Titus had power to ordain Elders Acts 14. 23. Titus 1. but this was in the Church whom Christ presented blameless and fitted for himself Ephs. 5. 26 27. and Chrâ—st had fitted them that were Elders Bishops or Deacons for himself before they were allowed of for their Office by the Apostles who were first to be tryed and then they were to Minister now that which presented them blameless was the gift of God and they had the gift revealed in them and a Bishop and a Decon must be blameless not given to wine no striker not greedy of filthy Lucre but patient not a brawler not covetous and apt to teach and so must Elders for they were Bishops Titus 1. 5 6. 7. Priest Now seeing this said priest professeth the Ministry in England to be of this sort for he saith in page the tenth for qualifications they have first competent knowledge secondly and utterance thirdly and godliness Answ. That 's all false For first how can they have competent knowledge seeing that they deny revelation and immediate teaching when as Christ saith no man knowes the father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. here they that denies revelation knowes neither the father nor the Son Let Christs own words stand a witness against this lying Priest and the rest of them Secondly true utterance they are far from seeing that they deny immediate teaching by the spirit for true utterance was a gift of the Spirit the Saints spoke as the spirit gave them utterance and the spirit word of God was revealed in Timothy Titus who were owned for Ministers by the Apostles Timothy had the gift of God in him and unfeigned faith in him and that gift was given by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the company of Elders as it is in some translations recorded now his call was not like the call of these Priests of England for the Prophefies that went on Timothy they came not by the will of man neither was the laying on of Elders hands according to mans will So that though the Priests would put themselves in number with Timothy and the Elders yet we find them shut out from their call and Ministry for we never understood that they that set up these priests were called as Peter or Paul or the Elders who had power to lay on the hands that the holy Ghost fell on the party on whom they laid on their hands and thus much will some of the Priests confess which may be to the shame of him that here professeth himself to be called as Timothy was And further this man aforesaid hath confessed that the Ministers for whom he pleads are brought up at the Universities as he calls them where they have bestowed labour and cost to bring them up to the Ministery which might have fitted them for a more gainful trade so that here their education is not to the true Ministry but to a trade but Timothy and Titus and the elders in the true Churches on whom the Apostle laid hands did not make a trade on their Ministry nor on the Scripture though they knew the Scriptures and did preach the word of God according to the Scriptures by the gift of God in them and who was to do the work of Evangelists whom Christ had endued with gifts from above neither was the holy Ghost to be bought with mony though it fell on several who believed when the Apostles laid their hands on them for he and his mony was to perish who would have bought the holy Ghost with mony Acts 8. 19. 20. So all the cost that the priests bestowes at Oxford or Cambridge it doth but purchase them a trade and that a deceitful one too it cannot purchase the holy Ghost nor the gifts of the spirit which Bishops Elders and Deacons in the true Churches were indued and fitted with but not made Ministers at Schools nor by the will of man as the priests are now Thirdly Neither are they in godlinesse nor qualified as a true Bishop or a Deacon or Elder seeing that the Priests in England are covetous greedy of filthy lucre and many of them given to wine and envious men and brawlers and novices as many in this nation can witness but the true Elders were not such and the man of God was to flee from the desire of mony and they that went in the error of Balaam for reward and in the way of Cain to envy and through covetousnesse made merchandise of people were ungodly men ordained of old for condemnation Jude 11. 2 Pet. 2. Therefore the Priests being ignorant of Revelation immediate teaching from God and being out of the true knowledge utterance and godliness so strangers to the heavenly gift they are not fit to teach but are deceivers shut out from among the number of the true Elders of Christ for the ungodly shall not be numbered with the seed of the righteous but we look at the life and gifts of God which qualifies and brings into the state and condition that the true Elders Bishops and Deacons were in more then their names seeing that they could not have these names nor be ordained for their office by the Apostles till they were first fitted and tryed in the truth and by the gift of God which was in the Apostles and elders of the true Church who denyed not revelation and immediate teaching for they had that revealed in them which they taught and by that knew the holy scriptures which are able to make a man wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ but without faith which is revealed and the gift of God the Scriptures cannot be known as they ought to be for it is the man of God that the Scriptures are profitable for the furnishing of and for our learning they are written who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Priest But we are not built on the foundation of every Pastor Teacher Elder Bishop or Deacon though both in their places Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints c. Answ. Here he would make two foundations the foundatition of the Prophets and Apostles not to be the foundation of the Pastors Teachers and Elders which were all given of God here he hath quite shut himself forth of the number of the true Church and hath shut himself out from being one of that sort of Ministers which before he pretended himself to be of so that this doth the more confirm to what I have written for how can he be either true Pastor Teacher or Elder when he is not built upon their foundation according to his own confession so he cannot be any Minister of Christ who is not built upon the true foundation which is but one so you may take notice of R. Baxters confusion for another foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Christ and they that were members
of the true Church were built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Jesus being the chief corner stone who was is the saints foundation and that building which is not builded upon Christ shall as surely fall as R. Baxter is proved to be no Minister of Christ and that is sure enough Priest In page the 14 he brins an objection which is But you are not ordained by Bishops his answer is almost all in England are till of late if that will serve our parish Presbyters are Bishops c. Answ. Here he goes about to justifie the Bishops that was in England ordaining of priests so that in this he is setting up that which before he pretended they had taken down as in his other sheet in page the sixth he saith have not the Ministers themselves been the pincipal instruments of taking down Bishops Deans and chapters Arch-Deacons Prebends and all means of preferments and what have they got by it so he that is here setting up that which before he hath pretended that the Ministers have taken down here he makes himself a transgressor and people may take notice further against this priest for a lyar that all means of preferment which the Bishops was preferred in the Priests of England have not taken down seeing that almost all of them till of late are ordained by the Bishops so they are not Christs Ministers but Bishops Ministers and if all the Bishops means of preferment were taken down by the Priests then what means the Priests taking Tithes and upholding such great oppression as causeth the creation to groan and their suing people at Law and their causing of them to be imprisoned that refuse to pay the Priests Tithes for conscience sake surely here is Bishops Ministers upholding Bishops Tyranny and that by Bishops Lawes that are corrupt and unrepealed as may be made appear This Priest hath quite cast himself into the mire and hath made his call void for he saith in his 16 page the truth of our doctrine depends not on our calling Then it is manifest that their calling is a false calling for if it were of God it were according to true doctrine true doctrine that 's preached in obedience to a true calling depends on or hath unity with that calling Priest He that hath no just call shall answer for what he doth as an intruder but the people shall have for all that the fruit of his Ministration and preaching and Baptism and other acts shall not be null to them Answ. That 's false for they that ran and the Lord sent them not they had not a just call from God they could not profit the people at all therefore their teaching was null to the people as yours is who are not built upon the foundation of the true Prophets and Elders accordingly as it is made appear in the foregoing words as also is your unjust call and here thou goest about to vindicate an intruders preaching when as the Apostle witnessed against such Colos. 2. for intruders are mainly puft up in their fleshly minds and even so is he that would have them to be preachers Priest In page the ninth The necessities of the Church continue we still need a Teaching Ministry and for that he brings Heb. 5. 11. Ans. In Heb. 5. there is no such word as that the necessities of the Church continue here he is proved to be a perverter of the Scripture as it may be seen in that place for those unto whom the Apostle spoke was dull of hearing so he reproved them for when as for the time they might have been teachers they themselves had need to have been taught but he did not say they still needed teaching by Ministers as this priest would have the Church to continue in necessity and so then if the necessity of the Church continue the Church is not supplied Oh what blindness is here that ever people should be blinded and led by such blind guids as this they may be in want and necessity still ever learning never able to come to the knowledge of the truth indeed that are lead by them and never come to receive the promise while they are led by such but the promise of God was fulfilled in the Churches who were taught of God as he had promised they shall not need to teach every man his neighbour saying know the Lord but they shall all know me from the least to the greatest saith the Lord Heb. 8 and John wrote to them that needed not that any man should teach them for they had the annoiting from the father which taught them of all things but this said Priest hath been much pleading for himself and such as he is to be the principal members parts and supporters of the Church but it may be truly said that such Churches as have such as he is for their principal members and supporters that they are both blind and lame dumb from speaking any thing from revelation or immediate teaching from God but them of the true Church witnessed both for they might all prophesie one by one 1 Corinth 14. 31. And this priest also saith in the foresaid page that there is no salvation promised but to the Church and brings Ephes. 5. 23 25 26 27 and Mark 16. 16. to prove his deceit when there is no such word in these scriptures as he brings them for but if he had said that there are none in whom the promise of salvation is fulfilled but them of the true Church he would not need have been questioned for so saying but Christ who is the covenant and the salvation of God he is promised to be his salvation to the ends of the earth and he is given for a light unto the Gentiles and the scripture foreseeing or foretelling that God would justifie the heathen through faith Gal. 3. 8. and they shall be called the people of God that were not his people so that the promise of God reached unto a people before it was fulfilled and before that they were united into the Church but this blinde guide hath made manifest his ignorance concerning the promise of salvation as he hath done concerning many other things he hath given forth in his lying papers who saith that many thousands are damned for want of the light but in this he is also in errour for thousands are condemned by the light because they hate it and this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then the light because their deeds are evil John 3. And this said priest in his second page would accuse them he calls Quakers for being the Papists Agents but this we deny and return it back again upon him for both the Papists their wayes worships superstition and deceits and adherents we clearly witness against in life conversation and doctrine as in many things is evident to the World in many of our books and manner of our life and for them he calls Seekers among whom he numbers us All that are seeking worshipping or waiting in their own wills and imaginations we deny but they that seek in sincerity so as to find the right way we own them according to the true light wherein the drawings of God is manifest unto them that believe in the Light which doth inlighten every man that cometh into the world And R. Baxter saith this is the saving Gospel that the Seekers Quakers and their brethren preach that the scripture is not the Gospel c. I answer If the Quakers preach a saving Gospel then out of thy own mouth art thou judged to revile and speak evil of the Ministers of the Gospel and then why hast thou written so much against the Quakers as thou calls them if they preach the saving Gospel which is everlasting which was before the scripture was But didst thou mean as thou hast spoken if thou did then why do not you Priests preach that which here thou saist we preach But what thou R. Baxter hath uttered in these two sheets is not the first time thou hast set thy self against the innocent and against the Truth with thy lies and confusions as the Reader may be further satisfied concerning thee if he read the Answer to thy book called The Quakers Catechism and that book tituled Many strong reasons confounded in answer to another lying sheet of thine against the Quakers And here thou art proved a Deceiver a Raylor and false accuser of the innocent a teacher and disperser of lies and false doctrines and thy call to be a false call and thou and the rest that own thee to be out of the true foundation Therefore stop thy mouth and give over thy trade for shame and be confounded for the light is risen and the morning is broken forth which discovers all you blinde guides and destroyers of souls and your filthinesse shame and confusion is made appear and your noysom smell of wickednesse oppression pride and deceit is come up before the Lord who will consume you by the breath of his mouth and will scatter you and break you and stamp you to pieces Dread and tremble you Babylons Tradesmen for the time is a coming that your ware shall not be esteemed of and you shall wail for the misery that is coming upon you and let all that love their souls save themselves from this wicked generation of deceivers and return to the Lord God and walk in his light which shineth in their hearts to receive the teachings of his wayes that the true promises and Ministry they may partake of and deny the false ministry and ministers which we are made through the truth to witnesse against and renounce with their dishonesty and we preach not to keep people alwayes learning but that they may bee turned from the darknesse to the light and come to see the true Ministry fulfilled in them by the spirit of Truth This onely lay upon me to give forth for the Truths sake to clear it and them that are in it from lies otherwise I should have been willing to have suffered under them for it is no pleasure nor advancing to me to search in the Priests confusion THE END And if the reader would be further satisfied touching the ground and rise of Tithes he may seriusly view a book called the great case of Tithes truly stated by A. P.
page 6. and in page the 8th he saith of the same people he speaks against nay such are noted for the highest sort of the wicked upon the earth worse then drunkards whoremongers and such filthy beasts the persecutors of Gods Ministers have been ever taken as walking Devils Answ. This is such a Ministery as the world enjoyeth indeed and altogether out of the faith so unfaithful where the teachers prayes and fasts for such as this priest confesseth to be the highest sort of the wicked and as walking devils surely they spend their strength in vain that prays for such as they count as Devils and the worst or highest sort of the wicked and how can his or their praying be said to be in the faith for such as he doth thus judge and yet he confesseth that there is a little help and hope left for their miserable souls see his blindness and confusion have malignants help and hope for if they have hope then have walking devils hope according to this mans account and then have the reprobates hope but it is manifest that there are some that are given over to a reprobate mind and some are without hope and some have neglected their visitation and such are malignants for whom we do not spend our strength neither do we pray for walking devils but for them whom God hath chosen and will chuse out of the world neither did the Apostles pray for filthy beasts but for men Priest I profess were it not for the belief of the greatness and necessity and excellency of the truths that I am to preach and for the will of God and the good of souls I would be a plow-man or the meanest trade if not a sweep-chimny rather then a Minister Answ. As for the sake of the belief or greatness of truth he himself is proved both to labour out of the true belief to be out of the truth whose labor hath so little effect as it hath seeing he labours for such as he compareth to walking devils and complains of the drunkards whoremongers covetous and ungodly persons in their parishes and yet he is a Minister among such truly he might see that he Labours but for very vanity if he were not blind so that a plowman or a sweep-chimny are more lawful then this mans trade who makes a trade upon the scriptures and its better to be plowman or sweep chimnies then an unprofitable Teacher Priest And he that is the accuser of the brethren which accuseth them before God day and night and is not this the works of the Quakers Answ. No for the saints were not in the false accusers work when they cryed against such teachers as were in the covetous practises and called them cursed Children neither are we accusers of the brethren when we witness against such Ministers now as are in the covetous practises but do suffer by the false accuser many of whose false accusations are extant in Priest Baxters lying papers against us called Quakers Priest in page ten And what else do Quakers and all these sects that are the enemies of the Minictry do they not go up and down the land and say to the wisest holiest teachers as if they took them by the sleeve come down and let me preach that can do it better come down thou deceiver and ignorant man and let me come up that am wiser and better Answ. I question not but that there are many in this natition that can witness against this Priest for a false accuser in these words for we do not use these words he layes to our charge as to say we are wiser and better and let me come up here he accuseth us as if we had as mind to come up into their pulpits but such high places or chiefest seats we desire not at all but rather leave them for the hireling priests that they may appear like Pharisees who had the chiefest places in the assemblies whom Christ cryed wo against and it is against the Priests the deceivers that are in the Pharisees steps that we cry and not against the true Ministers but we know that the seed is come that tramples upon the high places of the earth and upon these places wherein Idolatry is upheld In the 11 page Priest Baxter takes the labor of most tradesmen in the Town to be a pleasure to the body in comparison of his and saith they work in ease and I in continual pain Ans. Here let such as labour daily with their hands consider whether this man hath spoken the truth or no and whether compacting a sermon together in a week in his study or elsewhere and much of it made ready to his or their hands and declaring it over one day it may be sometimes in two dayes in the week and it may be speak by an hour-glass as many of the Priests in England do whether this be not easier to the body then daily hand labours from mornings till evenings and he that saith he is in continual pain it appears then that his trade is a bondage to him but if he were a Minister of the Gospel he would not be in continual pain in Ministring that neither would he murmure or complain as he doth and as the filthy dreamers did Jude 16. for the commands of Christ was joyous to his and the way thereof they ran with great delight and had joy and peace and consolation in the Lord which they received through obedience to his commands and were not in continual pain as this priest confesseth he is and indeed such as he is are like to be in pain they being in their steps who ran and the Lord never sent them and the Lord is against them how can they but be in pain for the wicked men have no peace with God and surely this labour and travail and trade of theirs is deep in the curse if they be in continual pain Priest As wisely do the Quakers argue that because we use spectacles or hour-glasses and pulpets we have not the spirit it is not want of your abilities that makes ministers use notes I use notes as much as any man when I take pains and as little as any man when I am Lazy Answ. Here hee goes about to plead for the Priests using hour glasses pulpets and notes for teaching by but he cannot prove that the Ministers of Christ used these things as the blinde guides in England do and as for pulpets such was in Ezra's time in the time when the Law was read and the Pharisees had the chiefest places in the Assemblies who professed Moses but denied Christ and he witnessed against them Mat. 23. and it is manifest that these that limit a time to teach in by an hour-glasse are not led by the spirit of truth for the saints did not preach by hour-glasses for they spake when and so long as they were moved by the spirit neither did they use notes for Sermons as the priests do but spake in the