or meanes live in the world For as a King rules in a Common-wealth not by the revenues maintenance Eccl. 5. 9. or means which he receives from his Subjects Solomon saith a King hath maintenance from the field as well as other men the profit of the earth is for all the King himself is served by the field but a King rules by the Authority wherewith he is invested from God and by the Laws of the Nation over whom he rules So likewise Ministers rule in the Church of Christ not by that temporal means or maintenance which God and the Laws of the Nation hath appointed them to receive but by that Authority which they have received from the Lord to rule and by those Laws which Christ hath prescribed unto them in his holy Word to rule people by I answer then plainly to thy demand I am not one of them that bear rule by any temporal maintenance or meanes though while I continue in the world discharging duties required of me as I am a man and as I am a Minister of Christ I shall need outward means or mainteance as well as all other men shall have need of the like while they live and are to do duties as men and as they are men in such callings wherein it pleaseth God to imploy them 2. I answer If by the word means thou understand by this thy demand the very same thing which the Lord sent Jeremiah to cry against then I directly answer I am not one of them that bears rule by the hand help or meanes of any false Teacher which are in these our dayes I neither do nor can as the Priests against whom Jeremy cried did and could protect any of them in their falshoods I never was magnified by any such as the Priests were of whom Jeremiah speaks in his fifth Chapter I never did conspire with false teachers as did the Priests foremention either in persecuting and suppressing the true Ministers or Teachers of Christ nor yet in teaching as these Priests did falshoods unto the people and therefore I am not one of them who bears rule by means according as the Prophet understood and as all ought to understand the meaninâ— of the word means in that place of the Prophet to which thy demand relates Touching thy self thou asks I in holding up such do I obey the Prophets Voice Answ The people in Jeremiahs time holding up their Priests in their due maintenance was in that act no wayes at all disobedient to any voice of the Prophet but they were obedient unto Gods command which no holy Prophet durst condemn them for and so if thou hold up the Ministers of Christ set over thee in the Lord in paying unto them their dues which both God and mans Law requires should be paid unto them thou dost not in so doing disobey any voice of the Prophet in that particular for in his Prophecy he no where forbids paying unto Priests their due maintenance of tithes and offerings neither doth condemne any people for doing so But if thou art one of those who will not believe the word preached by faithful Ministers but will slight them and not endure the sound doctrine which they teach believing and loving rather the flatteries and falshoods of those false teachers whom thou heapest to thy self if thou wilt turne from 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. the truth and be turned unto the fables or lies of those false teachers
I say that then thou art like those people in Jeremiahs time â—ho would not obey his and other true Prophets voice Ier. 5 12 13. calling upon them to repent neither would they believe their threatnings but loved rather to hear the false-prophets and corrupt Priests who taught them lies and secured them in Ier. 7. 4. 8. Ier. 5. 31. Ier. 6. 10. their sins they loved to have it so but cared not to hear of the sinnes and to be taught the feare of the Lord the word of the Lord was a reproach unto them they had no delight in it Thou asks further touching thy self Or am I one of the foolish people who have eyes and see not have ears and hear not without the fear of God holding up such as bear rule by means Answ The foolish people of whom Jeremiah complains are therefore said to have eyes and see not eares and heare not Ier. 5. 21. and not to fear God not because they did hold up these their Priests who bare rule by giving unto them that due maintenance or meanes which was prescribed by God for the Prophet doth not speak of any such thing or of any such reason of that peoples foolishnesse but they are said to have eyes and see not to have eares and hear not and not to fear God because that people was such who took no notice of things apparent to their eyes and which was taught them by the hearing of the eare sufficient to convince them that God only was to be feared served and observed They might see the greatnesse Ier. 5. 22. of God in his workings in the world restraining the motions Psal 89. 9 and commotions of the mighty waves of the Sea they might see the goodness of God in his merciful workings towards themselves giving unto them the former and latter rain in season Ier. 5. 23 24 and reserving unto them the appointed times of their earthly incomes They also might have heard continually from the true Prophets and holy Levites mention of the Lord and abundant motives to feare or serve him only and yer they wilfully refused to regard and consider of it in their heart having an heart revolting unresolved to fear God and minde what was for their spiritual good Now if thou art one who is obstinate and resolved in heatt to shut thine eyes from minding Gods greatnesse and wonderful workings in the world and his goodnesse towards thy self and if thou art determined in heart to shut thine eares Act. 20. 21 from all holy perswasions tendred by his publick servants whose office it is to preach repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ then I pronounce it that thou art like one of those foolish people which in Jeremiahs time had eyes and see not and eares and hear not and which were without the fear of God And if thou art such repent in time least the Lord withdraw from thee as he did from Ier. 5. 25. and 29. them those good things which he affords thee and come to visit thee and to be avenged for thy being like a people who loved to cast off his feare or service and to continue in profanenesse Touching the Prophet thou asks Did not they look on Jeremiah as on one being deceived and was he not cast into prison and dungeon Did not the Priests and Princes say he was worthy of death Answ Jeremiah was a true Prophet of the Lord and he oft denounced judgements against the whole Land against Hierusalem and against the Temple therein but the false prophets to please the people prophecied otherwayes and the people believed rather the lies uttered by the false then the truths which were spoke by the true Prophets being very Ier. 5. 12. confident that evil should not come upon them and they finding that judgements threatned by Jeremiah was not speedily executed did continually mock him The Word of the Lord said he was a reproach unto me and a derision daily Jer. 20. 8. Thus the true Prophet was accounted as one who was deceived Moreover Jeremiah was falsely accused for intending to fall Jer. 37. 13 14 15. to the Caldeans and the Princes believing the accusation did cast him into prison And upon the Princes petitioning against him that he Ier. 38. 1 2 3 4 5 6. weakned the hands of the men of War and the hands of the people and sought not the welfare of the people but their hurt he was let down into a dungeon wherein he did sink in the mire Lastly we also read that the Priests and the Prophets and all Ier. 26. 7 8 9 10 11. the People having heard his threatning Sermon that God would make the Temple like Shiloh and the City a curse to all the Nations of the Earth they took him and said he should die and the Priests and Prophets spake to the Princes and to all the people saying this man is worthy to die for he hath prophecyed against this City By what is related thy three demands which concerne the Prophet are easily answered namely the people did look upon Jeremiah as on one being deceived he was cast into Prison and a Dungeon And the Priests and false prophets said he was worthy of death and the Princes petitioned that he should be put to death I list not to conjecture what thy ends should be in questioning these things concerning the Prophet but I am sure the questions are to small purpose either in dependency on or in referency to the things at first demanded in this thy fourth head of demands unto which thou hast now from me a compleat answer CHAP. V. Thy fifth Head of Demands is as followeth ARt not thou one of them that divines for mony and teaches for hire and if I will put in thy mouth thou will preach peace to me if I will not thou will prepare War against me Did not such bring the people all on heaps yea Hierusalem Did not God say night should come on such and was not Micah full of the power and full of the Spirit to declare unto them their sinne and transgression And is it not a sinne and transgression now answer me Answ The Prophet Micah Chap. 3. Ver. 11. condemnes such Prophets who divined for money and such Priests who taught for hire we have out of holy Scripture this account of them what they were Micah saith that these prophets Mich. 3. 5. were such who made the people to erre who did bite with their teeth who cried peace who prepared war against them who did not put into their mouth The meaning is they taught errours they did teare the true Prophets with their teeth in their railing evil language uttered through the teeth they flattered and soothed people in their sins promising them peace they sought to trouble them who did not entertaine and feast them and did not comply with them in what they said and applaud their sayings These
nineteen evil qualities he would have them turn away from such which words properly signifie be thou turned away from or turned against such 1. The Apostle would have godly Ministers such as Timothy was to be turned away from such to shew them no countenance no liking that they might see in their looks that their evill courses hath no roome no approbation in any of these good Ministers hearts and not only so but 2. The words import that they are to be turned against such both in manifesting that their conversation is opposite to the conversation of such evil ones to which purpose the Apostle directs Ministers in directing Timothy to a 2 Tim. 3. 10 11. known practical following of his doctrine manner of life purpose faith love long-suffering charity patience persecutions afflictions as also they are to be turned against such in having their communication opposite to that resistance of the truth and to that corruption in life which Seducers deceiving and being deceived manifested To which purpose the Apostle exhorts Ministers in exhorting Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 14 15 16 17 to continue in the things which they had learned and known as Timothy did out of the holy Scripture whereby they might be profitable in Doctrine in Reproofs in Corrections in Instruction in Righteousness and be perfectly furnished unto all good works I am such even a man professedly opposite to men of corrupt mindes who are reprobate concerning the faith and who resist the truth I am a man also whose life and conversation through Gods mercy unto me is not tainted with any of those nineteen odious corruptions which the Apostle mentions I am one who endeavours as Timothy is exhorted to do to war a good warfare holding faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. 1 Tim. 4. 12 and to be an example of believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith and purity and I therefore tell thee both truly and plainly that I am not any such man from whom thou or any other hath any warrant or command from God to turn away Thy ninth Head of Demands is now fully answered CHAP. X. Thy tenth Head of Demands is as followeth ARt not thou one of them as Peter speaks of that with covetousness and fained words makes merchandise of the people and so art in Cains way and Balaams way answer I answer False teachers privily bringing in damnable heresies and denying the Lord were the men whom Peter speaks of who through covetousnesse and fained words makes merchandise of the people But these words of Peter do not speak of 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. any holy Apostle or other faithful Ministers who lived in Peters time neither do they speak of any faithful Minister of Christ who shall live in other times Peters words are not spoken of such who preach the doctrine of salvation but of them who teach damnable heresies or damning doctrines They are not spoken of any faithful Minister who publickly and openly dispenseth holy truth in all sincerity but they are spoken of false teachers who ptivily in the houses into which they creep or elsewhere instill into their hearers corrupting falshoods conveying these in their teaching with much cunning covert hypocrisie Peters woâ—ds are not spoken of such who earnestly contend for the faith which was once deliver'd to the Saints but they are spoken of those who diligently and slily seek to pervert that faith and to turn others from it Peters words are not spoken of those who with the heart believe unto righteousness and with the mouth make conâ—ession unto salvation and teach others also to acknowledge the Lord but they are spoken of such who deny the Lord and who seek by heresies to withdrâ—w people from beleeving and from confeâ—â—â—ng that holy Christian faith whereof the Lord himself is both the Author and the Finisher Peters words are not spoken of such Ministers who according to the duty of their calling do study and read 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 16. Eccles 12. 10 and meditate and pray and write and ponder and compare things revealed in the holy Scripture and who set in order the truths which are thence sought out whereby they may still teach the people knowledge But they are spoken of such who following cunning devises do compose fine words plaiting and artificially couching them so together that some sentences shall with elegancy breath out truth and falshood so as their own disciples sucks in falshood understanding them one way and others apprehend that good only was meant therein seeing they espy that good may be interpreted out of them both are abused by such teachers the one sort are led by them into strong delusions and the other sort are deceived in their hoping that they meant good who had so craftily mixt errour and truth that it was hard even for them who was very good to dissever them Lastly Peters words are not spoken of those who meerly coveting and longing to gain souls to God and to make them Christs Disciples do plainly let them know how miserable or how comfortable they shall be according as they shall reject or receive and embrace Christ the pearle of the Gospel and his precious truths But they are spoken of them who out of covetous desires to raise a greater worldly gain from those whom they intend to make their own Disciples do use fine plausible alluring words the better to conceale and cloak those errours and heresies which they vent which being entertained the souls of those who embrace them are sold to become slaves unto such corruptions that the Devil can lead them captive at his pleasure These false teachers are not unlike those false chapmen to whom the Apostle in the word Merchandise doth allude who through their insatiable desire of gaine do with fine flattering pleasing words set forth the high commendations of their wares beyond truth thereby thinking to vent their commodities the more speedily and so draw the larger sums of money from the buyers of them Such were the persons of whom Peter speaks who through covetousness with feigned words made merchandise of the people But I and other faithful Ministers of Christ who live in the reformed Church are none of these we as I have shewed in my answer to thy ninth demand have not exercised towards our people any covetousnesse neither are we covetous and we have not sought as my answer to thy eight demand hath sufficiently cleared by faire speeches and good words by fine and faire words either to flatter our people in any of their present corruptions or to fix in them any erratical and heretical abominations Peters words are no wayes justly appliable to me or any other faithful Minister of Jesus Christ but they must properly agree to the false teachers in our dayes who are of the papal and popular faction The Romish Church by her factors who are cunning Merchants traficks in all Lands and hath a streame of currant coine
never have commanded to have been paied unto the Priests who in his time were very corrupt if the professing him or coming to him had been a warrantable exemption of any of his followers from paying those dutyes which conduced to the maintenance and upholding the livelihood of the Priests and Levites who were then the publick setled Ministers of that Nation I say therefore though we read not that they who came to Christ had any command to maintaine those false teachers seducers and hirelings who for filthy lucre covetousnes and for hire preyed on people and sought to tyrannize over their soules and purses yet we are sure that Christ commanded to pay an offering which was a part of the Priests maintenance unto the Priests who were the setled publick Ministers to keepe up the holy publick service and observances which were injoyned that Nation and he would not suffer the least diminution of their maintenance no not one offering to be withheld from them For he commanded the Leper to offer his offering as a testimonie unto them viz. that he did not abolish the very least parcell of any thing belonging to their due maintenance and honour seeing the very comers to him are commanded by him to afford unto such maintenance in their lawfull established way of Priesthood even as to Priests and publick Ministers and Teachers Thou with those of thy way accounts us who are the established Ministers of Christs Gospell in this Nation to be false Prophets and false Apostles and false teachers and to be very hirelings and Teachers for meere gaine and for covetousnes because we require from our people that maintenance by tithes and otherthings which from them is due unto us both by Gods and the Nation law Yee are confident that ye are the only people of his Nations who are come to Christ and are the true professors of this truths and yee thinke that therefore ye have a just plea to deteine from us the forementioned dues asking us Whether comers to Christ are to maintaine and uphold false Ptophets and false Apostles and such like in their way as Ministers and Teachers Answ I have already fully proved and therefore will now only breifly tell it thee that the established faithfull Ministers of England are noe false Prophets nor false Apostles nor false teachers and that they are no hirelings nor teachers for gaine and for covetousnes though they require from their people the maintenance by tithes and other things which is by law established unto them the publick Ministers of the Gospel to this Nation Moreover know that notwithstanding the great confidence of those who are of your way that ye are the only commers to Christ and professors of his truths in this nation yet the whole nation except your selves cannot believe it because yee with draw from proffessing publickly with the Nation many soul-saving truths of Christ and from partaking publickly in those his gracious Ordinances which this Nation hath maintained and doth yet maintaine publickely against all Papall and Popular Antichristians though they therefore vex and gnaw their tongues Yet more consider that it hath been already proved that ye have no incouragement from Christs words on the pretence that ye are commers to Christ to deteine from the established Ministers any portion of that established maintenance which serves to uphold them in their Ministeriall way but that according to Christs injunction unto the Leper ye are to pay unto them their dues because they are the publick Ministers and Teachers of the Gospell of Christ to the people of this Nation I yet further would have it well pondered that none of all those acts which are here named by thee which Christ hath done or doth give any allowance to any who comes to Christ to deteine the due maintenance by tithes and by other things from the publick established Ministers of the Gospell for 1. It is true that Christ laid downe his life for his sheepe but it is as true that he did so not to give his flock a liberty either to dispise and turne from those Ministeriall Pastors whom he the cheif Shepheard had set over them to feede them with spiritualls or to withhold from these their spirituall feeders that milke of maintenance which by divine appointment they are to 1 Cor. 9. 7. have from them his flock 2. It is true Christ said Learn of me for I am meeke and lowly But these his words do not forbid his people to hear the Ministers of the Gospell and to learne of them seing he hâ—th also said he that heareth them heareth him and he that despiseth them despiseth him and despiseth him that sent him Neither Luk. 10. 16 do these words learne of me allow any of his people who are his Vines in his vinyard or Churnh to withhold the fruite of temporal maintenance from his Ministers seeing he Luk. 10. 7. himself hath said that the labourer is worthy of his hire and seeing it is of Divine appointment that the fruites or temporall maintenance which his Vines yeilds should be eate or 1 Cor. 9. 7 spent by his Ministeriall labourers whom he sent into his Vinyard to plant to water to prune to underprop to weed to dresse and to do what will advantage the spiritual good of his Vines and of his Vinyard 3. It is true Christ said I am the way and no man cometh to Joh. 14. 6. the father but by me because there is no other immediate way or meanes to come to God the father and be saved but by him yet these his words I am the way doe not discard the Ministers Heb. 13. 7. of the Gospell from being instrumentall guides of his people to him the true way and to walk in him as they receive him Collos 2. 6 Maâ—k 16 15 Rom. 1. 16 because Christ himself gave them a charge to be his messengers or preachers of the Gospell which is the power of God unto salvation unto every creature Moreover these words I am the way do not give incouragement unto any to deteine either from Christs messengers or Preachers of his Gospell or from any holy professour under the Gospell their reward due unto them in respect they deserve it of men though in respect of God it is of grace that such a reward is due unto them and from him appointed for them For Christ hath promised to all cordial and affectionate people who give unto these their due reward of honour namely and of maintenance that they shall receive a Prophets reward Math. 10. 41 which is fit for such who have been just in rewarding for their â—orkes sake his Prophets oâ— Preachers and his righteous servants deserving it of them which reward is the heavenly reward whercof they shall be partakers with those very Prophets and righteous men whom they have rewarded Rev. 1. 5. Joh. 18. â—â— Hâ—b 1. 2. Joh. 1. 57. 4. It is true that Christ is called the faithfull
on earth that he shall never more conflict and combate with it for so long as he lives he shall be less or more troubled with its inherency turbulency and Tyranny though it shall have in him no regency no Soveraignty no conquest to cause him to serve sin The Apostle knew that the old man was crucified that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth he and others in Christ should not serve Rom. 6. 6. Râ—m 7 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 sin yet he complaines of the Inbeing of his corruption and of its powerfull working presence In crossing him the motions of the spirit unto good and in haling him to be a captive unto evill though he acknowledgeth with thankfulness that it shall not have any totall and finall conquering prevalency over him 7. I believe according to the holy Scripture that there is no living man upon the earth who is free from sin a personall sinlesse perfection is not to be found among any mortall men on earth because the Scripture telleth us Their 1. King 8. 46. Prov. 20. 9. Eccl. 7. 20. is no man that sinneth not and againe who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sin and againe there is not a just man on the earth that doth good and sinneth not The meaning is he sinneth in doing good for so the Prophet acknowledgeth all our riâ—hteousnesses are as filthy rags Againe one 〈◊〉 64. 6. â—â—m 3. 2. Iohn 1. 8. Apostle saith in many things we offend all he includes himself other Apostles as great as he in holiness and both of them were very holy men excludes not himself saying If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourâ—elves and the truth is not in us I believe the tâ—uth of all these scriptures and therefore I do not believe that any mortal man while he is on the earth is free from sin 7. Quest Dost thou owne that salvation that is wrought out with fear and trembling Answ That Salvation the working out of which with fear Phil. 2. 12 13 an trembling the Apostle exhorts to because God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure is properly the worke of obedience and Piety which one works who is in the State and course of Salvation This is called salvation because it conduceth to and will end in salvation for a man who continueth to the end in the course of true Obedience and Mat. 29 13 piety is sure to obtaine felicity he who endureth to the end shall be saved I say then that 1. I own that salvation which is to be wrought out I own that their should be a finishing the work of obedience and graciousness which tends to salvation even of all such good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in and Eph. 2. 10. 2. I own that this obedient and pious working which tends to further us toward the end of our faith the perfect salvation of the soule should be wrought with fear and trembling that is as these words as here conjoyned do genuinely signify with an awfull reverentiall humble carfulness neither to offend God on whom their must be a dependency or ability to worke nor to deserve his Judgment by any proud arrogancy in presuming on the worke which we do though it be good seeing it is of his pure grace of his good pleasure that the very working out the very doing and finishing of any good is effected by us I do own this holy fear and trembling commended in Scripture which is an holy dread in the soule whereby it stands in awe of God having a great carefulnesse to walke humbly with God and fiducialâ—y to depend on him in all holy working And I do verily beleive that this fear and holy awe of the soul in its endeavouring to observe Gods commandments and to depart from evil is a surer evidence of one that works out his salvation in fear and trembling then are the quakings shakings wrestings and wringings of any body whatsoever for it is well known that in some men bodily quakings have been the effects of their Dâ—ut 28. 65 Psa 69. 23 bodily diseases in others they have been the fruites of Satanicall possessions and in some they are from divine curse and infliction 8. Quest Dost thou owne the same Revelation and Inspiration that the Apostles and Prophets had now in this age yea or no Answ I own all those selfe same revelations which were revealed to the Apostles and Prophets by the inspiration of the Spirit when they indited the holy scripture for in the writings of these his holy Pen-men Christ hath now fully and finally recorded the whole will and counsel of God concerning the way of his service and concerning all things necessary for mans salvation these are able to make wise unto salvation and seeing that God now only in these last dayes speakes unto us 1. Tim. 3. 15. Heb. 1. 1. Iuk 10. 6. Math. 28. 20. by his son and his son speakes to us teachingly from his word written by his Ministeriall servants with whom he hath promised to be untill the end of the world Therefore I disowne all those immediate Revelations which some in this age pretend to have knowing that these cannot reveale any saving truth which is not already revealed in the writings of the Prophets Apostles knowing that they all are accursed who seek to add to the Propheticall and Apostolicall Revelations any new Revelations or to preaâ—h unto men any other Gospel then Rev. 22. 28. 19. Gal. 1. 8. that which is received My faith is grounded as all good Christians faith ought to be upon the divine Revelations which the Prophets and Apostles received and have recorded in holy Scripture but not upon any other revelations which either in former ages or now in this age any other learned or holy persons have received 9. Quest Dost thou own the Prophesying sons and daughters in this age and that the Lord will poure his spirit upon all flesh Answ 1. I do believe that the Lord did poure of his spirit in plentiful measure of extraordinary gifts in an unusual manner so as they who received it in that manner did speak on a sudden in various and sundry languages the wonderfull works of God Ioel. 2. 28. Act. 2. 7. 18. 19. Act. 2. 1. this I believe because the Prophet Joel said that it should come to pass and the Apostle Peter said that it was come to pass and the Evangelist Luke hath told when it came to passe on the day of Pentecost when the Disciples were all with one accord in one place then was Ioels prophecy fully fulfilled in respect of the extraordinary effusion of the spirit But I do not believe that such an extraordinary pâ—uring out of the spirit in such a visible manner with such an apparent abundance of gifts and donations was ever known in the world either